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 05, 2014

Mae West: Author Appears Concerned

You might say that MAE WEST was getting a bath in red ink. Oh, dear. Let's retrace these steps surrounding the police raid of Mae's homosexual stage play "Pleasure Man" at the Biltmore Theatre on Broadway in New York City.
• • "POLICE STOP MATINEE of MAE WEST'S NEW PLAY" • •
• • New York, Oct. 3 — [A.P.] — A matinee performance of Mae West's play, "The Pleasure Man," was halted during the first scene of the third act this afternoon by Police Lieutenant James Coy, who walked on the stage and told the audience that he was placing the cast under arrest. 
• • Miss West and her actors had also been arrested after Monday night's opening of the play, charged with staging an indecent performance.
• • Source: News Item rpt in The Cornell Daily Sun; published on Thursday,  4 October 1928.
• • On Wednesday, 3 October 1928 in The N.Y. Times • •
• • COURT STAYS POLICE on MAE WEST PLAY; Writ Bars Interference Until Friday and 'Pleasure Man' Is Performed to Full House. CASES OF 56 UP TOMORROW Cant Pleads Not Guilty and Bail Is Continued — — Walker Revealed as Instigator of Raid. Seeks Conference With Warren. Arrests May Still Be Made. Author Appears Concerned.
• • Coverage in The New York Times on Wednesday, 3 October 1928, page 33.
• • On Wednesday, 3 October 1928 • •
• • It was on Wednesday, 3 October 1928 when Mae West appeared in court to answer charges that she had written and produced another "immoral" play. Wire services sent out her photograph, explaining that the entire cast had been arrested after one opening performance.
• • The infamous raid at the Biltmore Theatre begins Act 2, Scene 1 of the serious-minded comedy "Courting Mae West: Sex, Censorship, and Secrets."
• • In Her Own Words • •
• • Mae West said: "My play 'Sex' was a work of art."
• • Mae West said: "I was ten years ahead of my time. Some day, I'm going to produce those plays again."
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • The legal battles fought by Mae West and Jim Timony are dramatized in the play "Courting Mae West: Sex, Censorship, and Secrets," set during the Prohibition Era.
Watch a scene on YouTube.

• • Source: http://CourtingMaeWest.blogspot.com/atom.xml
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• • Source: http://courtingmaewest.blogspot.com/atom.xml Add to Google


• • Photo: Mae West
• • with the cast in court in 1928 • •
Mae West
   

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