FLYNN CENTER PRESENTS
Bob Marley’s
THREE LITTLE BIRDS
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!
We appreciate and value your feedback.
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Click here to evaluate our study guides.
Click here for Teacher Feedback Forms for the performance.
Click here for Student Feedback Forms for the performance.
Click here for Parent Forms to help parents engage with their children around 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 Performance & the Story
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The Production
Things to Think About Before/During/After
The Company: Adventure Theatre MTC
The Marley Legacy
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Bob & Cedella Marley
Three Little Birds Lyrics & Reggae
Share Your Message with the World
The Characters
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Ziggy and his family & friends!
Context & History
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The Country of Jamaica
Jamaican Folklore
The Duppy & Anansi
Activities to Deepen Understanding
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Get Up, Stand Up
Explore the Flavors of Jamaica
Bring the Art Form to Life
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Art Form: Musical Theater
Words Come Alive Activities:
Move Through Space & Movement Phrases
Your Visit
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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 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 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:
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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:
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After you see 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?
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.
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.
Three Little Birds Lyrics
Share Your Message with the World
"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!"
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!
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!"
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
Sister
Grandmother
Indian Bird
British Bird &
British Colonizer
Bird
Cousin
Chinese Bird
Villagers
Great Aunt
African Bird
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
Anansi
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 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…”
Get Up, Stand Up!
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.
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.
Here are some
ingredients/dishes to try:
To extend this, students could:
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Avocado
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Banana Fritters
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Chickpeas
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Coconut or coconut
milk
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Ginger
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Guava
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Jerk Chicken
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Fried Plantain
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Rice and Peas (kidney beans or pigeon peas)
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Sugar cane
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Curried Meat (chicken, goat, beef)
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Carrot Juice with nutmeg and vanilla
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Mango
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Salt cod
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Steamed fish
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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.
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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
Activity: Interviews
Learning Goals: deepen understanding of character
Performing Goals: move safely in space; explore locomotor
movements
Learning goals: Make connections; ask questions; draw
inferences; deepen understanding of characters.
Performing goals: Interpret characters verbally;
communicate motivation.
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?
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 worldclass 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.
Etiquette for Live Performances
The Essentials
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Listen, experience, imagine, discover, learn!
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Give your energy and attention to the performers.
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At the end of the show, clap for the performers’ time and energy.
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Eating, drinking, and chewing gum are not okay.
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Talk only before and after the performance.
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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!
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.
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!
Hello from
the Flynn!
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.