A Masterpiece of the “Theater of the Ridiculous” movement
“This isn’t farce. This isn’t absurd. This is absolutely ridiculous!” -Brendan Gill, Theater critic
Join EgoPo in an underground gay club, grab a drink (or a new friend), and brace yourself for this rarely produced Camp masterpiece from the early days of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company. Originally staged at midnight in a Hell's Kitchen porn theater, Turds in Hell follows outcast Orgone as he traverses an amoral world of angels and devils to confront his mother for abandoning him at birth. Whether you’re a saint or a sinner, Turds in Hell is a riotous ride you won’t soon forget.
Included in all EgoPo Subscriptions and Memberships
Turds in Hell is sponsored by Ed & Susan Hoffman
Opening night sponsored by Barrie DuBois
Play contains sexual content, violence, and death
Turds in Hell is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc.
Venue
Theatre Exile
1340-48 S 13th St, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Parking/Public Transportation
Free street parking (2 hours) and paid off-site garage spaces are available. Ride-share Transportation, Indego Bikes, or Public Transporation are encouraged.
About Charles Ludlam
Charles Ludlam (April 12, 1943 – May 28, 1987) was an American actor, director, and playwright. At twenty-four, he founded the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, where he wrote, directed and performed in almost every production for the next two decades, often with Everett Quinton, his life partner and muse, by his side. Ludlam often appeared in his plays, and was particularly noted for his female roles. He wrote one of the first plays to address, though indirectly, the AIDS epidemic. Rights to perform his most well-known play, The Mystery of Irma Vep, include a stipulation that the actors must be of the same sex in order to ensure cross-dressing in the production. He won six Obie Awards over the course of his career, including a Sustained Excellence Obie Award two weeks before his death in 1987, and won the Rosamund Gilder Award for distinguished achievement in the theater in 1986. In 2009, Ludlam was inducted posthumously into the American Theater Hall of Fame.
About Bill Vehr
Bill Vehr (1940-1988) was an original member of Charles Ludlam’s Ridiculous Theater Company as a playwright and actor. It was as an actor with the Ridiculous Theater that Mr. Vehr was best known, appearing in lead roles in such productions as ''Bluebeard,'' ''Eunuchs of the Forbidden City,'' ''Reverse Psychology,'' ''Stage Blood'' and ''Camille.'' He also became known in the late 60s & 70s as an underground film maker who created and directed cult classics as ''Avocada,'' ''Brothel,'' ''The Mystery of the Spanish Lady'' and ''M. M. for M. M.,'' all starring Mario Montez.
From Left to right: Playwright Charles Ludlam and Bill Vehr in Camille, Ridiculous Theatrical Company (1973). Photo taken by John Stern.