Country Corners: Film and Conversation with Richard Nevell

The Monadnock Center for History and Culture presents the film Country Corners along with a Q&A with the screenwriter at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday May 2.

Filmmaker Robert Fiore (Pumping Iron, Greetings, Gimme Shelter, Festival Express, etc.) and author Richard Nevell (A Time To Dance: American Country Dancing from Hornpipes to Hot Hash) collaborated to produce Country Corners in 1975. The film explores the history of “contra” or “square” dancing in America since colonial times, then moves on to depict the contemporary dance scene in Vermont & New Hampshire in the mid-1970’s.

Film locations include Nelson, New Hampshire where the dancing continues as an important community activity; Tunbridge, Vermont with The Ed Larkin Dancers who dance in Victorian era attire; Francestown, NH, with Dudley Laufman of Canterbury, NH, often credited with keeping the dancing “alive”; and finally at home with school teacher/musician Bob McQuillen who devoted the last several decades of his life to composing tunes and playing them for dances.

Country Corners aired on PBS as a national special in 1976. It was written by Richard Nevell, narrated by Gordon Bok, and co-produced by Fiore and Nevell. Hancock resident Nevell will attend the film screening and respond to questions from the audience.

This program is free and open to the public.

The Monadnock Center thanks our May underwriters, Julie and Garry Peyton, for making this program possible.