About Taylor Mac's 24-Decade History of Popular Music (HBO)

This movie is a highly ambitious and vibrant adaptation of Taylor Mac's acclaimed 24-hour stage play. It's an exploration of American history through popular music, spanning 240 years. The expansive narrative arc explores important events, trends, and themes from the founding of America up to the current day. Covering a wide array of genres, styles, and musical eras, the storytelling journey is a powerful mesh of social critique, humour, and emotions. Mac's unorthodox and eclectic stage performance has been adapted for the screen in a compelling and dynamic way.

Making / Production

This HBO production helms a herculean effort to translate the energy of a 24-hour live stage performance into a digestible film format. The unique concept and creative direction posed both a challenge and an opportunity for the creative team, requiring both deft handling and imaginative storytelling techniques.

Actors

• Taylor Mac is the central figure, with his dynamic performance carrying the lion's share of the narrative. Mac plays multiple characters as he traverses through different periods of American music history. His performances are colorful, eccentric, driving and, at times, deeply moving.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• This film is based on Taylor Mac's 24-hour stage performance first staged in Brooklyn in 2016.
• Each decade covered in the film corresponds to a unique costume change for Taylor Mac, resulting in 24 costume changes throughout the film.

Awards

Information about awards not available.

Quotes

• "Music is the only time travel machine we have." - Taylor Mac
• "Just like a melody can get stuck in the mind, so can a historical moment." - Taylor Mac

Music, Soundtrack

• With a vast range of music from over 24 decades, the film features a rich tapestry of music that encompasses almost every genre.
• Expect to hear familiar melodies in startlingly new guises, as Taylor Mac reinterprets everything from popular ditties to classic ballads and anthems.