The Ballad of Polly Ann by Flyaway Productions

Flyaway Productions' THE BALLAD OF POLLY ANN is a tribute to the legacy of women who built the Bay Area's bridges from the 1970s to the present. Jo Kreiter, Director of Flyaway Productions, and labor historian Harvey Schwartz interviewed six women - from pile drivers to crane operators - and incorporated their stories into the dance and the musical score by Pamela Z. The dance itself is set on a bridge replica inspired by the suspension system used on the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge. Flyaway's dancers use the bridge's construction elements to exemplify the physical and emotional risks characteristic of the relentless physical labor required to work on the bridges.

THE BALLAD OF POLLY ANN is part of LaborFest 2009 and was created with support from Tradeswomen, Inc., Pile Drivers Union Local 23, Hathaway Dinwiddie, foundations, and individuals.

The performance runs Tuesdays - Saturdays, July 14-25 @ 8pm. Details, tickets, and excerpts of the oral stories are at flyawayproductions.com