Which is your favorite musketeer? With which musketeer do you most identify? Why?

To what lengths would you go for love? What would you do for your beloved?

What is an injustice that you strove to correct? Did you go at it alone or did you have a team? What was the result?

A major theme of The Three Musketeers is coming of age - what it means to determine who you are and what you value in a community of people who care about you. Just as Athos, Porthos, and Aramis mentor D’Artagnan and take him under their wings, two organizations are reading out to develop and guide local adolescents.

Making A Difference Consulting provides after-school programs, mental health counseling services, and family workshops to children, youth, and families. Relational skills are fostered through gender-specific groups, D.I.V.A.S. (Demonstrating Inner Value, Acceptance, and Self-Worth) and Boys II Men. These groups focus on emotional and social skills development, discussions, role-plays, and exposure field trips. MAD is always looking for volunteers to act as mentors, but we also turn to community members to provide free exposure opportunities that could serve as field trips, act as guest speakers, and lead hands-on demonstrations and volunteers. Get involved at makingadifferenceconsulting.com!

Good2Great Youth Development was founded to be a pillar of support for at-risk youth in local communities. Impact is made on young lives through mentoring, character development classes, academic support services, and professional development opportunities. These goals are accomplished through a variety of Good2Great activities, including: athletic training and events, summer camps, youth entertainment programs, parent engagement options, etiquette classes, enrichment trips, and community / agricultural initiatives. Follow their work on Instagram: g2gyouthdevelopment.

Want to bring your inner swashbuckler out to play? Then we’ve got a great suggestion for you!

Two Ravens Fencing School is an organization dedicated to bringing the modern sport of fencing and sword culture to people of all ages! Classes are available to anyone aged 8 and up, and - depending on which combat style you loved in The Three Musketeers - you can opt for traditional fencing, learn how to spar with a poleaxe, channel your inner Jedi with a lightsaber, or try Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA).

Two Ravens offers a variety of individual and group lessons for beginners, highly experienced swordsfolk, and everyone in between. You can sign up and pay per drop-in session, or opt for a membership that allows you to take regular lessons on a weekly basis and also have access to open fencing and club equipment.

The school is located on the first floor of a classy, recently refurbished warehouse building at 3143 West 33rd Street in Cleveland. More information about how to sign up can be found at tworavensfencingschool.com.

As always, we’d love you to talk back to us about the themes and events of the play. You can do so by sending your answers and images to insideCPH@clevelandplayhouse.com or by sharing on your own social media platforms and tagging with #3MusketeersCPH.

One of the major themes of The Three Musketeers is the quest for justice and how far our heroes are willing to go to bring it about. But this doesn’t just happen onstage! Real life crusaders are making justice happen in the world today. Tell us about a person, institution, or organization you admire that is fighting for justice in the here and now. What do they believe in? How do they act boldly and courageously? Why do you admire them? Share a few words about their mission - plus a picture if you have it - and let’s celebrate those who are making our world a better place!

An honor code is written by a group of like-minded people (and sometimes by individuals) to outline their beliefs and behaviors. The code acts as a guidebook of sorts, governing group members’ interactions with one another and the world around them.

Honor codes might be organized around:

• VALUES (benevolence, courage, honesty, justice, etc)
• MANDATES or COMMANDMENTS (“To fight for the welfare of all” or “To obey those placed in authority”)
• STORIES or SAYINGS (“All for one, and one for all” or “No one is a total fool if he can be silent”
• QUESTIONS (“Do I insist on doing something about which my conscience feels uneasy” or “How do I spend my spare time”)

After watching CPH’s production of The Three Musketeers, reflect on the honor codes you’ve seen in action. What “rules” do The Musketeers have for how they operate in 17th century France? What values drive Madame de Treville’s actions? How about the Cardinal’s?

Then, either by yourself or with a group of friends / family, try to construct an honor code for yoursel(f/ves). You might make it as simple as 5 statements beginning with “I/we believe in…..” or be a bit more intentional by deciding “We vow to / not to……” Once you’ve come to some agreements, try living out your honor code for a week - and see what happens!