New Television; Hazardous Hootenanny
Part of New Television Workshop.
Approximate date: 1989
Hazardous Hootenanny
"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
"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.
Moulton, Charles, 1954- ()
Opperman, Sheri ()
di Muro, Peter ()
Wolf, Deborah ()
Gervais, Louis ()
Caso, Renee ()
Van Horne, Larry Lee ()
Chicago: "New Television; Hazardous Hootenanny," GBH Archives, accessed January 20, 2021, http://openvault.wgbh.org/catalog/V_462630E9B37C40E9A486E18D859080CD.
MLA: "New Television; Hazardous Hootenanny." GBH Archives. Web. January 20, 2021. <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