DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM: FALL RIVER LEGEND (TV)
Summary
A Danish broadcast of a classic American ballet based on
the legend of Lizzie Borden, choreographed by Agnes de
Mille and performed by the Dance Theatre of Harlem.
Arthur Mitchell, founder and artistic director of the
Dance Theatre of Harlem, introduces the ballet and
offers a profile of the dance company -- celebrating its
20th anniversary at the time of the broadcast. Mitchell
traces the origins and evolution of the company, which
gave blacks the opportunity to perform classical ballet,
and explains its philosophy and his reasons for devoting
himself to its development. In "Fall River Legend" --
Agnes de Mille's interpretation of the infamous legend
of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her
stepmother and father with an ax -- the townspeople
wait for the verdict in Lizzie's murder trial while
Lizzie and the Reverend stand outside the scaffold where
she will be hanged if she is found guilty. When Lizzie
learns that she is doomed, she begins to recall the
events that led to the murder of her parents. She
remembers the happy times she had as a child until her
mother died, her father's remarriage to a dour and
domineering woman, and the despair, loneliness, and
isolation that she felt while growing up with her father
and his wife. When the town Reverend begins to court
her, Lizzie dreams of a better life, until her
stepmother begins to interfere by making the Reverend
doubt Lizzie's sanity. (Mitchell's introduction in
English. Brief introductory voice-over in Danish. No
English subtitles or dubbing.)
(This program was broadcast in the United States on the
Bravo network on September 24, 1991.)
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the
Nora Kaye and Herbert Ross Foundation.
Details
- NETWORK: Danmarks Radio (Denmark)
- DATE: 1989
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:04
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:20401
- GENRE: Dance
- SUBJECT HEADING: Ballet; Blacks in the performing arts; Dance; International Collection - Denmark; African-American Collection - News/Talk
- SERIES RUN: Danmarks Radio (Denmark) - TV, 1989
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Dance Theatre of Harlem … Production Statement
- RM Arts … Production Statement
- Thomas Grimm … Producer
- Morton Gould … Composer
- De Mille, Agnes … Choreographer
- Arthur Mitchell … Host
- Virginia Johnson … Cast, Lizzie, Dancer
- Joselli Audain … Cast, Lizzie som barn (Young Lizzie), Dancer
- Lorraine Graves … Cast, Moderen (Mother), Dancer
- Hugues Magen … Cast, Faderen (Father), Dancer
- Stephanie Dabney … Cast, Stedmoderen (Stepmother), Dancer
- Lowell Smith … Cast, Praesten (Reverend), Dancer
- Dean Anderson … Cast, Talsmand for juryen (Jury Foreman), Dancer
- Lizzie Borden