The following is a selected list of programs and features (by title and date) produced by Dolores Brandon between 1976 and 1989. All were broadcast either on WBAI and in some instances also on KPFA.
As of December 2021, these programs, features PLUS raw unedited primary source interviews are accessible and available to license through PACIFICA RADIO ARCHIVES. Formats vary from REEL to cassette, CD.
Interested parties may are welcome to contact me, Dolores Brandon, directly with questions or requests. Email: brandon.dolores@gmail.com
A: REELS 10”
• 1976 In Praise of the Common Woman 1 hour 50 seconds
Aired March 8th (Drama & Literature)
Produced and Directed by Dolores Brandon, Madeline Belkin
Dramatic readings: Poem by Judy Grahn + excerpts from two novels:
The Dollmaker by Harriette Arnow and Yonnondioby Tillie Olsen
• 1985 POINTS OF VIEW ON THEATER – a series of features
Produced, directed and hosted by Dolores Brandon
1. Performing Arts Journal (PAJ) Program Length 58 minutes
Airdate October 10, 1985
• A conversation with Bonnie Marranca & Gautam Dasgupta, founding editors – PAJ)
• 2 Reels – Master + Dub
2. Two Short Plays by Eugene Ionesco Program Length 61 Minutes
Airdate November 5, 1985
• Interview and Commentary by Professor Rosette Lamont
3. Ubu Repertory Theater Program Length 59 minutes
Airdate December 12, 1985
• Interview with Director, Francoise Kourilsky with readings from the play Abel & Bella by French playwright Robt. Pinget
4. Sonia Moore Program Length 53 minutes
Airdate June 4 and June 10, 1985??
• Acting teacher and author of The Stanislavski Method
B: REELS 7.5”
• 1975 Miss MacIntosh My Darling by Marguerite Young 52 minutes
Produced by Charles Ruas
Guest Reader – Dolores Brandon
• Julie Taymor: Puppet Theater Artist Length 29.55
Airdate 6.10.86
Traces Taymor’s early career influences and achievements
•Includes extensive clips from interview w/ excerpts from several plays:
• THE TEMPEST
• Thomas Mann’s
• The Transformed Heads
• Liberty’s Taken
• Music by composer/collaborator, Elliot Goldenthal.
• Todd Stockman: Ventriloquist Extraordinaire Length 22.55
Airdate 6.19.86
Interview and performance sequences.
• Stockman talks in detail about the mechanics of ventriloquism
• Miguel Ferreiro Paz – Sculptor, Painter Length 22.56
Airdate 8.21.86
From Buenos Aires, Argentina – works in wood, enormous pieces in which the internal space is as important as the external
• Profiled in conjunction with an exhibit @ the Cork Gallery, Avery Fisher Hall, Lincoln Center NYC, NY Paz born 1942/ Died in 1993.
• Portrait of the Artist, Vincent Smith
Airdate 9.3.86
Host, narrator, producer – Dolores Brandon
Born in Brooklyn of Caribbean ancestry – Painter, printmaker,art historian, teacher, Smith traveled extensively; speaks frankly about the US art scene, the lack of opportunity and attention
• Granted African American artists and the psychological damage lack of recognition effects.
• Born 1929, Died 2004
• The Living Theater: Forever Now Total Program Length 52.30
Airdate 10.17.86
Narrated by Dolores Brandon
2 Reels (7.5”) – Part 1 25.50, Part 2 26.40
A weave of interview excerpts – Judith Malina (Founder, Director, Actor), and Hanon Reznikov (Director/actor) talk about the past, present and future.
• Living Theater Judith and Hanon read poems, diaries, statements.
• Julian Beck, Judith Malina, Hanon Reznikov + recordings from live LT performances.
• The Art of Waiting Program Length 28.48
Airdate 12.14.87
Readers: Roscoe, Dolores Brandon, Philip Raia, Edith Valentine, Steven Bosh, Vincent Smith
Translated by Cidgem Kurdas
Short Story + Interview with Turkish author Nazli Eray
C: CASSETTE ONLY
1986
• Anais Nin: Diarist, Novelist, 20th Century Goddess < Length 74 minutes
Aircheck: February
• Let’s Talk Visual Art < Length 17 minutes
Aircheck: May
Vincent Smith
Dolores Brandon in conversation with artist, Vincent Smith about UNBROKEN CIRCLE an exhibit of African-American artists working in the 1930-40’s presented at KENKELEBA HOUSE, NYC, NY May-June 1986.
• Let’s Talk Visual Art < Approximately 20 minutes
Airdate: 9.3.86
LIVE In studio interview hosted by Dolores Brandon with lead actor, Mikijiro Hira, and other company member associated with this all male production of Euripedes, MEDEA.
Directed by Yukio Ninigawa for the TOHO COMPANY. This production was presented by
Joseph Papp and the Public Theater, summer 1986 season at the Delacorte Theater,
Central Park, NY
1987
• Aircheck 1.19.87 Monday Arts Magazine
Host – Dolores Brandon, with engineer Paul Williams
Segments by Roscoe, Gone Tribe, Rick Harris, Oleg Karenski, Charles Keller. Promo by Laurie Anderson.
• Aircheck 3.23.87 Monday Arts Magazine
Host – Dolores Brandon
Features Vincent Smith in Dialog with artist, Cati; Dolores Brandon in-studio with cabaret singer, Mary Ellen Bernard; includes LIVE performance clips from Bernard’s concert @ Panache. Lee Lowenfish, Seventh Inning Stretch, Charles Potter with Children Reading Poetry.
• WBAI Arts Magazine
Aircheck 10.30.87
An impromptu LIVE memorial broadcast honoring the Death of John Oliver Killens October 27, 1987.
1987-88 Series
• VINCENT SMITH DIALOGS WITH CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS
A bi-weekly feature of the (Monday) WBAI ARTS MAGAZINE
Host – Vincent DaCosta Smith (December 12, 1929 – December 27, 2003). Was an American artist, painter, printmaker and teacher, known for his depictions of black life.
The “Dialogs” are conversations in which Smith engages contemporary artists of distinction and merit across the visual art spectrum – painters, sculptors, installation and conceptual artists. Occasionally, Smith talks with a musician or poet.
Typically, the artist of the “week” is the subject of and an exhibit or gallery show happening in New York contemporaneously with the broadcast. Smith, as a working artist himself and self-described art historian, was very well connected within the US art scene. A special emphasis is on the contemporary Black artist.
Produced by Dolores Brandon
Three in the Dialogs series were more fully produced 25+ minute profile features:
• WBAI Arts Magazine
1. October 1987 – Jacob Lawrence, An American Painter. Retrospective @Brooklyn Museum
2. October 1988 – Profile/Portrait of Vincent Smith. In the context of a 35 year Retrospective — Combinations, Permutations, Transformations — on exhibit at Ramapo College, Mahwah, NJ: Vincent Smith talks describes the trajectory of his work. Artist, historian, professor, David Driskell in conversation with Art scholar/writer, Peter Mark, offer insight and analysis.
3. December 28, 1987/88 – Romare Bearden, interviewed by Vincent Smith at Beardens’, in a studio on Canal Street, NYC, NY. Produced feature AIRED February 1988. Produced and Narrated by Dolores Brandon. 25-30 minutes
D: LONG FORM FEATURES – Music dominant
• LAURIE ANDERSON: THE WOMAN & HER ART
Airdate 1987
1987 Interview (conducted by Dolores Brandon January 11, 1987 at Anderson’s studio on Canal Street, NYC, NY. Unedited Interview ( approx. 45 minutes). On-site Recording Engineer: Spyder
Laurie Anderson: The Woman & Her Art is a highly produced music collage portrait, drawing on Anderson’s recorded performance work and music, interwoven with excerpts from the in-person interview. Production Mix Engineer: Stephen Erickson
• 1988 THE EVOLUTION OF ALICE COLTRANE Length approx. 1 hr. 57 minutes
Airdate February 1988
In person interview conducted by Dolores Brandon with AC @ the Excelsior hotel, YC, NY (On-site recording engineer, Natalie Budelis)
• KAREN MALPEDE: PLAYWRIGHT FOR A NEW AGE
Celebrates the publication of A MONSTER HAS STOLEN THE SUN and OTHER PLAYS by Karen Malpede Marlboro Press, 1987. Commentary and Narration by: Judith Malina, Karen Malpede. Performances by Dan Drew, Gloria Aguilar, Dolores Brandonm Janet Dowd, Philip Raia, Kate Stafford, Lois Weaver, Reed Evans. Recording Mix engineer, Stephen Erickson.