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Judson Poets' Theater Productions

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Following is a listing of plays presented by Judson Poets' Theater from 1961 to 1981.  This list is based on files from the Judson archives which are now part of the The Fales Library and Special Collections at NYU. 

Productions were generally (but not always) presented over three consecutive weekends.  This is our first attempt (in late 2008) at presenting a complete list.  We acknowledge that there may be omissions and mistakes.  Please help us.  If you have additional information please contact assistant@judson.org

We would like to acknowledge and thank the Village Voice for information about the Obie Awards.  In many cases the Obie Award was presented to the Off-Broadway production rather than the original production presented by the Judson Poets’ Theater.  They are included here to give an idea of the importance of the work being created and presented.

First Perf. Title Author(s) Director
Nov. 18, 1961 "The Great American Desert" Joel Oppenheimer Lawrence Kornfeld
Nov. 18, 1961 "Breasts of Tiresias" Guillaume Appollinaire
music by Jackson MacLow
Robert Nichols
Jan. 11, 1962 "The Contest" Ursule Molinaro Lawrence Kornfeld
Jan. 11, 1962 "Deep Evil" Howard Hart, music by
Don Heckman
Charles Creasap
Jan. 11, 1962 "Second Shepherd's Play" translated by
Robert Nichols
Al Carmines
March 3, 1962 "The In Out" Vincent Ferrini, music by
Charles Adams and
Carmen Moore
Robert Nichols
March 3, 1962 "The Reservation Martin Halpern Ellis Santone
March 3, 1962 "Inroads Rebuff'd or The Disdainful Evacuation" Dick Higgens  
May 8, 1962 "The Life of Man"    
"The Life of Man" was co-produced with The Reverends' Repertoire Co.
May 24, 1962 "The Women at the Tomb" Michel de Ghelderode Ellis Santone
May 24, 1962 "Jourmad" Derek Walcott Lawrence Kornfeld
Aug. 24, 1962 "Vaudeville Skit" George Dennison,
music by Al Carmines
Remy Charlip (?)
Lawrence Kornfeld (?)
Aug 24, 1962 "The Executives" C.V.J. Anderson Peter Feldman
Oct. 25, 1962 "The Devil's Mother" Spencer Holst Leonard Hicks
Oct. 25, 1962 "Malcauchon" Derek Walcott Lawrence Kornfeld
Dec. 14, 1962 "The Nativity Plays of the York Mysteries" adapted by
George Dennison
Lawrence Kornfeld
Jan. 25, 1963 "Miss Right" Joel Oppenheimer,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Jan. 25, 1963 "God is My Ram" Andrew Susac Martin Bard
March 21, 1963 "Murder Cake" Dianne Di Prima James Waring
March 21, 1963 "Service for Joseph Axminister" George Dennison Lawrence Kornfeld
April 4, 1963 "Masks of Angels" Notis Peryalis John Chace
June 13, 1963 "The Decapitated Taxi" Robert Nichols Robert Nichols
June 13, 1963 "The Wax Engine" Robert Nichols and
Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
July 26, 1963 "The Birthday" Paul Goodman,
music by Al Carmines
Al Carmines
July 26, 1963 "Hagar and Ishmael" Paul Goodman Lawrence Kornfeld
Sept. 19, 1963 "What Happened" Gertrude Stein and
Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Al Carmines and Lawrence Kornfeld both won an Obie Award for "What Happened".
Sept. 19, 1963 "Asphodel, in Hell's Despite" John Weiners, music by John Herbert McDowell Jerry Benjamin
designed by Andy Warhol
Oct. 17, 1963 "Poet's Vaudeville" Diane Di Prima, music by John Herbert McDowell James Waring
Nov. 28, 1963 "Bust of a Lunatic" Donald Kvares Maralyn Chriss and
Al Carmines
Nov. 28, 1963 "Hurrah, It's Lewis Carroll Day" Dan Katzman, music by John Herbert McDowell Lawrence Kornfeld
The first performance of "Bust of Lunatic" and "Hurrah, It's Lewis Carroll Day" was delayed a week because of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy.
Jan. 10, 1964 "Pantagleise" Michel de Ghelderode, music by Al Carmines Larry Loonin
Jan. 10, 1964 "The Old Tune" Robert Pinget, (translated by Samuel Becket), 
music by Al Carmines
Peter Feldman
March 20, 1964 "Home Movies" Rosalyn Drexler,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
March 20, 1964 "The Bitch of Waverly Place" Arthur Sainer,
music by Paul Knoff
Stephen Aaron
April 22, 1964 "Simeon and Joseph"    
April 22, 1964 "The Judgement"    
July 10, 1964 "Leonce and Lena" Georg Buchner,
music by Hector Berlioz
Lawrence Kornfeld
July 10, 1964 "Patter for a Soft Shoe Dance" George Dennison,
music by Al Carmines
Al Carmines
"Patter for a Soft Shoe Dance was co-produced with the Pocket Theater.
Sept. 18, 1964 "The Hundred and First" Kenneth Cameron Larry Loonin
Sept. 18, 1964 "Three Thousand Red Ants" Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Rilke W. Stevens (?) Lawrence Sacharow
Sept. 24, 1964 "For Madeleine Renaud" composite of Ranier Maria Rilke, Wallace Stevens, Emily Dickenson, W.A. Mozart, Ralph Humphrey, Aileen Passloff, Lawrence Kornfeld Lawrence Kornfeld
Oct. 30, 1964 "Central Park Bench #33 Flight 20" Cecilia Prada, music by John Herbert McDowell Peter Feldman
Oct. 30, 1964 "The Sightseer" Tom LaBar Al Carmines
Dec. 19, 1964 "Sing Ho for a Bear" R. Sargent and
Lawrence Kornfeld,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
In 1964 Rosalyn Drexler received an Obie Award for Distinguished Plays for "Home Movies".
In 1964 Lawrence Kornfeld won an Obie Award for Distinguished Direction of "What Happened".
In 1964 Judson Poets' Theater won an Obie Award for Best Production (musical) for "What Happened".
In 1964 Al Carmines won an Obie Award for Best Music for "Home Movies" and "What Happened"
In 1964 Judson Memorial Church received a Special Citation Obie Award for its sponsorship of experiment and experimenters in the performing arts, through the Judson Poets' Theater and the Judson Dance Theater.
Feb. 12, 1965 "The String Game" Rochelle Owens,
songs by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Feb. 12, 1965 "Lesson in Understanding" Bertolt Brecht (translated by Gerhard Nelhaus) George Wljtasik
April 9, 1965 "Promenade" Maria Irene Fornés,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
In 1965 Maria Irene Fornès won an Obie Award for Distinguished Plays for "Promenade" and
"The Successful Life of Three"
April 9, 1965 "Devices" Kenneth H. Brown" Lawrence Kornfeld
May 22, 1965 "Street Plays"    
June 4, 1965 "Harmony" George Dennison,
music by Peter Lewis
Lawrence Kornfeld
June 4, 1965 "Nice Place You Got Here" Richard Falcone Al Carmines
June 4, 1965 "Three Sisters Who Are Not Sisters" Gertrude Stein, music by
John Herbert McDowell
Michael Smith
Summer 1965 "The Sheep and the Cheapskate"    
Summer 1965 "Remember the Thirties"    
The program during the summer of 1965 was co-produced with the El-Dorado Players
Sept. 17, 1965 "Istanboul" Rochelle Owens,
music by Teiji Ito
Lawrence Kornfeld
Sept. 17, 1965 "The Monster" Richard Falcone,
music by Al Carmines
Al Carmines
Oct. 29, 1965 "Private Potato Patch of Greta Garbo" J. Roy Sullivan,
music by Al Carmines
Peter Feldman
Oct. 29, 1965 "You're as Old as Your Arteries" Alex Kemeny,
music by Joe Raposo
Jacques Levy
Dec. 10, 1965 "Play I, Play II, Play III" Gertrude Stein Lawrence Kornfeld
Dec. 10, 1965 "A Beautiful Day" (seven poem plays) Ruth Krauss,
music by Al Carmines
Remy Charlip
Jan. 21, 1966 "Red Cross" Sam Shepard Jacque Levy
In 1966 Sam Shepard won an Obie for Distinguished Plays for" Chicago," "Icarus's Mother," and "Red Cross"
In 1966 Florence Tarlow won an Obie Award for Distinguished Performances in "Istanboul," "Red Cross," and "A Beautiful Day"
Jan. 21, 1966 "Antigone" Sophocles (translation and adaptation by
Theodore Stinchecum), music by Alan Stout
Theodore Stinchecum
March 4, 1966 "Pomegranada" H.M. Koutoukas,
music by Al Carmines
Al Carmines
March 4, 1966 "After Closing" Roy Martz, music by
John Herbert McDowell
Lawrence Sacharow
April 22, 1966 "The Pelican" August Strindberg, (translated by
Evert Springhorn)
Lawrence Kornfeld
April 22, 1966 "Hector the Heroic!" Mark Zalk, music by
Robert Cosmos Savage
Jacques Levy
"Hector the Heroic!" was presented in cooperation with The Open Theatre
"Judson Revivals" (listed below)  were presented as a benefit for Judson Memorial Church. 
May 22, 1966 "Patter for a Soft-Shoe Dance" George Dennison,
music by Al Carmines
Choreographed by
Remy Charlip
May 22, 1966 "The Mind is a Muscle"   Choreographed by
Yvonne Rainer
May 22, 1966 "March & Tambourine Dance"   Choreographed & danced by James Waring
May 22, 1966 "Home Movies" Rosalyn Drexler,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
May 26, 1966 "Promenade" Maria Irene Fornès,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
May 26, 1966 "Morning Raga with Yell Chair to Joyce"   Choreographed & danced by Arlene Rothlein
May 26, 1966 "April and December"   Choreographed by
Remy Charlip, danced by
Aileen Passloff
May 26, 1966 "What Happened" Gertrude Stein,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
June 3, 1966 "Pomegranada" H.M. Koutoukas,
music by Al Carmines
Al Carmines
June 3, 1966 "Manu and the Fish"   Choreographed by
Sabina Nordof, danced by Aileen Passloff and
Remy Charlip
June 3, 1966 "What's the Big Idea 123"   Choreographed & danced by Katherine Litz
June 3, 1966 "A Beautiful Day" Ruth Krauss,
music by Al Carmines
Remy Charlip
June 24, 1966 "An Audio-Visual" Roberts Blossom Roberts Blossom
June 24, 1966 "Revenge on Little Orphan Annie" Howard Haut, music by
John Herbert McDowell and Robert Cosmos Savage
Crystal Field
June 24, 1966 "Black Traveler" choreographed and danced by Beverly Schmidt
June 24, 1966 "La Luz" Roberts Blossom Roberts Blossom
Oct. 7. 1966 "The Lion" Amos Kenan (translated by Rosette Lamont) Peter Feldman
Oct. 7. 1966 "Scene from Street Play" Robert Nichols Al Carmines
Nov. 11, 1966 "The Love Cure" Molière, (translated by
John Wood),
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Nov. 11, 1966 "Tightrope Walker" Maryat Lee Foulkes Taylor
In 1966 H.M. Koutoukas received a special Obie Award for the style and energy of his assaults on the theatre in both playwrighting and production.
Jan. 1, 1967 "San Francisco's Burning" Helen Adams (with Pat Adams),
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Feb. 24, 1967 "What Happened" Gertrude Stein and
Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld (?)
Feb. 24, 1967 "Dances"    
March 12, 1967 "Gorilla Queen" Ronald Tavel, music by
Robert Cosmos Savage
Lawrence Kornfeld
April 21, 1967 "An Assessment at the Present Time as it Appears to Informed Sources in Manhattan" Marc Kaminsky, music by John Herbert McDowell Paul Zimet
April 21, 1967 "Five Dances"    
April 21, 1967 "Song of Songs" adaptation and music by
Al Carmines
Choreography by
Remy Charlip
June 2, 1967 "Successful Life of Three" Maria Irene Fornés,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
June 2, 1967 "Celebrations" ("Annunciations" and "Aunt Mary") Maria Irene Fornés and Arlene Rothlein,
music by Al Carmines
Maria Irene Fornés
Aug. 3, 1967 "Mask Dance" Phoebe Neville Judson Dance Theater
Aug. 3, 1967 "Recipe" Elizabeth Keen Judson Dance Theater
Aug. 3, 1967 "Leg Ballad" Jim Hardy Judson Dance Theater
Aug. 3, 1967 "Folie-a-deux" Edward Portnoy Al Carmines
Aug. 31, 1967 "Cops Out" Alex Kemeny  
Oct. 6, 1967 "Big Projects, I Suppose" Alex Kemeny  
Oct. 6, 1967 "In Circles" Gertrude Stein,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Gertrude Stein and Al Carmines won a 1968 Obie Award for Best Musical for "In Circles"
Nov. 22, 1967 "Arena of Lutetia" Ron Tavel,
music by Herbert Kaplan
Ronald Tavel
Dec. 13, 1967 "Sing Ho for a Bear" Robert Sargent and Lawrence Kornfeld,
music by  Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Jan. 26, 1968 "Untitled Play" Lanford Wilson Marshall Mason
Jan. 26, 1968 "Sayings of Mao Tse-Tung" Mao Tse-Tung,
music by Al Carmines
Remy Charlip
For more information about "Untitle Play" and "Sayings of Mao Tse-Tung" see Chapter 6 of Lynda Leonard Confessore's Master's Thesis referenced at the bottom of the ARTS->Theater page.
Feb. 5. 1968 "Celebration"    
Feb. 5. 1968 "Sayings of Mao Tse-Tung" Mao Tse-Tung,
music by Al Carmines
Remy Charlip
March 15, 1968 "The Line of Least Existence" Rosalyn Drexler,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
May 3, 1968 "The Making of a Senseless Play" Joseph Ponzi Melvin Sokolsky and Joseph Ponzi
May 9, 1968 "Dr. Kheal" Maria Irene Fornés Remy Charlip
May 9, 1968 "Do Not Go Gentle" Robert Upton Al Carmines
Nov. 1, 1968 "Aristophanes' Peace" translated by
Tim Reynolds,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Nov. 22, 1968 "Arenas of Lutetia" Ronald Tavel Ronald Tavel
Dec. 22, 1968 "The Poor Little Match Girl" Arthur Williams,
music by Al Carmines
James Waring
"The Poor Little Match Girl" was produced in association with the New Gaiety American Operetta Company.
Feb. 8, 1969 "Closer Since the Shooting" Francine Winant Ellis Santone
Feb. 8, 1969 "A Spike of Grain Bursts from the Lips"   Choreographed by
Aileen Passloff
Feb. 8, 1969 "Salute"   Choreographed by
James Waring
May 16, 1969 "Mid-Kingdom of Lions" Robert Mason Faber  
June 20, 1969 "Chinese Dancer" Roberts Blossom Roberts Blossom (?)
June 20, 1969 "A Rehearsal" Wendell Metzger (?)  
June 20, 1969 "The Eleventh Dynasty" Wendell Metzger  
Oct. 29, 1969 "The Urban Crisis" Al Carmines and
Robert Nichols
Al Carmines and
Robert Nichols
November 1969 "Three Women"    
November 1969 "Dracula" Choreographed, staged, and danced by
Katherine Litz & company
(see the PDF version of the review in Vogue)
Dec. 14, 1969 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
Feb. 20, 1970 "Little Burgundy" and "Manitoba" Guy Gauthier Russ Treyz
April 12, 1970 "About Time" Theo Barnes,
music by Al Carmines
(one section used words from Ecclesiastes)
Theo Barnes directed the portion he wrote, but not the Ecclesiastes section
Sept. 11, 1970 "Dracula:  Sabbat" Leon Katz, music by
John Herbert McDowell
Lawrence Kornfeld
Lawrence Kornfeld won a 1971 Obie Award for his direction of "Dracula: Sabbat"
Oct. 18, 1970 "The Playful Tyrant" Al Carmines
(an adaptation of Camus' "Caligula")
Gus Solomons, Jr.
Dec. 13, 1970 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
Feb. 15, 1971 "Remembering - Songs from the Teens, Twenties and Thirties: Al Carmines and
David Vaughan
 
Feb. 18, 1971 "Three Words in No Time" Lyon Phelps Lyon Phelps
Feb. 18, 1971 "It's Got to be Black or White?" Lyon Phelps Lyon Phelps
Feb. 18, 1971 "Four Actors and a Restaurant" Lyon Phelps Lyon Phelps
Feb. 26, 1971 "The Journey of Snow White" Al Carmines Al Carmines, movement by
Gus Solomons, Jr.
June 7, 1971 "The Sand Castle" Warren Giarraputo Clinton Atkinson
June 7, 1971 "Royal Flesh" Mary Feldhaus-Weber Clinton Atkinson and Deborah Jowitt
July 9, 1971 "Soundworks, Weed To Woman" by Tom Kilpatrick and Eunice Muyskens
(from their poetry)
Choreography by
Sharon Chouinard
"Soundworks, Weed to Woman" was presented as a benefit for Judson Memorial Church
Sept. 17, 1971 "Wanted" David Epstein,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Nov. 19, 1971 "Joan" Al Carmines Al Carmines,
staging consultant
Gus Solomons, Jr.
Dec. 17, 1971 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
April 14, 1972 "A Look at the Fifties" Al Carmines Al Carmines
Sept. 29, 1972 "The Life of a Man" Al Carmines Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
Nov. 10, 1972 "The Making of Americans" Gertrude Stein (adaptation by Leon Katz),
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Dec. 15, 1972 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
April 13, 1973 "The Faggot" Al Carmines Al Carmines,
choreography by
David Vaughan
April 23, 1973 "An Easter Parade of Old Songs" Al Carmines and
David Vaughan
 
Oct. 26, 1973 "Religion" Al Carmines Al Carmines
Dec. 14, 1973 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
March 22, 1974 "The Future" Al Carmines Al Carmines,
choreography by
Dan Wagoner
Oct. 11, 1974 "Listen to Me" Gertrude Stein,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Lawrence Kornfeld won a 1974 Obie Award for his direction of "Listen to Me"
Dec 18, 1974 "Christmas '74" A pastiche of pop songs assembled by
Al Carmines
 
Feb. 28, 1975 "Sacred and Profane Love" Al Carmines Al Carmines,
choreography by
Katherine Litz
March 29, 1975 "The Journey of Snow White" Al Carmines Al Carmines,
choreography by
Katherine Litz
Oct. 10, 1975 "Why I Love New York"   Directed by Leonard Peters, musical numbers staged by
Robert Herget
Dec. 12, 1975 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
Jan. 8, 1976 "Three Evenings on a Revolving Stage"    
Feb. 20, 1976 "The Bonus Army" David Epstein,
music by  Al Carmines
Jacques Levy
May 20, 1976 "Camp Meeting" Al Carmines Robert Herget
Nov. 5, 1976 "The Beast:  A Meditation on Beauty" Al Carmines Al Carmines, movement by
Dan Wagoner
Dec. 9, 1976 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
April 22, 1977 "A Manoir" Gertrude Stein,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Margaret Wright won at 1977 Obie Award for her performance in "A Manoir"
Dec. 5, 1977 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
March 8, 1978 Newman Retrospective -
Five Films by Robert Newman
   
March 31, 1978 "Tatyana Repina" Anton Chekov (translated by John Racin) Arne Zaslove
Nov. 3, 1978 "In Praise of Death" Al Carmines Director & Choreographer  Dan Wagoner
Dec. 14, 1978 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
June 16, 1979 "A Summer Bouquet of Songs" Al Carmines and
David Vaughan
 
Carmines and Vaughan 9th annual benefit
July 27, 1979 "Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah" Al Carmines Robert Herget
Oct. 26, 1979 "Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights" Gertrude Stein,
music by Al Carmines
Lawrence Kornfeld
Dec. 12, 1979 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan
In 1979 Al Carmines won a an Obie Award for Sustained Achievement
May 25, 1980 "A Nosegay of Old Songs" Al Carmines and
David Vaughan
 
Oct. 3, 1980 "The Agony of Paul" Al Carmines Al Carmines
Dec. 12, 1980 "Christmas Rappings" Bible passages,
music by Al Carmines
Choreography by
Dan Wagoner and
David Vaughan

March 20, 1981

"T.S. Eliot:  Midwinter Vigilante"

Al Carmines

Al Carmines

  last updated December, 2008  

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