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- Things Are Not What They Seem
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- Sarah Elzas
The United States entered world war II in December of 1941. Everyone got involved, even artists. 'Fanfare for the Common Man' was composer Aaron Copland's contribution to the war effort. This piece looks at how a group of Broadway set designers put their skills to work in service of the US armed forces.
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Piece Description
The United States entered world war II in December of 1941. Everyone got involved, even artists. 'Fanfare for the Common Man' was composer Aaron Copland's contribution to the war effort. This piece looks at how a group of Broadway set designers put their skills to work in service of the US armed forces.
2 Comments
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Review of Things Are Not What They Seem"Things Are Not What They Seem" provides a succinct, interesting look at the contribution of camouflage artists in World War II. Sarah Elzas bases the piece on an interview with Ron Naversen, professor of set design at SIU. Artists, directors, and designers helped the war effort by creating props or staging actions to fool the enemy. Clips of Naversen's interviews with three members of the Camouflage Society of Professional Stage Designers, including Harry Horner, bring the story to life. The piece does a good job of making an essentially visual topic accessible to a radio audience. It would be appropriate for a series on the relationship of art and war, or the personal side of World War II. |
Broadcast History
This piece aired the week of December 26, 2006 on Primetime Postscript.
Transcript
SUGGESTED HOST INTRO:
THE UNITED STATES ENTERED WORLD WAR II IN DECEMBER OF 1941. IT WAS A "TOTAL WAR": EVERYONE GOT INVOLVED, INCLUDING ARTISTS. "FANFARE FOR THE COMMON MAN" WAS COMPOSER AARON COPLAND'S CONTRIBUTION TO THE WAR
EFFORT. INDEPENDENT PRODUCER SARAH ELZAS HAS THIS STORY ABOUT A GROUP OF ARTISTS WHO DID THEIR PART FOR THE WAR:
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IN 1942, A GROUP OF 20 BROADWAY STAGE DESIGNERS DECIDED THEY WANTED TO PUT THEIR ARTISTIC TALENTS TO WORK IN THE ARMY. THEY FOUNDED THE "CAMOUFLAGE SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL STAGE DESIGNERS."
Naversen. They thought that maybe learning about camouflage might help prepare them better
RON NAVERSEN IS A SET DESIGNER AT SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY AT CARBONDALE. HE RESEARCHED THE SOCIETY FOR A DISSERTATION HE WROTE IN THE LATE '80s.
Naversen: They hired a Russian army captain, a Baron Nichol...
Read the full transcript
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Katie Britton
Posted on April 11, 2007 at 07:29 AM | Permalink
Review of Things Are Not What They Seem
As usual Sarah has produced a wonderful human interest piece. It's what keeps me coming back to her work, and I always look forward to more pieces.