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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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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Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Hattitude on 11 July 2008

Pole-vaulted out of the ghetto of the clubby entertainment section, MAE WEST suddenly became notoriously noteworthy in national news headlines on 2 February 1927.
• • On Tuesday February 1st at 5:00 AM, the Brooklyn bombshell was arrested along with her sister and the director Edward Elsner in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
• • According to The New York Times, Edwin [sic] Elsner of New York, stage director of "The Drag," which opened here last night, and Miss Beverly West of New York, sister of Mae West, author of the play, were arrested at 5:30 o'clock this morning in Miss West's room at the Arcade Hotel and will be arraigned in the City Court on Wednesday on technical charges of breach of the peace.
• • The police allege misconduct, but both Elsner and Miss West deny there was any wrongdoing, explaining that they were in the room going over the events of the opening night and possible changes in the play.
• • Elsner, known for his work in staging "Within the Law," "Bought and Paid For," "Pygmalion," "Sex," and other plays, was released under bond of $250, as was Miss West, after spending several hours locked up at Police Headquarters following a ride from the hotel in the police patrol wagon. . . .
• • The arrest at the Arcade Hotel is dramatized in the play "Courting Mae West." Beverly's drunken antics and Mae's strategies are featured in Act I, Scene 2.
• • What did director Edward Elsner look like? During July 2008, he will look like Neal Sims, the actor who will portray him wearing a very Gatsby-ish smoking jacket and this mauve and hot pink World War I "trench veteran's" fez. There will be a free performance of the spirited Arcade Hotel scene at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble 1972 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 at 7:30 PM.
• • The bookshop is three blocks away from Daly's 63rd Street Theatre where Edward Elsner was directing Mae West in "Sex" from 1926 1927.
• • Still in the same place is the old Arcade Hotel 1001 Main St, Bridgeport, CT 06604; Tel 203- 333-9376. Wonder if they remember which room was Elsner's on 1 February 1927 and which room belonged to Mae West.
"COURTING MAE WEST" opens at 6 o'clock on Saturday night July 19, 2008 at the Algonquin Theatre [East 24th Street and Park Avenue South].
• •
"COURTING MAE WEST" — — showtimes
• • July 19th, 2008 — — 6:00 PM
• • July 20th, 2008 — — 2:00 PM matinee
• • July 21st, 2008 — — 6:00 PM
• • July 22nd, 2008 — — 9:00 PM
• • Tickets to "COURTING MAE WEST" are $18 per adult.
• •
Theatermania.com sells the tickets — — http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/144297
• • Questions? Phone 212-779-3051.
• • The play is 95 minutes.

• • Get ready to come up and see Mae West, Texas Guinan, and the gang onstage in mid-July 2008.
_____________________________________________________________
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• • Photo: Mae West
• • 1927 news clip • •

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Saturday, June 14, 2008

The Men in Her Life

MAE WEST had a bosom buddy (along with a sometime lover and a devoted manager) in Jim Timony, the man responsible for making a second-string vaudevillian into a box-office sensation. In "Courting Mae West," Neal Sims will portray the Irish-American attorney and star-maker. The versatile Mr. Sims — — a man of a million accents and moods — — will also take the part of Mae's director Edward Elsner, newsdealer Isidore, and other roles. Additionally, he is the Assistant Director for the production.
• • Neal Sims was born and bred in Jay Gatsby country. Trained at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, he took Shakespeare classes with Mrs. Ian Richardson.
• • His credits encompass both acting and directing achievements. Projects he has taken part in include: the New York premiere of "The Chill on Lake St. Clair" at Pulse; "Charles Busch's Sleeping Beauty or Coma"; "Psycho Sorority Girl"; "Bad Dames Go to Hell"; "Poverty Row Horror Show"; and "Jock Jupiter" — — all at the Red Room — — "Damaged Dames" at Under St. Mark's; and "Bad Dames Go to Hell" for Spotlite On's 2004 Halloween Festival (where he won the Frankie Award for best director). Neal Sims also directed and acted in two shows for the New York International Fringe Festival: "The Greatest B-Movie Ever Told" [2005] and "Vice Girl Confidential" [2006]. A classic film buff, he is thrilled to be part of a project about the one and only Mae West.
• • "COURTING MAE WEST" opens at 6 o'clock on Saturday night July 19, 2008 at the Algonquin Theatre [East 24th Street and Park Avenue South].
• •
"COURTING MAE WEST" — — showtimes
• • July 19th, 2008 — — 6:00 PM
• • July 20th, 2008 — — 2:00 PM matinee
• • July 21st, 2008 — — 6:00 PM
• • July 22nd, 2008 — — 9:00 PM
• • Tickets to "COURTING MAE WEST" are $18 per adult.
• •
Theatermania.com sells the tickets — — http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/144297
• • Questions? Phone 212-779-3051.
• • The play is 95 minutes.

• • Get ready to come up and see Mae West, Texas Guinan, and the gang onstage in mid-July 2008.
________________________________________________________________
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• • Photo: Mae West cast
• • Neal Sims • •

Mae West.

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