Description: Diana Ross rehearses at Music Hall. She wears a "Boston Loves Diana Ross" T-shirt. She answers questions from reporters at the edge of the stage. She talks about playing Dorothy in the Wiz and her inspirations. She talks about having children.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 02/10/1977
Description: Man gives scholarly history of theater architecture in Boston, commenting on Boston's Theater District - Saxon (Majestic), Colonial, Wilbur, Tremont, Music Hall (Metropolitan). Includes interior details of Saxon - red velvet curtains and rails; gilded rococo balconies; relief of fruit, flowers, leaves, masks, angels.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/17/1977
Description: Grand lobby, interior of Music Hall. Ornate chandelier, marble columns, heavenly mural. Gilded architectural details — carved moldings, capitals, medallions, angels. Interview with Harry Lodge, who gives history of Music Hall (formerly Metropolitan Theater), originally designed in 1920s by Clarence Blackhall for Vaudeville and movies. Describes the proposed restoration program to be completed in fall 1980 if lease secured and funds raised. In order to bring the Metropolitan Opera to Boston, the theater needs deeper stage for performing arts, updated communication systems, ventilation systems, and a renovated auditorium (seats 4,300). The theater is used for ballet, concerts, movies. Lodge states that this renovation with revitalize Boston as a major center for the performing arts. Lodge shows a drawing of the proposed plan.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 06/21/1977
Description: Interview with mime Marcel Marceau. In the interview he describes the art and discipline of mime, especially as part of the theater rather than film. He explains how when he first came to America there were no mimes, and then there was a mime-craze in the 1970s. He describes his feelings about being one of the most iconic mimes. He explains how mime can cross international, racial, language, and other boundaries. He recounts the events of his current visit to Boston. He discusses his family and personal life. He explains the balance of his show, which is broken up into two parts: Bip, the man struggling against the world, and Pantomimes of Style. They discuss his other artistic pursuits while shooting cutaways.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 04/18/1982
Description: End of an interview with South African playwrights and actors Percy Mtwa and Mbongi Ngema at the Spingold Theater at Brandeis University about their play Woza Albert. The two men describe reactions to the play in the South African townships. Each man talks about his future plans. They shoot cutaways. Several takes of reporter standup by the box office of the theater.
0:58:59: Visual: Tug Yourgrau interviews South African actors Percy Mtwa and Mbongeni Ngema at the Spingold Theater at Brandeis University about their play Woza Albert. The first actor says that the play has been well-received in South Africa; that the response has been enthusiastic in the township. The first actor says that people in the township have stood up to sing the national anthem after seeing the play. Yourgrau asks about the actors' future plans. The first actor says that he will write another play. The second actor says that he is writing a screenplay; that he also is involved in music. The second actor says that he has another play which he might bring to the US. Both men say that they have enjoyed touring in the US. The first actor says that he has always dreamed of visiting the US. The first actor says that the play has been well received in the US. The crew takes cutaway shots of Yourgrau and the two actors. 1:02:05: V: Theatergoers purchase tickets at the box office of the Spingold Theater. Yourgrau stands in front of the entrance of the theater. Yourgrau reports that Woza Albert is now playing at the Spingold Theater; that negotiations to bring the play to the Spingold Theater lasted two years. Yourgrau notes that Woza Albert is a satire about life under apartheid; that the play is an international hit. Yourgrau does several takes of his report for the news story. Theatergoers enter the theater.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/08/1984
Description: Tug Yourgrau interviews Zwelakhe Sisulu (South African journalist) about reactions in the South African townships to the play Woza Albert. Sisulu discusses censorship and the facilities in the townships where the play has been staged. Yourgrau and Sisulu talk about why the South African government has failed to ban Woza Albert; they talk about the government's attitude toward Bishop Desmond Tutu (South African anti-apartheid leader). Yourgrau and Sisulu discuss the effect of the Soweto uprising on black political consciousness in South Africa and the related politicization of black theater in South Africa. Yourgrau and Sisulu analyze the relationship of black theater to political rallies in South Africa and to black political culture. Sisulu talks about the multi-lingual, multi-ethnic nature of black South African society. Sisulu discusses the banning of theater groups or theatrical works by the South African government. Sisulu says that black theater portrays the situation in South Africa more accurately than the US media.
0:00:59: Visual: Tug Yourgrau interviews Zwelakhe Sisulu (South African journalist). The two are sitting among shelves of books. Yourgrau asks about the reaction to Woza Albert in the South African townships. Sisulu says that the play has had a good run in the townships; that the actors have enjoyed a good rapport with the audiences in the townships; that the audience becomes part of the play when it is run in the townships. Yourgrau asks where plays are staged in the townships. Sisulu says that the play is run in community halls or church halls in the townships; that there are no theaters in the townships. Sisulu notes that the play must have the approval of the township superintendent in order to be staged in the community hall. Sisulu says that the facilities in the township are inadequate. Sisulu says that the township supervisors are appointees of the South African government; that they are members of the white ruling party. Yourgrau notes that Woza Albert has never been banned. Sisulu notes that Woza Albert has never been staged in a community hall; that community halls were burnt down in 1976. Sisulu says that Woza Albert was staged in church halls or independently owned halls in the black community. Sisulu says that community halls were rebuilt as administrative offices for the government. Yourgrau asks if the government has shown tolerance by not banning the play. Sisulu says that the black community is beginning to exhibit some power in South Africa; that the black community is more militant. Sisulu notes that the government is aware that a ban of the play could provoke a crisis. Yourgrau asks about the government's attitude toward Bishop Desmond Tutu (South African anti-apartheid leader). Sisulu says that the government would like to jail Tutu; that the government cannot act against Tutu because of his standing in the international community. Sisulu says that the government cannot ban Woza Albert because of its international reputation. 1:05:22: V: Yourgrau asks again about the reaction to Woza Albert in the black townships. Sisulu talks about the good rapport between the actors and the audience in the townships. Sisulu says that the audience is seeing their own lives played out on stage. Yourgrau asks about the effect of the Soweto uprising on black consciousness in South Africa. Sisulu asks Yourgrau to define "black consciousness." Yourgrau asks about black political consciousness. Sisulu says that South African blacks began to assert their power in 1976. Sisulu talks about the origins of protest theater and protest poetry in 1969. Sisulu says that contemporary black theater in South African focuses on social issues and apartheid; that earlier black theater focused on entertaining people. Sisulu says that 1976 brought changes in black political consciousness and in black theater. Yourgrau asks how black theater has changed. Sisulu talks about the change in black theater since 1976. Sisulu says that theater has turned away from singing and dancing; that one-man and two-man plays are common since 1976. Sisulu says that contemporary black theater in South Africa is concerned with creating a dialogue about apartheid and South African society. 1:09:59: V: Yourgrau asks if black theater is present at political rallies in South Africa. Sisulu says that a typical political rally in Soweto includes speeches, poetry, and theater. Sisulu notes that speeches are often in English; that the plays are performed in native languages; that theater is used to get the message across to all people. Sisulu says that theater has become a part of black political culture. Yourgrau asks about the multiple languages used in Woza Albert. Sisulu says that black South African culture is multi-lingual. Sisulu says that black South Africans are not divided by language or ethnicity; that residents of Soweto can communicate in several different languages. Yourgrau asks if theater groups have been banned in South Africa. Sisulu says that a theater group was banned along with other organizations in October of 1977. Sisulu says that the government would ban a particular script instead of all works by a particular playwright. Sisulu adds that township managers would refuse to give permission for some plays to be staged. Yourgrau asks if the recent strike by black workers in the Transvaal area is an isolated event. Sisulu says that the US media does not present an accurate depiction of events in South Africa; that the US media portrays the situation in terms of riots and disturbances. Sisulu says that there is a "low-scale civil war" in South Africa. Sisulu says that South African black theater accurately reflects the situation.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 11/08/1984
Description: End of Susan Sontag interview. Discussion of the play Jacques and his Master and Songtag's staging of it, while cutaways are being shot. Stage area. American Repertory Theater.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/17/1985
Description: Theater review by Kevin Kelly on James Kirkwood's Legends, starring Mary Martin and Carol Channing. Backstage interviews with both actresses on their careers, the play, and their friendship. Footage from the performance.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 07/25/1986
Description: Carmen Fields reports that the play Les Blancs, by playwright Lorraine Hansberry will be produced by the Huntington Theater Company. The play is set in a fictitious African nation struggling for independence. Interview with Hansberry's ex-husband Robert Nemiroff, who is overseeing the production of the play. He talks about Hansberry and her work. Nemiroff says that Hansberry's play foreshadows the revolutionary changes that would take place in Africa in the 1960s. He says that much of her work revolved around the relationship between the oppressed and their oppressors. Fields reviews Hansberry's career. She notes that Nemiroff is gathering materials for a Hansberry Library Collection. Fields report includes footage from the WNET production of Les Blancs and footage from the 1961 film A Raisin in the Sun. Fields report includes footage and photographs of Hansberry and shots of advertisements for Hansberry's plays. This edition of the Ten O'Clock News also included the following items: African American school committee members criticize Flynn's school choice plan
1:00:13: Visual: Footage from the Huntington Theatre production of the play, Les Blancs. Carmen Fields reports that Les Blancs is set in a fictitious African country; that Les Blancs was written by Lorraine Hansberry (playwright). V: Black and white shot of Hansberry. Shot of a black and white photo of Hansberry. Footage of Robert Nemiroff (production advisor) saying that Hansberry foresaw the revolutionary changes which took place in Africa in the 1960s. Shot of a black and white photo of Hansberry. Shot of the cover of a book of plays by Hansberry. Fields reports that Hansberry wrote Les Blancs in 1960; that only a few African nations were independent in 1960. Fields notes that Hansberry plays often deal with the changing relationships between the oppressors and the oppressed. Fields adds that Al Freeman Jr. (actor) and Roy Scheider (actor) starred in the Broadway production of Les Blancs. V: Footage from WNET of Les Blancs. Footage of Nemiroff being interviewed by Fields. Nemiroff says that Hansberry did not believe that race issues were the ultimate source of world conflict. Nemiroff says that Hansberry believed that the ultimate struggle was between the oppressed and the oppressors. Footage from the 1961 film, A Raisin in the Sun. Shot of an advertisement for A Raisin in the Sun. The advertisement notes that A Raisin in the Sun won Best Play of the year from the Drama Critics' Circle in 1959. Fields reports that the Hansberry's work often revolves around the choices made by ordinary people; that Hansberry wrote A Raisin in the Sun and The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. V: Shot of a poster for The Sign in Sidney Brustein's Window. Fields reports that Hansberry died in 1965 at age 34. V: Shot of Hansberry. Shot of a black and white photo of Hansberry and Nemiroff. Fields reports that Nemiroff was married to Hansberry when she died; that Nemiroff is advising the production of Les Blancs at the Huntington Theatre. Fields notes that Nemiroff is gathering materials for a Hansberry Library Collection. V: Footage of the Huntington Theatre production of Les Blancs. Shot of a room with Hansberry's writing materials. Footage of Nemiroff saying that there are no villains in Hansberry's plays; that each character in a Hansberry play has his or her own motives. Nemiroff says that Hansberry had great respect for the potential of every human being. Fields reports that Hansberry described her work as "dramatic realism." V: Black and white footage of Hansberry. Hansberry talks about realism in her work.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 01/16/1989
Description: Coverage of the annual performance of Black Nativity by Langston Hughes. The performance takes place in the Opera House in Boston. Interview with Music Director John Ross, who talks about the play. He says that the story of the nativity is told in a "black context," using traditional music. Excerpts from the performance.
1:00:08: Visual: Shots of schoolchildren entering an auditorium. V: Footage from the Black Nativity performed at the Opera House in Boston. V: Footage of John A. Ross (Music Director) saying that Langston Hughes used the Bible as a source for Black Nativity; that the story is told in a "black context." Ross says that the play relies on traditional gospel music. V: Footage from the performance of Black Nativity. V: Footage of a female African American student saying that some of her friends and former teachers were in the performance. Footage of a female African American student saying that the play shows us "how God began his life." Footage of a female white students saying that the acting is good; that the play is "pretty." Footage of a group of African American students in the lobby. One student says that he likes the music. Another student says that she likes everything. V: Footage from the performance of Black Nativity.
Collection: Ten O'Clock News
Date Created: 12/08/1989