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Class of '67 Presents THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER - WHY?
Elizabeth Pugh - Head of Show |
"Welcome to Village Hallouk!" And here they are - the select seven - in the middle of somewhere. But why are they here? The ... travel posters looked so exciting!" "I came here for the intellectual experience." To offer a Helping Hand to the village ("We're Gonna Build That Bridge"). But Hallouk isn't an uncivilized country - it's "just different, that's all." Where else can an entire nation depend on one man for all its commercial needs, asks Romulus ("You Can Bank on Me").
Not all want the bridge. Some natives don't give an ISHDAMKA if their country connects with the Outside World. Fearing growth, they would rather nestle in isolation - in their own little land where The Game is more important than any Bridge. Panu Heminas uses her influence to mock Washington's goal ("Bridging the Gap") and hurries her prey to a festival. "Welcome to Village Armhorse!" The workers meet their neighbors, who are dedicated to the to the [sic] "fusion of cultures and achievement of harmony: YOU WANT CAVASA?" In the spirit of brotherly love, all in the village unite to celebrate the boning of a "lovely local native" by Kakos ("Sweetheart of Anga Din"). But all work and no play can make jock a dull boy, and Faulos finds himself a Patsy, whom he convinces that "forbidden fruit is always best" (["]Pluck the Pomegranate"). "What is a bridge?" A Hallouk witch doctor assures Cassandra that it is more than a bridge, and what she thought she thought [sic] was knowledge suddenly collapses ... along with the construction ("Why a Bridge?"). "THE WHOLE BRIDGE! DO YOU HEAR ME?" They hear, all right, as the Washington Leader demands to know what went wrong with the members of Helping Hand, Int'l. Their answer is obvious ("We've Gone Native"). But this is a result - not an explanation, says Martha Hansen Taylor. Her plea sends them back to Hallouk ("It's a Matter of Adjustment") - this time to "fulfill their duty" properly. But permission to return is not enough. "Why are we all sitting around?" Although the reckless enthusiasm that destroyed the bridge is gone, now nothing replaces it. "I'm sick of this bridge ... We used to have fun here ... There's nothing left for us" at Hallouk. "I'm afraid you have yet to discover what we really are," admonishes the Chief. Unconvinced, they see only one alternative: ESCAPE. Cass calls their leader for permission ("What's this Nonsense?") to visit a "larger village" ... for a "taste of the cosmopolitan life." But palm trees are always greener on the other side of the jungle. The larger village offers numbers for names ... riots ... anarchy ... and TRUTH is rolled away when it interferes with "progress." It bans everythign and hates the same ("We Love to Hate"). It wasn't anything like they thought it would be. "And neither is Hallouk, is it?" "We've got a lot of work to do" back at Hallouk. THE SMITES HAVE ATTACKED! And now the workers are eager to defend their adopted land. But a wise witch doctor drives away the unwanted ones with a battery of questions ("Did you know that the interasteroidish galaxies are nebulous in space?"). "It's BEAUTIFUL." And it really is. Hallouk and Washington join together to celebrate their accomplishment ("Hurrah! We've Built that Bridge"). The Helping Hand, Int'l members must leave, for their job is done. But the bridge is built, and they can always return easily. They have succeeded in establishing communication.
Cover designed by Gai Carpenter Record produced by Gai Carpenter and Janet Mennie |
THE BRIDGE ON THE RIVER - WHY?
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