Illustration by Charlotte Trowbridge
~ Author: Oberon
Friday December 1st, 2017 - Down at The Martha Graham Studio Theater at Westbeth, a full staging of the 1944 Graham classic APPALACHIAN SPRING was presented tonight as part of the Graham|Studio Series. I simply love being in this space, and being so close to these dancers who I admire so much.
In her welcoming remarks, the Company's Artistic Director Janet Eilber spoke of the happy coincidence that Martha Graham and composer Aaron Copland were on opposite coasts during the creative process of APPALACHIAN SPRING; this meant that there was copious written correspondence between the two of them, which has been preserved and from which Ms. Eilber quoted.
The excellent cast for tonight's presentation were Anne O'Donnell as The Bride, Abdiel Cedric Jacbosen as the Husbandman, Lorenzo Pagano as The Preacher, Natasha M Diamond-Walker as The Pioneering Woman, and So Young An, Laurel Dalley Smith, Marzia Memoli, and Anne Souder as The Followers.
Here are some images from the performance by photographer Melissa Sherwood...click on each photo to enlarge:
Abdiel Cedric Jacobsen as the Husbandman. Abdiel's striking presence and space-filling dance embodied the energy and the hopes of the young homesteader.
Anne O'Donnell as The Bride. In this role, Anne found a fine balance between youthful restlessness and the lyricism of a young woman in love, facing the future with her beloved.
Lorenzo Pagano as The Preacher. This character is perhaps the most interesting in the piece, as he seems to have a duel nature: a man of God, but also a man beset by his own demons. Lorenzo captured this dichotomy perfectly, both in his dancing and in his facial expressions.
Natasha M. Diamond-Walker as The Pioneering Woman. With her goddess-like physique, Natasha brings this character to life both as a symbol of steadfastness and courage, and also as a true friend and inspiration to The Bride.
A full house gathered to experience APPALACHIAN SPRING in this intimate setting; both musically and choreographically, it remains a true American masterpiece.
Above: Following the performance, the four dancers who portrayed The Followers of The Preacher struck a pose for photographer Haejin Han. I was so taken with this image in so many ways - the hands, the expressions, the costumes, and the sense of light - that I asked Haejin if I could use it. The dancers are Anne Souder, Laurel Dalley Smith, So Young An, and Marzia Memoli.
Loved chatting with Tadej Brdnik, Ari Mayzick, Denise Vale, and Janet Eilber. Special thanks to Graham publicist Janet Stapleton for arranging things, and to the two photographers for their souvenirs of a special evening. And most especially to the great dancers of the Graham Company.
In closing, I should like to remind readers of a truly wonderful New York City destination: the Noguchi Museum in Queens.
~ Oberon