Rest In Peace, Lanford Wilson

During the mid-80s, I worked in theater at the Circle Repertory Company, one of the leading Off-Broadway theaters located in Greenwich Village. He had been one of the founders of the theater, along with Tanya Berezin, Marshall Mason, and Rob Thirkield, in 1969. I started with the theater in 1983, first as an intern working backstage for Fool For Love, the Sam Shepard play. I handled the wardrobe needs during the run, and took care of any set repairs when required. In a few months I was hired on as Master Carpenter, working on each new show. That was my beginning in New York. Lanford was often around, when he was in town. Mostly he was in the offices, which were on Varrick, but he would sometimes stop by the theater on 7th Avenue South.



I would sometime get the chance to chat with him at an opening night party at the theater, or in passing at the offices. Bill, my boyfriend at the time, was working in there, working with the playwrights. Lanford once told me I was lucky to be with him. I don't know it I ever told Bill about that. I should. But it does show what an incredibly nice man Lanford was, as well as being a gifted writer.

Fondest Memories - BlooLips

A view of Sheridan Square - Circle Rep on the far right

From April 1983 to September 1992, I made my home in New York City. I had finished college and did an internship with the Actor's Theater of Louisville before heading the the city to meet up with the [then] love of my life. For a couple of years, I worked at the Circle Repertory Theatre Company, starting with the Off-Broadway production of A Fool For Love, starring Kathy Baker and Ed Harris.



One of the perks of living in NYC was getting to see lots of off-Broadway and off-off-Broadway theater. One particularly enjoyable experience was getting to see the drag troupe BlooLips performing at Theater For The New City, located on the lower East side. I was lucky enough to attend a few of the productions, since BlooLips were originally based out of London, but I think a couple of the players stayed in NYC.

Lavinia Co-op and Betty Bourne

BlooLips was theater on a shoestring, with tiny budgets but huge creativity. With performers like the astounding Betty Bourne, the enchanting Lavinia Co-op, the delightful Precious Pearl, and many others, their makeup was exaggerated, and the costumes self-made. Long before there was Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert, there was BlooLips. And best of all, tickets were affordable for poor people to have some of the best fun money could buy. The following clip is from the show, Get Hur.

You can find out more about BlooLips here.