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Creator
Ludlam, Charles
Call number
*T-Mss 1990-003
Physical description
11.7 linear feet (28 boxes)
Preferred Citation
Charles Ludlam papers, Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library
Repository
Billy Rose Theatre Division
Location
*T-Mss 1990-003
Access to materials
Request an in-person research appointment.

Charles Ludlam, actor, director, and playwright, was born April 12, 1943. He began his career in 1966 with the PlayHouse of the Ridiculous, both as a performer and playwright. Artistic differences caused Ludlam to leave and form his own company, The Ridiculous Theatrical Company, which achieved international recognition. Ludlam's three most successful plays were BLUEBEARD, STAGE BLOOD, and CAMILLE. Although the company attracted grant funding, it was always on the edge of the avant-garde and finances were uncertain. The company made its final tour with Ludlam in the first months of 1980 and then disbanded. Ludlam died on May 28, 1987. The collection consists of diaries, notebooks, scripts, set and costume designs, clippings, transcripts of interviews, and manuscript pages from a published collection of Ludlam's plays. This material was collected as research material for The Complete Plays of Charles Ludlam. The material provides valuable insight into every stage of Ludlam's playwriting process from the development of an idea to its realization on stage. Since Ludlam relied so heavily on improvisation, the information contained in the notebooks and plot outlines in this collection cannot be found anywhere else.

Scope and arrangement

The Charles Ludlam papers are arranged in eleven series:

  • I. Notebooks

    The series begins with Ludlam's personal diaries and notes. The notebooks consist primarily of fragmentary ideas relating to several different produced and unproduced plays. Since most of the notebooks contain notes from several different plays and there is no apparent order to the contents of the notebooks, they are arranged alphabetically by the first or most important play. The majority of the notebooks are undated. Although there is a series for costume and set designs, there are some sketches in the notebook series.

  • II. Research Files

    This series consists of series consists of material that Ludlam collected on clowns and set designs arranged alphabetically by subject.

  • III. Scripts and Notes

    This series consists of series consists of notes, plot outlines, and scripts for produced and unproduced plays arranged alphabetically by title. There is also some promotional material.

  • IV. Costume Sketches and Set Designs

    This series consists primarily of costume and set design sketches arranged alphabetically by play title. There are also unidentified set designs and sketches.

  • V. Clippings, Photographs, and Programmes

    This series consists of advertisements, reviews, programmes and promotional material arranged alphabetically by kind of material and play title.

  • VI. Oversized Material

    This series consists of sketchbooks, costume and set designs, storyboards, a portrait, and a photograph. The material is arranged by size.

  • VII. Awards
  • VIII. Published Articles By and About Ludlam
  • IX. Unpublished Essays and Notes By and About Ludlam
  • X. Interviews with Ludlam
  • XI. The Complete Plays of Charles Ludlam

    This series consists of annotated manuscript pages, edited scripts arranged by title, unbound pages, foul manuscript pages, and pasted page proofs (sampled) from Samuels's book.

Administrative information

Source of acquisition

gift, Steven Samuels, 05/--/90

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Location

Billy Rose Theatre Division
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center
40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498
Third Floor