INTERVIEW: PULA! Botswana makes it rain on Broadway
Photo: PULA! Botswana on Broadway will be presented Aug. 22-23 at the Playstation Theater in Midtown Manhattan. Photo courtesy of PULA / Provided by Michelle Tabnick PR with permission.
Botswana is a beautiful country in southern Africa, and the cultural contributions of the nation are headed to Broadway in New York City. On Aug. 22-23, PULA! Botswana on Broadway will be presented at the Playstation Theater in Midtown Manhattan.
The event, sponsored by the Botswana Tourist Organization, celebrates the importance of rain to the country and its many cultures. The show’s 50 performers highlight how pula, or rain, pulls humans, animals and plants under one Botswana sky.
Audiences can expect a story involving a rainmaker trying to recapture her powers. Her journey takes her to the many different environments of the country, including the savanna and delta system. Utilizing traditional song and dance, the rainmaker interacts with local communities and tribespeople, all in an attempt to unify and celebrate.
The Mophato Dance Theatre, under the direction of Andrew Letso Kola, provides the show with its intricate choreography, and the performers come from the I Love Botswana Ensemble, a coalition of seven cultural groups. The two-day event is presented in partnership with Battery Dance, which has been running an outdoors arts festival since 1982.
Recently, Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with the show’s producer, Emad Salem. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
What can audience members expect from PULA! Botswana on Broadway?
Something they’ve never seen before! The narrative, acting, songs and dance are all so powerful in different ways. The audience will be laughing, crying and fearful at different times, but will leave inspired and uplifted. The special effects, sets, lighting and projections will also transport audience members out of New York City to the mystical land of Botswana. I don’t want to give away too much away, but the show will be an unforgettable experience.
Where did this idea originate?
Last year, with the support of the Botswana government, the Botswana Tourism Organization and the U.S. Embassy in Gaborone, Mophato Dance Theatre and the I Love Botswana Ensemble performed at the Battery Dance Festival to rave audience and press reviews. Based on that experience, the leaders of the group began discussing with us performing a much larger production in a large theater. Thankfully, the Botswana government and Tourism Organization saw the value that the performing arts have in creating awareness and interest in Botswana, not to mention showcasing the professionalism and creativity of their artists.
How important is rain to the culture in Botswana?
Rain is very important to the culture in Botswana. The word for rain is ‘Pula,’ which is also the name of their currency and their national motto — which tells you how important it is to the country. It is the life blood of the culture, the people, and the wildlife and environment that they so respect and cherish there. In New York City, we try to avoid the rain — but in Botswana they say, ‘Pula!’ when [they] want to wish good luck, good health, or even when cheering something great.
How technically demanding is the show?
With 50 dancers, actors, singers and musicians on stage, and special effects, sets, props and multiple costume changes, this is definitely a technically demanding show. We’ve extended the stage in the theater, and our lighting designer travelled to the plains and delta of Botswana so he could capture the essence of the land and bring that back to U.S. audiences. We’re just lucky that we have an amazing production team and that the PlayStation Theater has been great partners. We’ve been able to do this all in only two and a half months’ time!
How many choreographers are involved in the production?
There is one choreographer, Andrew Kola, who is also the artistic director. He is supported by script writers Thea Khama and Gabriel Modise, as well as music directors and composers Mokgweetsi Skit Kabomo and Dikgang Ramoloko. They are all leading the I Love Botswana Ensemble, which is a coalition of seven different performing groups that have come together for this national project.
Why are cultural events like this important for audiences to see?
Battery Dance’s mission is to connect the world through dance. From our experience in over 70 countries around the world, we’ve seen how events like this can be transformative for audience members. It allows us to connect with each other despite geographic and cultural boundaries. With all of our daily stresses, and the world seeming so volatile right now, events like these are so important to remind us of what’s really important in life and that there is more that unites us than divides us.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
PULA! Botswana on Broadway will be presented Aug. 22-23 at the Playstation Theater in Midtown Manhattan. Click here for more information and tickets.
