Research Catalog

Title

Sodium pentathol exercise. [Jan. 11, 1968] [videorecording]

Publication

1968.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Robbins, Jerome.
• Guare, John.
• Stone, Tom.
• Frey, Leonard, 1938-
• Preston, J. A.
• Tristan, Dorothy, 1934-
• Bartenieff, George.
• Monte, Barbara.
• American Theatre Laboratory (New York, N.Y.)

Description

1 videocassette (VHS, NTSC) (45 min.) : sd., b&w; 1/2 in.

Summary

Jerome Robbins directs a two improvisational exercises. The first exercise is a version of the scene called Jackie's testimony, with the character of Jacqueline Kennedy as a patient in a hospital, describing her experience on the day of the assassination of President Kennedy after being injected with sodium pentathol. The rest of the company play doctors and nurses. The second exercise is called Ritual improvisation, in which members of the American Theatre Laboratory act out creating a holy place by chalking a circle on the floor.

Series Statement

Jerome Robbins Collection

Alternative Title

• Ritual improvisation.
• American Theatre Laboratory workshop.

Subjects

• Experimental theater > New York (State) > New York
• Improvisation (Acting)
• Video
• Kennedy, John F (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 > Assassination > Drama
• Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1929-1994 > Drama
• Drama

Genre/Form

• Drama.
• Video.

Note

• Title from original container.
• No time/date code on frame.

Access (note)

• Permission required.

Event (note)

• Videotaped in American Theatre Laboratory workshop, in New York City, on Jan. 11, 1968.

Funding (note)

• Preservation made possible in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biography (note)

• American Theatre Laboratory was created in 1966 by Jerome Robbins, with a $300,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The experimental theater workshop rehearsed several projects but did not produce any shows. One project took the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as a subject. The script, begun by Tom Stone and further developed by John Guare, was adapted from the Warren Commission Report. Scenes from this project were rehearsed in many different forms and with different casts. American Theatre Laboratory disbanded in 1968.

Call Number

*MGZIA 4-6260 JRC

OCLC

NYPT03-F280

Title

Sodium pentathol exercise. [Jan. 11, 1968] [videorecording]

Imprint

1968.

Country of Producing Entity

U.S.

Series

Jerome Robbins Collection

Restricted Access

Permission required.

Performer

Performed by members of the American Theatre Laboratory, including Leonard Frey, James Preston, Dorothy Tristan, George Bartenieff, Barbara Monte.

Event

Videotaped in American Theatre Laboratory workshop, in New York City, on Jan. 11, 1968.

Funding

Preservation made possible in part with public funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Biography

American Theatre Laboratory was created in 1966 by Jerome Robbins, with a $300,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The experimental theater workshop rehearsed several projects but did not produce any shows. One project took the assassination of President John F. Kennedy as a subject. The script, begun by Tom Stone and further developed by John Guare, was adapted from the Warren Commission Report. Scenes from this project were rehearsed in many different forms and with different casts. American Theatre Laboratory disbanded in 1968.

Added Author

Robbins, Jerome. Director

Guare, John. Author

Stone, Tom. Author

Frey, Leonard, 1938- Performer

Preston, J. A. Performer

Tristan, Dorothy, 1934- Performer

Bartenieff, George. Performer

Monte, Barbara. Performer

American Theatre Laboratory (New York, N.Y.)

Other Title

Ritual improvisation.

American Theatre Laboratory workshop.

Research Call Number

*MGZIA 4-6260 JRC