Employees of the Two O'Clock, a Boston strip joint, talk about their lives and work. George, a bartender, talks about what it takes to be a bartender in a place like the Two O'Clock.

'A contemporary interpretation of the Bizet opera, this late twentieth century story of ill-fated romance set on New York's Lower East Side features Carmen as a rock-and-roll singer and Don Jose as a record producer. The drama is interrupted and examined through a series of audiovisual asides that serve as commentary, with images of fire and ice poetically illuminating the romantic and tragic elements. Carmen is played by New York musician Emily XYZ...." In this piece written, directed, and produced by Ann-Sargent Wooster, a man and a woman reflect on their roles in an obsessive relationship. The work assumes a mock documentary style, as the story unfolds through interviews and confessions juxtaposed with the events depicted. Music includes 'Cloud' and 'Fire and Water' by Brook Williams and Ann-Sargent Wooster, excerpts of Andrew Nadelman's 'Tapestry' and 'Rhapsody,' clarinet solo by Michael Isenberg, and opera singing by Janeal Sugars, Meth Genies, and Clay Steward. The work was broadcast as a segment of episode 612 (1990) of 'New Television.'

'Charming Landscape,' the conclusion to Dara Birnbaum's 'Damnation of Faust' trilogy, shows the debris of a demolished city playground. The self-exploratory narration of two teenage girls is played over images of crowd scenes (often violent) from the civil rights movement, student protests, and the Tianenmen Square demonstrations. The work, which is approximately six and one-half minutes long, is dedicated to Pam Hysinger and Georgeann Ditelli, the teenagers whose words serve as narration. Music is by Keith James and Mike Nolan as The Picassos. The work was broadcast as a segment of episode 313 (1987), and was also shown with the entire 'Damnation of Faust' trilogy, as part of episode 106 (1991), of 'New Television.' Produced and directed by Dara Birnbaum.

Edin Velez's study of Butoh includes archival footage of early Butoh pioneer Tatsumi Hijikata, who is credited as the form's originator. Kazuo Ohno, another early Butoh performer, is shown performing his famous 'Admiring La Argentina,' and other works. Other companies whose works are shown include Akaji Mori's Dai Rakuda Kan, Isamu Ohsuga's Byakko Sha, and Yoko Ashikawa's Hakutoboh. These examples reveal the depth and diversity of Butoh as it has evolved. Many of these dancers worked directly with Hijikata at some point and all speak to his influence, as they are interviewed about the art form. One performer, Akiko Motofuji, explains, 'Ballet and modern dance spring from the earth...Hijikata created a dance, which crawls on the earth.'

Documentary containing interview footage with the composer George Rochberg, and narrated overview of his life and music. Includes performances of his music recorded for this program. Rochberg compositions are performed for the piece. They include: 'Between Two Worlds,' with Sue Ann Kahn on flute and Andrew Willis on piano 'Rehearsal,' with Joseph Robinson on Oboe 'Soundings' was a music documentary program affiliated with the Workshop and produced by Bernice 'Bunny' Olenick.

'The Going Away Party,' by Dan Boord and Greg Durbin, is a dramatic work about corruption among Oklahoma county officials. It is based on the true stories of incidents of corruption amongst Oklahoma's elected county commissioners. This segment is from the dramatic 'reenactment,' showing friends and supporters of Burrows, a commissioner sentenced to serve a jail term, at a going-away party.

Documentary containing interview footage with the Canadian composer Harry Somers, and narrated overview of his life and music, focusing on his interest in the native peoples of Canada. Includes performances of his music recorded for this program Somers compositions are performed for the piece. They include:'Kuyas,' with Roxolana Roslak as soprano, Julie Ranti on flute, and Allen Beard on percussion 'Shaman Song,' with Roxolana Roslak as soprano and Casey Sokol on piano'Soundings' was a music documentary program affiliated with the Workshop and produced by Bernice 'Bunny' Olenick.

"Dance Archiving Project" raw material on the noted tap dancer, Charles 'Honi' Coles, consisting of four-hour interview on four video cassettes.

Documentary containing interview footage with the composer Joseph Schwantne, and narrated overview of his life and music. The piece focuses on the making of his composition New Morning for the World, which accompanies the words of Martin Luther King. Includes performances of his music recorded for this program.

"Twentieth Century Artists" raw material on the artist Lee Krasner, consisting of three-hour interview on three video cassettes.

Tape 1 (60:00): Childhood; influence of Hebrew on her art; influence of calligraphy on her art; attitudes toward feminism; reasons for getting into art; early education; education at Cooper Union and National Academy of the Arts (New York); ideas on talent vs. will in art; the unconscious in art; the opening of Museum of Modern Art (New York); life after art school; job as a waitress; work with Harold Rosenberg and Max Speevak on murals for the WPA (Workers Program Administration); influence of loft spaces on large-scale paintings; early shows of Abstract Expressionists (Gallatin, Morris, Furlinghouse, Balcolm, Green, Ballatowski); views on the group; Hans Hoffman's teachings on Cubism and her perceptions of his art; Greenberg's and Rosenberg's relationships with artists of the 1930's and 40's; her debunking of the myth of there being a "group" of New York painters; the meaning of the term "Abstract Expressionism"; her disputation of regionalism in Pollock's paintings.

Tape 2 (60:00): Disputation of the provincial label placed on Pollock; Krasner's and Pollock's ideas on French art; disputation of the myths placed on Abstract Expressionists by critics; her "Little Image" paintings; influences of Kadinsky, Picasso, Matisse and Miro on her and Pollock; first meeting with Pollock; influence of John Graham and his idea of "autonomic writing"; early encounters with Peggy Guggenheim; influence of Emerson's writings; her wedding with Pollock; Pollock's interest in spiritual matters and rituals; their move and life at the Springs in East Hampton, Long Island; the "macho" aspects of the New York artists in the 1940's and 50's; the influence of Melville's and Joyce's writings on her and Pollock.

Tape 3 (70:00): Overemphasis of Jungian analysis on Pollock's works; life with Pollock (good times and bad); influence of Jung's writings on her and Pollock; refutation of group label placed on the New York School; polarity of struggle and transcendence in her paintings and those of the Abstract Expressionists; gesture and "the physical" in her works; nature and "the organic" in her and Pollock's works; impact of transcendentalism on her paintings; changes in her work after Pollock's death; "mystery" in painting (the way some paintings "miraculously" come through to her); the importance of the "Little Image" paintings to her career; origins of her collages; use of calligraphy in her works; intuitive, unconscious nature of her creations; her work cycle; perceptions toward her audience.

This project was the second of what was to have been a collection of interviews with artists of all fields, the goal of which was the formation of a national videotape archival center at WGBH. Edited segments of these interviews were to be used for broadcast. Neither of these goals came to fruition. The only other interview to be conducted as part of the Twentieth Century Artists" series was with installation artist Judy Chicago. (Dancer Honi Coles was interviewed as part of the "Dance Archiving Project" in 1981, and Melanie Kahane (interior designer), Paul Rand (graphic artist), Charles Blessing (city planner), and O'Neil Ford (architect) were interviewed as part of the "Design Archives" project in 1981.)

The interview was conducted over two days in October 1979 in Boston. The interviewer is Barbara Novak, a professor and authority on American painting. The bulk of the interview consists of Krasner discussing her pre-Pollock and Pollock years. (Krasner was the wife of painter Jackson Pollock.)

Lee Krasner was born in New York City in 1911 to a conservative Orthodox Jewish family. After becoming interested in art while in high-school she studied painting at Cooper Union and the National Academy of the Arts in New York. After graduation she worked as a muralist as part of the WPA (Work Progress Administration), along with many artists who would later become well-known "New York School" artists. She first met Jackson Pollock in 1943. They were married in 1946. Pollock and Krasner formed part of the New York School of artists in the 1940's and '50's. Like Pollock, Krasner was regarded as an Abstract Expressionist, perhaps the most famous group of twentieth century American painters. Though she was well known when she met Pollock, his paintings and persona largely overshadowed Krasner during their tumultuous years together. After Pollock's death in 1956, Krasner went through a period of inactivity until reemerging with her "Little Image" series in the 1960's. She also became famous for her collages in which she used fragments of her former paintings. She died at the age of 83 in 1984.

'Living with the Living Theater,' 1989, was created by video artist Nam June Paik with Betsy Connors and Paul Garrin, and is a documentary-style look at Judith Malina and Julian Beck of the experimental Living Theater drama group. In Paik''s style, the footage is played backwards, forwards, and at odd speeds. Segments are juxtaposed with little explanation as to their relationship. Scenes witnessed include interviews with Malina, Beck, the poet Jackson Mac Low and the painter Iris Lezak about communal living and parenting; their children responding to this interview footage; Malina, Beck, and others smoking marijuana at the grave of Mikhail Bakhunin; footage of the Living Theater performing in Berlin in 1967; a news clip of Paik's robot being hit by a car; and Beck's funeral. Rock music by the likes of Janis Joplin and Madonna permeates the work. This work was never broadcast because Nam June Paik did not have rights to some of the material used. The 'Television Workshop' created several shows that were broadcast on WGBH without being a part of a series sponsored specifically by the Workshop. Additionally, they were commissioned to create shows showcasing video art for national broadcast and created several shows in collaboration with existing series at other stations, such as WNET''s 'American Playhouse.'

" This class examines frameworks for making and sharing visual artifacts using a trans-cultural, trans-historical, constructionist approach. It explores the relationship between perceived reality and the narrative imagination, how an author's choice of medium and method of construction constrains the work, how desire is integrated into the structure of a work, and how the cultural/economic opportunity for exhibition/distribution affects the realization of a work. Students submit three papers and three visual projects. Work is discussed and critiqued in class. Students present final projects an exhibition at the end of term. Instruction and practice in written and oral communication is provided."

"Design Archives" raw material on the interior designer Melanie Kahane, consisting of 180-minute interview on three videocassettes.

Tape 1 (58:00): Childhood in Sioux Falls, S.D.; imaginative abilities of children; her children's books on design (There's a Decorator in Your Dollhouse); talent vs. environment and their influence on children's attitudes toward design; her father's influence; education at Parsons School of Design in New York; difficulties in finding jobs after graduation in the Depression; studies in Paris and travels in Europe; decision to go into interior decorating; starting her own business; development of control system for her business; importance of cost and budgets in design field; her knowledge of color; differences in trends in fashion and interior design; effects of history on design (Industrial Revolution, Victorian era, WWI) and effects catastrophic events have on design.

Tape 2 (59:00): Need for designers/architects to know the human body; need for designers to work in difficult situations; economy of space due to economics; argues there is no distinction between the designer and decorator; her Black and White in Pumpkin Room design of the late 1940's -- inspirations for it and its impact; importance of gaining publicity for one's designs; origins of her Red Hot Stove design and its impact on her becoming known for kitchen and cabinet design; her product designs for Westinghouse, especially colored bulbs for home use, and RCA; role of computers in design; life with her husband; their travels in Russia, Portugal, and England.

Tape 3 (58:45): Importance for designers to be able to completely visualize projects before they begin; changes in business of design over the years; education of the consumer in design matters; her designs for the Schubert Theater in Boston; her restoration designs for rooms at the Waldorf in New York; her determination of fees for jobs; favorite and least favorite types of jobs; the need for designers to be involved in all aspects of the design business; interests in urban renewal; her designs for cabinets used in the space shuttle; value of NASA research in everyday life; the upbringing of her daughter; the need for young designers to struggle and try many experiences to become well-rounded; the need for design schools to teach business elements; her input in Harry Siegel's book A Guide to Business Principles and Practices for Interior Designers; the need for design firms to become larger with a wide range of specialized workers, but the prevention of its happening due to ego.

One of four interviews conducted in 1981 as part of the New Television Workshop's (NTW) Design Archiving Project. The "Design Archives" was an NEA-sponsored project originally conceived in 1980 as an attempt to record lengthy interviews with four "national treasures" involved in various fields of design. The others were O'Neil Ford (architecture), Charles Blessing (city planning), and Paul Rand (graphic design). Plans to broadcast portions of the interviews never came to pass, nor did plans to transfer the interviews to videodisc in order to provide a resource for researchers and students in the field of graphic design. Other NTW projects undertaken to interview famous artists were the "Dance Archiving Project," in which tap dancer Honi Coles was interviewed in 1981, and the "Twentieth Century Artists" series, in which artists Judy Chicago and Lee Krasner were interviewed in 1979.

The interviewer is Rita St. Clair, an influential interior designer who founded her own Baltimore-based design firm (Rita St. Clair Associates Inc.) and a member of the American Society of Interior Designers. The interview covers biographical aspects of Kahane's life and her ideas on interior design.

Melanie Kahane was born in Sioux Falls, SD. She graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York City and studied design for one year in Paris. She started her own interior design firm in the 1930's. She devised a control system to guide her business operations that became a standard in the design field. She drew fame for her Black and White in Pumpkin Room of the late 1940's, designed for an exhibition at the Grand Central Palace in New York City. She was also known for her industrial and product designs, especially her Red Hot Stove and colored light bulbs for home use. She developed products for companies such as Westinghouse and RCA. She also oversaw design and restoration projects for theaters and hotels, including work on rooms at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City.

Fred Simon's intimate portrait of a Vietnam War veteran centers on Frank and his attempts to re-tell his experience during the conflict, and his life once the conflict was over. In this touching sequence, Frank talks about his feelings of guilt, and of wishing he had died during the conflict.

Documentary containing interview footage with the composer Ivana Themmen, and narrated overview of her life and music. Includes performances of her music recorded for this program. Themmen compositions are performed for the piece. They include: 'Mystic Trumpeter,' featuring Katherine Ciesinski as soprano and Harold Themmen as conductor 'Cupid and Psyche,' with Emanuel Borok on violin'Lullaby,' with Allegra and Tania Themmen 'Soundings' was a music documentary program affiliated with the Workshop and produced by Bernice 'Bunny' Olenick.

Documentary containing interview footage with the composer Joan Tower, and narrated overview of her life and music. Includes performances of her music recorded for this program.Tower compositions are performed for this piece. They include: "Snow Dreams,' with Sharon Isbin on guitar and Carol Wincenc on flute 'Petroushskates,' (Da Capo Chamber Players)'Soundings' was a music documentary program affiliated with the Workshop and produced by Bernice 'Bunny' Olenick.

Documentary about the experimental music composer Lukas Foss, including interview footage and narration on his life and music. Includes live performances of his compositions performed for this program. Foss compositions are performed live during the piece. 'Soundings' was a music documentary program affiliated with the Workshop and produced by Bernice 'Bunny' Olenick.

Documentary focusing on the experimental, Pulitzer Prize winning composer, Michael Colgrass, who utilizes theatrical elements in his work. Contains interview footage with the composer and narrated overview of his life and music. Includes performances of his music recorded for this program.Colgrass compositions are performed for the piece, including an improvised, theatrical version of 'Skyscrapers Are the Trees of the City' (1969).'Soundings' was a music documentary program affiliated with the Workshop and produced by Bernice 'Bunny' Olenick.

Documentary containing interview footage with the composer Ralph Shapey, and narrated overview of his life and music. Includes performances of his music recorded for this program.

Shapey compositions are performed for this piece. They include:
"O Jerusalem," with Elsa Charlston as soprano and Carole Morgan on flute
"Mutations #2," with Emilio Del Rosario on piano
"Three for Six"

"Soundings" was a music documentary program affiliated with the Workshop and produced by Bernice "Bunny" Olenick.