Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Comfort, Jane, 1946-
2. Benford, Tigger.
3. Sonnier, Keith, 1941-2020.
4. Ferri, David.
5. Prince, Liz, 1961-
6. Lewis, Jim.
7. Fisher, Kathleen.
8. Hayes, Aleta.
9. Freeman, Olase.
10. Anthony, Jessica.
11. Gonyo, Isaac.
12. Niedermeyer, Lisa.
13. Wright, Darrin M.
14. Jones, Peter.
15. Partridge, Martha.
16. Schlefer, James.
17. Faure, Laura.
18. Reagon, Toshi.
19. Haydn, Joseph, 1732-1809.
20. Twist, Basil
21. Richards, Peter.
22. Covey, David.
23. Bartha, Caterina.
24. Jane Comfort and Company.

Description

1. 2 videodiscs (NTSC) (108 min.) : sd., col.; 4 3/4 in.

Uniform title

1. Persephone (Choreographic work : Comfort)
2. Underground river (Choreographic work : Comfort)

Subject

1. Puppets > United States
2. Racism > United States
3. Racism and the arts
4. Video
5. Dance
6. Music and dance

Genre/Form

1. Dance.
2. Video.

Contents

1. Disc 1 (total time 47 min.). Introduction (ca. 5 min.) / by Laura Faure, director of the Bates Dance Festival -- Persephone (ca. 42 min.) / directed by Jane Comfort ; choreography, Jane Comfort and company ; music by Tigger Benford ; set by Keith Sonnier ; lighting design by David Ferri ; costumes by Liz Prince ; dramaturg, Jim Lewis ; assistant to the director, Kathleen Fisher ; set fabrication by Wayne Bartlett ; performers, Kathleen Fisher (Persephone), Aleta Hayes (Demeter), Olase Freeman (Hades), and Jessica Anthony, Isaac Gonyo, Lisa Niedermeyer, Darrin Wright (inhabitants of the upper and under worlds) ; music performed by Tigger Benford, Peter Jones, Martha Partridge and James Schlefer.
2. Disc 2 (total time 61 min.). Underground river (1998) (ca. 30 min.) / conceived and directed by Jane Comfort ; choreography by Jane Comfort and company ; text by Jane Comfort ; music by Toshi Reagon, Haydn and traditional folk songs ; visual effects by Basil Twist ; costumes by Liz Prince ; lighting design by David Ferri ; performed by Jessica Anthony, Kathleen Fisher, Aleta Hayes and Lisa Niedermeyer ; voices on tape, Leslie Nipkow, Larkin Malloy and Emily Weiner -- Q & A [Question and answer session] (ca. 31 min.) / moderator, Jane Comfort ; participants, Jane Comfort and Company.

Call number

1. *MGZIDVD 5-1654

Note

1. Jane Comfort encourages viewers to request *MGZIDVD 5-1664 Jane Comfort and Company, The Joyce Theatre 2004, to see Underground River and Persephone. The Joyce performances feature a two-camera shoot, better realizing the choreographer's intention than the single-camera shoot used at the Bates Dance Festival.
2. Persephone is performed in three sections. Part I: In the garden, Part II: The underworld, Part III: Return.
3. "This piece is a meditation on the ancient Greek myth of Persephone, who is so admired by the underworld god Hades that he abducts her and brings her to live with him as queen of the underworld. Her mother Demeter, keeper of the fruits of the earth, becomes so bereft in her daughter's absence that she neglects her duties and the natural world dies. Through pleadings with Zeus, Demeter arranges for Persephone's temporary return to earth each spring." -- Program note for Persephone on frame.
4. Q & A includes discussion of the perceived racism within the casting and stage design elements of Persephone, the creation of Basil Twist's puppet for Underground river, and Tigger Benford's composition and continued development of the live music for Persephone.

Credits (note)

1. Technical director, Dave Covey ; manager, Caterina Bartha.

Event (note)

1. Videotaped in performance at Schaeffer Theater, Bates College, Lewiston, Me., as part of the Bates Dance Festival, on July 22, 2005; camera, Peter Richards.

System details (note)

1. DVD.

Title

1. Jane Comfort and Company [videorecording] / directed by Jane Comfort ; [presented by] Bates Dance Festival.

Imprint

1. 2005.

System details

1. DVD.

Credits

1. Technical director, Dave Covey ; manager, Caterina Bartha.

Event

1. Videotaped in performance at Schaeffer Theater, Bates College, Lewiston, Me., as part of the Bates Dance Festival, on July 22, 2005; camera, Peter Richards.

Added author

1. Comfort, Jane, 1946- choreographer.
2. Comfort, Jane, 1946- director.
3. Comfort, Jane, 1946- Moderator
4. Benford, Tigger. Composer
5. Sonnier, Keith, 1941-2020. Set designer
6. Ferri, David. Lighting designer
7. Prince, Liz, 1961- Costume designer
8. Lewis, Jim. Consultant
9. Fisher, Kathleen. Performer
10. Hayes, Aleta. Performer
11. Freeman, Olase. Performer
12. Anthony, Jessica. Performer
13. Gonyo, Isaac. Performer
14. Niedermeyer, Lisa. Performer
15. Wright, Darrin M. Performer
16. Jones, Peter. Instrumentalist
17. Partridge, Martha. Instrumentalist
18. Schlefer, James. Instrumentalist
19. Faure, Laura. Speaker
20. Reagon, Toshi. Composer
21. Haydn, Joseph, 1732-1809. Composer
22. Twist, Basil, visual effects.
23. Twist, Basil, puppet designer.
24. Richards, Peter. Videographer
25. Covey, David. Director
26. Bartha, Caterina.
27. Jane Comfort and Company.

Added title

1. Persephone (Choreographic work : Comfort)
2. Underground river (Choreographic work : Comfort)

Research call number

1. *MGZIDVD 5-1654