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Check out the first trailer for the HBO documentary about Taylor Mack: 240 years of popular music
Mack’s 24-hour marathon performance at St. Ann’s Warehouse told subjective American history through music.
HBO has released a trailer for an upcoming documentary film about Pulitzer Prize finalist Taylor Mack. 240 years of popular music history. Mack performed the production off-Broadway for a 24-hour streak at St. Ann’s Warehouse on October 8, 2016. Now, on HBO’s show, go inside an epic retelling of 240 years of American history through his 240 songs and their idiosyncratic performances. Behind-the-scenes footage from the show and the trailer above.
Directed and produced by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman, the documentary premieres on June 27 at 9 p.m. It includes footage of the marathon performance and the show’s tour around the world. The performance is interspersed with interviews with Mack and his collaborators on the show, as well as a behind-the-scenes look at elaborate and witty costumes designed by Mack’s longtime collaborator Machine Dazzle. Other interviewees include Mack co-director Nigel Smith, music director Matt Ray and makeup designer Anastasia Durasova.
240 years of popular music After five years of development and concert production, it made its world premiere at a theater in Brooklyn. Each held as a series of concerts spanning his 30 years, Mack was accompanied by a 24-piece orchestra and his 76 guests. A musician walked off stage every decade, leaving Mack to play the final decade alone.
240 years of popular music The song was co-written by Matt Ray and Mac, who arranged 246 songs for the show, including “Yankee Doodle”, “Gimme Shelter”, “Born to Run” and “Gloria”. Ray led a 24-piece orchestra and four backing singers, while Mack was joined on stage by Erin Hill, Stephanie Christian, Heather Christian, Sonetta Davis, Anais Mitchell and a large crowd.
The stage production creative team includes dramaturge Jocelyn Clarke, set designer Mimi Liang, lighting designer Jon Torres, sound designers Jamie McElhinney and David Schnerman/Here No Evil, and choreographic consultant Jawol. Willa Joe Zoller also participated.
The documentary will be screened by Fifth Season and Nature’s Darlings in partnership with HBO Documentary Films and Content Superba, Telling Pictures, and Pomegranate Arts Production. Joel Stillerman, Linda Blumbach, Alisa E. Regus, Taylor Mack and Mari Rivera will serve as producers, with Nancy Abraham and Lisa Heller serving as executive producers and Anna Klein serving as coordinating producer.
