SYNOPSIS Our story starts about three thousand years ago in Canaan in the household of Jacob and his twelve sons. Joseph is Jacob's favourite son, and to show his love for Joseph, Jacob presents him with a fabulous multicoloured coat which is the envy of all his brothers. Joseph tells his brothers about the strange dreams he has been having, which he interprets to mean that he will become much more important than all the rest of his family. Understandably, his eleven brothers are angry and jealous and they plot to get rid of their brother. One day in the desert they seize him and sell him to some passing Ishmaelite slave traders, taking his torn coat to Jacob to persuade him that his favourite son has been killed. Joseph, meanwhile, is sold to a rich Egyptian called Potiphar. He works hard and is quickly promoted, but is seduced by Mrs Potiphar and consequently thrown into jail by his master. There Joseph meets two other prisoners, a royal baker and butler. He successfully interprets their dreams, and word of his unusual gift reaches the ears of Pharaoh, who has himself been plagued by nightmares. Joseph is summoned to a royal audience and tells Pharaoh that his dreams foretell a great famine. He advises Pharaoh how to avert this crisis and in return Pharaoh makes Joseph his royal adviser, second only to the king. Meanwhile, in Canaan, Jacob's family are hit hard by the famine and Jacob sends his remaining sons to Egypt to beg for food from Pharaoh's mysterious new adviser. Will they recognise Joseph? Will he forgive his brothers? Or does he still have one more trick up his sleeve? 2 L’HISTOIRE Notre histoire débute il y a environ trois mille ans dans le pays de Canaan dans la maison de Jacob et ses douze fils. Joseph est le fils préféré de Jacob et pour lui montrer son amour Jacob lui offre un fabuleux manteau multicolore que ses frères jalousent. Joseph raconte à ses frères les étranges rêves qu’il a eus. Il interprète ses rêves comme signifiant qu’il deviendra beaucoup plus important que le reste de sa famille. On peut comprendre que ses onze frères étaient furieux et jaloux et qu’ils complotent la perte de leur frère. Un jour dans le désert il s’emparent de lui et le vendent à des marchands d’esclaves Ismaélites qui passaient par là. Ils rapportent à Jacob le manteau déchiré pour le convaincre que son fils préféré a été tué. Entre-temps, Joseph est vendu à Potiphar, un riche Egyptien. Il travaille dur et est rapidement promu mais Mme Potiphar essaie de le séduire—son maître le jette en prison. En prison Joseph rencontre deux autres prisonniers—le panetier et l’échanson du roi. Il interprète leurs rêves avec succès et le Pharaon, qui lui même souffre de cauchemars, apprend que Joseph a des dons exceptionnels. Joseph est convoqué à une audience royale et apprend au Pharaon que ses rêves présagent une grande famine. Il dit à Pharaon comment éviter cette crise et Pharaon fait de Joseph son conseiller royal. Entre-temps, la famille de Jacob souffre durement de la famine dans le pays de Canaan. Jacob envoie ses autres fils en Egypte pour supplier le nouveau et mystérieux conseiller de Pharaon de leur donner de la nourriture. Reconnaîtront-ils Joseph ? Joseph pardonnera-t-il à ses frères? Ou a-t-il encore un tour dans son sac ? 3 THE CAST (IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER) Andrea Aguirre (age 7) Jacob’s family, Ishmaelite, Egyptian Krizia Bassanini (17) Narrator Maeva Callier-Northcott (14) Jacob’s family, Choir, Guard Celine Cheng (16) Jacob’s family, Camel, Slave, Egyptian Jenny Gamble (16) Jacob’s family, Mrs Potiphar, Egyptian Katie Gaskell (9) Naphtali, Choir, Egyptian Gabriella Ginsberg (13) Judah Theresa Helke (14) Zebulun, Butler Christopher Hutchison (12) Camel, Slave, Pharaoh Rhianna Jameson (7) Issachar Lia Jones (10) Jacob’s family, Ishmaelite, Slave, Egyptian Ben Lewis (14) Joseph Sophie Lewis (16) Reuben Chloe McQuillan (8) Dan Natalie Outterside (19) Levi Ben Palacios (15) Ishmaelite, Potiphar, Guard Hannah Pearce (9) Jacob’s family, Choir, Egyptian Vanessa Pearce (11) Narrator Hugo Powell (14) Simeon Sofia Ruszczyk (9) Benjamin Caroline Sellar (15) Jacob Chiara Torelli (9) Asher Anna Tracey (14) Gad, Baker, Egyptian 4 THE PRODUCTION TEAM Producers Jennifer Hobbs and Katy Scott Stage Manager Philippa Hobbs Charities organizer Pam Scott Musical Director Graham Hobbs (keyboard) Band Linda Greenwood (keyboard); Andrew Hayes (bass guitar); Sue Lake (bassoon, alto saxophone); Frank Enzler (percussion); Alasdair Wood (17) (flute); Sophie King (16) (clarinet); Celine Fellay (13) (trumpet) Lighting and Set Design Robert Boyle Set construction Rodney Gill, AJ Bagwell (18), Robert Boyle, Philippa Hobbs (16), Dominic Howard (19), Christopher (14), Selena Van-der-Eede (14), Lighting Team Robert Boyle, Dan Boyle, Peter Barrow (14), Jamie Barrow (12), Andrew Gaskell (13) Sound Serge Huber, Dominic Howard (19) Stage crew Philippa Hobbs (16); AJ Bagwell (18), Caroline Crook (16), Michael Sellar (14), Caroline Sellar (15) (also plays Jacob) Props Nancy Gill, Stephanie Canning (18), Océane Fesselet (15), Emma Jones (8) Costume Team Sue Bergomi and Christine Clayton, Edwina Jarrell, Frances Mackenzie, Anne Symons, Susanne del Vecchio, Christine Bassanini, Jenny West, Valerie Buxton, Muriel Flatt, Cynthia Chapatte Catering Chris Powell, Carolyn Hornfeld, Jan Powell, and many other helpful volunteers Front of House Maureen Goodman, Idan Bail (16), Rebecca Broere (13), Max Caduff (14), Gary Case (14), Alexandra Ecsy (18), Joanna Jones (6), Sarah Owen (16), Fiona Pinpin (15) Video Jean-Pierre Bucher THE CHARITIES All the proceeds from the show will be going to charity. In line with the Egyptian theme of ‘Joseph’ we have selected the following two charities, both based in Luxor in Upper Egypt: Sunshine Project International was founded in response to the desperate need of abandoned, orphaned and needy children in Luxor. Animal Care in Egypt was originally set up to help horse and donkey owners to look after heir animals properly, to prevent disease and suffering and at the same time give them a longer and happier working life.. 5 SCENE LIST ACT I Jacob and Sons Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce and the chorus Joseph's Coat Choreographed by Natalie Outerside Sung by Caroline Sellar, Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Ben Lewis and the chorus Joseph's Dreams Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Ben Lewis and the chorus Poor, Poor Joseph Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce and the chorus One More Angel in Heaven Choreographed by Natalie Outerside. Sung by Hugo Powell and the chorus Potiphar Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Jenny Gamble, Ben Lewis, Ben Palacios and the chorus Close Every Door Choreographed by Natalie Outerside. Sung by Ben Lewis and the chorus Go, Go, Go Joseph Choreographed by Jenny Gamble, Philippa Hobbs and Celine Chang Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Theresa Helke, Anna Tracey, Ben Lewis and the chorus INTERVAL ACT II Pharaoh’s Story Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce and the chorus Poor, Poor Pharaoh Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Christopher Hutchison, Ben Lewis and the chorus 6 Song of the King Choreographed by Maeva Callier-Northcott and Theresa Helke Sung by Christopher Hutchison and the chorus Pharaoh’s Dreams Explained Sung by Ben Lewis and the chorus Stone the Crows Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Christopher Hutchison, Ben Lewis and the chorus Those Canaan Days Choreographed by Sophie Lewis Sung by Sophie Lewis and the chorus The Brothers Come to Egypt Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Ben Lewis and the chorus Grovel, Grovel Sung by Ben Lewis and the chorus Who’s the Thief? Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Ben Lewis and the chorus Benjamin Calypso Choreographed by Ben Lewis and Anna Tracey Sung by Gabriella Ginsburg and the chorus Joseph All the Time Sung by Krizia Bassanini, Vanessa Pearce, Ben Lewis and the chorus Jacob In Egypt Sung by the chorus Any Dream Will Do Choreographed by Natalie Outerside. Sung by Ben Lewis and the chorus 7 HIEROGLYPHIC ALPHABET Can you work out what this says? FROM THE PRODUCERS In every show we’ve been involved in, the producers have said “It wouldn’t have been possible without these people”, but we never realised ‘til now how incredibly impossible it could be to put on a show with no backup. We want to thank a few people for their invaluable help: First, to the committee: Thanks for trusting us with this project and for supporting us, for letting us know what we were getting right, and more importantly, what we were getting wrong! Thanks for making yourselves available to answer questions and come to rehearsals and for offering your help countless times. We hope you don’t regret it. Second, to Robert Boyle: Thanks for ...wow! Everything! For saying “How can we work around this” when we had problems, and for bringing nice comprehensive pictures to all the meetings so we could understand what you were talking about. Third, to Graham Hobbs: Thanks for holding up under extreme stress, rewriting most of the score for us and still producing an amazing noise! Last, to all the parents (our own included!): Thanks for spending so much time ferrying people to rehearsals, practising dance routines and helping with publicity. We couldn’t have done this without your support. 8.