Courting Mae West

The play "COURTING MAE WEST: Sex, Censorship & Secrets" is based on true events during the 1920s when actress MAE WEST was arrested and jailed in New York City for trying to stage two gay plays on Broadway. Maybe she broke the law - - but the LAW couldn't break HER!

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Sunday, October 19, 2008

"Courting Mae West" on EBAY

A shameless vendor is once again selling "Courting Mae West" invitations [from our July 2008 production at the Fresh Fruit Festival in New York City] on EBAY.
• • How many invites can one man steal to re-sell?
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • none • •

Mae West.

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Friday, October 17, 2008

Staged Reading of "Courting Mae West"

Come up and see MAE WEST today — — and you will be glad you did.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • "COURTING MAE WEST: Sex, Censorship and Secrets" — — a Staged Reading of a new version of this play — — based on true events during the Prohibition Era.
• • Address: 1501 Broadway [on Broadway at West 43rd Street], New York, NY 10036
• • Room: The Dramatists Guild, the Frederick Loewe Room, Suite 701
• • When: Friday October 17th starting at 5:45 PM — — you must show photo ID to get into the building
• • We have been given a 90-minute time slot and the reading will END at 7:30 PM.
• • The reading is free and open to the public and there are about 50 seats for producers and members of the audience.
• • Portraying various people in Mae West's life, the excellent cast of seven features the scintillating Yvonne Sayers as Mae West and includes: Gloria M. Buccino, Mary Murphy, Neal Sims, Steven Viola (who performed these roles onstage July 19 22, 2008), and Duvall O'Steen and Christopher Yustin.
• • The building, built by Paramount Pictures, was a popular stopping place for Mae West when she was in New York City.
___________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • 1927 • •

Mae West.

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Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Mae heads back to Broadway

MAE WEST and Paramount Pictures for awhile, it was a happy marriage, and the actress's latest release would always be booked at the Paramount Theatres in her hometown: Brooklyn and Manhattan.
• • Built in 1926 right in the heart of Times Square was the 40-story Paramount Building [at 1501 Broadway], originally a home to the late, great Paramount Theater and also the eastern headquarters of the production company that was to become Paramount Pictures.
• • Like the movie giant it wanted to be, the structure commands attention, spanning an entire city block on Broadway between West 43rd and West 44th Streets. The architects were Cornelius W. Rapp and George Leslie Rapp.
• • On 19 November 1926, the eight-story Paramount Theatre had its star-dusted opening with an elaborate live show staged by John Murray Anderson, and the motion picture God Gave Me Twenty Cents starring Lya de Putti.
• • All of Mae West's motion pictures for Paramount opened with exclusive engagements promoted with great fanfare. The Brooklyn bombshell once caused a frenzy by arriving at 1501 Broadway with an escort of handsome New York City policemen on motorcycles.
• • The house could seat 3664 ticket-holders.
• • The lobby of the [now demolished] Paramount Theatre was modeled after the Paris Opera House with white marble columns, balustrades, and an opening arms grand staircase. Inside the auditorium, the drapes were red velvet and the rugs were a similar red. The theater had a grand organ as well as an orchestra pit that rose up to the stage level. The ceilings were fresco and gilt. The railings were brass, the seats plush. There were Greek statues and busts in wall niches. The rest rooms and waiting rooms were as impressive as the facilities at Radio City or the Roxy. The main lobby was decorated with an enormous crystal chandelier.
• • Over the years, many of the top stars performed there, including Sinatra and dozens of the era's luminaries.
• • Though the Paramount Theatre is no more, 1501 Broadway continues to be the elite address of many talent agents, entertainment companies, and theatre industry professionals. And it is the NYC headquarters of the Dramatists Guild.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • "COURTING MAE WEST: Sex, Censorship and Secrets" — — a Staged Reading of a new version of this play — — based on true events during the Prohibition Era.
• • Address: 1501 Broadway [on Broadway at West 43rd Street], New York, NY 10036
• • Room: The Dramatists Guild, the Frederick Loewe Room, Suite 701
• • When: Friday October 17th starting at 5:45 PM — — you must show photo ID to get into the building
• • We have been given a 90-minute time slot and the reading will END at 7:30 PM.
• • The reading is free and open to the public and there are about 50 seats for producers and members of the audience.
• • Portraying various people in Mae West's life, the excellent cast of seven features the scintillating Yvonne Sayers as Mae West and includes: Gloria M. Buccino, Mary Murphy, Neal Sims, Steven Viola (who performed these roles onstage July 19 22, 2008), and Duvall O'Steen and Christopher Yustin.
• • The building, built by Paramount Pictures, was a popular stopping place for Mae West when she was in New York City.
___________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • 1933 • •

Mae West.

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Sunday, October 12, 2008

Friday 17 October 2008

The public and Mae-mavens are invited to attend a Staged Reading of "COURTING MAE WEST" at 5:45 PM on Friday — — 17 October 2008 — — on Broadway and West 43rd Street at the Dramatists Guild. [See details below.]
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • YVONNE SAYERS, who plays MAE WEST, is rejoining the "Courting Mae West" cast. Miss Sayers studied with Mary Boyer at T. Schreiber Studio. The five-foot-five stunner has been seen on TV in “Chappelle’s Show,” CourtTV’s “Till Death Do Us Part,” “The Maury Show,” etc. Miss Sayers has been cast in NYC productions at the American Globe Theatre, the Samuel French Festival, the PIT, Village Playwrights, the Wings Theatre, as well as in several shows at the 45th Street Theatre. A proud member of the Michael Chekhov Theatre Co., her favorite role was portraying Mae West in “Mad Dog Blues.”
• • GLORIA BUCCINO, a retired police sergeant, is rejoining the "Courting Mae West" cast in the pivotal roles of Matilda West, Peg Rourke, and others. Moving from law enforcement to a career in entertainment, she studied with Howard Meyer at HM Acting Studio. Miss Buccino was seen in HM Acting Workshop Productions: "Girl Talk" and "Into the Deep." She is a member of The Axial Theatre Company, and was recently accepted into The Actor's Project NYC. Gloria is a member of AFTRA.
• • MARY MURPHY, who plays Eliza Rourke and other roles, is rejoining the "Courting Mae West" cast. Her credits include: "Jane Eyre," "Artist Descending a Staircase," "Stonewall Voices," "Why Does it Sting…," "Jailbirds," "Wait Until Dark," and "All Night Meeting." She has also lent her voice to the cartoon Pokemon, various radio, film, and television projects, along with an award-winning children’s audio adventure series.
• • DUVALL O'STEEN participated in a March 2008 reading of "Courting Mae West" and joins the cast in the pivotal roles of Beverly West, Sara Starr, and others. Miss O’Steen is a proud graduate of the William Esper Studio and a member of the Michael Chekhov Theatre Co. Her MCTC credits include: "Talking Heads"; "The Rock Garden"; "Goldberg Street"; and many others. On-screen credits include the title role in "Gina’s Music" among other roles.
• • NEAL SIMS, who plays Edward Elsner, Jim Timony, Barry O'Neill, and other roles, is rejoining the "Courting Mae West" cast. Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, his credits include: "Charles Busch's Sleeping Beauty, or Coma"; "Psycho Sorority Girl"; "Bad Dames Go to Hell"; etc. Mr. Sims also directed and acted in two shows for NYC's International Fringe Festival: "The Greatest B-Movie Ever Told" [2005] and "Vice Girl Confidential" [2006].
• • STEVEN VIOLA, who plays Declan Rourke and other roles, is rejoining the "Courting Mae West" cast. He portrayed Iago in an acclaimed production of "Othello" directed by Elfin Vogel at Theatre 22. Mr. Viola studied acting with Gloria Maddox and Carol Prescott at T. Schreiber Studio. Theatre credits include: "The Man who Corrupted Hadley Burg," "A Doll's House," and many others. He is a founding member of The Cranston and Spade W-WOW Radio Mystery Theatre Company.
• • CHRISTOPHER YUSTIN
— — who plays news man Mario "Shortie" De Angelis — — can be seen in "Speed Demons" at the monthly Saloon Series at The Vampire Cowboys' Battle Ranch. His past roles have included: super hero, transvestite ninja, ghost, fast talking district attorney, gunslinger, burn victim, hapless actor, two different aliens, lunatic, bashful groom, alcoholic 1940s crooner, polite boxer, scarecrow, riverboat captain, 8-year-old Japanese boy, The Smartest Man Alive, and many others.
• • Native New Yorker LindaAnn Loschiavo is a journalist and dramatist caught in the spell of a courthouse with Verdi-worthy villains rising up against an actress who lost her reputation and never missed it. True events that took place during the Prohibition Era in Jefferson Market's judicial chambers inspired the comedy-drama “Courting Mae West: Sex, Censorship, and Secrets.” A regular contributor to several newspapers and magazines, she insists that some of her witticisms are not to be lightly tossed aside but rather shaken and stirred. She's also at work on a book: "Mae West's New York, 1899 — 1959." The playwright is a member of The Dramatists Guild of America, Inc.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • "COURTING MAE WEST: Sex, Censorship and Secrets" — — a Staged Reading of a new version of this play — — based on true events during the Prohibition Era.
• • Address: 1501 Broadway [on Broadway at West 43rd Street], New York, NY 10036
• • Room: The Dramatists Guild, the Frederick Loewe Room, Suite 701
• • When: Friday October 17th starting at 5:45 PM — — you must show photo ID to get into the building
• • We have been given a 90-minute time slot and the reading will END at 7:30 PM.
• • The reading is free and open to the public and there are about 50 seats for producers and members of the audience.
• • The building, built by Paramount Pictures, was a popular stopping place for Mae West when she was in New York City.
___________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • 1927 • •

Mae West.

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Saturday, October 11, 2008

A BUDD-ing Drag Artist

The play "Courting Mae West" opens in one of the popular drag cabarets in the Village that MAE WEST used to visit. In Act I, Scene 1, Mae waves to a cigarette girl in drag known as Rosebud. Mae explains to her date, "I just cast Rosebud over there in 'The Drag'. . . ."
• • In 1923, Arthur C. Budd was 21 years old and residing at 25 West 52nd Street. Known as “Rosebud,” Arthur C. Budd worked as a female impersonator in “The Lady in Ermine” at The Century Theater.
• • A New York Times article published on 5 February 1923 — — “Village Raid Nets 4 Women and 9 Men: Detectives Thought They Had Five Females, but Misjudged One Person by Clothing” — — paints a picture of the Greenwich Village circles Rosebud traveled in.
• • The police continue to pay special attention to Greenwich Village, according to The N.Y. Times. Every tearoom and cabaret in the village was visited yesterday morning by Deputy Inspector Joseph A. Howard and Captain Edward J. Dempsey of the Charles Street Station, and a party of ten detectives.
• • Detectives Joseph Massie and Dewey Hughes of the Special Service Squad were at the Black Parrot Tea Shoppe Hobo-Hemia, 46 Charles Street, to witness what they had been informed would be a “circus.” They arrested what they thought were five women and eight men. It developed later, however, that one of the “women” was a man, Harry Bernhammer, 21 years old, living at 36 Hackensack Avenue, West Hoboken, N.J. He is familiarly known in the Village as “Ruby,” according to the police. The charge against him is disorderly conduct for giving what the police termed an indecent dance.
• • The other prisoners, all of whom were bailed out at the station house, were Lucy Smith, 22 years old, of 46 Charles Street, and Patricia Rogers, 24 years old, of 16 Charles Street, alleged proprietors of the establishment, charged with violating the Mullan-Gage law; . . . Arthur C. Budd, 21 years old, of 25 West Fifty-second Street; . . . Paul Warring, 21 years old, of 75 West Seventy-second Street; . . . . The real name of the Smith woman, according to the police, is Vera Black, and the real name of the Rogers woman is Nan Paddock.
• • Arthur C. Budd, according to the police, is known as “Rosebud,” and claimed when arrested that he is a female impersonator in “The Lady in Ermine” at The Century Theater.
• • Paul Warring, the police say, is pianist at the Black Parrot and was formerly employed at a Broadway cabaret. . . . Reilly is accused of doing “a suggestive dance.”
• • The detectives allege that before the raid early yesterday morning they bought eight drinks of whiskey at $1 a drink.
• • The “circus” did not actually take place, the detectives said, for just before the time for it to begin Patricia Rogers stepped out on the floor and announced: “There are two policemen here and I am afraid to put on the circus."
• • The joyful soiree at the Black Parrot Tea Shoppe Hobo-Hemia [46 Charles Street, New York, NY 10014] ended rather abruptly with a paddy wagon conveying the arrested individuals to Jefferson Market Police Court on Sixth Avenue on 5 February 1923.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

• • "COURTING MAE WEST: Sex, Censorship and Secrets" — — a Staged Reading of a new version of this play — — based on true events during the Prohibition Era.
• • Address: 1501 Broadway [on Broadway at West 43rd Street], New York, NY 10036
• • Room: The Dramatists Guild, the Frederick Loewe Room, Suite 701
• • When: Friday October 17th starting at 5:45 PM — — you must show photo ID to get into the building
• • We have been given a 90-minute time slot and the reading will END at 7:30 PM.
• • The reading is free and open to the public and there are about 50 seats for producers and members of the audience.
• • Portraying various people in Mae West's life, the excellent cast of seven features the scintillating Yvonne Sayers as Mae West and includes: Gloria M. Buccino, Mary Murphy, Neal Sims, Steven Viola (who performed these roles onstage July 19 22, 2008), and Duvall O'Steen and Christopher Yustin.
• • The building, built by Paramount Pictures, was a popular stopping place for Mae West when she was in New York City.
___________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • Jefferson Market Courthouse • •

Mae West.

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Thursday, October 09, 2008

Much Ado about McAdoo

As the cast of the play "COURTING MAE WEST" prepares for an exciting Staged Reading of a new version, let's revisit the events of 9 February 1927, which are featured in ACT I.
• • With New York Mayor Jimmy Walker briefly out of town on a vacation, Deputy Police Commissioner Joseph B. McKee ordered the police to raid "The Captive," "Sex," and "Virgin Man." The intention was to get Mae West and make a public statement about "dirt plays."
• • The case entered into the court system as The People Vs. William Morganstern, Mae West, et al., # 168495, City Magistrate's Court, 10th District, 2/15/1927.
• • In ACT I, Scene 4, Mae West has dealings with Chief City Magistrate William McAdoo.
• • The prison matron tells Mae: "Save your spit for the court, girl! And don't keep Chief City Magistrate McAdoo waiting!"
• • William McAdoo, as with most references in "COURTING MAE WEST," was a real person. During February 1927, he would have been 73 years old.
• • Irish native William McAdoo [25 October 1853 7 June 1930] was a Democratic Party politician who represented New Jersey's 7th congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1883 1891, and served as New York City Police Commissioner in 1904 and 1905.
• • William McAdoo was born in Ramelton, County Donegal, Ireland on 25 October 1853.
• • He immigrated to the USA with his parents, who settled in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 1865, where he attended the common schools. He studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1874 and began his law practice in Jersey City. He was employed as a newspaper reporter from 1870-1875. He was a member of the New Jersey General Assembly in 1882.
• • After leaving Congress, he moved to New York City in 1892 and resumed the practice of law. He was appointed by President Grover Cleveland as Assistant Secretary of the Navy and served from 20 March 1893 18 April 1897, when he resigned. He was appointed to serve as New York City Police Commissioner in 1904 and 1905. Later he resumed the practice of law and also engaged in literary pursuits.
• • William McAdoo was appointed by Mayor William Jay Gaynor as chief magistrate of the city magistrates' courts, first division, City of New York on 1 July 1910 — — in which capacity he served until his death in New York City on 7 June 1930.
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • "COURTING MAE WEST" — — a Staged Reading of a new version of this play
• • Address: 1501 Broadway [on Broadway at West 43rd Street], New York, NY
• • Room: The Dramatists Guild, the Frederick Loewe Room, Suite 701
• • When: Friday October 17th starting at 5:45 PM — — you must show photo ID to get into the building
• • We have been given a 90-minute time slot and the reading will END at 7:30 PM.
• • The reading is free and open to the public and there are about 50 seats for producers and members of the audience.
• • Portraying various people in Mae West's life, the excellent cast of seven features the scintillating Yvonne Sayers as Mae West and includes: Gloria M. Buccino, Mary Murphy, Neal Sims, Steven Viola (who performed these roles onstage July 19 22, 2008), and Duvall O'Steen and Christopher Yustin.
• • The building, built by Paramount Pictures, was a popular stopping place for Mae West when she was in New York City.
___________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • none • •

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Sunday, October 05, 2008

See "Courting Mae West" free October 17

Spend an evening with the Empress of Sex portrayed by the ever fascinatin', scintillatin' actress Yvonne Sayers.
• • "COURTING MAE WEST" — — a Staged Reading of a new version of this play
• • Where: 1501 Broadway [on Broadway at West 43rd Street], NYC
• • Room: The Dramatists Guild, the Frederick Loewe Room, Suite 701
• • When: Friday October 17th starting at 5:45 PM — — you must show photo ID to get into the building
• • We have been given a 90-minute time slot and the reading will END at 7:30 PM.
• • The reading is free and open to the public and there are 50 seats for producers and members of the audience.
• • Portraying various people in Mae West's life, the excellent cast of seven includes: Gloria M. Buccino, Mary Murphy, Neal Sims, Steven Viola (who performed these roles onstage July 19 22, 2008), and others.
• • The building, built by Paramount Pictures, was a popular stopping place for Mae West when she was in New York City.
___________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • Yvonne Sayers • •

Mae West.

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Friday, October 03, 2008

October 3, 1928 - - 80 years ago

MAE WEST's gay play "Pleasure Man" had a $200,000 box office advance when it premiered at the Biltmore on 1 October 1928. The police raided the show, however, and shut it down the same night. Perhaps this was an easy target — — since the theatre was on the same block as the precinct: 47th Street, west of Broadway.
• •
It was eighty years ago — — on 3 October 1928 — — when Mae West appeared in Jefferson Market Court to answer charges that she had written and produced an "immoral" play. Wire services sent out her photograph, explaining that the entire cast had been arrested after one opening performance. The players were later released on bail. Mae, of course, was a familiar face at Jefferson Market Court [then located on Sixth Avenue and West Ninth Street in Greenwich Village]. This was the same judicial complex in which she had been tried for her play "Sex" — — and had been found guilty.
• • The infamous raid at the Biltmore is dramatized in the play "Courting Mae West."
• • In "Courting Mae West," Texas Guinan [portrayed in July 2008 by Eileen Glenn] visits Mae West [portrayed in July 2008 by Yvonne Sayers] backstage at the Royale Theatre to warn her about the raid.
• • MAE WEST: Tex, isn't there a way to trouble-shoot this?
• • TEXAS GUINAN: Honey child, the problem with trouble-shooting is that, invariably, trouble shoots back!
• • In addition to battling a hex by legal voodoo, Mae West was in enormous physical pain during 1928.
• • The usually healthy, resilient, durable actress had begun to experience fierce abdominal agony, perhaps from stress. When the infamous raid at the Biltmore Theatre occurred, New York's bulldog of a district attorney was threatening her with another jail term.
• • Seized by the talons of legal eagles, Mae was rescued (somewhat) and got a jolt of good news from her savvy attorney Nathan Burkan. Burkan had convinced a judge to allow Mae to continue touring in "Diamond Lil."
• • Adding more relief to Mae's life was the fact that the Shuberts had just bought out Mark Linder, who had staked a claim on "Diamond Lil" because he suggested the locale.
___________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • October 1928 • •

Mae West.

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