Women Behind Bars

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Women Behind Bars is a camp black comedy play by Tom Eyen, parodying the prison exploitation films produced by Universal, Warner Bros. and Republic Pictures during the 1950s.

Plot[]

Set in the Women's House of Detention in Greenwich Village, there is, among the range of women, an innocent young woman, a chain-smoking street-wise tough girl, and a delicate Southern belle reminiscent of Blanche DuBois. The innocent was framed by her husband on a charge of armed robbery, and is brutalized, betrayed and sexually assaulted throughout her eight-year sentence. She is ultimately broken by the system and leaves jail as a hard-edged, gum-chomping drug dealer. These women are overseen by the prison's sadistic matron and her henchman.

Productions[]

Original 1975 production[]

The original production at the off-Broadway Astor Place Theatre opened on May 1, 1975, featuring Pat Ast, Helen Hanft, Mary-Jennifer Mitchell and Sharon Barr. Alan Eichler was co-producer and press representative.^[1]

1976 revival[]

The play was revived in 1976 at the Truck and Warehouse Theatre in New York with Pink Flamingos star Divine as the matron.^[1] It quickly developed a cult following and became a success.^[2]

1977 London production[]

In 1977 the play, again starring Divine as the matron, had a successful run at the Whitehall Theatre in the West End of London. Fiona Richmond co-starred.^[3]

1983 revival[]

The play was revived once again in Los Angeles in 1983, directed by Ron Link and featuring Lu Leonard, Adrienne Barbeau and Sharon Barr. The LA production ran for almost a year, first at the Cast Theater and then moving to the Roxy Theatre.^[4] Sally Kellerman and Linda Blair later joined the cast.

2012 live reading[]

On May 7, 2012, The New Group presented a reading of the play, directed by Scott Elliott.^[5][6]

Cast

• Charles Busch as the matron
• Halley Feiffer as Mary-Eleanor
• Janeane Garofalo as Louise
• Nancy Giles as Jo-Jo
• Josh Hamilton as the men
• Natasha Lyonne as Cheri
• Cynthia Nixon as Blanche
• Rosie O'Donnell as Gloria
• Daphne Rubin-Vega as Guadalupe
• Rhea Perlman as Granny and The Warden
• Jennifer Tilly as Ada

2020 Revival[]

A large-scale revival played the Montalbán Theatre in Los Angeles in January, 2020, presented by Winbrook Productions and "Just Pow" Productions.^{[7] [8]} The production was conceived and directed by Scott Thompson.^[9] A new title song and background score was composed by Fred Barton.

Cast

• Kathy Griffin, Host
• Traci Lords as Gloria
• Eureka O'Hara as the Matron
• Mink Stole as Granny and The Warden
• Miss Coco Peru as Louise
• Ginger Minj as Ada
• Chi Chi DeVayne as Jo-Jo
• Suzie Kennedy as Cheri
• Poppy Fields as Blanche
• Wesley Woods as The Men
• Adrienne Couper Smith as Mary-Eleanor
• Tatiana Monteiro as Guadalupe

Contemporary[]

Women Behind Bars continues to be produced by gay repertory companies, such as San Francisco's Theatre Rhinoceros.^[10]

Reception[]

The subtle lesbianism apparent in the original B movies is emphasized comedically throughout. The New York Times described the play as "an extraordinarily interesting work from one of America's most innovative and versatile playwrights."^[11]

Sequel[]

Eyen and Divine wrote a 1978 follow-up play called The Neon Woman, which was produced in New York and San Francisco.^[12]

References[]

External links[]

• 1984 New York Times review
• Review of 2006 production
• Article about New Group reading (2012)