A SAMUEL FRENCH, INC. TITLE

Vampire Lesbians of Sodom

Short Play, Comedy  /  2w, 6m

Charles Busch

"Costumes flashier than pinball machines, outrageous lines, awful puns, sinister innocence, harmless depravity - it's all here. One can imagine a cult forming." - The New York Times

Vampire Lesbians of Sodom

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    2w, 6m
  • Duration
    Duration
    60 minutes (1 hour)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Farce, Fantasy, Parody / Spoof
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult

Details

Summary
One of the longest running plays in Off Broadway history, Vampire Lesbians of Sodom tells the saga of two fatally seductive vampiresses whose paths first collide in ancient Sodom. Their bitter rivalry as bloodsuckers, but more importantly as actresses, endures for two thousand years, with stops in 1920s silent movie Hollywood and contemporary Las Vegas. Published along with its companion piece Sleeping Beauty or Coma, the classic fairy tale retold in the sixties mod London fashion world.
History

First performed at the Limbo Lounge in New York City's East Village in 1984, where it became so popular it moved to Off-Broadway in the June of 1985, running for five years at the Provincetown Playhouse, New York City. It was directed by Kenneth Elliott and Gerald A. Davis.

Keywords
Performing Groups
ALI - a guard
HUJAR - a guard
VIRGIN SACRIFICE
THE SUCCUBUS - a monster
KING CARLISLE - a silent movie idol
ETIENNE - a butler
RENNE VAIN - a starlet
LA CONDESA - a silent screen vamp
MADELEINE ASTARTE - a stage actress
OATSIE CAREWE - a gossip columnist
ZACK - a chorus boy
PJ - a chorus boy
DANNY - a chorus boy
TRACY - an aspiring singer

The role of the Virgin/Madeleine was created by the author, Charles Busch. However it is not necessary for this to be played by a man.

  • Time Period Contemporary, Present Day, 1920s, Greek; Roman & Biblical
  • Features Fantasy Costumes, Period Costumes
  • Additional Features No intermission, Physical Comedy, Drag Performance
  • Duration 60 minutes (1 hour)
  • Cautions
    • Strong Language
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

REVIEWS

"Nothing escapes the demolition by laughter […] The audience laughs at the first line and goes right on laughing at every line to the end, and even at some of the silences. That’s no mean achievement. ” The New York Times

"Costumes flashier than pinball machines, outrageous lines, awful puns, sinister innocence, harmless depravity - it's all here. One can imagine a cult forming." - The New York Times

"Bizarre and wonderful [...] If you think Boy George is a gender-bender, well, like Jolson said, you ain't seen nothing yet! Forget your genders, come on, get happy." - Broadway Magazine

Videos

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    Vampire Lesbians of Sodom

Music

  • Musical Style N/A (Not a musical)

Licensing & Materials

  • Minimum Fee: $75 per performance
    $125 with other plays in collection

Scripts

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Authors

Charles Busch

Charles Busch

Charles Busch is the author and star of such plays as The Divine Sister, The Lady in Question, Red Scare on Sunset, The Confession of Lily Dare and Vampire Lesbians of Sodom; one of the longest-running plays in the history of off-Broadway. His play The Tale of the Allergist’s ...

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