AMERICAN MUSICAL THEATRE {EDWARD VILLELLA,
PATRICIA MCBRIDE} (TV)
Summary
One in this educational public affairs series that
traces the origins and development of the American
musical theater and examines the careers and
contributions of the creative artists who have made the
musical a native American art form. In an informal
workshop setting, New York City high school students
meet the composers, lyricists, and performers who have
shaped the American musical and question them about
their work. Host Earl Wrightson opens this edition by
introducing New York City born, bred, and trained Edward
Villella, a principal dancer with the New York City
Ballet known for his leaping ability. Villella
discusses his beginnings in ballet after he was hit on
the head with a baseball, and describes his training and
education both within and outside of the dance world.
He then explains what he perceives as the difference
between the training of European and American dancers,
and his definition of "manly grace" in a ballet dancer.
After examining the characteristics that define
classical ballet, Villella performs George Balanchine's
male variation of Tchaikovsky's Black Swan pas de deux
from "Swan Lake" as an example. Wrightson then
introduces New York City Ballet principal ballerina
Patricia McBride, who describes her beginnings in ballet
including, like Villella, a scholarship at the School of
American Ballet. Wrightson also introduces New York
City Ballet conductor Robert Irving, who then leads the
CBS Orchestra as Villella and McBride dance the pas de
deux from the adagio of "Swan Lake." Next, Villella
expresses his views on the process he uses in creating
and developing a role, the importance of acting in
ballet, and the differing ways of relating to the music
as practiced by Russian and American dancers. Following
a discussion of the importance of breathing, phrasing,
and timing in both dancing and speaking on stage,
Villella closes the program with choreographer Agnes
deMille's Sword Dance from the Lerner and Loewe
musical, "Brigadoon."
Cataloging of this program was made possible by The
Marc Haas and Helen Hotze Haas Foundation, 1998.
Details
- NETWORK: WCBS-TV
- DATE: December 26, 1964 3:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:29:41
- COLOR/B&W: B&W
- CATALOG ID: T:53210
- GENRE: Dance; Public affairs/Documentaries; Education/Information; Public affairs/Documentaries
- SUBJECT HEADING: Ballet; Biography; Dance
- SERIES RUN: WCBS (New York, NY) - TV series, 1959-1965
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Ethel Burns … Producer
- Bill Bryan … Director
- Herman Glazer … Production (Misc.) , Production Supervisor
- Robert Irving … Conductor, Guest
- CBS Orchestra, The … Music Group
- Earl Wrightson … Host
- Edward Villella … Performer, Dancer , Guest
- Patricia McBride … Performer, Dancer, Guest
- George Balanchine
- Agnes DeMille
- Alan Jay Lerner
- Frederick Loewe
- Petr Ilyich Tchaikovsky