Ronda Copland "OH! CALCUTTA!" Joe Roma / Lewd Charges 1969 San Francisco Program

Description

This is a rare October 1969 program (playbill) from the West Coast premiere engagement of the controversial musical revue "OH! CALCUTTA!" at the On Broadway Theatre in San Francisco, California. (The
Original Off-Broadway production
opened June 17th, 1969 at New York's Eden Theatre, transfered to the Belasco Theatre on February 17th, 1971, and closed on August 12th, 1972 after a total of 1,314 performances. A revival would open on
Broadway
at the
Edison Theatre
on September 24th, 1976 and close August 6th, 1989 after 5,959 performances. The revival briefly became the longest-running show in
Broadway
history.) ..... "OH! CALCUTTA!" is an
avant-garde
theatrical
revue
,
created by British drama critic
Kenneth Tynan
.
The show, consisting of sketches on sex-related topics, debuted
Off-Broadway
in 1969 and in London in 1970. The show sparked considerable controversy at the time, because it featured extended scenes of full-frontal nudity, both male and female. The title is taken from a painting by
Clovis Trouille
,
itself a
pun
on "
O quel cul t'as!
"
French
for "What an
arse
you have!". Tynan had hoped that
Harold Pinter
would direct the production, in order to give it avant-garde legitimacy, but Pinter declined. Sketches were written by, amongst others,
Nobel prize
winner
Samuel Beckett
,
John Lennon
,
Sam Shepard
,
Leonard Melfi
,
Edna O'Brien
,
Jules Feiffer
, Tennessee Williams (whose sketch was cut before opening night)
and Tynan himself.
Peter Schickele
(aka "PDQ Bach"), Robert Dennis and Stanley Walden were the revue's
composers
,
known as "The Open Window". (Wikipedia) ..... The San Francisco engagement opened September 28th, 1969 and was the first production mounted outside of New York. The cast included CASSIA BESSON, RONDA COPLAND, SAMANTHA HARPER, WILLIAM KNIGHT, PAMELA PILKENTON, GARY RETHMEIER, JOE ROMA, DON STAITON and THE OPEN WINDOW ..... Historical note:
"
Actress Ronda Copland and actor Joseph Roma, who grapple in a nude scene nightly in the production “Oh! C
alcutta!’’, may have quite a long run in court, too. They have now been cited three times in a row on charges of lewd conduct in a public place. They pleaded innocent in municipal court Thursday to the first citation and Municipal Judge Gerald O’Gary continued the matter until Nov. 12 although two other appearances are set in the meantime on the other citations. ‘Oh! Calcutta!” is playing to packed houses in New York without police interference and a touring company had put on the sexy revue 75 times at the On Broadway theater in San Francisco before the vice squad moved in. A police spokesman says the couple will continue to be cited." (Oct. 30, 1969, United Press International)
..... CREDITS: Devised by KENNETH TYNAN; Contributions by SAMUEL BECKETT, JULES FEIFFER, DAN GREENBURG, JOHN LENNON, JACQUES LEVY, LEONARD MELFI, DAVID NEWMAN and ROBERT BENTON, SAM SHEPARD, CLOVIS TROUILLE, KENNETH TYNAN and SHERMAN YELLEN; Music and Lyrics by THE OPEN WINDOW (Robert Dennis, Peter Schickele and Stanley Walden); Sets designed by JAMES TILTON; Costumes designed by FRED VOELPEL; Choreographed by MARGO SAPPINGTON; Conceived and Directed by JACQUES LEVY; Produced by KEITH ROCKWELL and RICHARD NORRIS by arrangement with HILLARD ELKINS in association with MICHAEL WHITE, GORDON CROWE and GEORGE PLATT ..... DETAILS: The eight page playbill measures 5 1/2" X 8 1/2" inches and includes full production and cast credits, list of musical numbers and bios of each of the actors and members of the creative team, but no cast photos ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a vertical fold and moderate creasing, this playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian
. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.