Newsgroups: rec.music.gaffa
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From: gb10@gte.COM (Gregory Bossert)
Subject: KaTe and Madonna
Message-ID: <9104291814.AA12024@bunny.gte.com>
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Date: 29 Apr 91 18:14:45 GMT
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Angelos says:
> Kate Bush is mentioned several times in the article on Alek Keshishian, the
> director of 'Truth or Dare', in the most recent Rolling Stone. This guy
> did a pop opera performance piece based on 'Wuthering Heights' at Harvard,
> and his work there was considered so good by Madonna, that she decided to hire
> him for her movie. According to the article during the time when WH was
> performed at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge 'no Kate Bush records
> could be found in the Boston area'. So he probably did a good job.
>
> Has anybody seen this production, or is it available on video? Was there any
> discussion about it in 'gaffa' when it happened?

yeah, i saw it.  it is certainly *not* on video (at least, not one you could
buy), this was very much a student production.  *big* budget for a student
production, mind you, but that's harvard univ. for you... (envious?  you bet!)
i have done sound design for productions at the loeb theatre (home of the
A.R.T. and many a high tech./low content Robert Wilson style performance), 
and they have a serious sound system, lights, etc.

so anyway, the _WH_ production told the Bronte story in mime/dance, with
*loud* and glorious music in the original recorded versions.  Heathcliff
was represented by Sting, and Kathy by KaTe, of course.  the middle of
the story drifted a bit, as H. and K. left the moors for the big city, 
and turned into Billy Idol and Madonna, respectively.  (hey, Judi, there
you go!)  the set was magnificent:  WH (the house itself) was represented
by a several story tall staircase that looked about to fall over.  the
lighting was beautiful, if a bit heavy on deep blue fills and lurid
colored spots.  the dancing was pretty good -- some powerful group numbers
that were clearly inspired by RUTH (which *was* played on V66, boston's
much lamented indie video channel...).  many people were confused by the
show, since there was no live music or speech.  i was pretty impressed --
i saw it twice in a weekend, and dragged a bunch of people to it the
second time.  of course, what i liked was hearing KaTe at 100+ db.  
i'll have to dig up the program to give an exact list of songs, but the 
ending was _Hello, Earth_ followed by _WH_, and it was pretty much
devastating.  i'm astounded that Madonna would have heard of it or been
so impressed by it -- but i'm glad the Mr. Keshishian is doing well.
maybe a documentary on Kate will be next!?  well, maybe not.

> "no Kate Bush records could be found in the Boston area"

wrong wrong wrong.  he must have been mispelling "Bush" or something; i managed
to find all the albums at Newbury Comics, and Second Coming had the UK _HoL_
before the american release was available.  or, he could have asked me... ;-}

yo, footah!
-greg -- gb10@gte.com