This musical is based on the biblical story of Deborah as told in The Book of Judges, chapters 4 and 5. It is a tale of two strong women at a time when women were considered to be second class citizens. The main character, Deborah, was one of only two women to ever govern the Israelites during biblical times. She was a judge and prophetess in the mid-twelfth century BCE, and the plot revolves around her efforts to lead the Israelites in a battle to free them from the oppression of Jabin, king of the Canaanite city-state of Hazor. It is a story of Deborah’s faith in the Lord and courage as she encounters the problems associated with trying to assert herself as the leader of a male dominated society. The story opens with the people’s cry to the Lord for a deliverer and then moves to Deborah’s appointment as judge. It then focuses on her effort to build an army, and concludes with a battle in which the Lord helps Israel attain victory against a much larger and better equipped military force. One of the subplots revolves around the second strong woman, Jael, who avenges the death of her mother and uncle at the hands of man called Sisera, the general of King Jabin’s army. A second subplot deals with the change in the faith of a man called Barak who Deborah appointed as the general of the Israelite forces.
Deborah, A Woman of Valor
Cast:
DEBORAH – age 20 – 30 – an Israelite prophetess who was selected to serve as Judge of Israel
LAPPIDOTH – age 20 – 40 – Deborah’s husband
MOSHE – age 20 – 40 – An Israelite man and friend of Lappidoth
TALIAH – age 12 -16 – an Israelite girl
HULDAH – age 20 – 40 – an Israelite woman and friend of Deborah
JABIN – age 40 – 50 – A Canaanite king of Hazor
SISERA – age 30 – 50 – A Canaanite general of Jabin’s army
KERET – age 30 - 40 – A Canaanite and second in command of
Jabin’s army
YASSIB – age 18 – 50 – A proselyte Israelite spy (man or woman)
and a servant in General Sisera’s headquaters
SHIMON – age 40 – 50 – An Israelite man and uncle of Jael
AVITA – age 35 – 55 – An Israelite woman and the mother of Jael
JAEL – age 18 - 25 – An Israelite woman married to Heber the
Kenite
GALADREL – ageless – an angel, can be male or female
HEBER – age – 25 -40 – A Kenite male and husband of Jael
CHIAM – age 40 – 60 – an Israelite male and an elder of the
City of Kedesh
EXTRAS – from none to six males and/or females to serve as
villagers when necessary and be part of the ensemble.
