FROM THE PLAYWRIGHTS
Ann
Bannon’s CHRONICLES are perennial favorites and have been read by
generations of budding lesbians. These five books create a window into
lesbian life in pre-Stonewall Greenwich Village. We decided to adapt
three of the novels, not as a big wigged, campy romp, but rather to
explore the emotionally resonant stories of our four primary
characters.
We
welcome the humor emerging from our contemporary reading of the
fifty-year old texts and have included some of the original language to
give you a sense of these books. We plan to adapt other works from the
lesbian canon.
- Kate Moira Ryan and Linda S. Chapman
BEEBO
BRINKER CHRONICLES
A Short History of the Play’s
Development
August 2001
–
Kate Moira Ryan and Linda S. Chapman celebrate year
twelve of their theatrical
friendship over martinis at The Hanover Inn during NYTW’s Dartmouth
Summer Residency and
embark on a new project together. They decide to adapt Ann Bannon’s
evergreen Beebo Brinker
Chronicles for the stage.
September 10, 2003;
February 23, 2004; May 18, 2004; January 10, 2005 –
Readings of the first
through fourth drafts of BEEBO BRINKER CHRONICLES in the rehearsal
studio at New York
Theatre Workshop, all directed by Leigh Silverman.
Many thanks to the reading participants: Carolyn Baeumler, Addie
Johnson, Mark Nelson, Darren
Pettie, Larry Pine, David Pittu, Kelly Simpkins, Samantha Soule, Daniel
Talbot, Stephen Barker Turner and Anna Foss Wilson.
Fall 2006 – Kate
and Linda decide to commence with a Showcase
production of the play. Elyse
Singer and the Hourglass Group
join the endeavor and come on board as the producer. Planning and
fundraising activities commence.
April 23, 2007 –
A BEEBO AFFAIR, fundraising event for the production,
takes place at Friedrike
Merck’s loft on West 23rd Street, with guest appearances by Kate
Clinton, Carmelita Tropicana,
Roberta Maxwell, Lola Pashalinski, Carolyn Baeumler, Anna Foss Wilson,
Johnnie Moore and Saidah
Arrika Ekulona.
September 4, 2007
– Rehearsals begin for BEEBO BRINKER CHRONICLES at The Fourth Street
Theatre, a project of the Jonathan Larson Lab.
October 1, 2007 -
Opening Night at The Fourth Street Theatre
October 28, 2007 - Closing Night downtown
February 19, 2008 - BEEBO moves
Off-Broadway!