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WOW Café

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by ELBunbury (talk | contribs) at 19:15, 5 March 2016 (Added to history). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

WOW Cafe is a feminist theater space in New York City. In the mid-1980s, WOW Cafe was central to the avant garde theatre and performance art scene in the East Village, New York City.[1][2] Among the artists who have presented at the space are Lisa Kron, Holly Hughes, Deb Margolin, Dancenoise, Carmelita Tropicana, Eileen Myles, Split Britches, and The Five Lesbian Brothers.[3]

History

WOW Cafe grew out of the Women's One World Festival presented in the East Village in 1980 and 1981 by Lois Weaver, Peggy Shaw, Pamela Cami, and Jordi Mark, veterans of feminist- and street-theater performing.[4] Following the success of the festival, the producers rented their first space on E. 11th St. In order to make rent, they used the venue as an actual cafe, selling sandwiches and coffee.[4] Early works in the space included Holly Hughes's Well of Horniness; Split Britches's Split Britches and Beauty and the Beast; and Tennessee Waltz, a show depicting the women of Tennessee Williams plays, devised by early collaborators in WOW.[4] In addition to theatre, the space was home to brunches, art shows, Variety Night, Cabaret BOW WOW, and Talking Slide Shows (where artists would present slides of their work and discuss it). In 1984, WOW moved to its current location on E. 4th St.[5]

References

  1. ^ Clements, Alexis (16 January 2014). "Peggy Shaw, Lois Weaver Leave Their Mark on New York Avante-Garde Theatre". American Theatre. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  2. ^ Dunning, Jennifer (6 February 1987). "AVANT-GARDE EXTRAVAGANZAS ON THE LOWER EAST SIDE". New York Times. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  3. ^ "Pop, Rock & Cabaret for June 5-11". New York Times. 4 June 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  4. ^ a b c Hughes, Holly; Tropicana, Carmelita; Dolan, Jill (2015). Memories of the Revolution. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 978-0-472-06863-0.
  5. ^ "A story past and present of WOW Cafe Theatre". www.wowcafe.org. Retrieved 2016-03-05.
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