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| The long version of Performance Art - The Musical (The Wise and Foolish Virgins) requires three performers. A male (Jeremiah) and two females (Josephine and Mennonite Mary). The male should be dressed in old fashion preacher costume and the females dressed in plain long sleeved, long dress and wear a bonnet (cap). Josephine wears mostly blue but can wear a black bonnet, and Mary wears mostly black. |
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Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins This is from Matthew (Matthew 25:1-13). There were ten virgins involved. They went with their lamps to wait for the bridegroom. Five of the virgins took extra oil for their lamp and five did not. The lamps went out and the five with oil refilled theirs. The other five had to go back to get oil. While they were gone the bridegroom came and the five without the oil were not there and therefore the ones with the extra oil were chosen for his brides. Biblical believers take this parable to mean to always be prepared for the coming. However, we can see it as the five without the "light" lived to have adventure when the others only became housewives. Therefore, there are two endings so the producer can go the way he believes. |
Following is the performance sequence/directions and approximate time - This version should take between ten and fifteen minutes.
Mennonite Mary in the Wise and Foolish Virgins uses a musical format to explore the role of women as we traversed the Industrial age. It ask the question; In an ideal social structure is there a primal social role for women?
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ONE MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS START |
1. JEREMIAH starts explanation that shape note singing and Sacred Harp dates back to at least the Renaissance and pretty much in it's current form for the past 200 years. It is currently prevalent in the Southern United States. There are only four notes, fa, so, law, mi, in Sacred Harp.
PASS OUT SONG "BOOKS" and VINDICATOR MAGAZINE WHILE GOING OVER THIS.
2. The Sacred Harp is the individual human voice. Therefore, there actually is no audience. The performer is the individual. There is a leader that calls out the song and page number. He is in a place in the middle of the "audience - performers". This place is called the hollow square. He gets the benefit of hearing the music/song directed toward him. Sacred harp is a spiritual experience that actually is not shared with others but is an individual thing.
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ONE MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS HAS PASSED - THIS IS THE SECOND MINUTE AND 30 SECONDS |
CONTINUE TO HAND OUT SONG BOOKS and VINDICATOR MAGAZINE
USE LARGE CARDS TO SHOW THE AUDIENCE-PERFORMERS THE SHAPE NOTES - THEY ARE ALSO IN THE SONG BOOK.
3. The score is sung first with the person in the hollow square leading. But all are singing the score with him.
4. The words of the song are sung immediately following the score singing (without a break-pause)
5. For our performance we are going to start with a brief section of Amazing Grace because almost everyone is familiar with what it sounds like. Therefore, it is a good learning tool.
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THREE MINUTES HAVE PASSED - THIS IS THE FOURTH MINUTE |
6. Be aware that this is only a language music. There are no music instruments that accompany it. It is not modulated. It is sung at the top of your voice. Full blast.
PERFORMANCE WILL BE DRAGGING BY THIS POINT SO THERE IS A NEED FOR SOMETHING TO LIVEN IT UP. PERHAPS A HAND OUT PERFORMER STARTS SINGING THE SHAPE NOTES OF AMAZING GRACE FROM MEMORY AND DOING THE HAND MOVEMENTS.
7. Now everyone has to gather around the hollow square.
8. Excessive time cannot be used to gather the audience in a circle around the designated performers. Therefore, make an effort but settle with what you have after a minute or two.
9. Now we will have a demonstration singing of "Amazing Grace" The way it is sung with shape notes - sacred harp. Be aware that at a real sacred harp singing you will not get a demonstration. JOSEPHINE AND MARY LIGHT THEIR OIL LAMPS.
JOSEPHINE WILL SING "AMAZING GRACE"
10. Now we will sing Amazing grace as it is written in the song book. Remember we sing the shape note first.
GROUP SING "AMAZING GRACE" LED BY JOSEPHINE.
11. Jeremiah introduces the similarity of "Deck the Halls" to sacred harp sings. "Deck the halls" already has Sacred Harp singing built into it with it's fa, la, la's. Also remember that when Deck the halls was created "Gay" had a different meaning than it does today. He then says, "Now if you have gay attire and you feel gay it is time to don it." Jeremiah and Josephine do NOT put on anything bright colored or gay (NOTE: This is different from the short version). Some religions have a period of time when the young people can experience the world outside the order or the Ordnung. This is called Rumspringa. You can don our Gay Apparel for the Rumspringa or "running around time". Mary PUTS ON SOMETHING BRIGHT COLORED
12. Mary says, "Now a demonstration of shape note "Deck the Halls".
MARY WILL SING "DECK THE HALLS"
13. Mary says, "We will all sing "Deck the Halls". Mary leads the audience with "Deck the Halls"
GROUP SINGS "DECK THE HALLS"
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FIVE MINUTES HAVE PASSED - THIS IS THE SIXTH MINUTE |
MARY'S LIGHT GOES OUT.
14. Mary ask Josephine if she can have some of her oil for her lamp. Josephine refuses.
15. JOSEPHINE LEADS THE AUDIENCE IN "ORDER FOR THE LORD"
16. Jeremiah offers Mary oil for her lamp and she refuses. She says, "I like the Rumspringa and intend to stay awhile. I like it better not knowing. Without the light. The darkness has adventure."
Mary SHOWS HER UNDERWEAR (bloomers/pantaloons) AS THE "ORDER FOR THE LORD" IS BEING SUNG BY JOSEPHINE
17. Jeremiah, "Here is a bible from the Victorian era. Someone has stolen the last pages of Revelations. The bible ends with Revelations 16:15 being partially removed as well as the remainder of Revelations. It is Ironic that 16:15 says "Behold, I come as a thief." because a thief stole the remainder of the Bible. The remainder of 16:15 reads "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame. We then look at the end of Revelations. At 22:19 "And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. The last verse of the Bible follows with Revelations 22:20, "He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
Mary, You have stolen from the words of the prophets. You are walking naked and I can see your shame. When the Lord comes he will come quickly.
MARY LEADS THE AUDIENCE IN "CREATION"
18. Jeremiah , "Here I have a diary written by Ethel Heath in 1895. She and her family lived near the Adams Center in upstate New York. She was a good woman that served her man as the lord demands. Her entries are mostly of taking care of the house, doing house work while her good husband Fred went to the Center. She never said and I would think never asked why he went to the Center nearly every day.
MARY LEADS THE AUDIENCE IN "THE POET"
19. Mary says, "Now we are going to sing Dumas or Dumb Ass."
MARY LEADS THE AUDIENCE IN "DUMAS" NOTE; The lyrics are changed slightly from the original for this (STANDARD) ending of the Sacred Harp part of the performance.
| Aisha was added in January 2009 to emphasize the reoccurrence of social norms of the species throughout the world. Her addition also allowed for the increased emphasize on Calhoun's Rat Cage and Burgess's "Wanting Seed". With the addition we help bridge the gap between Industrial America and Post Industrial America. |
20. AISHA ENTERS DRESSED IN A BURKA AND SINGS "GARDEN OF ALLAH" Aisha is dressed in a Burka. She plays a guitar and sings "GARDEN OF ALLAH"
21. WHILE AISHA SINGS, MARY GOES INTO THE AUDIENCE AND FLIRTS WITH INDIVIDUALS.
22. WHILE AISHA SINGS JOSEPHINE GOES INTO THE AUDIENCE AND READS FROM BIBLE STUDY CARDS THAT WERE PRINTED IN DAYTON OHIO IN 1900 AND 1901. SHE THEN GIVES EACH ONE (OF EIGHT) TO AN AUDIENCE MEMBER.
23. JEREMIAH READS "AMISH PORN" MAGAZINE SILENTLY.
24. WHEN AISHA SAYS, "Me and You in Calhoun's cage" THE PERFORMANCE ENDS.
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APPROXIMATELY 10 TO 15 MINUTES HAVE PASSED |
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