At curtain's rise, FATHER'S MUSICAL
SPIRIT (FMS), stands IN DARKNESS center
stage and faces VIDEO SCREEN, his
back to the audience.

Singer is musical alter ego of FATHER of
father. Through acapella singing, VOCALESE
and other creative soundings, movements, and
actual speeches, FMS lifts, accents, deepens the
words of the FATHER. FMS is the link between
the FATHER'S story and the DANCERS on
stage who illustrate and push the story along.

FATHER stands at podium down stage right, in
front of curtain line.

UP VIDEO CLIP #1
(VIDEO CLIP OUTCUE: "WHERE THERE IS
NO GREAT LOVE")

After clip ends, SPOT ON FMS while he still has
Back to audience. FMS turns, meditating on what
He's just seen on the video screen, and walks to
Down stage center.

BEAT

FMS hums "DOWN BY THE RIVERSIDE,"
Shifting into lyrics, TALKSINGING at this point,
As if he's remembering the lyrics and their deeper
Connection to video clip. He stops. He speaks first
Two lines of FATHER'S SPEECH.

FMS: The familiar eloquence of Martin Luther King, Jr., rings across the decades. His elemental voice can persuade us all to testify, sometimes at unexpected moments, sometimes in unpredictable situations.

FMS stops. Really starts singing before winding
Down again to a thoughtful state.

FMS: His elemental voice can persuade us all to testify, sometimes at unexpected moments, sometimes in unpredictable situations.

Spotlight abruptly off FMS & up abruptly on
FATHER, who speaks as FMS hums "Riverside"
IN DARKNESS, as if he's FATHER'S imagination
Playing a soundtrack.

FATHER: King's courageous voice inspires me … now … to stand publicly within the quicksand of a major personal struggle. I, too, love in the face of deep disagreement, painful disagreement, yet still struggle to maintain family. When my son turned 18, he quit college to join the U.S. Navy. Just before Christmas of 1995, as we drove home from his college campus, he said:

SECOND SPOT UP ON FMS.

FATHER: 'I got something to tell you and I know you're not going to like what I have to say.' He was right!

FMS stops vocalizing.

BEAT

FMS: How can the song of a Black poet -- weaned on the words and ideals irrigating the late 1960s and early 70s -- join the Navy to become a nuclear engineer on a submarine?

FATHER: His decision hurt me and plunged me into deep reflection. I could do nothing to change his mind, and believe me, I wanted desperately to change his mind.

FMS turns & walks upstage.
Stops. Turns to face audience.
DANCERS enter & take
Positions.

FATHER (continued): But finally, before he left for boot camp in March of 1996, I opened myself to the ache of losing my Son, and, surprisingly, the pride that he had made up his own mind.

FMS: I stood at the crossroads all parents must face eventually:

FATHER: I helped give birth to him but I don't own him.

FMS: I am a poet in love with a soldier.

FATHER: I am a poet in love with a soldier.

FMS & FATHER: I am a poet in love with a soldier.