Charles Ludlam
A LOOK AT CHARLES LUDLAM AND THE RIDICULOUS THEATRICAL COMPANY
Charles Ludlam was a playwright, a director, and an actor. He was the star of his own revival troupe, The Ridiculous Theatrical Company. During a twenty year career. (cut short as he lost his life to AIDS at age 47), he was awarded six Obie Awards , he wrote twenty nine plays and was reviewed by many as a brilliant actor. He studied theatre at Hofsta University and studied and perfected the techniques of the Stanislavsky method of acting. Ludlam’s acting skills included the ability to instill emotion and psychology into his parts. Ludlam considered himself a theatrical revolutionary, he rebelled by looking back to embrace lost traditions and conventions of the past. (Kaufman 168) As an actor he played the parts of both men and women. He felt it more important to portray the part emotionally than to look like the part. When Ludlam filled roles for his productions he casted the person that had a passion and the ability to accurately and effectively portray the character. Many times he casted himself for lead roles, both male and female. Casting was not based on gender or if you looked the part. My research for this paper is a look at the social era of 1960’s to 1980’s, the drag performance of Charles Ludlam and the Ridculous Theatrical Company. I begin with an historical overview of the social and political era of the late 1960’s and gay theatre. I start with the Stonewall riots in 1969 and continue with reviews of Ludlams style of acting focusing on his female roles. The conclusion of my paper and research focuses on the impact Charles Ludlam had on the public in regards to issues such as gender identity. My paper like Ludlam’s plays will have a beginning, middl, and an end. Charles Ludlam viewed “drag” much more complex than just dressing up, he was not just an impersonator or entertainer he was a professional actor. Ludlam performed is parts with passion and felt his parts
Charles Ludlam was a playwright, a director, and an actor. He was the star of his own revival troupe, The Ridiculous Theatrical Company. During a twenty year career. (cut short as he lost his life to AIDS at age 47), he was awarded six Obie Awards , he wrote twenty nine plays and was reviewed by many as a brilliant actor. He studied theatre at Hofsta University and studied and perfected the techniques of the Stanislavsky method of acting. Ludlam’s acting skills included the ability to instill emotion and psychology into his parts. Ludlam considered himself a theatrical revolutionary, he rebelled by looking back to embrace lost traditions and conventions of the past. (Kaufman 168) As an actor he played the parts of both men and women. He felt it more important to portray the part emotionally than to look like the part. When Ludlam filled roles for his productions he casted the person that had a passion and the ability to accurately and effectively portray the character. Many times he casted himself for lead roles, both male and female. Casting was not based on gender or if you looked the part. My research for this paper is a look at the social era of 1960’s to 1980’s, the drag performance of Charles Ludlam and the Ridculous Theatrical Company. I begin with an historical overview of the social and political era of the late 1960’s and gay theatre. I start with the Stonewall riots in 1969 and continue with reviews of Ludlams style of acting focusing on his female roles. The conclusion of my paper and research focuses on the impact Charles Ludlam had on the public in regards to issues such as gender identity. My paper like Ludlam’s plays will have a beginning, middl, and an end. Charles Ludlam viewed “drag” much more complex than just dressing up, he was not just an impersonator or entertainer he was a professional actor. Ludlam performed is parts with passion and felt his parts