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EIZE STAGEthe Season2018-19Watch what happens!

Production CompanionLearning Guide

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Colleen DoynoExecutive Artistic DirectorPittsburgh Musical Theater

Help us continue our mission!As we continue to grow, your support through donations allows us to pursue our mission of providing the public with

professional shows, employing local artists, and cultivating talent through our conservatory program.

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REIGNITE YOUR LOVEFOR THE ARTS

create new theater fans with us!

As a dedicated theater epicenter, Pittsburgh Musical Theater has been providing quality professional musical theater, local opportunity, and premier education to the Pittsburgh region and West End Community for almost 30 years. A lifelong love of theater often starts with a school bus ride to see a student matinée performance at Pittsburgh Musical Theater. The arts are not only fun for kids, but also help them develop fundamental skills including creativity, confidence, visual learning, decision making, perseverance, focus, collaboration, and accountability. We appreciate you for taking the time to provide your students with such

an enriching experience. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is delightful production, the culmination of collaboration between incredibly talented student artists on stage and the student musicians in the orchestra pit alongside Pittsburgh’s finest stagehands and technicians behind the scenes. This production represents a unique

partnership between the students of Pittsburgh Musical Theater and Pittsburgh CAPA’s 6-12 orchestra. This packet will provide you with classroom tools to help make the connection between arts and education. You will find information on the story of Joseph, lesson plans, student learning activity prompts, a word

search, and even a coloring page!

Enjoy the show!

Rediscover



19 20 season

ContentsOverview of JosephCharacters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4The Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6Lyricist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Synopsis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Lesson PlansEnglish (Literature & Writing) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15Social Studies (Geography, History, Politics, Economics) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Science, Healthy, & Safety: Possible Research Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18Art/Architecture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Student Learning ActivitiesDiscussion Topics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23Bible Verses in Joseph . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25Hands-On Projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

PrintablesColors of the Dreamcoat Word Search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29-30Any Dream Will Do . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31Coloring Page . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32Additional Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

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• Narrator The Narrator is not from the time or place of the action . She tells the story through word and song, guiding the audience through the story .

• Joseph Joseph is his father’s favorite son . He shows an early talent for interpreting the meaning of dreams and telling the future . When Joseph predicts a future where he rules over his other eleven brothers, it gets him into some trouble . On the bright side, this talent of his saves his life when he correctly interprets the Pharaoh’s dreams .

• Jacob Jacob is the father of the twelve sons . He favors his son Joseph the most because he recognizes the future and calling of him, which will save the House of Israel .

• The Brothers:Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Naphtali, Issachar, Asher, Dan, Zebulun, Gad, Benjamin, Judah As a group, the brother sell Joseph into slavery, but as individuals, they deal with the outcomes in the following years and how they make amends in their own unique ways .

• Potiphar Potiphar is a powerful and rich Egyptian who purchases Joseph and puts him to work in his house . He soon sees that Joseph is an honest, hard-working addition to his team of helper . When he develops suspicions about Joseph and his wife, he throws Joseph in prison .

• Mrs . Potiphar Beautiful and scheming, Mrs . Potiphar tries to win Joseph’s heart, unsuccessfully, but enough that her husband sees a threat and condemns Joseph to prison .

• Baker The Baker is one of Pharaoh’s servants who ends up in prison with Joseph . Joseph interprets his dreams and predicts that he will be put to death .

• Butler Another one of Pharaoh’s servants, the Butler is in prison with Joseph as well . Joseph interprets his dream and predicts the Butler will be released and taken back into Pharaoh’s household . The Butler is the one who tells Pharaoh about Joseph’s ability to interpret dreams .

• Pharaoh The Pharaoh is the most powerful man in Egypt . When Joseph interprets his dreams, the Pharaoh promotes himself to one of the highest positions in his government .

Characters in Joseph

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Act I

“Prologue” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator

“Any Dream Will Do” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Joseph, Children

“Jacob and Sons” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Brothers, Ensemble

“Joseph’s Coat” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jacob, Narrator, Joseph, Brothers, Wives, Ensemble

“Joseph’s Dreams” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Brother, Joseph

“Poor, Poor Joseph” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Brother, Joseph

“One More Angel In Heaven” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Reuben, Brothers, Wives, Jacob

“Potiphar” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Potiphar, Mrs . Potiphar, Joseph, Ensemble

“Close Every Door” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph and Company

“Go, Go, Go Joseph” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Joseph, Butler, Baker, Ensemble

Act II

“Entr’acte” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Children

“Pharaoh’s Story” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Narrator, Ensemble

“Poor, Poor Pharaoh” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Narrator, Butler, Pharaoh, Female Ensemble

“Song of the King” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Pharaoh, Ensemble

“Pharaoh’s Dreams Explained” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph, Ensemble,

“Stone the Crows” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Narrator, Pharaoh, Joseph, Female Ensemble

“Those Canaan Days” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Simeon, Jacob, Brothers

“The Brothers Come to Egypt/Grovel, Grovel” . . . . . . . . . . . . .Narrator, Brothers, Joseph, Female Ensemble,

“Who’s the Thief?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Joseph, Ensemble

“Benjamin Calypso” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Judah, Brothers, Ensemble

“Joseph All the Time” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Narrator, Joseph, Brothers, Ensemble

“Jacob in Egypt” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ensemble

“Any Dream Will Do (Reprise)” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Joseph, Narrator, Ensemble

“Joseph Megamix” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Full Company

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The Music in Joseph

Most Notable Theater Works:

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Jesus Christ Superstar

Evita

Cats

The Phantom of the Opera

School of Rock

Awards:

Olivier Awards (8, 1978–2018)

Grammy Awards (4, 1980–1990)

Tony Awards (6, 1980–1995)

Hollywood Walk of Fame (1993)

Praemium Imperiale (1995)

Songwriter’s Hall of Fame (1995)

Academy Award, Best Original Song (1996)

Golden Globe, Best Original Song (1997)

Ivor Novello Awards (14)

American Theatre Hall of Fame (2009)

Composer

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Andrew Lloyd WebberEnglish Composer of Musical Theatre

March 22, 1948 - Present

Education: Westminster SchoolMagdalen College, Oxford

Royal College of Music

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Most Notable Collaborative Theater Works:

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Jesus Christ Superstar

Evita

Aladdin

The Lion King

Awards:

Drama Desk Award (2, 1980)

Outer Critics Circle Award, Best Lyricist (1980)

New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award, Best

Musical (1980, 1998)

Tony Awards (2, 1980-2000)

Grammy Awards (4, 1980–2001)

Academy Award, Best Original Song (1996)

Golden Globe, Best Original Song (1997)

Satellite Award, Best Original Song (1997)

Laurence Olivier Award (2012)

Primetime Emmy (2018)

LyricistTim Rice

English Author and LyricistNovember 10, 1944 - Present

Education: Aldwickbury School,St . Albans School, Lancing College

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Synopsis*Act I

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is based on the story of Joseph from the Bible’s Book

of Genesis . A Narrator opens the show by introducing Joseph, the dreamer (“Prologue”) . The Narrator

then draws the audience’s attention to Joseph’s father and his 12 sons (“Jacob and Sons”) . Jacob has

given Joseph, his youngest and favorite son, a multi-colored coat and his brothers are envious of him

(“Joseph’s Coat”) .

The brothers’ jealousy is compounded by Joseph’s dreams, which suggest that he is destined to rule

over them (“Joseph’s Dreams”) . To stop this from happening they try to kill him, before changing their

minds and selling him as a slave to some passing Ishmaelites (“Poor, Poor Joseph”) . To hide what they

have done, Joseph’s brothers and their wives tell Jacob that his beloved son has been killed by a wild

animal . As proof, they show Joseph’s coat, which they have torn to pieces and covered in goat’s blood

(“One More Angel in Heaven”) . When the devastated Jacob exits, the brothers and wives cheerfully

celebrate Joseph’s departure (“Hoedown”) .

Meanwhile, Joseph is taken to Egypt (“Journey to Egypt”) . There he is bought as a slave by the

wealthy Potiphar . He works hard and is promoted, eventually running the household . Joseph catches the

eye of Mrs . Potiphar and although he turns down her advances, Potiphar sees them together and jumps

to the wrong conclusion (“Potiphar”) . Furious, he throws Joseph in jail .

A miserable Joseph laments his situation (“Close Every Door”), but things look up when two

prisoners, both former servants of the Pharaoh, are put in his cell . Joseph interprets their strange

dreams and predicts the Butler will return to Pharaoh’s service, while the Baker will be executed . On

hearing his prophecies, the other prisoners encourage Joseph to follow his own dreams (“Go, Go, Go

Joseph”) .

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Act II

The Narrator opens the second act with news that there’s a glimmer of light for Joseph in jail:

Pharaoh himself had a run of crazy dreams and nobody can interpret them (“Pharaoh Story”) . Pharaoh’s

(now freed) Butler tells him of Joseph’s skills deciphering dreams (“Poor, Poor Pharaoh”) . Pharaoh has

Joseph brought to him and describes his dream involving seven fat cows, seven skinny cows and seven

healthy ears of corn and seven dead ears of corn (“Song of the King”) .

Joseph deduces that there will be seven plentiful years of crops followed by seven years of famine

(“Pharaoh’s Dreams Explained”) . Impressed with what he hears, Pharaoh puts Joseph in charge of

preparations for the famine and the former slave becomes the second most powerful man in Egypt,

Pharaoh’s right-hand man (“Stone the Crows”) .

Meanwhile, Joseph’s family back home is struggling due to the famine, with his brothers regretting

what they did to him and how they lied to their father (“Those Canaan Days”) . Hearing that Egypt still

has food, they travel there to beg for supplies (“The Brothers Come to Egypt”) . In Egypt, the brothers

request food from Joseph, not realizing who he is (“Grovel, Grovel”) . Joseph gives them sacks of food,

but puts a golden cup in the one belonging to Benjamin, his youngest brother, whom he has never

met . When the brothers attempt to depart, Joseph stops them, accusing them of theft . Each brother

empties his sack (“Who’s the Thief?”) and when the cup is found in Benjamin’s sack Joseph accuses

him of stealing . The other brothers beg Joseph to take them prisoner instead and let Benjamin go free

(“Benjamin Calypso”) .

Joseph sees that his brothers have changed and reveals who he really is (“Joseph All the Time”) .

Joseph sends for his father and the pair are reunited (“Jacob in Egypt”) . Joseph wears his colored coat

again (“Any Dream Will Do”/ “Close Every Door”) .

* Provided by licensing company: The Musical Company, retrieved from https://themusicalcompany .com/show/joseph/full-synopsis/

Lesson PlansENGLISH (Literature & Writing)

1.1. You know Joseph’s most prized possession; what is yours? Write a description of your favorite

object, and explain why it is so valued or precious to you .

1.2. Jacob and his brother Esau were once rivals, and now Jacob’s sons illustrate some serious sibling

rivalry . Describe a time when you felt jealous of a brother or sister—or when he/she was jealous of you .

What did you do about it? Or how did your sibling(s) behave toward you? Consider reading another

literary work depicting sibling rivalry, such as the brother rivalry between Cain and Abel, sons of Adam

& Eve, in the Book of Genesis, or the sister rivalry in Katharine Paterson’s appropriately-named Jacob

Have I Loved . In a lighter work, a preteen brother & sister compete in Jacqueline Davies’ The Lemonade

War, and learn some basic economic & marketing lessons along the way .

1.3. Large families: Jacob boasts a family of 12 sons . The number of children typical to families of

different places & times can vary greatly . How many children do you think makes a large, or larger than

normal, family? What is the largest family you know?

• Interview one or more members of a large family, to learn what they would consider the

challenges and rewards of being part of a large family .

• Read more about a famous “large” family from history, such as Benjamin Franklin’s family, or that

of England’s Queen Victoria & Prince Albert; the real story of the Von Trapps; or Cheaper by the Dozen .

Consider vintage TV shows like The Waltons, Eight is Enough, and The Brady Bunch. Compare these with

contemporary reality shows featuring Jon & Kate plus Eight, and The Duggars (19 Kids and Counting) .

Why do you think people are so interested in stories and shows about large families?

1.4. Write out a memorable dream that you have had; what do you think it means?

• Research dream interpretation, to see how others might try to interpret the dream .

• Write a brief report about another culture emphasizing the importance of dreams . (Native

American tribes with dream or vision rituals; Tibetan Book of the Dead; artists who create from dreams)10

1.5. The Joseph musical, though not written as a mystery tale, includes at least three apparent crimes:

the human-trafficking of Joseph, covered-up by an alleged death-by-goat; the false assault charge made

by Potiphar’s wife, which lands Joseph in jail; and Joseph’s framing Benjamin for the theft of a golden

cup . Choose one of these crimes, and, considering the setting and milieu of the crime—either in Canaan

or Egypt– Create a detective who could investigate the crime .

• Will it be a member of the household or tribe, or someone called in especially to investigate

the incident? What sort of personality will this detective have? (Consider carefully how other

literary detectives function in their environments, such as Sherlock Holmes in Victorian London & its

environment, or Brother Cadfael in Medieval England . Who are your favorite “sleuths”? Nancy Drew?

The Hardy Boys?) Write a character description for your detective . Take some creative liberties with the

Joseph story: Write a scene, or a short story, in which your new detective character investigates and/or

solves the crime .

1.6. Adjectives—Marketing . Who wouldn’t want an “Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”?! It’s “astounding

clothing,” the ultimate in design . Joseph, the owner, gives his endorsement– he “loves [his] Coat of Many

Colors,” he looks “handsome” and “smart,” and feels he’s “a walking work of art .” The envious brothers

call him “the smoothest person in the district .” And the list of colors/shades goes on and on!

• Although the song’s combination of adjectives and personal testimonies/endorsements may seem

difficult to top, try to write your own original advertisement for a multi-colored robe. You can create a

print ad, with text and/or graphics, suitable for a poster/flyer or magazine ad; or, you can develop an ad

for a different medium—such as a radio ad (announcement, jingle), or an online ad in the form of a video

clip .

• Or, inspired by the Technicolor Dreamcoat, invent/imagine a different article of clothing or

personal dress you would like to promote —and prepare an ad to create buzz for/ to sell your new

clothing item .

1.7. Joseph’s brothers make up a country & western-style ‘eulogy’ for Joseph, as consolation for

bereaved father Jacob . Explore the differences between an obituary, a fairly objective death

announcement also summarizing the deceased’s life - and a Eulogy, which extols or praises the

deceased’s personal character & life . Practice writing both an obituary and a eulogy for an individual of

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your choice - for a friend or loved one who has passed away, or for a historical figure that interests you

(you may need to do a little research to get all the information needed!) .

• If you feel comfortable, write the obituary and/or eulogy you hope would represent YOU

someday; what would you hope people would think & say of you?

1.8. Discuss the role of providence in Joseph’s story . How does Joseph’s story reveal that, despite his

disappointments and sufferings, God was always watching over him and/or making all things work for

good in the end . Does Joseph seem to hold on to this belief throughout the story (for example, in “Close

Every Door”)? or does he go through a learning process of some sort? How does the Narrator develop

this theme? Do you feel that the ending truly ennobles and/or makes up for the sufferings Joseph

endured?

• If we see providence at work in Joseph’s ending in a good place - just when & where he needs to be

in order to save both Egypt and his family and achieve personal success - then who is responsible for the

terrible wrong Joseph suffers at the beginning? Was it Jacob, for his obvious favoritism? Was Joseph’s

own attitude and behavior to blame? Was it the other brothers, for their envy, fraternal disloyalty, or…

what would you call it? (Something they must regret or change by the end?) Or must they be excused,

because Joseph’s destiny demanded that he end up in Egypt - so they were necessary instruments of a

higher purpose?

• How would you compare & contrast the Joseph musical, then, with Rice/Webber’s other “divine”

work, Jesus Christ Superstar? Do Jesus’ choices or approach contribute to what happens to him? Do you

place blame on Judas, or consider him a necessary (albeit unknowing) instrument of Jesus’ destiny?

• Can you think of another story - book, play, movie - that shows the guidance or protection of a

Higher Power at work, despite adversity or suffering?

1.9. “Jacob’s Journey”: This performance of Jacob’s life story was performed as companion to an earlier

version of the Joseph musical . So, go back to the Book of Genesis (27:1-37:1), and read about Jacob’s

adventures before he had Joseph & 11 other sons - enacting his mother’s plan to steal for himself his

brother Esau’s birthright, wrestling an angel, working to gain Rachel for a bride (only to be tricked

himself) . . . Think about the Jacob who appears in the musical - and the Jacob who appears in the (Old

Testament) Genesis stories: Do they seem like the same Jacob? If they seem to differ, how?

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1.10. When we leave Joseph and his family at the end of the Book of Genesis, they seem only too happy

to come to Egypt to live in peace and plenty . The beginning of the Book of Exodus, however, shows the

Hebrews reduced to slave labor and longing for deliverance . Whatever happened in the years between

Joseph and Moses?

1.11. Learn more about medieval cycle plays: An earlier version of the Joseph musical was performed

in conjunction with plays from the Wakefield Cycle. The Wakefield Cycle and the York Corpus Christi

Cycle are probably England’s most famous examples of this type of medieval theatre, in which the major

events/stories of the Bible are enacted, over the course of a full day, on rolling wagon-sized stages that

stop - & whose casts perform - at a series of stations along the prescribed route through the city . The

residents of the city, then, need only stand at one station throughout the day and wait, as each pageant -

wagon rolls up and delivers its performance, in order to see the Old & New Testaments .

1.12. Webber & Rice have developed modern musical re-tellings of old stories from the Bible (Joseph…

Dreamcoat and Jesus Christ Superstar) . Award-winning playwright and poet Archibald MacLeish’s

dramatic play J .B . is a modern retelling of the story of Job . Read it . How does the theme of providence,

and of the meaning of suffering, in this play seem to compare with Joseph? Do you think these ‘updated’

versions, including modern words or modern music, remain true in spirit to the originals?

1.13. “One was a butler, the Jeeves of his time .” Read about Jeeves for yourself in the books of P .G .

Wodehouse .

1.14. Because Joseph spends time in prison, locate and read other “Prison Lit” - works written during,

or about, imprisonment . Can you see any common elements or themes in these works? (Examples

written in prison: MLK Jr .’s “Letter from the Birmingham Jail;” Boethius’ Consolation of Philosophy;

St . Paul’s Letters to the Colossians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon; Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn’s

The Gulag Archipelago, and One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich; Cervantes’ Don Quixote; Bunyan’s

Pilgrim’s Progress; The Travels of Marco Polo; similarly, Sir Walter Raleigh started writing The History

of the World; over a dozen stories by O . Henry; Richard Lovelace’s poem “To Althea, from Prison;”

and unfortunately, Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf .’ Examples that dramatize imprisonment include plays like

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Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit, Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, Sutton Vane’s Outward Bound, Maxwell

Anderson’s Mary of Scotland, or Dale Wasserman’s Man of La Mancha . Main characters are also jailed for

part of Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter; Hugo’s Les Miserables; Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo, The Three

Musketeers; Dickens’ Little Dorrit, Great Expectations, and A Tale of Two Cities . )

1.15. Locate & read literary works with significant dreams - that is, the sleep-related kind. Many

characters are famous sleepers (Sleeping Beauty; Rip van Winkle; etc.), but try to find cases in which

we know the content of the dream (as when Alice dreams Wonderland, the Brothers Karamazov

“sometimes dream of devils,” or Jim in Adventures of Huckleberry Finn)!

• Examples: Gospel of Matthew account of The Flight to Egypt - An angel warns Joseph, in a dream,

to take Mary & baby Jesus and flee, because Herod is after the baby. But in Homer’s Iliad, Zeus tricks

King Agamemnon in a dream, which tells him to advance Achilles . See also Mercutio’s “Queen Mab”

speech from Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet . Clarence and Richard have anxiety-dreams in Richard II,

Calpurnia dreams bad omens in Julius Caesar, and sleepwalking Lady Macbeth sees blood on her hands .

• In Poetry: Eve’s dream in Books 4 & 5 of Milton’s Paradise Lost . Keats, “La Belle Dame sans Merci;”

Yeats, “The Cloths of Heaven;” Sarojini Naidu, “Cradle Song;” and - very child-friendly - Eugene Field,

“The Sugar-Plum Tree” and “Wynken, Blynken and Nod .” And depending on how you interpret a “dream,”

Ambrose Bierce’s “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and Nathaniel Hawthorne’s “Young Goodman

Brown .”

• Examples from the Dream Vision tradition in literature: Cicero’s Dream of Scipio; Anonymous, The

Dream of the Rood; Chaucer’s Parliament of Fowls; the “aisling” genre of 17th century Irish poetry; John

Henry Newman’s “Dream of Gerontius” - the prayer of dying man amidst angelic and demonic voices -

which also inspired a choral work by Elgard . Finally, consider the dueling dream-works of William Morris

- The Dream of John Ball, with a positive, progressive view of Medieval society - and Mark Twain, who

slams the Middle Ages in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court .

• Examples from Fantasy/Science Fiction: Ray Bradbury’s “The Last Night of the World .” Maybe

Phillip K . Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”; Susan Cooper’s Greenwitch, the third book in

The Dark is Rising series . Robin McKinley’s The Hero and The Crown and The Blue Sword both portray a

tribe in which visions/dreams are significant. Numerous others for mature teen readers - Orson Scott

Card’s Ender’s Game; Mercedes Lackey’s The Fairy Godmother; Laurell K . Hamilton’s Nightseer .

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MATH

2.1. If Potiphar counted 523 shekels before letting out a mighty roar, which accidentally knocked 230 of

them to the floor, how many shekels were left on the table?

2.2. If the Ishmaelites gave the brothers 30 pieces of silver to buy Joseph as a slave, and if Benjamin took

none of them, how many coins would each remaining brother get as his share?

2.3. While Benjamin remains in Egypt, the others return to Canaan to get Jacob . What fraction of

Jacob’s sons were then in Egypt? What percentage of sons would that be?

2.4. The “Also-Rans”: Naphtali, Issachar, Asher, and Dan were in a race. Issachar finished ahead of

Naphtali. Asher also finished ahead of Naphtali but did not win the race. Issachar finished in third place.

Who won the race?

2.5. Benjamin is less than 20 years old . The sum of the two digits of his age is even . The difference of the

two digits is zero . How old is Benjamin?

2.6. Joseph interpreted 51 dreams in 3 months of working for Pharaoh . Each month he interpreted

2 more dreams than the month before . How many dreams did Joseph interpret in each of the three

months?

2.7. Jacob and his 11 sons intend to relocate to Egypt . Each man will bring 4 women with him, and each

woman will bring 2 children . If each adult needs a separate camel to ride, and two children can share a

camel, how many camels total would be needed to transport the family to Egypt?

2.8. Suppose the sum of the ages of Zebulun, Gad, and Benjamin is 32 . Zebulun’s age is twice that of

Benjamin . Gad is 3 years younger than Zebulun . How old is Benjamin here?

2.9. Reuben and Simeon bring water with them as they go into the fields. Reuben carries twice as many

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liters of water as Simeon . If each brother uses 8 liters of water, then Simeon will have three times as

many liters of water as Simeon has . How many liters of water did each brother have to begin with?

2.10. Archaeologists have discovered a small tomb in the shape of a right rectangular pyramid . The base

measures 16m on one side and 20m on another; the structure is 24m tall . What is the volume of the

pyramid?

• The exterior was intended to be covered with a golden paint . What is the lateral surface area of

this pyramid?

SOCIAL STUDIES (Geography, History, Politics, Economics)

3.1. Create a map of Israel, then & now . (Does it appear that the “Twelve Tribes of Israel,” named for the

brothers, once inhabited an area of land much larger then the present-day borders of Israel?)

• Learn more about the history & culture of Israel, then and/or now .

• Research & discuss the social & political (& military) dilemma arising from the differing views of

Jewish Israelis and Palestinian Arabs .

3.2. Create a map of Egypt, then & now .

• Learn more about the history & culture of Egypt, then and/or now .

• Consider a field-trip to the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh to see the

collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts .

• Research & discuss the recent uprising and ousting of Hosni Mubarak (its causes & effects in

Egypt, and possible implications for the rest of the Middle East) .

3.3. Create a map of the Western United States (everything west of the Mississippi River) .

• Learn more about Cowboy culture: when and where was it important, in its heyday? Make a map

showing the major routes of cattle drives .

3.4. “Raise your berets…”: Create a map of France, and study a map of Paris in much more detail . Learn

more about French history & culture: Try selecting 3 different regions to compare .

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3.5. Map the Caribbean Islands . Learn about the history & culture of 2 - 3 different islands . Which

islands show Spanish, French, or British influence?

• Learn about the Carnival tradition, or ‘playing masque,’ in the islands (esp . Trinidad and Tobago) .

3.6. Select and research a “noteworthy” famine from history; note especially the causes which are man-

made, rather than natural .

• Examples: Ethiopia . Somalia . British controlled Bengal (India) in the 1770s . The Ukraine under

Stalin . 19th-century Ireland’s Potato Famine .

3.7. Learn more about the history of slavery . (Consider researching & comparing two different societies

– such as ancient Egypt or Rome versus China, or versus America in the 1700s - 1800s; or the lives of

imported African slaves in North vs. South America. Consider modern trafficking, as in Asia, or the plight

of domestic slaves in the Caribbean .

3.8. Inspired by Pharaoh, learn about the nature (the advantages & disadvantages) of Monarchy, versus

other forms of government .

3.9. Potiphar keeps & counts his shekels at home . Learn about the history/rise of banking, and about

savings accounts (versus other accounts) . Potiphar also “made a fortune buying shares in pyramids” - so

what are “shares,” and how do people make money buying and selling them?

3.10. “You could be spies, ” says Joseph to his groveling brothers . Research the history of spying/

espionage . Although Joseph probably implies some sort of international, political spying, don’t forget

about corporate spying/industrial espionage– which appears in the Charlie and the Chocolate Factory/

Willy Wonka musical .

3.11. “And now we miss his entertaining dreams .”: What did people do for entertainment in the days

before radio, before television, before console games, before computers and cell phones? Do some

research to find out. Consider learning more about:

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• Storytellers and bards, both the “professional” kind, and informal family or bedtime storytelling

(ex . Pellowski, The Family Storytelling Handbook) ;

• Ancient toys and board games, and then Medieval ones (like chess)

• Colonial American toys and games

• Victorian parlour games, with cards, questions, words, or paper

• Community events, such as public holidays or feast days, tournaments, dances (balls, country

dances, pow-wows, hoe-downs, etc .), barn-raisings, revival meetings, other church picnics/socials, or the

circus coming to town

3.12. Joseph’s brothers make up a song about the values he stood for - Truth & Light, Love & Peace

• Philosophy: Read about & discuss some of the abstract ideals related to personal & social virtue

• Politics: Read about & discuss the ideals that define America. What are today’s immigrants

expected to know before becoming citizens? Study to deserve your own citizenship; consider (excerpts

from) The Declaration of Independence, The US Constitution & Bill of Rights, The Federalist Papers,

Alexis de Toqueville’s Democracy in America, Frederic Jackson Turner’s The Significance of the

Frontier in American History, etc .; many of these are already gathered into a text called Declaration

Statesmanship

SCIENCE, HEALTH, & SAFETY: Possible Research Topics

4.1. CSI: Middle East! Consider how you might apply modern forensics to investigate one of the crimes

depicted in the musical—such as the alleged death of Joseph, the false assault charge made by Potiphar’s

wife, or Benjamin’s alleged theft of the golden cup .

4.2. Disaster Preparedness Plan (… for famine, severe weather, natural disaster, or terrorism) . Joseph

helped Egypt plan ahead! Pick an emergency; consult sources such as the American Red Cross or the

Dept . of Homeland Security to help your family - or your students, on behalf of their families - develop a

plan and/or try to collect the supplies recommended .

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4.3. Joseph is beloved because he reminds Jacob of his favorite wife, Rachel . Learn more about DNA/

genetics, especially traits passed from parent to child . Also learn about sex selection (How did Jacob get

those 12 sons?) .

4.4. Desert habitats: hallmarks of the terrain, and how organisms survive there .

4.5. Discuss basic sun safety: sunscreen/ultraviolet protection; water intake/dehydration; heat

exhaustion & heatstroke . Consider going a step further and learning about desert survival strategies

4.6. Sheep & goats; shepherding

4.7. Camels

4.8. Rats .

4.9. Cattle

4.10. Corn . Wheat . Did you know that the ancient Egyptians sort of pioneered dentists/dental care,

because the sand, which so often got into their flour/bread, wore away the tooth enamel?

4.11. “Pharaoh said, ‘Well, stone the crows…’ .” Research crows .

4.12. Research stones - rock types (sedimentary, igneous, metamorphic), and rock identification.

4.13. Learn more about the elements Gold (“One of you has stolen my precious golden cup!”) and Silver

(“silver coins for Jacob’s favorite son”) .

4.14. In honor of Joseph the dream interpreter, research sleep - especially its stages, REM, dreaming .

Learn more about sleep disorders as well .

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4.15. “There’s one more star in the sky .”: The sun . The stars . Research the life cycles of stars, as well as

the names of prominent stars and/or constellations . What is the difference between an asterism and a

constellation?

4.16. Learn more about mummification, especially the ancient Egyptian method of preserving bodies

How does mummification differ from the (accidental) preservation of Bog People in N. Europe, or the

petrifying of skeletons & other fossils .

4.17. (Benjamin is like… ) Bamboo . Palm Trees . Coconuts . Bananas .

4.18. Tides (“Sure as the tide washes the golden sand…”)

4.19. Light, especially the visible spectrum (since color is so important to this show!) .

4.20. The structure and function of eyes, including tears (“There’s one more tear in our eye”) .

4.21. Do we see color with our eyes, or with our brains? Learn more about these special conditions:

• Color blindness & synesthesia .

• Those who are color blind, due to a difference in their eyes, cannot discern certain shades of blue

and green, which presumably “really exist” in the visible light spectrum . On the other hand, certain types

of synesthesia trigger the “color” region of the brain while someone is listening to music, tasting flavors,

experiencing feelings, or reading numbers, letters or words; so these synesthetes see colors - associated

with music, feelings, letters, etc . - when no colors are present externally to others .

ART/ ARCHITECTURE

5.1. Consider especially:

• Making your own Papyrus/Paper

• Try writing hieroglyphics (picture writing)

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5.2. Sculpt like an Egyptian . Use clay to fashion a scarab beetle, for example, or a shabti—a small human

figure to be buried in a mummy’s tomb, and meant to act as its servant in the afterlife. Older students

might research and attempt to sculpt one of the gods of ancient Egypt (Horus, Osiris, Isis, etc .) . If

possible, (if your clay was not the stay-soft modeling kind,) paint the sculptures once they’ve been dried

or baked .

5.3. Research the design and construction of the pyramids . Make a replica out of materials of your

choice .

5.4. Make a Coat of Many Colors . Try a collage on cardstock: Draw Joseph, or yourself, wearing the robe,

then glue on strips or pieces of colored construction paper or tissue paper . Tie-dye a large T-shirt . Or,

research fabrics and natural dyes, and do it the old-fashioned way . For those handy with a needle, collect

scraps of colored cloth and sew them together into a vest, or an entire coat .

5.5. Learn about an artist famous for creating Biblical illustrations - then attempt to produce a Biblical

scene in the same style .

• Learn more about Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel ceiling . Tape paper to the underside of a

table or desk, lie on your back under the table (preferably with a drop cloth or some newspaper beneath

you), and reach up to paint you own scene from Biblical history– such as your favorite scene from the

Joseph musical!

• Other choices: the engravings & watercolors of 18th century poet William Blake; or the detailed,

historically-researched scenes of Victorian painter James Tissot (who drew many scenes from Jacob

and Joseph’s lives!) .

5.6. Explore art related to one of the brothers’ songs, and create an artwork similar in style:

• Art of the American West (Native-American art & crafts; Frederic Remington; Charles Marion

Russell; Thomas Hart Benton; Bev Doolittle; etc .) .

• Paris and art (consider especially Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec’s print-posters for the performers,

clubs & cabarets of Paris; and also the dreamlike paintings – often of Jewish village life – of Marc

Chagall) .

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• Art of the Caribbean, such as folk art . (Or copy the style of Paul Gauguin, who paints South-Sea

islanders, or Henri Rousseau’s jungle scenes .)

5.7. Paint a Velvet Elvis! Or prepare some other portrait homage to Elvis .

MUSIC

6.1. Explore other Andrew Lloyd Webber compositions, such as the hit musicals Jesus Christ Superstar,

Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Aspects of Love, or Aida . Discuss what & why Webber adds to modern

classical composition .

6.2. Listen to and learn more about the styles of music represented in the musical:

• Cowboy (folk) songs, or Country/Western music

• French ballads or Cabaret songs

• Calypso, and other Caribbean music– such as the steel drums (pans)

6.3. Elvis lives! Learn more about the man and the music giving Pharaoh his style . How many Elvis

movies and/or songs can you name?

6.4. Research Israeli music . What instruments would have been played by the ancient Hebrews? Read or

sing some of the Psalms once sung by King David .

• What sort of music has been composed and/or popular in 20th and 21st century Israel?

• What is Klezmer music?

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Discussion PromptsStoryline Discussion Topics

• Why do you think the author and composer decided to call this show Joseph and the Amazing

Technicolor Dreamcoat? Why use the word “technicolor”?

• Who was your favorite character in the show and why?

• Which character in the show are you most like? Why?

• With which character did you sympathize with most? Why?

• Joseph deals a lot with the concept of family. What is needed to have a strong family bond?

• What is the theme of Joseph? How are theme and plot different?

• When did the action of Joseph first start to grab your attention? Where did you start to be interested,

start to care, start to become excited or delighted?

• Turning points are key moments in our lives or in the lives of characters in dramas . A turning point

changes the course of our lives forever . What are the key turning points in the plot of Joseph?

• Trace the shifting moods of happiness and despair in Joseph .

• If you had the chance to re-title Joseph, would you keep the title or invent one of your own? What

would you call it if so?

• “Back stories” are the histories of characters before we meet them . Tell the “back story” of a character

from Joseph .

Acting Discussion Topics

• Compare and contrast the difference between seeing a live performance and a movie . How are they

different and how are they the same? In your opinion, does one do a better job of making the story

realistic? Which is more personal / makes you feel more involved with the story being told?

• Do you think it would be challenging to remember all of the words and songs the actors have to

remember to perform this show?

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Dance / Choreography Discussion Topics

• How do you think the choreographer uses different types of dance to help tell the story?

• How do you think the choreographer creates the movements so everyone works together on a stage?

Costumes, Lighting, Scenery Discussion Topics

• Joseph’s Dreamcoat is obviously a very important icon of the show . How do costumes help tell the

story throughout the show?

• How is lighting used to enhance the show? Give an example from the show in which lighting

accentuated the story and how .

• What was your favorite or most memorable scene, and why?

Music Discussion Topics

• Music is used to heighten emotions and energy during the show . How do you feel about the fact that

they sing everything in the show? There are different types of theater performances - is musical theater

an effective form of theater?

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Bible Verses in JosephGenesis Chapters 37-46

(Stories of Jacob, Joseph’s father, throughout Genesis 27-37)

Genesis Chapter 37: 1-7

1 And Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger, in the land of Canaan .

2 These are the generations of Jacob. Joseph, being seventeen years old, was feeding the flock with his

brethren; and the lad was with the sons of Bilhah, and with the sons of Zilpah, his father’s wives: and

Joseph brought unto his father their evil report .

3 Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made

him a coat of many colours .

4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him, and

could not speak peaceably unto him .

5 And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more .

6 And he said unto them, Hear, I pray you, this dream which I have dreamed:

7 For, behold, we were binding sheaves in the field, and, lo, my sheaf arose, and also stood upright; and,

behold, your sheaves stood round about, and made obeisance to my sheaf .

Genesis Chapter 50: 22-26

22 And Joseph dwelt in Egypt, he, and his father’s house: and Joseph lived an hundred and ten years .

23 And Joseph saw Ephraim’s children of the third generation: the children also of Machir the son of

Manasseh were brought up upon Joseph’s knees .

24 And Joseph said unto his brethren, I die: and God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land

unto the land which he sware to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob .

25 And Joseph took an oath of the children of Israel, saying, God will surely visit you, and ye shall carry

up my bones from hence .

26 So Joseph died, being an hundred and ten years old: and they embalmed him, and he was put in a

coffin in Egypt.

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Hands-On ProjectsCreating a Musical

“Imagine That!”

Some stories and musicals take the viewer to another place and or time . How fun! What places

could you go? What would it be like? How can you tell this imaginary story as creative as possible?

• Have students imagine they are a new person in a new country or new place .

• Have them create a monologue describing an experience or part of their day from that new

perspective .

• Pay attention to the details: how would things look, feel, smell, sound?

• To expand on the story design aspect of this project, have students:

- Have students think about themselves as the main character, and expand that character .

- What other characters could there be?

- Do these characters take inspiration from real life people in the student’s world?

• To expand on the musical design aspect of this project, have students:

- Describe what role music will play in the work . What kind of music would the characters sing?

- Outline the musical scene by scene .

- Make a list of songs that might be included .

- Will the work include dance? How will dance be used?

- Write a specific lyrics or melody for one of the songs.

• To expand on the scenic elements of this projects, have students:

- Discuss character outfits, colors, types of materials

- Think of lighting scenarios - how will different colors or types of lights affect the story?

- What type of props could be used in the show?

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Mood Music

Select a piece of music from Joseph to play for students . Ask the students to close their eyes,

listen, and try to feel the music . Use probing questions to provoke the students thinking:

• What colors do you see or think of when you hear this?

• Do you see smooth, flowing lines? Erratic, bouncing lines?

• Do you see warm colors? Cool colors?

• Do you see no colors, no visuals? What kind of feelings do you feel if not?

• Ask students to create a drawing that reflects what they feel.

- You can have them create a line drawing, specifically, by moving their arm to the feelings the

music creates

And Then...

Expand on some of the characters in Joseph by continuing their story . You can do this by focusing

on the details of their day-to-day routine to give them a broader back story, or give them a more

individualized personality . You can also focus more on plot development and story telling by creating an

expanded path of activity for the characters .

You can “play” a faster version of this activity by “passing” the story around the room from

student to student. Have a student say one line, and finish it off with “...and then,” and pass the story to

another student, who will then do the same . (Example: “Pharaoh left the dinner table in a haste because

he forgot to check in on his prisoners, and then” *pass the story to another student* “And then he

realized Joseph had escaped his prison! Frantically searching for him, he stepped on the tail of his dog,

startling the dog and then . . .”

• What characters do you want to focus on?

• What happens off stage, when the characters’ stories aren’t being told to us?

• What do they do when they go home? What kind of hobbies do they have?

• What else happens that could be part of their own story?

• Are there any details that tie into the Joseph story as is?

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Printables

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The Colors of the DreamcoatRed Yellow Green

Brown Scarlet Black

Ochre Peach Ruby

Olive Violet Fawn

Lilac Gold Chocolate

Cream Crimson Silver

Rose Azure Lemon

Russet Grey Purple

White Pink Orange

Blue

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Can you find all the colors of Joseph’s Dreamcoat in this word search puzzle?

Any Dream Will DoWhat is your dream? Describe it with words or a drawing to share.

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Additional ResourcesJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Official Website:

josephthemusical.com

Bible Story of Joseph and His Rise to Fame in Egypt:

broadcaster.org.uk/section2/transcript/joseph1.htm

Simple Overview and Awards:

broadwaymusicalhome.com/shows/joseph.htm

More Student Matinees at PMT:

pittsburghmusicals.com/education/matinee/

Pittsburgh Musical Theater would like to thank you for joining us for our2019 - 2020 Rediscover Theater Classics season!



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