The latest project from prominent Motswana actor, Donald Molosi, is a musical dubbed ‘2050: The Future We Want,’ which he will perform alongside American actress, film producer and former fashion model, Sharon Stone as well as British singer-songwriter Cat Williams on October 3rd in Geneva. The musical will honor an environmental group founded by former Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, which sheds light on environmental issues as well as poverty and insecurity.
“I grew up watching Sharon Stone in films and sharing the stage with her is unbelievable. At the same time, I work extremely hard and I hope that I also give a memorable performance of my own in this musical. Apart from being an actor, I am also a classically trained singer and most of my audiences do not know that. It is time for me to share that with my audience alongside my acting. I am ready,” Molosi said. The musical will also mark 20 years since Gorbachev, a Nobel Peace Prize laureate, founded Green Cross International.
Sharing his reasons for supporting the initiative, Molosi said, “I last did a professional musical in 2005 in New York City and I am glad to be doing it once again; eight years later. But as with all my other performances, this is not just for entertainment. The musical sheds light on environmental issues and our audience is the world’s diplomats and heads of state. Someday I will use my talents for pure entertainment but for now the call to use one’s gifts for good causes is too urgent. I have to entertain and inform at the same time.”
Commenting on the opportunity that has availed itself to him he revealed that, “I am not just representing Botswana. I was chosen from hundreds of African performers to represent all of Africa so of course I have prepared myself to speak for other regions of Africa with intelligence and true representation. ”
He added that even when he was playing his role as Botswana’s First President Sir Seretse Khama in his award winning play Blue, Black and White, it was not about entertainment only, but also about reconstructing a nation’s memory of its leaders. “My work seeks to be entertaining on stage and useful off stage. My audience should walk away energized to seek and make change,” he adde d.
It would be the first time that a Motswana performs at the UN and Stone, Molosi and Stevens as storytellers in the piece, will be showing the audience how to resolve some of the critical challenges facing the world that include climate change and poverty.
“I can’t wait to start working with young artists from all over the world who 20 years after president Gorbachev launched his global mission, are showing that there is a way forward, but only if we act now,” Stone said in a statement in one of the US publications.
The musical is being co-produced by Green Cross and Peace Child International, which began setting up musicals during the Cold War in an attempt to bring young people from the United States and the Soviet Union together to help resolve the conflict.
The President of Peace Child International, and main organizer of the event, David Woollcombe said in a statement, “Today sees the start of an inspirational journey to create an optimistic musical that will show how youth achieve the future they want.”
Green Cross International president Alexander Likhotal also added that the musical will use artistic language and vivid imagery to translate the problems facing humanity into a new form; that of theatre, and in doing so bring to wide attention the issues, urgency and priorities for action.