Queer Theatre at La MaMa (1962-1980)
May 3, 2016 3:55 PM   Subscribe

Queer Theatre at La MaMa (1962-1980): This exhibit, which was created by Pooja Desai, a student in NYU’s Program in Archives/Public history, looks at theatrical experiments from La MaMa’s early years (1962-1980) through a queer lens. Using objects from La MaMa’s Archives, Desai reconstructs a history of the plays, production companies, playwrights, and directors who presented work on La MaMa’s stages that either reflected a “queer sensibility” or were relevant to queer/trans/LGBTQA audiences.
posted by roomthreeseventeen (3 comments total) 5 users marked this as a favorite
 
This is really great. I don't think that Stefan Brecht (son of Bertold) covered La Mama in his seminal book Queer Theatre (part of a series of books on experimental theater in NY in the 60s and 70s.) Brecht's book did have chapters on Jack Smith and Charles Ludlum. See also for earlier queer NYC theater Caffe Cino.
posted by larrybob at 4:53 PM on May 3, 2016


I love La Mama! I worked there for 5 yrs, with Yara (one of their resident theater companies) and saw so much ridiculously awesome (both good and terrible) experimental theater. It was truly a formative influence.The performances there cover the entire breadth and depth of the human experience, and were (are) an excellent way to learn about humanity and experiences that I never considered and to challenge myself to recognize that it's not just "art" it is real life for so many.

They do sets of very affordable tickets (10 tickets for each show at $10) to encourage the local community to attend, and it's an awesome way to see cool theater on a budget. (normal prices are usually $20-25 same as other off broadway shows)

La Mama is also awesome because Ellen Stewart built it out of a tiny dream, a black woman running a theater company in the 1960's, focusing primarily on highlighting underrepresented artists. Both minority wise- giving black experimental theater a locus, as well as a home for stories that resonate internationally- I worked on Buryat (Mongolian)epics and Japanese theater while there.

Basically go see a show at La Mama.
posted by larthegreat at 6:48 AM on May 4, 2016


This is terrific. I don't get to see nearly enough experimental theater, being in a small suburb of Boston, but this is a reminder to go and find some and to go and make some.
posted by xingcat at 12:26 PM on May 4, 2016


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