GBH Openvault

New Television; Hazardous Hootenanny

Part of New Television Workshop.

Approximate date: 1989

License Clip

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Series

New Television

Program

Hazardous Hootenanny

Series Description

"New Television" began as a local pilot production of WNET (New York) in 1986. In 1987, WGBH signed on as co-producer, and the shows were aired in Boston and New York. In 1988 and 1989, KCET (Los Angeles) and WETA (D.C.) became producers in association. In 1991, PBS picked up "New Television," and it was broadcast nationally. The following year, the Wexner Center for the Arts in Columbus, Ohio, replaced WNET, WETA, and KCET as co-producer with WGBH. In 1993, WGBH ceased to be a co-producer for the series, and the "home base" moved to Connecticut Public Television (CPTV) in Hartford, CT.

"New Television" commissioned, produced, and acquired programming. In its early years, "New Television" broadcast works commissioned by The Contemporary Art Television (CAT) Fund. Increasingly, experimental films as well as video works were broadcast as a part of this series. Many of the later episodes of "New Television" contain works that play with and deconstruct the documentary genre. Series release date: 1986

Program Description

"A boisterous, slapstick [dance] performance video, characteristic of television's 'Laugh In.'" -- WGBH press release. In this fast-paced work, three women and three men perform frantic gestures. Occasionally, they break into speech. "I see evil up on the hill," one of them proclaims, and is later contradicted with, "I see virtue up on the hill." Though often seated, the group rises to point in innumerable directions with large yellow arrows. Charles Moulton provided choreography for the work, which is performed by members of Concert Dance Company, as well as editing and direction. The music was composed and performed by Steve Elson. The performers wear colorful, campy costumes (evocative of the 1970's) designed by Charles Atlas. The piece is just under four minutes in length.

Asset Type

Broadcast program

Media Type

Video

Subjects

Dance

Modern dance

Topics

Film and Television

Contributors

Moulton, Charles, 1954- ()

Opperman, Sheri ()

di Muro, Peter ()

Wolf, Deborah ()

Gervais, Louis ()

Caso, Renee ()

Van Horne, Larry Lee ()

Citation

Chicago: “New Television; Hazardous Hootenanny,” GBH Archives, accessed November 22, 2024, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_462630E9B37C40E9A486E18D859080CD.

MLA: “New Television; Hazardous Hootenanny.” GBH Archives. Web. November 22, 2024. <http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_462630E9B37C40E9A486E18D859080CD>.

APA: New Television; Hazardous Hootenanny. Boston, MA: GBH Archives. Retrieved from http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_462630E9B37C40E9A486E18D859080CD