VOA – CONNECT
EPISODE # 226
AIRDATE: 05 13 2022
TRANSCRIPT


OPEN ((VO/NAT/SOT))
((Banner))
Spinning
((SOT))
((Alisha Edmonson
Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))
There’s an intent from the artist behind vinyls. So, the record, the record sleeve, the book that’s inside of it, there’s usually a story. There’s usually all the lyrics are in there. ((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Directing
((SOT))
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
A great theater needs a great audience and great artists. That’s what you need to make it all work together.
((Animation Transition))
((Banner))
Conserving
((SOT))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
Through the art of taxidermy, I can tell a story about an animal and someone can get close to that animal and feel something and see something that they might not be able to see if that animal were alive.
((Open Animation))

BLOCK A


((PKG)) VINYL

((TRT: 08:08))
((Topic Banner: Vinyl))
((Producer/Reporter: Marsha James))

((Camera: Philip Alexiou))
((Editors: Marsha James/Philip Alexiou))
((Map: Washington, DC))
((Main characters: 1 female; 1 male))
((Sub characters: 1 female; 3 male))

((DO NOT POST ON YouTube))

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Alisha Edmonson

Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))
Listening to vinyl is intentional. You walk over to your collection. You look at all your options. You pick one that meets your moods and then you listen to all of the songs. And then you get up and you flip it and there’s an intent, kind of a methodical process to it that we don’t get with digital music.

((Courtesy: “Love Surrounds Us Everywhere” McCoy Tyner/©ABC))
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Joe Lapan
Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))

We’re here at Byrdland Records and we started this in October of 2020 as a outgrowth of Songbyrd Music House that was in Adams Morgan [D.C.] for six years. And Byrdland is a, you know, full-service record shop. We carry probably upwards of 6,000 titles.

((Courtesy: "Samba De Orpheus" Vince Guaraldi Trio / ©Concord Music Group, Inc.))

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Alex
Customer))

My friend told me that vinyls were cool and stuff. And I was like, you know, why not. And I don’t know when I listen to it on vinyl like, it’s just, I don’t know, it’s just not the same, you know. And it just has like a nostalgic sort of feel.

((NATS))
((Alisha Edmonson

Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))

One of the fun things is that we get music in every day. Sometimes it’s new and sometimes it’s actually people that bring in and we buy used records. So, you know, we never know what surprises we’re going to get of something that maybe we couldn’t get new. But we can get it used or new-used. It’s just fun. It’s fun to listen to. It’s fun to discover new music that we’ve never even heard of sometimes with the used stuff.

((Courtesy: "Manhã de Carnaval” Vince Guaraldi Trio / ©UMG))

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Daniel
Customer))

Yeah, you know, this is kind of may be showing my age but I didn’t really know what vinyls really were until like a couple of years ago. You know, I kind of grew up on CDs and then after that MP3s just took over the game. So, I never really had physical music up until like I had vinyls a couple of months ago. And yeah, a lot of people around my age group, they are starting to collect vinyls or they either have a record player or are listening to them on vinyls. Just kind of, again, the whole old school aesthetic of it. It’s like kind of, you know, how baggy jeans are making a comeback now, I kind of think similar with vinyls.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Daniel
Customer))
Kendrick but other album.

Yeah, I found that playing records is different than playing songs from my phone because on my phone I can just play whatever, right? Like I have all this music that I can play in any order. With records, I kind of like to listen to it, just the whole album as a playthrough.

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: “Far West” Dean Frazer / ©King Jammy-Johnny Wonder))

((Joe Lapan
Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))

I would say, you know, I saw it happening at least a decade or more ago when it really started coming into the forefront, back into the mainstream as a format and it never went away.

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: “Knock On Wood” Jackie Shane / ©Concord Music Group))

((Joe Lapan
Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))

This is kind of one that was a learning lesson for me and that’s kind of what vinyl can do. So, this came out for an anniversary. I never heard of Jackie Shane before. Listened to the album and loved it and then found out the amazing story behind Jackie Shane. So, Jackie Shane is a Canadian singer and really kind of never got radio play in the U.S. although big in the U.S. But Jackie Shane is also a Black transperson from the ‘60s and ‘70s. So, one of the things I love about vinyl is unlike other formats, you can get a story. So, for this, the Numero Uno group wanted to make sure everyone knew this story. And so, it just, they made this amazing book for the anniversary. And you can see the transformation of the artist and the story behind him and it just, I don’t know, I’m just at awe of Jackie Shane in a different way than I was before. And so, I love this album. I love getting people turned onto this album. I don’t know a single person that doesn’t love it once they hear it. And so, it’s just really special to me. This is like the epitome of what vinyl does for me, which is makes me have experiences in a way or for the first time with an artist.

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Edison
Customer))

My dad had a really nice turntable. So, I’m just restoring all that equipment and just trying to get back into it.

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Darlene
Customer))

I have a lot of vinyl records at home. And I was wondering, I was thinking about getting a record player because I wanted to play them. And so, record players, when I was a little girl, we got our first one, playing records. I guess, I was about six, maybe seven. So evidently, they’re not going anywhere and then the DJs use them, you know. Everything don’t have to go away because of the new stuff. We like the old stuff, you know.

((NATS/MUSIC))

((Courtesy: “My Sins” Time Is Fire / ©Electric Cowbell / Insect Fields 2020))

((Joe Lapan
Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))

Well, for example, this record right here is from a band called Time is Fire. It’s from a local label called Electric Cowbell, who’s a friend of ours, puts out a lot of cool and great local music but it’s influenced by world music and it’s influenced by some of the history of DC’s punk music and it’s some really interesting artists and songs that he puts out.

((NATS/MUSIC))
((Alisha Edmonson

Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))
It's a tangible thing and I think we live in a very, a world that has a lot of untangibles. So much of what we do and exists is in our phones. There’s an intent from the artist behind the vinyls. So, the record, the record sleeve, the book that’s inside of it. There’s usually a story. There’s usually all the lyrics are in there. It sounds better. So, when you’re experiencing vinyl, you can feel the base.

((NATS/MUSIC))

((Alisha Edmonson

Co-Owner, Byrdland Records))
You feel all the sounds. The full intent of the artist is in that vinyl.

((NATS/MUSIC))

TEASE ((VO/NAT/SOT))
Coming up
((Banner))
On Stage
((SOT))
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
At that time, if you went into the theater, you were basically thought of as a prostitute or lady of the night.

BREAK ONE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))

BLOCK B

((PKG)) ARENA STAGE DIRECTOR
((TRT: 04:46))
((Topic Banner: Passionate About Theater))
((Reporter: Liliya Anisimova))

((Camera: Yuriy Zakrevskiy))
((Adapted by: Zdenko Novacki))
((Map: Washington, D.C.))
((Main character: 1 female))
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Anything Goes/Arena Stage))
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
I think I was so fascinated with theater when I was a child that I rejected anything else
((End of courtesy))
that had to do with science, with math, anything except for reading.
((Courtesy: Anything Goes/Arena Stage))
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
My grandmother
((End of courtesy))
was a wonderful actor as a young person. And at that time, if you went into the theater, you were basically thought of as a prostitute or lady of the night. That was the whole deal with people in the theater in her time period. And she really wanted to be an actor. She wanted to be in New York.
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
For me, I felt like I was finishing out a part of my grandmother's life because she was so passionate about the theater. My mom too was
((Courtesy: Arena Stage))
an actor and she was a really, really funny, wild actor on stage.
((End of courtesy))
And I worked with her a couple of times and it was pretty great directing your mother, if you can imagine that. One doesn't do it by oneself. I had a whole group of people that I met in Alaska [where she moved as a teenager].
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
And so, we were able to create this theater company.
I've been really, really lucky in my career. Of course, my family, my mom, my grandma, my sister, my partner Suzanne, my former husband Billy, and then just a whole host of people in Alaska who, when I talked about the idea of starting a theater in Alaska of, by and about Alaskans, people sprung to it and they said yes. They said yes and they supported it through sweat equity. They supported it through money. They supported it through resources and we were able to build that. And I ran that for 19 years before I came to Arena Stage.
((Courtesy: Arena Stage))
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
When I first came here to Arena 24 years ago, of the large theaters in the United States, there were probably four or five of us, in terms of being women. There are more now,
but I face
((End of courtesy))
misogyny almost every day in one form or another and I've been doing this a long time. But I always just kind of give it the flipper and move on. Sometimes I'll address it and sometimes it doesn't make sense to address it. I just let it go and carry on.
((Courtesy: Arena Stage))
And what I would say to young women is listen to that voice inside of yourself and protect it because people will try and take it away from you.
((End of courtesy))
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
They'll try and take away whatever that fire or that passion is. And you need to protect what that is because that has to do with who you are as a unique human being and go out and make it happen.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Ann/Arena Stage))
You just can't get enough of me, can you? Yes, I am. I'm as strong as mustard gas. What's up?
((End of courtesy))
((Molly Smith
Director, Arena Stage))
Arena, in that moment, when I came in, was one of 80 theaters here in Washington, DC. And in the beginning, we were the first, right? So, we were all things to all people. And the search committee said, "Arena is being swallowed up. There are too many different, competing voices.
((Courtesy: Jitney/Arena Stage))
How would you focus the repertoire of this theater company?"
((End of courtesy))
And I thought for a while and I thought, "Oh, there's two possible ways."
((Courtesy: Seven Guitars/Arena Stage))
One would be all international work. This is a very international city. It's a city of embassies. It's a city where people come from all over the world
((End of courtesy))
to learn about America or focus on American work.
What I felt is, there's a huge range of diversity in the United States in terms of voices, in terms of types of people who are writing, in terms of race, in terms of ethnicity, in terms of sexuality. I mean, in the voices in America, they're bitchy, they're funny, they're provocative, they're political, ((Courtesy: Newsies/Arena Stage))
they're smart, they're all those different things. And why aren't we just focusing here and elevate that American voice in theater? Because a great theater needs a great audience and great artists.
((End of courtesy))
That's what you need to make it all work together.
((NATS: Newsies Singing))
“Soon, your friends are more like family and they’s begging you to stay.”
((NATS))


TEASE ((VO/NAT/SOT))
Coming up
((Banner))
Art and Nature
((SOT))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
The types of clients I have vary. There are artistic clients, people who want taxidermy as home décor. There are also clients that are museums and educational institutions and things like that.


BREAK TWO
BUMP IN ((ANIM))

BLOCK C


((PKG)) THE ART OF CONSERVING NATURE
((Previously aired October 2021))
((TRT: 07:36))
((Topic Banner: The Art of Conservation))
((Reporter/Camera: Aaron Fedor))
((Editor: Kyle Dubiel))
((Producer: Kathleen McLaughlin))
((Map: Brooklyn, New York))
((Main character: 1 female))
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
I got interested in taxidermy because I've always loved nature, I've always loved art and I've always loved science and taxidermy is a combination of all of that. This is a glossy starling and you can see it's a cleaned and preserved skin. This is a domestically raised bird that is naturally deceased. So, that is how I came upon this bird.
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
Often the animals are sourced ethically, legally, sustainably. Everyone sort of has a different way of talking about the way they source animals but animals that I source are sourced completely as sustainably as possible and that's a real standard across the whole industry.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: Divya Anantharaman/Gotham Taxidermy))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
I got into taxidermy as a hobby. I started collecting antique taxidermy and started collecting natural history artifacts in general. So, shells and minerals and gems and rocks and all sorts of other stuff like that. So, this is what goes. This foam body is what will go inside of the skin to make the bird, to fill out the bird, to make it look alive again.
((NATS))
((Courtesy: Divya Anantharaman/Gotham Taxidermy))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
I work mostly with birds and small mammals. So, I really love working on sort of the smaller creatures that people often overlook or creatures that people often don't think of when they think of taxidermy.
((Courtesy: George Dante Studios))
People don't really think of small birds but I love them so much because they're animals that I find just fascinating and breathtaking and just full of wonder.
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
What I love most about taxidermy is just that never ending sense of like
((Courtesy: George Dante Studios))
renewing that joy and wonder and fascination with nature. Every time you get close to nature, you see something new. And taxidermy gives us this really special thing where it's this amazing tool for conservation and that is a storytelling tool. You know, I can, through the art of taxidermy,
((Courtesy: George Dante Studios))
I can tell a story about an animal and someone can get close to that animal and feel something and see something that they might not be able to see if that animal were alive because we really
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
shouldn't get close to wildlife when it's alive, you know. We should maintain our distance from wildlife so it stays wild.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
The types of clients I have vary. There are artistic clients, people who want taxidermy as home décor. There are also clients, I also have clients that are museums and educational institutions and things like that.
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
I always consider taxidermy as a scientific art or an artistic science,
((Courtesy: Divya Anantharaman/Gotham Taxidermy))
because it does combine quite a bit of both. So, you need to have a knowledge of the species in order to recreate it. And then you also need to have sort of this artist’s touch because in order to perform taxidermy, there are a few skills involved. There's, of course, skinning and fleshing and specimen prep which can tend to be more on the scientific side.
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
And then there's sculpting and painting and, you know, grooming and preening which can be more on the artistic side.
((MUSIC/NATS))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
One of the most important sort of functions of taxidermy is preserving animals that have gone extinct or being a record of taxonomy for animals that have gone extinct especially. You know, there is the passenger pigeon. I've had the really great pleasure of restoring the passenger pigeon
((Courtesy: Divya Anantharaman/Gotham Taxidermy))
and it's really electric to be face-to-face with a creature that has gone extinct and knowing that, you know, knowing how haunting of a reminder it is that we need to, you know, that we need to take care of our planet. We need to preserve biodiversity as it’s living, as it’s current and now
((Courtesy: George Dante Studios))
but it's also really interesting to kind of be face-to-face with something that has outlived you in a way.
((Courtesy: Divya Anantharaman/Gotham Taxidermy))
You know, even though the passenger pigeons aren't flying in our skies now, this specimen has outlived
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
the others of its kind, in order to communicate this message, in order to be this representation or this ambassador of its species, so that we can all learn not just about the passenger pigeon but about the conditions that led to its demise and hopefully prevent that for other animals in the future.
((NATS))
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
So now, I'm going to be finishing up, you know, finishing up the little finishing touches on the bird. So here, I have these pins in the eyes. I'm just going to make sure that I'm adjusting the eyelid shape. I'm just going to sort of, you know, use a pin to kind of trace around the eyelid to get the shape really, really nice.
((NATS/MUSIC))
((Courtesy: YouTube))
But through taxidermy through, whether it's a piece of home decor, whether it's a piece that's a diorama, whether it's a piece that is, you know, something in between,
((Divya Anantharaman
Gotham Taxidermy))
I think that people can have a moment of stillness. They can have a moment of appreciation for that animal's beauty and get lost in the details and really surrender their curiosity to that animal and that will drive them to conserve nature. Because once you get close to something, you care about it. When you care about something, you want to conserve it. And I think that sort of summed up picture is the most wonderful thing about taxidermy.
((NATS/MUSIC))



((PKG)) CONNECT WITH - GUY WILLIAMS
((TRT: 2:27))
((Topic Banner: Connect With – Guy Williams))
((Reporter/Camera: Arturo Martinez))
((Map: New Orleans, Louisiana))
((Main character: 1 male))
((NATS))
((Guy Williams
Baker))
My name is Guy Williams. I work over here.
I'm a baker. Yes, I live here. I live in New Orleans. Stay about three exits down, you know.
It's different. Now it's different from, once you get a little bit further down, it's different. It gets different. It's gonna be a little harder. Much more shooting, much more killing. Yes.
((NATS))
((Guy Williams
Baker))
I lost my brother last year on like a few weeks at his birthday. He died at age 22. And he had just found out he had a daughter. That's the most upsetting because he had just found out he had a one-year-old daughter and he just went back to Texas and was talking all about it and this happened.
It was him and his girlfriend and her cousin. They was on the beach. They had, they said he was on one of those floaties and I guess the current took them. They, none of them could swim and they just wound up drowning. They say all three of them, so. That was the most difficult moment because, yeah, it’s hard. It's my little brother. It's my little brother.
((NATS))
((Guy Williams
Baker))
I just try to stay safe. I mean, I'm trying to live for my son now. My son is six. I have a lot to face. You know, my son has autism and I'm trying to, you know, gotta, it's a long way to build that up, you know. I just want him to be able to communicate with other people. You know, get better verbally anything like that because he's a hell of a smart, damn kid. Hell of, hella smart. I'm like these kids nowadays are much smarter than we used to be. I'm like it's crazy.
He likes to learn different languages all at once. So that's a big, hard thing as well because here he'll say something in English and he'll say it in Spanish and he'll say something in Arabic and he'll say something different. I'm like, so now you lost me now. I thought I knew what you was saying but you're saying everything all at once.
That's the most happy. That's what brings me joy every day. No matter what I go through. And I go home. I know what I'm living for: I'm living for him. I know what I'm working for: I'm working for my son. So you know, everything I have done, I have had my time, had my fun, anything like that. Everything I do is for him, you know.
((NATS))

CLOSING BUMPER ((ANIM))
voanews.com/connect

BREAK THREE
BUMP IN ((ANIM))

SHOW ENDS