FLYNN CENTER PRESENTS

Bob Marley’s

THREE LITTLE BIRDS

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Welcome to the 2015-2016 Student Matinee Season!

Today’s scholars and researchers say creativity is the top skill our kids will need when they

enter the work force of the future, so we salute YOU for valuing the educational and

inspirational power of live performance. By using this study guide you are taking an even

greater step toward implementing the arts as a vital and inspiring educational tool.

We hope you find this guide useful. If you have any suggestions for content or format of

this guide, please contact sms@flynncenter.org.

Enjoy the show!

This guide was written & compiled by the Education Department at the Flynn Center for the Performing Arts with inspiration from

the Adventure Theatre MTC website and Study Guide.

Permission is granted for teachers, parents, and students who are coming to Flynn shows to copy & distribute this guide for

educational purposes only.

The Flynn Center recognizes that field trip resources for schools are extremely limited, thus matinee prices for

schools are significantly lower than prices for public performances. As a non-profit organization, the Flynn is

deeply grateful to the foundations, corporations, and individuals whose generous financial support keeps

matinees affordable for schools.

A special thank you to Bruce and Ruth Ann Beers for sponsoring this matinee performance.

Thank you to the Flynn Matinee 2015-2016 underwriters: Andrea’s Legacy Fund, Champlain Investment

Partners, LLC, Bari and Peter Dreissigacker, William Randolph Hearst Foundation, Forrest and Frances Lattner

Foundation, Surdna Foundation, Tracy and Richard Tarrant, TD Charitable Foundation, Vermont Concert Artists

Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, Vermont Community Foundation, New England Foundation for

the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts, and the Flynn Jazz Endowment.

Additional support from the Bruce J. Anderson Foundation, Green Mountain Fund, Walter Cerf Community

Fund, the Vermont Arts Council, the Susan Quinn Memorial Fund, and the Ronald McDonald House Charities.

The Performance & the Story

The Production

Things to Think About Before/During/After

The Company: Adventure Theatre MTC

The Marley Legacy

Bob & Cedella Marley

Three Little Birds Lyrics & Reggae

Share Your Message with the World

The Characters

Ziggy and his family & friends!

Context & History

The Country of Jamaica

Jamaican Folklore

The Duppy & Anansi

Activities to Deepen Understanding

Get Up, Stand Up

Explore the Flavors of Jamaica

Bring the Art Form to Life

Art Form: Musical Theater

Words Come Alive Activities:

Move Through Space & Movement Phrases

Your Visit

The Flynn Center

Etiquette for Live Performance

Why is Etiquette Important?

Common Core Standards

The Common Core broadens the definition of a “text,” viewing performance as a form of text, so your students are experiencing and interacting with a text when they attend a Flynn show.

Seeing live performance provides rich opportunities to write reflections, narratives, arguments, and more. By writing responses and/or using the Flynn Study Guides, all performances can be linked to Common Core:

CC ELA: W 1-10

You can use this performance and study guide to address the following Common Core Standards (additional standards listed by specific activities):

CC ELA: RL 1-10, RF 1-4, SL 1-2, L 3-5

NEW GEN: ESS2.D

C3 Hist: D2.Geo.4

The Production

Adventure Theatre brings a vibrant and playful musical adaptation

to the Flynn stage. This production contains bright and upbeat

music from Bob Marley, and evokes the peace, love, and unity of

the Jamaican spirit. The show follows Ziggy, as he’s encouraged by

his mother to leave his house and explore the island with his friends

Nansi and Doctor Bird. Along the way, Ziggy learns about the

history and culture of Jamaica, tests his bravery, and gets chased by

and outsmarts the evil Duppy with the help of his friends. All of the

cast members except the actors who play Ziggy and Doctor Bird, will perform multiple roles

through the performance. Watch to see if you can spot them!

Before you see the show:

What do students know about Jamaica? Ask

students to share anything they’ve heard

about Jamaica, then as a class, explore maps,

music, and cultural elements.

As a class, read Cedella Marley’s books based

on her father’s songs, Three Little Birds, One

Love, Every Little Thing. Also, read together

examples of Jamaican folktales, especially

ones that contain the characters of Anansi

and Duppy.

As you watch the show:

Most of the actors in the play perform as

several different characters. Do the actors

use different body language or change their

voices when they become a different

character? Do the actors change costumes

to change characters? Do they change their

entire costume or use specific pieces (a hat,

a jacket, etc.) to become a new character?

Pay attention to the music and lighting. Are

they different when things in the show are

happy than when things are dangerous?

When Duppy is around, what are the music

and lights like? Do they change to show his

presence? Why do you think this is? How

does this change impact your expectations of

what’s about to happen?

After you see the show:

Why didn’t Ziggy want to go outside at the

beginning of the show? What kept him

inside: TV, fear, trying to avoid Nansi or

Duppy? Do you think his view of going

outside has changed?

How did Nansi use her cleverness to trick

people? Was her trickery bad and mean or

did it help people? Have students write or

tell their own stories including an Anansi

character, the trickster, or Duppy, the evil

spirit. What difficult situations caused by

Duppy can Anansi get them out of?

The Company

Adventure Theatre MTC is a nationally

renowned high quality professional theater for

family audiences. Adventure Theatre (founded

in 1951) and Musical Theater Center (founded

in 1986) merged into one organization in

2012. The combined entity is called Adventure

Theatre MTC. Located in Glen Echo Park (Glen

Echo, MD) and The Wintergreen Plaza

(Rockville, MD), Adventure Theatre MTC

(ATMTC) cultivates new generations of artists

and life-long audiences by creating memorable

theatrical productions and experiences and by

providing young people the highest quality

training in musical theater and

theater. ATMTC fosters collaborations

and partnerships with local and national arts,

humanities and civic organizations. These

collaborations, which have been recognized

locally, regionally, and nationally, help to

ensure that all of their programming is diverse,

affordable and accessible.

Three Little Birds Lyrics

"Don't worry about a thing

'Cause every little thing gonna be alright

Singing' "Don't worry about a thing

'Cause every little thing gonna be alright!"

Rise up this mornin'

Smiled with the risin' sun

Three little birds

Pitch by my doorstep

Singin' sweet songs

Of melodies pure and true

Saying', ("This is my message to you")

Singing' "Don't worry 'bout a thing

'Cause every little thing gonna be alright."

Singing' "Don't worry (don't worry) 'bout a thing

'Cause every little thing gonna be alright!"

Bob and Cedella Marley

Bob Marley is an iconic singer and musician who spread the powerful messages of unity, peace, and love through his music to the masses. Born in 1945 in Jamaica to mixed race parents, Marley experienced bullying throughout his youth because of his background. While it was difficult, this bullying inspired Marley to create positive music about opening our hearts to one another in showing kindness and creating peace in our communities. He was extremely influential in the music world; in his early thirties, Marley left his Jamaican home to share his music and message internationally. Marley was married to Rita, and he had many children. Rita said that, family means everything to the Marley family. It is our life, an expression of our love.” Cedella Marley is Bob and Rita’s first child, born in 1967, She’s a singer, dancer, designer, actress, entrepreneur, and author of children’s books based on her father’s music.

Share Your Message with the World

In Bob Marley’s song, he sings to the world that

we shouldn’t worry because everything is going

to be alright. Have students create a message

that they’d like to sing to the world, something

positive that inspires people. The message

should be simple and clear, 1-2 sentences.

Students can create colorful posters with their

messages. Post these around the classroom or

in the hallways at school. Collaborate with

music teachers or musically inclined staff to

create a song including the messages!

Reggae Music

Reggae is a musical genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. Reggae was strongly influenced by musical styles like calypso, mento, jazz, blues, as well as ska and rocksteady. Reggae combines more formalized musical genres blending with rural folk forms. Reggae is distinctive in its sounds and its use of offbeat rhythms and call and response. Often, reggae incorporates themes of rebellion and social criticism, commenting on the political, spiritual and social worlds around the artists. But reggae can also be uplifting and personal, focusing on love, friendship, and community.

Ziggy: an 11 year old boy

Nansi: his trickster friend Cedella: Ziggy’s mother

Duppy: an evil spirit bird Doctor Bird: Ziggy’s pet bird

Tacomah & Montego: birds

Spanish

Birds & Great

Grandfather

Spanish Bird

(not shown)

Great

Grandmother

British Bird &

British Colonizer

Bird

Sister

Indian Bird

Cousin

Chinese Bird

Great Aunt

African Bird

Villagers

The Country of Jamaica

Jamaica is the fifth-largest island country in the

Caribbean. It’s about 90 miles south of Cuba and

about 120 miles west of Haiti and the Dominican

Republic. Its population is just under three million

people. The official languages of Jamaica are

English and Jamaican Patois, or Patwa. Historically,

Jamaica was inhabited by indigenous Arawak and

Taino peoples until Columbus brought Spanish rule

in 1494. In 1655, the island was conquered by the

British, and gained the name, Jamaica. The British

made Jamaica one of the top sugar exporters,

which meant that many enslaved people from

Africa and later from China and India were brought

to the island to work the plantations. These

enslaved people were emancipated in 1838, and

the country gained independence from Britain in

1962. This history is complex, but also informs the

diverse and rich culture of the Jamaican people. In

the show, you’ll experience a song that teaches

Ziggy about all the cultures that make up the

Jamaican people, and what each of those cultures

brought to the unique Jamaican identity.

Jamaican Folklore

This show contains folklore and traditions from Jamaican culture. The characters of Duppy and Anansi (Nansi

in this show) have deep cultural roots, both being prevalent features in the Jamaican oral tradition.

The Duppy

Duppy is an evil spirit that

kids are warned about,

adults saying the Duppy will

steal their hair to keep

himself young. As is true for

many evil characters in

folklore, the Duppy is a

warning that parents use to

keep their kids away from

danger.

Anansi

Anansi is the trickster, and

is almost always

represented by a spider.

In this performance, Nansi

has a spider pet, keeping

that symbolic tie to the

folklore. Anansi is seen as

tricky, but also skilled and

wise. In Jamaica, Anansi is seen as a symbol for resistance

of oppression and survival. Sometimes, in Anansi tales,

Anansi is portrayed as a bit silly, and rarely is portrayed as

extremely harmful or dangerous. Anansi tales are often

attributed to West

Africa, which

demonstrates the

wide array of

cultures that make

up the Jamaican

identity.

Explore the Flavors of Jamaica

Ziggy’s mother, Cedella, sells jerk chicken to tourists

coming into port. Many of the characters talk about

food that plays an important role in Jamaican life. The

Duppy and Nansi both extensively discuss mangoes, one

using them as a distraction, and the other, tricking Zippy

into eating one because they are just so delicious! Print

out images of some popular Jamaican dishes and

ingredients and have students make hypotheses about

what the food will smell like, taste like, feel like.

Students could also compare the Jamaican dish to food

they eat regularly, “This reminds me of…”

Then, bring in samplings of food items. If possible in

your school, work with students to prepare some of the

simple dishes. Have a tasting session, having students

record notes about the tastes, smells, and feels of all

the food. After this activity, you could encourage

students to bring a favorite dish or ingredient from their

family to share. Make sure families send in a list of

ingredients used.

Here are some

ingredients/dishes to try:

Avocado

Banana Fritters

Chickpeas

Coconut or coconut

milk

Ginger

Guava

Jerk Chicken

Fried Plantain

Rice and Peas (kidney beans or pigeon peas)

Sugar cane

Curried Meat (chicken, goat, beef)

Carrot Juice with nutmeg and vanilla

Mango

Salt cod

Steamed fish

Get Up, Stand Up!

At the beginning of the show, Ziggy wants to

stay inside, watch TV and play video games. He

doesn’t want to go outside for many reasons.

Have students imagine that Ziggy is coming to

visit them, but all he wants to do is stay inside.

As a class, brainstorm a list of activities to do

outside. Ask students about their favorite ways

to be active, their favorite outdoor games, what

they like about being outside.

To extend this, students could:

Create a brochure for some of their favorite

outdoor activities, discussing the benefits of

being outside, with colorful drawings and

images. Explain that they should use vibrant

descriptive language and include a call to

action for the reader of the brochure to

“Get up, Stand Up,” and join the world

outside.

Improvise a scene where one student plays

a character like Ziggy, who doesn’t want to

go outside (or, the teacher can play this

role), and other students must convince

them to come outside using persuasive

language and positivity.

The Art Form: Musical Theater

What is theater? Webster’s dictionary says, “a dramatic performance.” But what is dramatic? What is drama?

Drama is any kind of performance that tells a story through character, action, and dialogue (talking). Some say that

theatre portrays life—either as it is or as it might be. But one of the things that makes theatre different from real

life is that things can happen in theatre that cannot happen in real life, things that appear to be magical.

It is believed that people have been acting out stories forever. But what about musical theater? Although it is

likely that people have been singing and dancing and making music to accompany their stories for as long as

they’ve been acting them out—all over the world—American musical theater, like theater itself, has more recent

roots. The defining characteristic of musical theater may be that the music—and often dance—and the drama are

inextricably linked. The story depends upon the songs as much as the songs depend on the story; without either

one, the drama as a whole—the musical theater—would not exist.

READ & EXPLORE: Click here for a more in-depth description of musical theater and more theater phrases and

terminology.

WORDS COME ALIVE: Arts Integration

Activities Providing the opportunity to explore the world of the show

helps students become more engaged and connected audience

members, thinking about artists’ choices and approaching the

performance with enhanced curiosity. For information about

our arts integration activities click here, email

schoolprograms@flynncenter.org or call 652-4548.

Moving Through Space

Learning Goals: deepen understanding of character

Performing Goals: move safely in space; explore locomotor

movements

Ask students to walk or move freely around the room,

aiming for open spaces and being careful not to bump into

others. To help keep attention high, instruct them to

“freeze” occasionally and also to vary their speeds or

qualities. Examples: Move faster, move faster still. Travel

backwards. Tiptoe. Move low to the ground. Move as close

as you can to others without touching.

Expand this activity to explore how reggae music, the

heartbeat of Jamaican culture, impacts their mood and

presence in the space, just like the music and culture of

Jamaica transforms Ziggy from a bored, afraid homebody, to

a bold adventurer. Tell students that they should move

through the space at their typical pace. Explain that you’ll

be playing music randomly and that they should move in

response to the music, using their whole body. Play a wide

variety of Marley’s music, joyful, rebellious, reflective. After

students have responded to several songs, get everyone in a

circle and ask how the music impacted their mood, their

movement. Did certain songs uplift them? Did certain

songs make them feel powerful and strong? Reflect with

students how music is part of their lives. Do they sing songs

at home? Listen to music to calm down, or go to sleep?

Does their family or community have any musical traditions?

Activity: Interviews

Learning goals: Make connections; ask questions; draw

inferences; deepen understanding of characters.

Performing goals: Interpret characters verbally;

communicate motivation.

Announce that you are about to pretend to be a reporter

interviewing characters from the performance. Tell students

that at a given signal, they are all to become either Ziggy,

Duppy, or Nansi and that you want to interview them.

Instruct them not to disagree with each other when you ask

questions but rather to build upon each other’s ideas. Then

begin the interview by asking questions that are not

answered in the story, and that require interpreting the

thoughts and feelings behind an action in the story.

Tell students that you are beginning interviews where the

story ends in the performance. Some questions to ask the

Ziggy’s: How were you feeling when Nansi got you out of the

house? Did you think Nansi was trying to trick you again or

trying to be a good friend? What did you learn about the

people and culture of Jamaica on your journey? Are you still

afraid, why or why not?

Some questions for Nansi’s: Why do you think you and Ziggy

are friends? How do you think Ziggy feels about you? Tell us

about a time in the past when you tricked Ziggy. What do

you like about being such a trickster? If you saw a Duppy

again, what would you do to trick them?

The Flynn Center

The Flynn has been at the center of Vermont's cultural

landscape for over 80 years—from its earliest days as a

vaudeville house through five decades as a movie theater to its

present life as the region's leading performance center and

arts education organization. Today, the Flynn Center for the

Performing Arts is recognized internationally for its significant

artistic, educational, and community outreach activities;

superb technical capacity; beautiful historic setting; and world-

class presentations. At the Flynn, we celebrate a rich legacy of

connecting our community with the arts. The Flynn is

recognized for its stellar artistic programming in theater, dance, and music; and for educational programs

that reach far into the community to advance teaching and learning. For more about the Flynn, click here.

DISCUSS BEING A

MINDFUL AUDIENCE

MEMBER:

How is going to see a live

theatre performance

different from seeing a

movie, going to a

concert, or watching TV?

In small groups, come up

with a list of positive

audience behaviors, and

behaviors that would be

disruptive to performers

and other audience

members. Come

together and create a

master list.

Etiquette for Live Performances

The Essentials

Listen, experience, imagine, discover, learn!

Give your energy and attention to the performers.

At the end of the show, clap for the performers’ time and energy.

Eating, drinking, and chewing gum are not okay.

Talk only before and after the performance.

Turn off wireless devices. No photos, videos, texting, or listening to music.

Why is Etiquette Important?

A good live performance is a powerful communication

between audience and performer. The more the audience

gives to the performer, the more the performer can give

back to the audience. The performer hears the audience

laughing, senses its sympathy, and delights in the

enthusiasm of its applause. Furthermore, each audience

member affects those sitting near him or her, in addition to

the performers onstage. Technological devices (cameras,

phones, etc.) have become so prevalent in our daily lives,

but using these devices is distracting to the performers

onstage and other audience members trying to watch the

show. Even the light from checking the time, or the buzz of a phone on vibrate can pull

the people around you out of the experience. Cell phone frequencies can even interfere

with the microphones in the production, and taking photos can be unsafe for performers.

Additionally, an artist has the right to decide what photos and videos go out into the

world. Phones keep you from being present and fully engaged with the show. Thank you

for turning devices completely off!

We can’t wait to see you at the theater!

Teachers, a few reminders:

Fill out the Seating and Travel Survey, so we can best accommodate your group’s needs in regards to dismissal,

bussing, students with different needs, etc.

Share your experience with us! Use the feedback links, or share your students’ artwork, writing,

responses. We love to hear how experiences at the Flynn impact our audiences.

Explore other student matinees at the Flynn this season. We’ve still got seats in some shows and we’d love to

help you or other teachers at your school enliven learning with an engaging arts experience!

We have some new initiatives to deepen student connection and experience!

Pre or Post-Show Video Chats: Help students build enthusiasm or process their

experience with a free, 5-10 minute video chat before or after the show! We

can set up Skype/Facetime/Google Hangouts with your class to answer

questions about the content, art form, and experience. Contact Kat,

kredniss@flynncenter.org to set up your chat!

Autism and Sensory-Friendly Accommodations: The Flynn Center has been

working diligently to break down barriers for audience members with

disabilities, with a particular focus on those with sensory-sensitivities. Social

stories, break spaces, sensory friendly materials, and more are available for all

student matinees. Feel free to let us know ahead of time if any of these would

be useful, or ask an usher at the show!

Make your field trip the most meaningful learning

experience it can be with a preparatory Companion

Workshop in your classroom!

An engaging Flynn Teaching Artist can come to your school to deepen

students’ understanding of both content and form with an interactive

workshop, enriching kids’ matinee experiences. Funding support is

often available. To learn more, check out this link. To book a

workshop, click here. Questions? Contact Sasha:

schoolprograms@flynncenter.org or (802)652-4508.

Hello from

the Flynn!