A lifetime ago, a young man with a masters degree from The Juilliard school
and a passion for mountain climbing joins the peace corps as an alternative to
fighting in Vietnam. His girlfriend, a ballet dancer, joins as well and they are
told they must marry to enter as a couple. Married, they are thrown into the
crucible that was Bolivia; a fledgling orchestra, revolutions, Aymara Indians
living in the 14th century, some tragedy, some laughter, and many summits
reached.
and a passion for mountain climbing joins the peace corps as an alternative to
fighting in Vietnam. His girlfriend, a ballet dancer, joins as well and they are
told they must marry to enter as a couple. Married, they are thrown into the
crucible that was Bolivia; a fledgling orchestra, revolutions, Aymara Indians
living in the 14th century, some tragedy, some laughter, and many summits
reached.
Dreams of Bolivia takes the audience into that world. Richard Hartshorne
known as "Dobbs" was that young man. As the work opens we find him
now age sixty with white hair, sitting in an armchair on an otherwise dark
stage. A double bass lies nearby. He begins to tell the story. His voice,
honed by a lifetime of storytelling and comedy, is hypnotic. After awhile he
gets up and begins to play a mournful Bolivian folkloric melody on the bass.
Magically, Andean flutes join in and then he is singing with them a melody
as strange and unwestern as the country itself. The audience has begun to
follow Dobbs on his long ago journey.
known as "Dobbs" was that young man. As the work opens we find him
now age sixty with white hair, sitting in an armchair on an otherwise dark
stage. A double bass lies nearby. He begins to tell the story. His voice,
honed by a lifetime of storytelling and comedy, is hypnotic. After awhile he
gets up and begins to play a mournful Bolivian folkloric melody on the bass.
Magically, Andean flutes join in and then he is singing with them a melody
as strange and unwestern as the country itself. The audience has begun to
follow Dobbs on his long ago journey.
As the voice and the story continue, periodically images of Bolivia appear on a
large screen. There is more music and Dobbs appears to be part of the group
singing and drumming. As the story changes gradually the music changes and
we realize that it is Dobbs himself as a young man playing with long ago
colleagues in Bolivia, and gradually the images become recognizable as part of
the story. The music, the images and the story become one, and the audience
feels what it was like to be in that place and have that life.
large screen. There is more music and Dobbs appears to be part of the group
singing and drumming. As the story changes gradually the music changes and
we realize that it is Dobbs himself as a young man playing with long ago
colleagues in Bolivia, and gradually the images become recognizable as part of
the story. The music, the images and the story become one, and the audience
feels what it was like to be in that place and have that life.
This is an intensely personal story, a cathartic reexamination by the
author. The result is that we see into Dobb's heart and he becomes
real. He is not some mythical adventurer in an exotic place. He is a
flesh and blood human in an exotic place having adventures. The
audience comes away with another view of the Vietnam era , a sense
of the peace corps ideal, and a picture of that strange and wonderful
place- Bolivia.
author. The result is that we see into Dobb's heart and he becomes
real. He is not some mythical adventurer in an exotic place. He is a
flesh and blood human in an exotic place having adventures. The
audience comes away with another view of the Vietnam era , a sense
of the peace corps ideal, and a picture of that strange and wonderful
place- Bolivia.
As Dobbs said the other day, "In a very real way everything that I
have done in my career; playing the Bach solo suites, telling stories
and playing music for people who need it, had it's genesis in those
years. I will forever be grateful both to the Peace Corps and to the
country and people of Bolivia. I want to share this story with the
world."
have done in my career; playing the Bach solo suites, telling stories
and playing music for people who need it, had it's genesis in those
years. I will forever be grateful both to the Peace Corps and to the
country and people of Bolivia. I want to share this story with the
world."
| Dreams of Bolivia A full length multi-media work |
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