Old Man Joseph and His Family
THE STORY: Comprised of a series of vignettes, bridged by music and deft changes of scene, the play offers a fresh and colorful interpretation of biblical events and figures. As the action begins we meet the aged Joseph, a long-time widower, who, being unmarried, is forced by law to take the young Mary as his bride. All things considered he is bemused and bewildered when she becomes pregnant, although he agrees to accept the child, Jesus, as his son. As for the miracles which begin to occur from infancy on, Joseph is quizzical about these too, and when Jesus grows into a rebellious and confused teenager Joseph’s annoyance at the boy’s “tricks” deepens. As the various episodes are played out, however, a moving family drama emerges, and the touching humanity of both the old man and the young boy are made real in a way which only the living theatre, and the “Bible of the Folk,” could capture and set forth.
A warm-hearted amusing and frequently touching dramatization of stories from the New Testament Apocrypha, which is sometimes termed the “Bible of the Folk.” The play uses the simplest of means to achieve a high degree of theatricality and a rich variety of acting roles.
“The style in which these folk legends are presented is blithely blasphemous and applecheek cheerful—not unlike the hippy happiness of Godspell.” —New York Tribune.
“…a playwright capable of ambitious and explorative work…” —The New York Times.
