Beyond Ridiculous: Making Gay Theatre With Charles Busch in 1980s New York

Beyond Ridiculous tells the story of Theatre-in-Limbo, a downtown band of actors formed in 1984 by director Kenneth Elliott and playwright and drag legend Charles Busch. They launched Vampire Lesbians of Sodom at the Limbo Lounge, a raffish club in the fringes of the East Village, but it would later become the longest-running non-musical in off-Broadway history. From 1984 to 1991, Busch starred in eight Limbo productions, always in outrageously fabulous drag.

In Beyond Ridiculous, Elliott narrates in first-person the company’s Cinderella tale of fun, heartbreak and dishy drama. At the center of the book is a young Charles Busch, an unforgettable personality fighting to be seen, be heard and express his unique style as a writer-performer in plays such as Psycho Beach Party and The Lady in Question. The tragedy of AIDS among treasured friends in the company, the struggle for mainstream acceptance of LGBTQ+ theater during the reign of President Ronald Reagan and the exploration of new ways of being a gay theater artist make the book a bittersweet and joyous ride.

Details
Author: Kenneth Elliott
Format: Paperback
Pages: 209
Size: 6 x 0.5 x 9 inches