|
|
|
A dramatic choral piece
718
789-3350
Trouble The Water is a
dramatic choral piece for sixteen voices and a five-piece band.
The story is that of the Freedom Rides
of 1961, when integrated groups of non-violent activists boarded Trailway and
Greyhound buses and traveled to the deep South.
Their journey brought them face-to-face
with those who challenged them and who opposed the Boynton Decision; the
Supreme Court ruling protecting the integrity and civil rights of all travelers
on interstate highways and at bus stops
The original Freedom Riders who were
members of CORE (The Congress of Racial Equality) met with more and more
opposition and violence as they made their way
further south. They were nearly stopped by relentless
brutality when SNCC (Student
Non-Violent Coordinating Committee)
came to continue the rides. With SNCC,
the
momentum grew and the Freedom Rides
became a widespread and popular action.
Not since the Montgomery Bus Boycott
did the Civil Rights Movement have so much
stroke and vitality.
Trouble the Water is a celebration of
the People’s will and a testimony to the fact that if one man is a slave, then
all men are slaves.
KEY CHARACTERS
THE
REPORTERS Six men
who act as narrators
JAMES
FARMER Administrative
Director of CORE
FRANCES
BERGMAN Freedom Rider
WALTER
BERGMAN Freedom Rider
JOHN
LEWIS Freedom
Rider
REVEREND
ELTON COX Freedom Rider
GENEVIVE
HUGHES Freedom Rider
JAMES
PECK Freedom
Rider
CHARLES PERSON Freedom Rider
PROLOGUE (from Why We Can’t Wait by
Martin Luther King, Jr.)
The
Reporters
Scene 1 THE WORKSHOP
Frances
Bergman
Chorus
Scene II GRAVITY
James Farmer
Chorus
SWEET DREAMS
James Farmer
Chorus
Scene III UNDER THE DOME
Chorus
Scene IV WONDER
Reverend
Elton Cox
Chorus
Scene V TRANSFORNATION
Genevive
Hughes
Chorus
Scene VI GENE AND CHAS
Genevive
Hughes
Charles
Person
Scene VII MOTHERSDAY
Chorus
Klan
Quoting the words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., taken from
his 1963 book Why We Can’t Wait, the Reporters deliver a treatise
on non-violence directly to the audience.
(The Reporters act as narrators throughout the piece.)
The Freedom Riders gather at CORE
Headquarters to practice tactics of non-violence through simulations and
role-playing. On this evening,
Is coerced into playing a Klu Klux Klan
member and is given a whiffle bat.
Frances Bergman, a white woman in her fifties is asked to portray the
protester.
As the others watch, John and Frances
begin the scene. John, who did not want
to participate in this scenario, is tentative at first, but finds himself being
overwhelmed by his own rage. The fury
grows and he loses control. He is beating
a desk with the bat and nearly about to strike
In The Mirror Within
SCENE II
Gravity
It is the night before the Freedom
Rides begin. James Farmer,
Administrative Director of CORE and founder of the Freedom Rides, is singing to
an excited crowd of riders and well wishers.
Overwhelmed with naïve optimism, the crowd sings with great excitement
about the monumental change they are about to affect, and the devastating wrong
that they will make right.
Sweet Dreams
James becomes suddenly alienated from
the crowd. He is lost in his own
thoughts. Time stops. As the “Gravity” scene continues in the background,
Farmer is carried back to his youth where he reflects on his upbringing, his
life, and his work with sharp-edged and sometimes cynical insight. The reflection comes full circle, returning
him to his compatriots and “Gravity”.
SCENE III
Under The Dome
At the bus station with tickets in
hand, the Freedom Riders are waiting to board their bus. They are bombarded by questions, criticism,
and encouragement from the crowd that has gathered to witness their
departure. A black “Old Timer” shouts at
them in fear and anger for stirring things up.
The reporters harass them with questions about the support and
protection they think they will receive from the authorities in the South. But there are also supporters who encourage
them to keep moving forward.
The Freedom Riders have only one
answer. “We are more afraid of the way
it has been than we are of any group of men.”
Alienated and shaken, but clearly committed, they board the bus and
their journey begins.
SCENE IV
Wonder
The riders are overcome by
anxiety. The reality of what they are
about to face becomes clear. They know
they must pull together and rise above their fears so they call on the Reverend
Elton Cox to speak to them.
Because many of the riders are devout
atheists, the Reverend is asked not to use the name of ‘God’.
He respects their wishes and uses the
word ‘Wonder’ instead. ‘Wonder’ becomes
‘I Wonder’ as the riders voice their questions and fears. Finally as their spirits are lifted, the
meaning transforms again and they sing together of ‘Wonder’.
SCENE V
Gen and Chas
The intimacy between two riders is
explored in a simple conversation that explodes into a shared fantasy.
SCENE VI
TransforNation
Genevive Hughes sits gripping her
ticket, hugging her suitcase. She is
entranced. The other riders become aware
of her and whisper among themselves.
They realize she is mesmerized and that she has reached a place of deep
and important understanding. While still
entranced, she sings. The riders listen
as she sings of her dream, her heritage and her understanding that they must
“turn a night time to a day.”
SCENE VII
Mother’s Day
The riders sing about their journey,
about the many cities they have passed.
They arrive in
The Klan forces the black riders to the
back of the bus and the white riders to the front where they remain until they
reach
The bus door opens……….
SCENE II
Gravity
CHORUS:
NOW’S
THE TIME FOR OUR HUNGER TO BE FED.
THIS
IS THE HOUR OF THE DISAPPOINTED.
JAMES:
YOU
CAN’T PUSH BACK THE RAIN
YOU
CAN’T UNDO THE HANDS OF TIME
YOU
CAN’T STOP THE FORCE OF GRAVITY
YOU
CAN’T STOP THE FREEDOM RIDE
YOU
CAN’T IGNORE THE FORCE OF GRAVITY
WE
HAVE NAMED THE FREEDOM RIDE!
YOU
CAN’T CHANGE HISTORY
YOU
CAN’T BOTTLE UP AND HOLD THE WIND
YOU
CAN’T STOP THE FORCE OF GRAVITY
FREEDOM
RIDE WILL BEGIN
YOU
CAN’T IGNORE THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND
FREEDOM
WILL RIDE DOWN.
JAMES/CHORUS:
SOME
THINGS JUST FALL INTO PLACE
THERE’S
NOTHING IN THE WAY
THERE IS
NO RISK
THERE IS
NO WRONG
IT IS
SIMPLY A MATTER OF DESTINY
WE HAVE
BUT ONE PART OT PLAY.
SOMETIMES
YOU FEEL IT
AND IT
JUST FEELS RIGHT
THERE
SHALL BE NO DISTRACTION
THERE IS
NO PUSH, THERE IS NO RUSH
IT IS
SIMPLY A MATTER OF DESTINY
WE HAVE A
ONE-COURSE ACTION.
SOME
THINGS JUST FALL INTO PLACE
LIKE THE
RIVER TO THE SEA
THERE IS
NO RISK, THERE IS NO WRONG
IT IS
SIMPLY A MATTER OF DESTINY
SOME
THINGS JUST ARE NATURALLY.
WE ARE THE
FORCE OF FREEDOM
RIDING
DOWN IN RIGHTNESS SPIRIT
THE SOURCE
OF JUSTICE FINALLY FINDING TIME.
WE ARE
PART NOW’S
THE TIME
OF THE
RULES OF H ISTORY FOR
OUR HUNGER TO BE FED
WHEN WE
STAND, FIGHT, THIS
IS THE HOUR
CRYSTALLIZE
OUR DESCENDANCY OF THE
DISAPPOINTED
NOW WE
SIGHT THE FREEDOM SONG HERE IS
THE POWER
THAT HAS
BEEN THERE ALL ALONG OF THE
DISCENCHANTED
NOW WE
RIDE OUR WRONG CALLED
FROM THE TOWER
WE HAVE
THE WELCOME OF TIME. FROM
THE SOUL COMMANDED
WE ARE THE
FORCE OF FREEDOM
RIDING
DOWN IN RIGHTNESS SPIRIT
THE SOURCE
OF JUSTICE FINALLY FINDING TIME.
Sweet
Dreams
JAMES:
SWEET
DREAMS
MY LITTLE
ONE
WE’RE HERE
AND WE LOVE YOU
DON’T BE
AFRAID OF THE DARK
DON’T BE
AFRAID CAUSE GOD AND US
WILL TAKE
CARE OF YOU
SWEET
DREAMS
MY LITTLE
BABY
YOU’RE
GROWING UP SO FAST
ALL YOUR
TEARS FORGOTTEN
GET OUT
THERE AND SHOW ‘EM
JUST WHAT
YOU’RE MADE OF
A FINE
HERITAGE AND A PROUD DESTINY
NO HARM
CAN EVER COME TO YOU
YOU’RE A
PRECIOUS BOY
ONLY THE
BEST WILL BE
GOOD
ENOUGH FOR YOU
HERE IT IS
ALL FOR YOU
COME ON
MY LITTLE
MAN,
YOU MAY
EVEN LEAD THE WAY
WE HAVE
GONE AND SUFFERED SO MUCH
YOU CAN
TELL ‘EM THAT WE’VE HAD ENOUGH
THEY WILL
LISTEN TO YOU
KEEP ON
MY SPECIAL
ONE
YOU’RE
STRONGER THAN THE REST
WE’VE GROWN
SO TO DEPEND ON YOU
AS THOUGH
YOU WERE HERE
TO SEE US
THROUGH
WE STAND
BEHIND OUR SON
HE’S DOING
WHAT WE ONLY DREAMT TO DO.
CAREFUL
WITH DREAMS
THEY MAKE
UP TIME
THAT WHICH
COMES SO EASILY
CAN BE SO
TAKEN AWAY…..
CHORUS:
WHEN
YOU DREAM YOU SEE
ALL THAT
YOU CAN BE
IF YOU
DON’T HOLD ON
THEY WILL
ALL BE GONE
WHEN YOU
DREAM YOU SEE
ALL THAT
YOU CAN BE
IF YOU
DON’T HOLD ON
THEY WILL
ALL BE GONE
BE TAKEN
AWAY.
(crossfade back to Gravity)
CHORUS:
YOU
CAN’T IGNORE THE FORCE OF GRAVITY
WE
HAVE NAMED THE FREEDOM RIDE
WE ARE
PART NOW’S
THE TIME
OF THE
RULES OF HISTORY FOR
OUR HUNGER TO BE FED
WHEN WE
STAND, FIGHT, THIS
IS THE HOUR
CRYSTALLIZE
OUR DESCENEDANCY OF
THE DISAPPOINTED
NOW WE
SIGHT THE FREEDOM SONG HERE
IS THE POWER
THAT HAS BEEN
THERE ALL ALONG OF
THE DISENCHANTED
NOW WE
RIDE OUR WRONG CALLED
FROM THE TOWER
WE HAVE
THE WELCOME OF TIME. FROM
THE SOUL COMMANDED.
JAMES:
YOU
CAN’T CHANGE H ISTORY
YOU
CAN’T BOTTLE UP AND HOLD THE WIND
YOU
CAN’T STOP THE FORCE OF GRAVITY
FREEDOM
RIDE WILL BEGIN
YOU CAN’T
IGNORE THE FORCE OF GRAVITY AND
FREEDOM
WILL RIDE DOWN.
JAMES/CHORUS:
FREEDOM
WILL RIDE DOWN LIKE THE RAIN
TO THE
MOUNTAIN STREAM AND RIVER
THEN
EVENTUALLY IT WILL RUN INTO AND BECOME THE SEA
FREEDOM
RIDE!
SCENE V
TransforNation
CHORUS:
LOOK AT
GENEVIVE, SHE IS SO IN HER HEAD
BUT SHE IS
ALWAYS RIGHT ON, WE SHOULD HEAR WHAT SHE SAYS
SHE’S NOT
IN HER SLEEP, BUT SHE’S NOT FULLY AWAKE
BEAUTY
EYES OPEN DEEP, SO DEEPLY AT STAKE.
GRIP HER
TICKET STRONG, HUG HER SUITCASE TIGHT
SHE WILL
NOT LET GO, CLUTCHING THEM FOR HER LIFE
EVEN IN
HER TRANCE, AS HER DREAMS THEY ARE
TURNING
THIS GREYHOUND BUS
INTO A
SHOOTING STAR.
GENEVIVE:
THIS
TICKET IS MY PARDON TO RELEASE ME FROM THE WRONG DONE TO ME
TO FREE ME
FROM THE BURDEN OF THE HARM THAT I’VE ACCEPTED
THIS
SUITCASE HAS MY ARMOR TO PROTECT ME FROM THE ENEMY
KEEP ME
RIDING WARM ON SUCH
CHORUS:
LOOK AT
GENEVIVE, SHE IS SO IN HER HEAD
BUT SHE IS
ALWAYS RIGHT ON, WE SHOULD HEAR WHAT SHE SAYS
SHE’S NOT
IN HER SLEEP, BUT SHE’S NOT FULLY AWAKE
BEAUTY
EYES OPEN DEEP, SO DEEPLY AT STAKE.
GRIP HER
TICKET STRONG, HUG HER SUITCASE TIGHT
SHE WILL
NOT LET GO, CLUTCHING THEM FOR HER LIFE
EVEN IN
HER TRANCE, AS HER DREAMS THEY ARE
TURNING
THIS GREYHOUND BUS
INTO A
SHOOTING STAR.
GENEVIVE:
SHOOTING
STAR THIS ARC YOU MAKE
LET ME
FROM MY DREAM AWAKE
ON A LAND
WHOSE EDGE HAS WASHED AWAY
TURN A
NIGHT TIME TO A DAY.
TURN MY
TEAR INTO A RAIN
WASH MY
FEAR AND HEAL MY PAIN
MEET THE
RIVER OF MY HISTORY
FINALLY
BECOME THE SEA.
THIS
TICKET IS MY PARDON TO RELEASE ME FROM THE WRONG DONE TO ME
TO FREE ME
FROM THE BURDEN OF THE HARM THAT I’VE ACCEPTED
THIS
SUITCASE HAS MY ARMOR TO PROTECT ME FROM THE ENEMY
KEEP ME
RIDING WARM ON SUCH
SHOOTING
STAR THIS ARC YOU MAKE
LET ME
FROM MY DREAM AWAKE
ON A LAND
WHOSE EDGE HAS WASHED AWAY
TURN A
NIGHT TIME TO A DAY.
I COME
FROM THE BLOOD OF A DRUM AND OF THE SUN
THAT’S THE
FAMILY THAT I COME FROM
I AM A
LOVE SONG OF THAT LOVE
I AM A
LYRIC OF THAT LOVE SONG
I AM A
MELDOY OF THAT HARMONY
I AM A
RHYTHM OF THAT
I COME
FROM THE BLOOD OF A DRUM AND OF THE SUN
THAT’S THE
FAMILY THAT I COME FROM
I AM A
LOVE SONG OF THAT LOVE
I AM A
LYRIC OF THAT LOVE SONG
I AM A
MELDOY OF THAT LEGACY
I AM A
RHYTHM OF THAT
CHORUS:
LOOK AT
GENEVIVE, SHE IS SO IN HER HEAD
BUT SHE IS
ALWAYS RIGHT ON, WE SHOULD HEAR WHAT SHE SAYS
SHE’S NOT
IN HER SLEEP, BUT SHE’S NOT FULLY AWAKE
BEAUTY
EYES OPEN DEEP, SO DEEPLY AT STAKE.
GRIP HER
TICKET STRONG, HUG HER SUITCASE TIGHT
SHE WILL
NOT LET GO, CLUTCHING THEM FOR HER LIFE
EVEN IN
HER TRANCE, AS HER DREAMS THEY ARE
TURNING
THIS GREYHOUND BUS
INTO A
SHOOTING STAR.
GENEVIVE:
THIS
TICKET IS MY PARDON TO RELEASE ME FROM THE WRONG DONE TO ME
TO FREE ME
FROM THE BURDEN OF THE HARM THAT I’VE ACCEPTED
THIS
SUITCASE HAS MY ARMOR TO PROTECT ME FROM THE ENEMY
KEEP ME
RIDING WARM ON SUCH
SHOOTING
STAR THIS ARC YOU MAKE
LET ME
FROM MY DREAM AWAKE
ON A LAND
WHOSE EDGE HAS WASHED AWAY
TURN A
NIGHT TIME TO A DAY.
