THE BOMB-ITTY OF ERRORSby Jordan Allen-Dutton,

Jason Catalano, Gregory Qaiyum and Erik Weiner

Music by Jeffrey Qaiyum

CONTENTS2 The 4113 A/S/L & RMAI4 FYI5 F2F6 HTH7 RBTL8 IRL

11 B4U12 SWDYT?

2007—2008 SEASON

MISSOURI ARTS COUNCIL

10. TBA Ushers will seat your school or class as a group,so even if you are dying to mingle with the group from theall-girls school that just walked in the door, stick with yourfriends until you have been shown your section in thetheatre.

9. SITD The house lights will dim immediately before theperformance begins and then go dark. Fight off that oh-so-immature urge to whisper, giggle like a grade schooler, oryell at this time and during any other blackouts in the show.

8. SED Before the performance begins, turn off all cellphones, pagers, beepers and watch alarms. If you need totext, talk or dial back during intermission, please make sureto click off before the show resumes.

7. TMI Not to sound like your mom, but “if you need togo now, you needed to go then.” Leaving the theatre duringthe performance is disruptive, so take care of any personalneeds before the show starts.

6. RTM When you arrive at the theatre, read theproduction program. It’s like a deluxe version of liner notesand a free souvenir, all in one.

5. P-ZA? NW! Though your ability to eat ten slices at onesitting may impress your friends, no one wants to listen toyou chew, slurp or smack, so please leave all food, drink andgum outside the theatre.

4. TLK-2-U-L8R We know that you will be dying todiscuss what you see onstage with your friends, but pleasewait until intermission. Any talking—even whispering—is very distracting for both the actors onstage and theaudience seated around you.

3. LOL Without you, we really wouldn’t have a show. It’syour job to laugh when a scene is funny or maybe even sheda tear or two in a tender moment. However, since you arenot the audience at The Jerry Springer Show please refrainfrom inappropriate responses such as talking, whistling,making catcalls or singing along with the performers.

2. SOP While it’s great that you want a celeb picture ofyour day at The Rep, the theatre is off-limits to thepaparazzi. Flash photography interrupts the performance andalong with videorecording is prohibited by Actors Equityrules. You can sneak a peek at production photos on ourwebsite, www.repstl.org.

1. LLTA Let the actors know that you respect their workby remaining for the curtain call at the end of theperformance. Show your appreciation through applause.

MIHYAP: TOP TEN WAYS TOSTAY CONNECTED AT THE REP

At The Rep, we knowthat life movesfast—okay, reallyfast. But we alsoknow that some

things are worth slowing down for. We believe that livetheatre is one of those pit stops worth making and areexcited that you are going to stop by for a show. To helpyou get the most bang for your buck, we have put together WU? @ THE REP—an IM guide that will give youeverything you need to know to get at the top of yourtheatregoing game—fast. You’ll find character descriptions(A/S/L), a plot summary (FYI), biographical informationon the playwright (F2F), historical context (B4U), andother bits and pieces (HTH). Most importantly, we’ll havesome ideas about what this all means IRL, anyway.

The Teacher’sLounge

In an effort to make our educational materials

accessible to students and easy for educators to incorporate into the class-

room, our study guide is written in a student-orientedformat. We hope that you will circulate this guideamong your students in the weeks preceding your visitto The Rep, encouraging them to browse it before andafter class and as time allows, using it as a launch pointfor both pre- and post-performance discussions.You may also want to visit our website, www.repstl.org,for additional information including activity suggestionsand behind-the-scenes information.

Any materials, either from this guide or fromour website may be reproduced for use in the classroom. As always, we

appreciate your making live theatre apart of your classroom experience and

welcome your feedback and questions.

Show Me Standards: CA 2, 3, 5, 7; FA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5; SS 2, 6 and Illinois Learning Standards: 1, 2, 5, 16, 18, 25, 27.

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ANTIPHOLUS OF SYRACUSE andANTIPHOLUS OF EPHESUS are twinbrothers living in separate cities, unaware ofeach other. They are both MCs.

DROMIO OF SYRACUSE and DROMIO OF EPHESUS are also twinbrothers living in separate cities, alsounaware of each other. Each Dromio servesas a sidekick MC to an Antipholus.

Despite her husband’s infidelity,ADRIANNA is the loving wife of Antipholusof Ephesus.

Adrianna’s sister, LUCIANA, catches the eye of Antipholus of Syracuse.

HENDELBERG is a Jewish jeweler caught inthe middle of the twin mayhem.

In an attempt to “cure” Antipholus of hisconfusion, DR. PINCH gives him an herbalremedy.

BOBBY isn’t quite a poet, but he is adelivery guy trying to be a rapper.

The COP tries to restore some order byintervening, but he only adds to theconfusion.

The prostitute, DESI, doesn’t help matterseither, when she demands a gold chain fromAntipholus of Syracuse.

READ MORE ABOUT ITWe encourage you to explore the following books, movies andwebsites for more information.

Haskins, James. One NationUnder a Groove: Rap Music

and Its Roots. HyperionBooks for Children, 2000.A look at the history of rapincluding a rap glossary.

Vibe Magazine. The VibeHistory of Hip-Hop. ThreeRivers Press, 1999. Compiled byVibe Magazine, this historyfeatures almost 500 pages ofinterviews, facts and pictures in awork that covers all the differentpieces that make up hip-hophistory.

Chang, Jeff. Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop: A History of theHip-Hop Generation. Picador,2005. This book focuses not onlyon the birth of a new style, buthow hip-hop influenced popmusic and American culture.

Rize, 84 minutes, Lions Gate,2005, PG-13, DVD. The famedDavid LaChappelle created thisdocumentary about the artisticand social expression of krump.

Green, Jarius. Breakdance: Hip-Hop Handbook. StreetStyle Publishers, 2003. Learnthe roots of this dance style alongwith a step-by-step guide tocertain moves.

Ganz, Nicholas. Graffiti World:Street Art from FiveContinents. Packed with colorphotos, this book representsgraffiti art from artists around the globe.

THE BOMB-ITTY OF ERRORS is anadaptation of Shakespeare’s wily The Comedyof Errors. From the moment the charactersstep on the stage to the moment they leave,hysteria and confusion follow two sets oftwins everywhere they go.

WE START OFF with a prologue explaining the situation—we basically have two sets of twins—two Antipholi (the bigger brothers) and two Dromios (the smaller brothers). The boys’ father andmother, MC Egeon and Betty, are forced togive up two of the boys (an Antipholus anda Dromio) for adoption, and so one set ofbrothers lives in Syracuse while the otherends up in Ephesus. Because they wereseparated at a young age and because theparents die before they have a chance to tellthe boys, neither set of brothers knowsabout the other. Then one night, the ghostof the MC Egeon appears before all the boys,sending them to find their mysterious link.

AND SO, the Syracuse boys land in Ephesusin search of the link. Antipholus of Syracuse(or A.S.) sends Dromio of Syracuse (D.S.) topay for a hotel. Almost as soon as he leaves,Dromio of Ephesus (D.E.) enters, confusingA.S. for Antipholus of Ephesus (A.E). D.E.tells A.S. that he needs to hurry home to hiswife. A.S. thinks he’s talking to D.S., andhands him a hearty beating because hedoesn’t have the money he just gave D.S.D.E. escapes away back to Adrianna, whoyells at him for not bringing back herhusband. Adrianna is tired of her husband’sinfidelity, and decides that she’s going to goout herself and fetch him.

MEANWHILE, A.S. runs into D.S. A.S. haschecked in at the hotel, finding that it’spaid for. He believes D.S. was joking withhim earlier about having a wife. D.S. has noidea what A.S. is taking about. As theyargue, Adrianna and Luciana approach.Unsure of what’s going on, A.S. plays alongwith Adrianna, going home with her fordinner.

AS A.S., ADRIANNA AND LUCIANA havedinner, A.E. and D.E. return home withHendelberg the jeweler. When D.E. confrontsA.E. about the beating A.S. dealt himearlier, A.E. has no idea what he’s talkingabout. When A.E. and D.E. approach theirgate, they are met by D.S., who will not letthem in. A.E. and D.E. leave, whileHendelberg goes to retrieve a gold chainthat A.E. intends to give to his wife.

INSIDE THE HOUSE, A.S. waits forAdrianna to slip away, leaving him withLuciana. Now alone with her, he confesseshis love and admiration for her. Meanwhile,D.S. is mistaken by Bertha (wife of D.E.) forD.E. and A.S. receives the gold chain from adelivery boy that Hendelberg sent for A.E.

WHEN HENDELBERG MEETS up with A.E. again, he demands to be paid for thedelivered chain. A.E. tells Hendelberg he will be paid when he receives it, but sincethe chain has indeed been delivered (thoughto the wrong Antipholus), Hendelberg callsthe cops. D.S. is sent to fetch money to bailA.E. out.

BACK AT HOME, Luciana tells Adriannaabout A.S. trying to put the moves on her.Adrianna is shocked that her husband wouldhit on her sister. D.S. returns home to getthe money to bail out A.E.

AS A.S. IS OUT walking the streets ofEphesus, he finds it odd that everyoneknows him. When D.S. returns with moneyto bail out A.E., A.S. has no idea what he’stalking about. A.S. sends D.S. to get a flightout of Ephesus tonight.

AFTER A.E. MANAGES to get free, a wildand crazy chase ensues, ending up with thetwins all meeting one another. Now thatthey have found the mysterious link, all theconfusion is cleared up and they form theultimate hip-hop band.

5

THE BOMB-ITTY OF ERRORS takes an oldplay and injects a modern, hip-hop flavor tothe show. While Bomb-itty has a number ofunique and funny elements all its own, thecore is that of the hysterical play it isadapted from, The Comedy of Errors. Whoknew Shakespeare had such a great sense ofhumor? What else is there about him thatwe don’t know?

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE is often held tobe the greatest English writer of all time,and certainly one of the greatest (if not thegreatest) playwrights ever. The total sum ofhis work includes 38 plays, two longnarrative poems and 154 sonnets. Otherthan his body of work, Shakespeare did notleave much behind for historians to study.Consequently, much of Shakespeare’s life isshrouded in mystery and folklore.

IT IS KNOWN that William Shakespeare wasborn to John Shakespeare and Mary Ardenin April 1564 (it’s often speculated that hisdate of birth was April 23, based on hisrecorded christening on April 26). His placeof birth is known as Stratford-upon-Avon,and John Shakespeare’s house (the believedbirthplace of his famous son) still standstoday and serves as the home ofShakespeare’s Birthplace Trust.

THE THIRD AMONG eight children, it ispresumed that Shakespeare attended KingEdward VI Grammar School. Being the son of a prominent town official (his father wasan alderman and a glover, his mother froman upper-class family) he probably attendedthe school at no cost. While there, he morethan likely would have been educatedintensively in literature and Latin grammar.

AT AGE 18, Shakespeare married 26-year-old Anne Hathaway. Together they wouldhave three children—Susanna and twinsHamnet and Judith. Hamnet would die atage 11 of bubonic plague, while the otherswould eventually find themselves movingwith the family to London.

BY 1592, Shakespeare was a well-knownplaywright in London. By 1594, he was anactor, writer and part-owner of the companyLord Chamberlain’s Men (named for itssponsor), which would later become theKing’s Men under King James I. While knownto have acted in his own work from time totime, Shakespeare was also known to haveacted in several other productions, mostnotably the work of one of his greatestcontemporaries and rivals, Ben Johnson.

WHILE SHAKESPEARE’S WORK is oftenbased on plays and stories belonging toothers, he brought innovative andinvigorating new dimensions to drama. Hisability to tightly intertwine engaging plotlines, meld unlikely genres together, andexplore the inner workings of characterstook the theatre to new heights, the effectsof which are still felt today. His work standsas some of the most widely produced andadapted of any dramatist.

THE BARD’S WORK is widely known in thetheatre world, but his influence doesn’t stopthere. His work slips into our everydayspeech since his poetic writing holds manywitty sayings. Many expressions we usetoday like “with baited breath” or “aforegone conclusion” come fromShakespeare’s work. Shakespeare evencoined hundreds of new words including“moonbeam,” “shudder” and “puke.” Haveyou ever heard (or said) any of thefollowing?

“TO BE OR NOT TO BE,THAT IS THE QUESTION.”

“ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE.”

“WHAT’S IN A NAME?”“ALL THAT GLITTERS IS

NOT GOLD.”“ET TU, BRUTE?”

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BITTY: a hot girl

MC: microphone coordinator, or the mainrapper in a song

PENITENTIARY: a prison for peopleconvicted of serious crimes

CYANIDE: an extremely toxic salt or esterof hydrocyanic acid

LITTLE KITTY: pretty young lady

BUMP ‘N GRIND: dance

FIVE SPOT: five dollar bill

ABORT: bring to a permanent end becauseof a problem or fault

GIST: the essence of a speech or text

SALLYS: girls

IMBECILLIN’: acting like an imbecile;acting stupid or idiotic

BEREFT: deprived of or lacking something

ILLIN’: going crazy

DILLY: interchangeable with the word “deal”

TWEAKIN’: to be hyperactive

DEBASE: reduce in quality or value;degrade

SHYSTER: a person who lies or usesquestionable practices

WHACK: appalling in nature

MISANTHROPE: one who hates ormistrusts humankind

COXCOMB: a person who is conceited orpretentious; a foolish dandy

GEFILTE FISH: a kosher dish made ofground fish formed into a ball

IDENTITYThrough all their wild and zany escapades,the Syracuse brothers are in search of somemysterious link that will complete them.They are searching for that something thatwill allow them to look in the mirror andknow who they are as opposed to feelingincomplete. What the boys are looking for isa stronger sense of identity. The irony of The Bomb-ity of Errors is that whatAntipholus and Dromio of Syracuse seek isright under their noses the whole time. Theplay uses this metaphor to remind us thatwe all often feel as though we are searchingto find ourselves, but the truth is that whowe are is always right in front of us—rather,inside of us. Each of us has our own uniqueand precious identity, and no one can evertake that away from us.

HONESTYThe key to the many mistaken identities in The Bomb-itty of Errors goes beyond thebrothers looking alike—the many mix-upsoften hinge upon the fact that the boysdon’t always take every opportunity todisclose who they are. The Syracuse brothers(most specifically Antipholus) often employsubtle deceits to explore Ephesus, eventaking advantage of the identity mistakes toworm their way closer to women and money,among other things. The Bomb-itty of Errorschallenges us to take a higher stand and notsimply take the easy way out of a situation.While everything ended up okay in the play,sometimes lies and omissions of truth can becostly for those around us. You may hear itall the time, but honesty really is the bestpolicy.

APPEARANCE VS. REALITYSometimes, all is not as it seems. In TheBomb-itty of Errors, this certainly is the case,as the Syracuse brothers are confused forthe Ephesus brothers who are confused forthe Syracuse brothers and on and on thestory goes. This confusion stems from thefact that characters in the play readilyaccept what they see and hear, withoutoffering much question as to what is true.Because the Syracuse brothers look like theEphesus brothers, characters in the play(even the brothers themselves) are easilylent to believing the brothers are who theyexpect them to be. However, as the playshows us, taking things at face value can bea costly mistake. The Bomb-itty of Errorsencourages us not to simply accepteverything we are shown and told, but toexercise our own critical judgment andassessment of the world. Just becausesomeone says it’s so, doesn’t mean it is.

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WHILE SHAKESPEARE UTILIZED rhymingcouplets in The Comedy of Errors, one of themost notable stylizations that The Bomb-ittyof Errors employs is the use of rap and rhymein its storytelling. But as the popular MCKRS-One says, “hip-hop is something youlive, rap is something you do.” So what iship-hop all about?

HIP-HOP CULTURE, while rooted in musicand MC-ing, consists of various elements.Some of the initial elements that havegrown alongside the popularity of hip-hopare graffiti, break dancing and specificfashions.

WHILE OFTEN CONSIDERED an elementof urban decay or vandalism, graffiti isconsidered an art form by those who riskpunishment to practice it (and by those whoadmire it). Though human beings have beendrawing and writing on walls since thebeginning of time, moderngraffiti was born in Philadelphiain the early ‘60s as artists wrotetheir names (also known astagging) all over the city. Bythe late ‘60s, graffiti had spreadall over New York City, and inJuly of 1971, The New York Timesdid a profile of well-knowngraffiti artist TAKI 183.

GRAFFITI ARTISTS often refer tothemselves as “writers,” and the impulse towrite is often born of a desire to be famousor to leave a lasting mark. Over the courseof the ‘70s, graffiti would evolve fromtagging to stylized lettering to cartooncharacters and entire mural-like paintings.Bombing (when writers mark as manysurfaces as possible) would cover most of thesubway cars in New York from top to bottomas graffiti artists spread their masterpieces.

WHILE VARIOUS CITY officials around the country have waged war on graffiti, it continues to spread. Today you can findrooftops, churches, bridges and various otherstructures that have been marked by graffitiartists.

BREAK DANCING is also a part of theevolution of hip-hop culture, an elementthat grew alongside rap and DJ-ing. While

PUTTING THE HIP IN THE HOP

raffiti art wall by Stick Up Kids, a writing crew with members from Germany, New Zeland, Thailand and Denmark

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break dancing is often thought to haveoriginated in the block parties of DJ KoolHerc and other early hip-hop artists, a majorlandmark for break dancing was Michael

Jackson’s Robot Dance which wasfirst performed on television in1974. Speculation around thegrowth of break dancing suggeststhat in the early 1980s breakdancing competitions helpedsolve territorial disputes betweenrival gangs. Though thepopularity of break dancingseemed to have faded in the1980s, noted b-boys and b-girls(break dancers) are still admiredin television commercials, varietyshows and dance studios acrossthe nation.

ANOTHER PREVALENT elementof hip-hop culture is fashion. Inthe early days of hip-hop,various sportswear and fashionbrands attached themselves to

the hip-hop movement. Brands such asAdidas and Kangol were popular, and starslike Run DMC and LL Cool J were wearingtracksuits, leather jackets, Doc Martins andtennis shoes (Adidas shell-toes with fat lacescontinue to be popular today). Popularaccessories included large eyeglasses, buckethats and heavy gold jewelry. In the early‘80s, Jheri Curl hair styles were popular,while the late ‘80s saw the spread of high-top fades.

TRANSITIONING FROM Old School hip-hop to the later Golden Age meant somechanges in style. Baggy, blousy pantsbecame popular (often known as “Hammerpants” after MC Hammer), and a harkeningto African culture became prevalent. Artistslike Queen Latifah and Public Enemy worekente cloth hats, African chains, dreadlocksand red, black, and green clothing. Theathletic hip-hop scene would shift fromAdidas to Nike (and Air Jordans, often called“J’s”), while other new brands such asTimberland (called “Timbos”) and ConverseChuck Taylor shoes (known as “Chucks”) alsobecame associated with hip-hop fashion.

THE MID TO LATE ‘90s ushered in the era of gangsta rap and fashion, which featuredbaggy pants, black ink tattoos, bandanas andwearing one’s shirttail untucked. Dark denimwas popular, along with sagging pants(wearing pants low, often without a belt).Bling (or large, shiny jewelry) came out ofthe mid-late ‘90s as well.

TODAY’S HIP-HOP fashion is a melding of the styles before it, often characterizedby sagging pants, bandanas, jewelry and big,baggy shirts. Hip-hop isn’t limited strictly to street wear, as many designers such asTommy Hilfiger and Polo contribute designeritems to style.

LL Cool J

➤ How does hip-hop culture effect daily life inAmerica?

➤ Do you think hip-hop has become a standard wayof life for American youth?

➤ What elements of this cultural phenomenon haveyou noticed in your life?

Ten Things I Hate About YouPretty and popular Bianca Stratford wishesshe could get a date, but her ill-temperedolder sister Kat is determined to scare off any guy who might come their way.Unfortunately, strict rules in the Stratfordhousehold forbid Bianca from having aboyfriend until her extremely unpleasantsister has one of her own—a situation thatseems highly unlikely considering Kat is asocial disaster. Bianca’s desperation forromance turns into a convoluted scheme tomatch Kat with her male equivalent—a guywhose reputation is so infamous, Kat mightrise to the challenge and find him worthy ofher hidden charms.

Does this story sound familiar? It should! Itis almost exactly the story Shakespeare tellsin The Taming of the Shrew.

She’s the ManWhen a teenage girl, Viola, discovers that thesoccer team has been cut from her school,she disguises herself as her twin brother andtakes his place at his new boarding school fortwo weeks. Comedy ensues when she falls inlove with her new roommate, Duke, and findsherself the object of affection of the beautifulOlivia, the girl whom Duke loves. Things getmore complicated when her twin brother,Sebastian, finally turns up.

Which play does this story come from? Howabout Twelfth Night?

The Lion KingA young lion prince is born in Africa, thustaking the place of his uncle, Scar, as secondin line to the throne. To regain his position,Scar plots to kill King Mufasa and PrinceSimba, thus making himself king. The king iskilled, but when Simba escapes, Scar leads hisyoung nephew to believe that the king’sdeath was his fault. When Simba flees thekingdom in shame, Scar takes the position of king ruling over all the lionesses, evenSimba’s mother, Queen Sarabi. After years of exile, a childhood friend, Nala, persuadesSimba to return home to do battle with theusurper and claim the kingdom as his own.

Did you guess that this story came fromShakespeare’s Hamlet? If you did, you’re right!

OOdin James is the black star of the basketballteam at an otherwise white boarding school.He is heading for the big time with his sportand is in love with Desi, the most popular girlin school. Meanwhile, Hugo, the coach’s son,is outdone by Odin both on and off the court;his father even says he thinks of Odin as ason. Hugo’s feelings of envy and neglect leadhim to construct a plot to make Odin doubtDesi’s love for him, a plot which Hugo iswilling to take to its most extremeconsequences.

This film is a direct adaptation of the tragedyOthello.

➤ What do you think of modern entertainment usingclassic works? What others do you know?

➤ How does this recycling of storylines impact currentculture?

➤ How might this effect growth and creativity inpopular entertainment?

AS A FAITHFUL ADAPTATION of plot, characters, and innovative use of language, The Bomb-itty of Errors reminds us of the brilliance of William Shakespeare. But Shakespeare’sinfluence isn’t confined to just the stage—he’s all around you! Below are some popular moviesyou may recognize, but did you know they’re all adaptations of William Shakespeare’s work?

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WHILE DRAWING HEAVILY onShakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, The Bomb-itty of Errors takes the classic taleof mistaken identity and gives it a uniquetwist by injecting modern hip-hop cultureinto the story. While hip-hop has grown to a point of being almost synonymous withpopular culture today, it has its own distincthistory and evolution.

HIP-HOP HAS ITS ROOTS deep inAfrican-American history and an oralstorytelling tradition. While anexamination of hip-hop could takeyou back hundreds of years, a glanceat the late 20th century can lendinsight into the more immediateevolution of the culture that todayincludes ethnicity, art, politics,fashion, technology and urban life.

THE BEGINNINGS OF HIP-HOPwere block parties in New York City in the1970s. The man specifically credited as thegodfather of hip-hop is a DJ named KoolHerc. While known for his freeneighborhood block parties and hissuperior sound system, what gotthe ball rolling for hip-hop washis technique of isolating thepercussion breaks in hit songs(the part of the song where thebeat takes over). Kool Hercwould often rap overtheses instrumentalbreaks, insertingvarious clever in-house references.Soon his style wasduplicated andspread, spawningnew artists andextending thehip-hopmovement acrossNew York. The firstrecordings of hip-hop were “Rapper’s

Delight” by Sugar Hill Gang (which reachednumber 36 on the Billboard charts) and“King Tim III” by Fatback Band.

HERC’S INNOVATION would give way toOld School hip-hop, a movement in whichteams of MCs rapped to beats across thenation. Groups of MCs practiced freestylingfor hours at a time, utilizing simple beatswith a chorus (to give performers time toregroup for their next verse). Famous fromthe period are the Herculoids and well-known Afrika Bambaataa’s Zulu Nation (now evolved into a large group spanningthe globe).

AS THE ‘70s TRANSITIONED into the ‘80s,the Golden Age would arise. Run DMC’salbum Raising Hell in 1986 is generallymarked as the beginning of the Golden Ageof hip-hop. The album featured advancedwordplay, clever delivery and an expandingcoverage of subject matter.

HIP-HOP’S EVOLUTION over the late ‘80sand into the ‘90s shifted the scene tosuch stars as Tupac Shakur, NotoriousBIG and Dr. Dre. With the shift camea focus on the darker side of hip-hop, often called “gangsta

rap.” This movement focuses on more violent lyrics and themes,

depicting the harsh nature of lifeon the streets.

AS THE ‘90s WORE ONand stars such as Tupacand Notorious BIG werekilled, there was a pushtowards less violence inhip-hop. The soundspread to globalpopularity, and insteadof just being rap music,hip-hop became a way

to live, not only for thoseperforming it, but those who

were listening.

DJ Kool Herc

“Do you know what it’s like to lookyourself in the mirror

With vision 20/20 but you can’t seeclear?

To be kept on a shelf, not seein’ whatyou wanna see,

Not knowin’ yourself, bein’ half ofwhat you wanna be?”

➤ Antipholus is clearly struggling withsome inner conflicts. Why is he feelinglike half of himself? What might makesomeone feel this way? Have you everfelt this way?

“There is so much unfairness in this lifeWe are all equal under heaven’s eyeBut earth has different rules than

the holy skyThe beasts, the fishes, the winged

birdsAre all just slaves to just one word:Man—divine master of all these.”

➤ The women are feeling themselvessomewhat held back by the rules ofsociety that allow men all the power. Do you think this kind of feeling stillexists? Have women found an equal placein society?

“…sister I’d rather be deadThan living this lie, forcing these smilesWhy did I ever walk down the aisle?”

➤ Adriana is regretting her marriage vows when she thinks her husband ischeating. Do you think it is possible for a marriage to survive this sort ofbetrayal? Is infidelity ever something you could forgive?

“Have you finished the big gold chain I commissioned

To make sweet my wife’s sour disposition?”

➤ Antipholus seems to be indicating that he must buy his wife’s affection and happiness with gifts. What do youthink about this relationship? Gifts arenice, but are there other things moreimportant to a healthy relationship?What?

“Relax yourself my good man, this advice please trust this.

Judge not before you know the true situation at hand

That’s just common sense”➤ What do you think of this advice?

It often seems easier said than done tonot jump to conclusions. Have you everhad a time when jumping to the wrongconclusion caused a problem?