1976  “For Verabelle” –  video shot in  1976 rehearsal.
Female duet, concerned with the tragic alteration of the loving and devoted husband and wife, family of four children.

First Performance:  Marvin Center Theatre, Washington, DC.  (date unknown)
Premiere:  Washington Project for the Arts (March 25, 26, 27, 1977)

Program:
Choreography, director, and set design: Maida Rust Withers
Dancers (live and on video):  Ellen Lange and Jean Isaacs
Music/Sound Information: John Driscoll, live
Live radio and Police radio: Ellen Lang, on stage, randomly turned on & off during the performance.
Costumes: Beth Burkhardt (beige opaque A-line dress for Ellen and beige body leotard for Jean)
Light Designer:  Bill DeMull
Visual Elements / Information:  Window frame SR, single bed springs suspended by wire 4 feet from the floor USL, radio USR.

Additional Information:  Choreography.  Ellen was more human in her movements, like wringing hands and pacing the floor, small gestures of nervousness while Jean was exaggerated in her sexual behavior and emotional expression.

Photo contact sheet  (duet, with window frame)

There is a written script?

Maida Withers Notes:
A female duet created in recognition of the separation and eventual divorce of two dear friends, parents of children, good friends of my children. The duet places the woman inside her home environment with a window, radio, and bed springs suspended in the space. The work has the lead solo figure, Ellen Lang (GWU undergraduate dancer), in a dream world of herself as a sexually attractive woman questioning why her husband was staying out all night with another woman.   Downstage, Jean Isaacs, dances as the imagined “dream self” – outside of the confines of home and marriage. The  window on stage changes from day light to night light  marking, in time, the waiting and worrying, finding distractions, by the betrayed wife…

Program Concept: “A dance choreographed as a gift to my friend Belle Cluff relating to the separation of Toni Cluff and VeraBelle.  This duet places the woman inside her home environment (window, radio, bed springs suspended in space) and her dream of herself as a sexually attractive woman.  Questioning why her husband was staying out all night with another woman.”

Original Sony reel to reel video transfer is too dark for public use.

Repertory:  For Verabel, was performed by Three’s Company, San Diego, California.  Jean Isaacs is an associate of Three’s Company.

Jean Isaac was the subject for the drawing by John Bailey, Founding Member of MWDCCo and visual artist. (1974)