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>>> WELCOME TO NORFOLK PERSPECTIVES CITY SLICE.
I'M BOB BATCHER AND I'LL TELL YOU UP FRONT, I JUST APOLOGIZED
TO OUR GUESTS FOR MY THEME SONG. THAT'S THE KIND OF RESPECT I
HAVE FOR YOU. ROBERT SHOUP, I WAS GOING TO SAY
WHO YOU'RE WITH, BUT THIS IS SUCH A UNIQUE PROJECT, YOU'RE
WITH A PROJECT. >> YES, AND THE ORGANIZATION WE
HAVE IS CALLED CREATORS INCORPORATED, WHICH WAS PUT
TOGETHER FOR THIS PROJECT. >> BUT NOW I GOT TO TELL YOU,
WHEN I WAS GETTING READY FOR THE SHOW, I WAS ALL RAMPED UP TO
TALK TO YOU ABOUT THE MESSIAH PROJECT AND ALL THESE OTHER
HIGH -- THESE HIGH CLASSICAL THINGS I SEE YOU ON STAGE, THE
POPS, THE WHOLE BIT, BUT YOU'RE GOING TO BE TALKING ABOUT MA LA
WII. >> I WAS SAYING TO YOU OFF
CAMERA THAT I REALIZE THE FURTHER I GO, I'M NOT AN
ADVOCATE FOR, A, MUSIC, I'M AN ADVOCATE FOR STORY TELLING AND
THAT APPLIES TO WHEN WE DO ANY GREAT CLASSICAL WORK.
THERE'S STORY THERE AND HUMAN EXPERIENCE AND EXPRESSION AND
THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO COME TO AN EXPERIENCE WITH THE
ARTS WHEN IT MEANS SOMETHING AND IT'S PERSONAL AND SUBSTANTIVE.
>> WELL, I'M GOING TO BE IN FULL DISCLOSURE, WE MET AT A DOWNTOWN
RESTAURANT AND YOU SAID I GOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT THIS PROJECT.
>> RIGHT. >> AND YOU WERE JUST GLOWING, SO
I'M GOING TO SIT BACK, RELAX, AND TELL ME ABOUT IT.
HOW IN THE WORLD DID YOU FIND MALLA WII?
>> IT'S A LOT OF CHANCE. I GUESS 1991, I WENT FOR THE
FIRST TIME, SO NOW IT'S BEEN 22 YEARS.
YOU WILL APPRECIATE, THIS IT'S MY FIRST TIME EVER STEPPING FOOT
ON AN AIRPLANE. >> YOU'RE KIDDING.
>> YES, I WENT TO MALAWI AFRICA AND I WAS IN PITTSBURGH AND WE
WERE ESTABLISHING A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
IN PITTSBURGH AND THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN MALAWI, A
CITYWIDE MISSION EFFORT, SO WE WENT AND ON THAT TRIP I MET A
MAN WHO WAS THE HEAD OF THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN THE
SOUTHERN THIRD OF THE COUNTRY, SO HE WAS GENERAL SECRETARY OF
THE -- BASICALLY THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH ON THE SOUTHERN PART.
ONE OF THOSE EXTRAORDINARY PEOPLE YOU SPEND FIVE MINUTES
WITH AND YOU REALIZE YOU'RE IN THE PRESENCE OF SOMEBODY VERY
VERY SPECIAL. I WAS YOUNG AND NAIVE AND SORT
OF TAKING IT IN AND WE WERE TOLD AS PART OF THAT TRIP TO NOT TALK
ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT. THE DICTATOR FOR ABOUT 30 YEARS
THERE WAS STILL IN POWER, SO YOU DID NOT TAKE PICTURES OF THE
SOCCER STADIUM, PICTURES OF THE AIRPORT.
WE WERE VERY VERY CAREFUL TO NOT SPEAK ABOUT IT.
WE CAME HOME FROM THAT TRIP, IN THE YEAR BETWEEN THAT AND MY
NEXT VISIT THERE IN 1993, MY NEW FRIEND SILAS WAS ONE OF THE
CENTRAL FIGURES IN PUTTING TOGETHER AN UNDERGROUND
RESISTANCE TO THE DICTATOR, AND ENDED UP BRINGING ABOUT HIS
DEMISE AS LEADER OF THE COUNTRY. THIS WAS A MURDERUS REGIME OF
ABOUT 30 YEARS. THEY WERE VERY SMART ABOUT THE
WAY THEY WENT ABOUT IT. THEY BROUGHT INTERNATIONAL
PRESSURE TO BEAR AND ACTUALLY WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE A NATIONAL
REFERENDUM ON SINGLE-PARTY GOVERNMENT.
THERE WAS ONLY ONE PARTY THAT WAS LEGAL, YOU HAD TO HAVE A
PARTY CARD. IF YOU WERE A PREGNANT WOMAN
THAT DIDN'T HAVE A PARTY CARD FOR YOUR UNBORN CHILD, YOU WILL
BE BEATEN. PEOPLE WERE JAILED FOR NOT
HAVING THE CARD, AND THEY -- AND THE PEOPLE, AMAZINGLY, AFTER
SEVERAL GENERATIONS OF FEAR, CAME OUT AND VOTED IN BIG
NUMBERS, I THINK SOMETHING LIKE 3.5 MILLION PEOPLE CAME OUT TO
VOTE OUT OF A POPULATION OF 9 MILLION AND VOTED AGAINST
SINGLE-PARTY RULE. AND HE ALSO, AMAZINGLY, A
COMPLEX FIGURE, STEPPED DOWN. THAT'S ONE OF THE UNIQUE THINGS
ABOUT THIS STORY IS IN ALL OF THOSE AFRICAN COUNTRIES WHERE
THERE WAS SOMEBODY IN POWER WITH A VIOLENT PARAMILITARY GROUP AT
THEIR DISPOSAL, WHICH HE HAD, THEY ALL USED THAT GROUP TO HOLD
ON TO THEIR POWER AND HE DIDN'T, SO THERE'S A LOT OF FASCINATING
ASPECTS OF THIS STORY. BUT IT'S VERY PERSONAL FOR ME
BECAUSE SILAS IS A PERSON I KNOW AND FEEL VERY -- JUST A LOT OF
ADMIRATION AND RESPECT FOR, AND STILL ACTIVE.
HE IS SOMETHING OF A JEFFERSONIAN CHARACTER IN THEIR
CULTURE. HE WAS A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER
WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CHANGED AND HE WENT ON TO BECOME THE
AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY AND RUSSIA, THE AMBASSADOR TO THE
VATICAN. HE HAS A PICTURE IN HIS HOME OF
HIM KNEELING AT THE FEET OF THE POPE, PRESENTING HIS PAPERS AND
HE CAME BACK AND LEADS A SMALL VILLAGE CHURCH WHERE HE HELPED
TO GET A WATER SUPPLY AND A MEDICAL CLINIC.
HE HAS LED ECOLOGICAL PROJECTS, CREATED A GATHERING SPACE OF
ARCHITECTURAL PROJECTS THAT HE HELPED DESIGN.
JUST ONE OF THESE GUYS WHO SEES A PROBLEM AND GOES AND GETS IT
FIXED. >> INSPIRING STORY, BUT, BOB, A
MUSICAL IF. >> THIS IS SORT OF DEFIED
DEFINITION A LITTLE BIT. PEOPLE ASKED US, WE STARTED
USING THE TERM OPERA, BUT IT'S GOING TO BE SCRIPT-BASED AND ONE
OF THE THINGS WE DETERMINED LAST SUMMER, I'VE BEEN THERE LAST
SUMMER DOING RESEARCH, HOLDING INTERVIEWS AND MEETING WITH
POLITICAL EXILES AND PEOPLE DEEPLY INVOLVED AND THE ORIGINAL
PLAN WAS TO USE THE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA AND SINGERS, BUT THE
MORE WE WERE THERE, WE SAID THIS IS NEEDS TO BE A CAPELLA BASED,
SO IT WILL BE LARGELY AN A CAPELLA SCORE, WHICH IS REALLY
UNIQUE IN THE THEATRICAL WORLD. IT'S WON'T BE SUNG ALL THE WAY
THROUGH. THERE WILL BE A THE LOVE SCRIPT
AND SPOKEN DIALOGUE, BUT MY PLAN IS TO USE A NUMBER OF VOCAL
ENSEMBLES, INCLUDING A LARGE ONE THAT FUNCTIONS LIKE THE
ORCHESTRA IN A TYPICAL SOUND TRACK FOR A FILM.
THERE MAY BE SINGING GOING ON WHILE THERE'S TALK GOING ON.
THE MUSIC IS SUCH AN ORGANIC PART OF CULTURE THERE THAT MY
GOAL IS TO USE MUSIC IN A WAY THAT MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE
GONE THERE. NOT TO HAVE A STORY AND STOP AND
HAVE A TUNE, WHICH HAPPENS SO OFTEN IN MUSICALS, BUT REALLY
WE'RE ABLE TO USE MUSIC IN AN ORGANIC WAY.
GREAT EXAMPLE IS THAT THE DICTATOR WOULD HAVE THE GIGANTIC
POLITICAL RALLIES WHERE THE VILLAGERS HAD BEEN THREATENED
FOR TWO OR THREE WEEKS BEFORE THE RALLY TO SHOW UP AND BRING
THEIR MOAN, AND FULL OF -- MONEY, AND FULL OF MUSIC AND
DANCE. IT WAS FORCED, BUT FULL OF MUSIC
AND DANCE, SO TO SEE THAT REPRESENTED ON STAGE AS PICTURE
OF WHAT HAPPENED AND THAT'S REALLY MY GOAL IN THIS IS TO TRY
TO TELL THE STORY AUTHENTICALLY, BOTH HISTORICALLY, BUT MORE THE
STORY OF SILAS AND HIS COURAGE. WE HAVE A GREAT PLAYWRIGHT,
PEOPLE WHO LISTEN TO NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO MAY HAVE HEARD OF A
SHOW CALLED STATE OF THE UNION AND HE'S THE HOST AND PRODUCER
OF THE SHOW AND AL IS OUR PLAYWRIGHT AND HE WAS WONDERFUL
TO SEE IN ACTION THIS LAST SUMMER.
HE WENT ALONG WITH US FOR THIS LAST RESEARCH TRIP, ENGAGING
WITH PEOPLE AND HIMSELF CATCHING THE PASSION FOR THIS STORY.
>> TO BE FRANK, MALAWI HAS NOT BEEN ON MY RADAR SCREEN.
>> NO. >> SO WHEN YOU CAME BACK IN '92
AND '93, I'M FAIRLY CONFIDENT YOU WERE FILLED WITH ALL KINDS
OF ENTHUSIASM. >> RIGHT.
>> TO TELL THE STORY. WHAT KIND OF RESPONSE DOES YOU
GET? >> AT THAT POINT I WASN'T
BECAUSE WE DIDN'T KNOW THE STORY IN FULL THEN.
IT HAD JUST HAPPENED. I MEAN, SO THEY REALLY WERE JUST
IN THE MIDST OF THIS CHANGEOVER AND IN FACT THE FIRST FREELY
ELECTED PRESIDENT DIDN'T TAKE OFFICE UNTIL A YEAR OR TWO AFTER
I CAME BACK FROM MY SECOND TRIP. ONE OF THE FASCINATING PARTS OF
STORY IS THE GROUP SILAS PUT TOGETHER.
HE'S A PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER AND HE PUT THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY
TOGETHER, THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY, AN EXTRAORDINARILY
DIVERSE GROUP AND THE FIRST FREELY ELECTED PRESIDENT WAS A
MUSLIM, WAS A FASCINATING THING COMING OUT OF ALL THIS.
I CAME BACK AND I WAS MORE CONNECTED TO THE CHURCH MISSION
PROJECT WE WERE INVOLVED WITH AT THE TIME.
THIS HAS COME UP BECAUSE ABOUT FOUR YEARS AGO, I WAS AT AN END
OF YEAR CHOIR PARTY FOR MY CHURCH CHOIR THAT I DIRECT AND
ONE OF MY FRIENDS KNEW I WAS DOING MORE COMPOSING AND I THINK
WE HAD JUST SEEN THE MOVIE INVICTUS ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA AND
I SAID I HAPPEN TO KNOW THIS OTHER STORY.
AND HE SAID YOU NEED TO MAKE THIS STORY AND I LAUGHED AT HIM
AND HE SAID I'M NOT KIDDING YOU. IT'S BEEN BIZARRE AND FROM THAT
MOMENT STARTED THREE DAYS LATER, I STARTED RUNNING INTO PEOPLE
THAT I NORMALLY DIDN'T RUN INTO WHO EITHER HAD CONNECTION WITH
THE PLACE, AND PIECES STARTED FALLING INTO MACE AND IT'S BEEN
A -- PLACE AND IT'S BEEN A PRETTY FASCINATING JOURNEY THUS
FAR. >> HOW DO YOU MAKE IT HAPPENS?
IS THERE SOMEBODY IN YOUR LIFE SAYING, OKAY, BOB, WHEN IS IT
GOING TO BE DONE? >> WE'VE HAD A TIMELINE FROM THE
BEGINNING. THE FIRST STEP WAS CONTACTING
OUR FRIENDS THERE AND I EMAILED SILAS IN A WEEK ACTUALLY AND I
SAID I DON'T KNOW IF YOU REMEMBER ME, I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU
IN 17 YEARS, AND HAD THIS BEAUTIFUL EMAIL BACK, AND I
REMEMBER READING IT AT MY DESK AND TEARING UP, AND HE SAID OF
COURSE I REMEMBER YOU, WE HAD A WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE, AND HE
SAID I ACCEPT A JOURNEY WITH YOU IN THIS PLACE YOU KNOW BETTER
THAN I. AND THAT WAS ONE OF THOSE
MOMENTS WHERE YOU SAID THERE'S SOMETHING HERE.
I STARTED PUTTING TOGETHER PEOPLE THAT ARE SMARTER THAN ME
THAT I TRUST HERE IN THE AREA TO SAY, CAN WE PUT TOGETHER A GROUP
TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. WE GOT A BOARD OF DIRECTORS
TOGETHER, CREATED SOMETHING CALLED CREATORS INCORPORATED,
AND IT'S A 501(C)(3), NOW ESTABLISHED IN VIRGINIA AND THEY
HAVE BEEN GREAT. WE'RE PUTTING TOGETHER A
TIMELINE AND WE'RE WRITING THE SCRIPT NOW AND I'LL WRITE THE
SCORE AND WE'RE HOPING BY SPRING OF 2015, WE CAN DO A PREMIERE.
>> I'LL TELL YOU WHAT. I'M NOT GOING TO PUT PRESSURE ON
YOU, BUT WILL YOU COME BACK AND GIVE US A PROGRESS REPORT?
>> I'LL BE HAPPY TO. >> CREATING THEATER TO BUILD A
COMMUNITY CONVERSATION, RIGHT HERE IN NORFOLK TOO.
>> THANK YOU. >> THANKS FOR JOINING US.
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