Mae West: 11 July 2008

Pole-vaulted out of the ghetto of the clubby entertainment section, MAE WEST suddenly became notoriously noteworthy in national news headlines on 2 February 1927.
• • On Tuesday February 1st at 5:00 AM, the Brooklyn bombshell was arrested along with her sister and the director Edward Elsner in Bridgeport, Connecticut.
• • According to The New York Times, Edwin [sic] Elsner of New York, stage director of "The Drag," which opened here last night, and Miss Beverly West of New York, sister of Mae West, author of the play, were arrested at 5:30 o'clock this morning in Miss West's room at the Arcade Hotel and will be arraigned in the City Court on Wednesday on technical charges of breach of the peace.
• • The police allege misconduct, but both Elsner and Miss West deny there was any wrongdoing, explaining that they were in the room going over the events of the opening night and possible changes in the play.
• • Elsner, known for his work in staging "Within the Law," "Bought and Paid For," "Pygmalion," "Sex," and other plays, was released under bond of $250, as was Miss West, after spending several hours locked up at Police Headquarters following a ride from the hotel in the police patrol wagon. . . .
• • The arrest at the Arcade Hotel is dramatized in the play "Courting Mae West." Beverly's drunken antics and Mae's strategies are featured in Act I, Scene 2.
• • What did director Edward Elsner look like? During July 2008, he will look like Neal Sims, the actor who will portray him — — kitted out in a snazzy Gatsby-esque smoking jacket and this mauve and hot pink World War I "trench veteran's" fez. There will be a free performance of the spirited Arcade Hotel scene at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble — — 1972 Broadway, New York, NY 10023 — — at 7:30 PM.
• • Mae and Beverly West will be portrayed by Yvonne Sayers and Kimberly Tuttle. The angry hotel guests will be portrayed by Eileen Glenn and Steven Viola.
• • Interestingly, the bookshop is three blocks away from Daly's 63rd Street Theatre where Edward Elsner was directing Mae West in "Sex" from 1926 — 1927.
• • Still in the same place is the old Arcade Hotel — 1001 Main St, Bridgeport, CT 06604; Tel 203- 333-9376. Wonder if they remember which room was Elsner's on 1 February 1927 and which room belonged to Mae West.
• • "COURTING MAE WEST" opens at 6 o'clock on Saturday night July 19, 2008 at the Algonquin Theatre [East 24th Street and Park Avenue South].
• • "COURTING MAE WEST" — — showtimes
• • July 19th, 2008 — — 6:00 PM
• • July 20th, 2008 — — 2:00 PM matinee
• • July 21st, 2008 — — 6:00 PM
• • July 22nd, 2008 — — 9:00 PM
• • Tickets to "COURTING MAE WEST" are $18 per adult.
• • Theatermania.com sells the tickets — — http://www.theatermania.com/content/show.cfm/show/144297
• • Questions? Phone 212-779-3051.
• • The play is 95 minutes.
• • Get ready to come up and see Mae West, Texas Guinan, and the gang onstage in mid-July 2008.
• • Come up and see Mae every day online: http://MaeWest.blogspot.com/
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Mae West
• • Photo: • • Mae West • • news clip 1927 • •
NYC
Mae West.