Plays in mind

In anticipation of the “Playwrights in Mind: A National Conversation” conference being held at Mason June 9-12, I thought it appropriate to introduce two playbills I find fascinating in Special Collections.

Buck White and La Strada were two short-lived plays with big stars that opened and closed in December of 1969. La Strada opened and closed on December 14, 1969 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway after 14 previews. It was a financial disaster and lost $650,000. It starred a young Bernadette Peters. Buck White starring Cassius Clay, aka Muhammad Ali, faired only slightly better: It opened December 2nd and closed December 6th.

Both playbills come from the Charles Rodrigues Playbill Collection.