Alice Beinekes Rhyme Speak Challenge

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Background Information

In one of our first encounters with Alice Beineke in The Addams Family musical, we learn that
she often engages in an unusual manner of speaking. She speaks in rhyme!
Alice says:
Expressing is the poet's art.
Just simply say what's in your heart.
Morticia thinks that maybe she should see somebody about that, and Gomez, well Gomez, cuts
her off as she expounds in rhyme about her favorite color, yellow. Heres what happens, exactly
as written by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice in the musicals libretto, the text copy of the
show.
Alice: Yellows my favorite.
(rhyming)
Yellow is the color of the warming sun.
Yellow is the color of yumminess and fun.
Why not show the world the love in which we all believe?
Why not wear your heart for all to see, right on your sleeve?
Odd beat. ALICE looks around for approval, then plunges ahead
ALICE
Yellow is the egg yolk thats dripping off
GOMEZ mercifully cuts her off.
GOMEZ
Excellent! A lovely sentiment about the color yellow! Yellow the
misunderstood primary color.
The Challenge

As you can see, Alice believes she is a better poet than she really is. Your challenge, then, is twofold. First, working in small groups, complete the Alice Beineke rhyme about the wonders of the
color yellow, using the last line from her dialogue Yellow is the egg yolk thats dripping off
as your starting point. Follow your teachers directions regarding the length of your rhyme speak.
As you complete the rhyme, try to improve on Alices style. Share your group efforts with your
classmates.
The second part of your challenge involves writing a one-page monologue or dialogue utilizing
rhyme speak of your own to explore one of the themes of the show: facing fears, defining
normal, or making snap judgments. Share your dialogue with your classmates to see who wins
the Alice Beineke Rhyme Speak Challenge!
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