Paul Taylor Dance Company

The once mighty jumped to their deaths from skyscrapers, former millionaires sold apples on street corners, and every metropolis sprouted Shantytowns. America was in the grip of the Great Depression – but rather than dwell on its terrible effects, popular culture from Tin Pan Alley to Hollywood celebrated the nation’s can-do spirit. Paul Taylor recalls the valiant souls of the ’30s with a masterwork from his Americana series. He peoples his Shantytown with Vaudevillians and Doughboys, hookers and showgirls, all eking out a meager existence on the streets of the city. Music hall hoofers recall their heyday, down-and-out couples jitterbug down Park Avenue, a pimp continues to hawk his wares, and a newsgirl pretends to slay the big bad wolf that is the Depression. Sections set to "The Boulevard Of Broken Dreams" – the era’s great torch song – and "Brother, Can You Spare A Dime?" – its enduring anthem – powerfully illustrate the tragedy of shattered hopes and dreams.

“[Taylor is] still making waves in the dance world with his quirky, beautiful, dark, inventive and visceral work.  Black Tuesday, set to songs from the Great Depression, could be added to a file titled, 'Paul Taylor's Master Works'.  All elements, combined to provide the ultimate experience of seeing a world come to life before your eyes...“ – Susan Broili, Durham Herald-Sun