Westbeth Playwrights' Feminist Collective records
Call Number
Date
Creator
Extent
Language of Materials
Abstract
Records of the short-lived but groundbreaking Westbeth Playwrights' Feminist Collective, one of the earliest feminist theater groups in the United States. Incorporated 1972 and dissolved 1976, the WPFC was headquartered at the historic Westbeth Artists' Housing on West Street, Manhattan, and produced plays by feminist authors focused on issues central to the women's movement like sexual harassment and workplace inequality. The collection includes scripts, publicity material, articles and reviews, some correspondence, ephemera, and photographs of select production scenes and WPFC members.
Historical Note
The Westbeth Playwrights' Feminist Collective (WPFC)—named for its headquarters in the Westbeth Artists' Housing (in the historic Bell Telephone Laboratories Complex at 445-465 West Street, Manhattan)—was one of the earliest feminist theater groups in the United States. Incorporated on 19 October 1972, its founding members included the multitalented playwrights Helen Duberstein, Hélène Dworzan, Patricia Horan, Gwendolyn Gunn, Christina (a.k.a. Chryse) Maile, Sally Ordway, Dolores Deane Walker, and Susan Yankowitz. Its board of sponsors, a who's who of American feminism of the day, included theatre critic Margaret Croyden, activist Florynce Kennedy, poet Muriel Rukeyser, and Ms. magazine cofounder Gloria Steinem.
The plays of the WPFC focused on issues at the core of the women's movement like sexual harassment, workplace inequality, dominance and submission, and the exclusion of female celebrants by the religious patriarchy. Productions were staged in several Manhattan venues, among them the Theatre for the New City, Joseph Jefferson Company, and—at Westbeth—the Westbeth Cabaret and Gallery Theater. Titles include "Rape-In" (May 1971), "Up! An Uppity Revue" (February 1972), "Wicked Women Revue" (January 1973), "? ! A Revue" (May 1973), "We Can Feed Everybody Here" (January 1974), "What Time of Night It Is" (May 1974), "Medea" (January 1975), and "Jumpin' Salty" (April 1975). As publicity for "Jumpin' Salty"—which showcased the lives of notable women in American history like birth control advocate Margaret Sanger and the largely female victims of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire—the WPFC organized a march through Greenwich Village, with stops to hear speakers at sites connected to the women and events.
The WPFC staged a production of the Gertrude Stein-Virgil Thomson opera based on the life of Susan B. Anthony, "The Mother of Us All" (April-May 1976). They also sponsored readings by poets like Judy Grahn and Honor Moore, and hosted screenings of the work of women filmmakers.
The WPFC disbanded in 1976. Its members went on to pursue individual careers. Some continued (and continue) to write for the stage. Others became lawyers, bishops, printmakers, and landscape architects.
[This note is drawn from information in the collection, as well as the WPFC Wikipedia page, which supplies a detailed chronology of productions and credits for writing, directing, cast, and staging support.]
Arrangement
The bulk of the Westbeth Playwrights' Feminist Collective Records came to the New-York Historical Society in generally clearly labeled file folders. Titles or headings supplied by the archivist appear in [brackets]. Some of the original folders—all of which have been retained—bear notations on the contents inside (e.g., "Corrs. Answered NR" for "correspondence answered by Nancy Rhodes, WPFC Administrative Director"; see box 1, folder 3). The file contents have been transferred to archival folders, and the original label text has been transcribed onto the archival folders and repeated in the container list. Only the books and magazines in boxes 1 and 2 arrived loose; they have been grouped under the heading "Print matter." Similarly, the files for WPFC productions, each of which was labeled separately, have been unified under the heading "Productions." In cases where productions had more than one file, those files have been brought together inside a single archival folder—except for "What Time of Night It Is," which fills two (see box 2, folders 10–11). The files are in alphabetical order, with the above-mentioned print matter and productions appearing under those headings.
Scope and Contents
Although the Westbeth Playwrights' Feminist Collective Records contain scattered materials dating from as recently as 2015, the bulk of the collection stems from the period of the organization's existence, 1971–1975. It includes foundational documents (certificate of incorporation; petition for dissolution; see box 1, folder 2), information on grants received from the New York State Council on the Arts (box 1, folder 4), correspondence (box 1, folder 3), and photographs of members and select productions (box 1, folder 5). Most of the other items document WPFC productions through small-format posters, flyers, and programs (box 1, folder 6; box 3, folder 6), press releases (box 3, folder 4), and articles and reviews (box 1, folder 1). Production-specific materials include scripts, box office reports, and, in two cases, tape recordings of music for the performances (box 2, folders 6 and 10). [Note that until these tapes have been preservation reformatted, they may not be played.] Many of the WPFC productions were multi-authored revues, or series of short sketches; some scripts are lacking, and these have been noted by the donor (see the container list, box 2, folders 5–9).
Subjects
Organizations
People
Access Restrictions
Open to qualified researchers.
Photocopying undertaken by staff only. Limited to twenty exposures of stable, unbound material per day. (Researchers may not accrue unused copy amounts from previous days.)
Note: Until the audio tapes in box 2, folders 6 and 10 have been preservation reformatted, they may not be played.
Use Restrictions
This collection is owned by the New-York Historical Society. The copyright law of the United States governs the making of photocopies and protects unpublished materials as well as published materials. Unpublished materials created before 1 January 1978 cannot be quoted in publication without permission of the copyright holder.
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as the Westbeth Playwrights' Feminist Collective Records, MS 3056, The New-York Historical Society.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Dolores Walker, January 2018.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Archivist Joseph Ditta processed this collection in June 2018.
Repository
View Inventory
Articles and reviews, 1972-1975
Scope and Contents
Includes color photographs of WPFC founding member Dolores Walker reading at the site of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Fire (23–29 Washington Place) and outside the Public Theater (425 Lafayette Street) as part of the march anticipating the production of "Jumpin' Salty" (see box 3, folder 2).
[Certificate of Incorporation, tax exempt status, grants, dissolution], 1972-1976
Correspondence, 1972-2011 (bulk, 1972-1974)
Scope and Contents
A number of the letters are from educators and college students seeking information on the WPFC's productions and available scripts. Includes correspondence and contracts for readings and workshops sponsored by Poets and Writers, Inc.
New York State Council on the Arts, 1972-1975
Scope and Contents
The WPFC was partially funded by the New York State Council on the Arts. Folder includes projected budgets, financial statements, author biographies, and filing instructions.
Photographs, 1971-2015 (bulk, 1971-1975)
Scope and Contents
Includes images of WPFC productions such as "Rape-In" (1971), "? ! A Revue" (1973), and "Wicked Women Revue" (1973), photographs of WPFC members at the time of the Collective's existence (1971-1975), and a color print of Marjorie Melnick, Christina Maile, Gwendolyn Gunn, Dolores Walker, Nancy Rhodes, and Helen Duberstein, taken during a 2015 interview.
Posters, flyers, chronology, programs, 1972-1975
Scope and Contents
Small-format signage for most of the WPFC's productions, programs, and workshops.
[Print matter] | The Drama Review, vol. 16, no. 2, 1972 June
Scope and Contents
Coverage of WPFC pp. 87-89: Charlotte Rea, "Women's Theatre Groups. (Photocopies of article also in box 1, folder 1.)
[Print matter] | Ms., vol. 1, no. 2, 1972 August
Scope and Contents
Coverage of WPFC pp. 17-22: Sondra Lowell, "The New Feminist Theater." (Photocopies of article also in box 1, folder 1.)
[Print matter] | VIVA: The International Magazine for Women, vol. 1, no. 8, 1974 May
Scope and Contents
Coverage of WPFC p. 39: Margaret Croyden, "Women Directors and Playwrights." (Photocopies of article also in box 1, folder 1.)
[Print matter] | Janet Brown, Feminist Drama: Definition & Critical Analysis (Scarecrow Press), 1979
Scope and Contents
References to WPFC pp. 87-89, 94-95, 101, 104.
[Print matter] | Christopher Olsen, Off-Off Broadway. The Second Wave: 1968-1980 (self published), 2011
Scope and Contents
Chapter 5, "Theatres with a Gender Focus," includes a section on WPFC, pp. 159-162.
[Production] | "Rape-In", 1971 May
Scope and Contents
Contains scripts for "There's a Wall Between Us Darling" (Sally Ordway), "Abide in Darkness" (Dolores Walker), "Across the Street" (Gwendolyn Gunn), and "The Prisoner -- A Monologue" (Chryse Maile). Includes a note on missing scripts.
[Production] | "Up! An Uppity Revue", 1972 February
Scope and Contents
Contains lyrics and recorded music (in the form of a reel of magnetic tape), and scripts for "Family, Family" (Sally Ordway), "Daddy's Little Girl" (Dolores Walker), "The Interview" (Dolores Walker and A. Piotrowski), "Turning the Tables" (Patricia Horan), "Propositions" (Susan Yankowitz), "Some of Your Biggies" (Patricia Horan), "A Few Concessions" (Patricia Horan), and "The Confessions of Clara" (Gwendolyn Gunn). Includes a note on missing scripts.
Restrictions
Until the audio tape in this file has been preservation reformatted, it may not be played.
[Production] | "Wicked Women Revue", 1973 January
Scope and Contents
Contains scripts for "Subway" (Patricia Horan), "Egos" (Patricia Horan), "Playthings" (Sally Ordway), "The Appetizer" (Dolores Walker), "Fly You, a.k.a. Fly Me" (Gwendolyn Gunn), "Promise Her Anything" (Sally Ordway), "I Want Your Heart, a.k.a. Hearts & Flowers" (Dolores Walker and A. Piotrowski), and "Animal Monologues" (Susan Yankowitz). Includes a note on missing scripts.
[Production] | "? ! A Revue", 1973 May
Scope and Contents
Contains scripts for "Oh Muse, Where Art Thou, Muse?" (Sally Ordway), "The Interview" (Dolores Walker and A. Piotrowski), "Museum of Mannequins" (Chyrse Maile), "Playthings" (Sally Ordway), "Family, Family" (Sally Ordway), "Daisy Snaps" (Chryse Maile), "Marathon" (Gwendolyn Gunn), "The Play Called Michigan" (Chryse Maile), and an untitled scene by Chryse Maile. Includes a note on missing scripts.
[Production] | "We Can Feed Everybody Here", 1974 January
Scope and Contents
Contains scripts for "Dorie Play" (Chryse Maile), "Among the Relics - The Gynecologist" (Gwendolyn Gunn), "Duet, a.k.a. Duet for Two Women" (Megan Terry), "Sex Wars - Matriarchy to Patriarchy" (Sally Ordway), and "Intelligent Life in the Universe" (Chryse Maile). Includes a note on missing scripts.
[Production] | "What Time of Night It Is" [2 folders], 1974 May
Scope and Contents
Includes script by Patricia Horan and Marjorie DeFazio, a cassette tape of music (restricted), budget sheets, production materials, fliers, programs, box office reports, and reviews.
Restrictions
Until the cassette tape in this file (folder 10) has been preservation reformatted, it may not be played.
[Production] | "Medea", 1975 January
Scope and Contents
Contains fliers, programs, production materials, and correspondence with author Gloria Albee.
[Production] | "Jumpin' Salty", 1975 April
Scope and Contents
Contains scripts for "Witnessing" (Dolores Walker), "Lena Horne Bites Her Tongue" (Chryse Maile), "Mabel Dodge" (Sally Ordway), "The Laundry Workers Present: Hatpin Bessie" (Linda Kline), "Willa-Willie-Bill's Dope Garden (a meditation in one act on Willa Cather)" (Megan Terry), "Margaret Sanger" (Gwendolyn Gunn), "Eartha Kitt Dressed in a White Fur Coat" (Chryse Maile). Also includes production materials, box office reports, and press clippings.
[Production] | "The Mother of Us All", 1976 April-May
Scope and Contents
Contains fliers, programs, reviews, and a photocopy of a letter from the composer Virgil Thomson to Nancy Rhodes, thanking the WPFC for producing his opera, based on the life of Susan B. Anthony and scored to a libretto by Gertrude Stein.
Publicity, 1971-1975
Scope and Contents
Press releases and articles (many duplicated elsewhere in the collection).
Stationery, [1971-1975]
Scope and Contents
Blank letterhead and envelopes with WPFC logo and names of playwrights (Gwendolyn Gunn, Patricia Horan, Chryse Maile, Sally Ordway, Dolores Walker, Susan Yankowitz), and board of sponsors (Margaret Croyden, Alice Denham, Elizabeth Fisher, Ellen Frankfort, Carol Greitzer, Tania [the artist born Tatiana Lewin], Florynce Kennedy, Eleanor Perry, Muriel Rukeyser, Alix Shulman, Anita Steckel, Gloria Steinem).
Workshops and programs, 1972-1974
Scope and Contents
Announcements and fliers for workshops and programs produced and sponsored by the WPFC.