The 80's

In February 1980 Hong Sin Cha from Korea presented Laughing Stone which later became the name of her well-renowned group.

In February 1980 Dario D’Ambrosi from Italy with his theatre Il Teatro Italiano D’Avanguardia, which later became the Pathological Theatre, presented Tutti Non Ci Sono. Dario was recently seen in Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ as the Torturer of Christ.

In April 1980 Le Centre International de Creations Theatrales, directed by Peter Brook, performed in repertory the productions Ubu, The Ik, and The Conference of the Birds.

In October-November 1980 Olympia Dukakis and Nicholas Kepros performed Otan Oi Atreides.

In October 1980 La MaMa presented A Day in the Life of the Czar, or I Too Have Lived in Arcadi, written by Frank O’Hara and V.R. Lang and directed by Peter Sellars.

In November 1980 Gimpel the Fool by Isaac Bashevis Singer had its American premiere at La MaMa directed by David Schecter.

In April 1981 Samuel Beckett wrote A Piece of Monologue for David Warrilow which played at La MaMa.

In April 1981 Rockaby by Samuel Beckett, directed by Alan Schneider and in association with NYU, premiered at La MaMa. Billy Whitelaw from London performed.

In April 1981 the Open Theater became the Winter Project and premiered Tourists and Refugees.

In July 1981 Kazuo Ohno performed at La Mama in L’Argentina.

In August 1981 Wallace Shawn presented The Hotel Play with Cooper-Keaton Group at La MaMa.

In 1982 Unseen Hand by Sam Sheperd, whose plays were presented at La MaMa since 1965, went Off-Broadway from La MaMa.

In July 1982 Money: A Jazz Opera by Amiri Baraka (Leroi Jones) and George Gruntz with music by George Gruntz was presented with full orchestra at La MaMa, directed by George Ferencz.

May 1983 11 PM at La Mama, the La MaMa Cabaret, premiered, conceived and curated by Rick Richardson.

January/February 1984 11PM at La MaMa featured guest artists such as the multi- talented Andre De Shields in Haarlem Nocturne. The musical direction was by Marc Shaiman featuring singers Debra Byrd, Ellia English, and Freida Ann Williams. Later performers included Shami Chaiken, singer, and Francis Ellen Thorpe, who first appeared at La MaMa at age nine.

La MaMa presented Elizabeth Swados’ Jerusalem in May 1984 which later toured to Rome, Italy and Jerusalem, Israel.

In February 1986 John Jesurun’s Deep Sleep was presented which received an Obie. William Harris of the Village Voice wrote that John Jesurun was “the most original conceptual artist now working in experimental theatre.”

In February 1986 The Yellow House with the Shaliko Company played at La Mama, written and directed by Leo Shapiro and music composed by Julie Lyonn Lieberman. Later, Ellen Stewart and Leo Shapiro created the Trinity/La MaMa Program.