Purchase, 1965
Open for research
Chelsea Weathers, 2011
The New York Poets Theatre was a theater company founded in 1961 Diane di Prima, Fred Herko, Alan Marlowe, Leroi Jones (Amiri Baraka), and James Waring. The purpose of the Theatre was to showcase works by poets, writers, dancers, and artists working in the East Village and Lower East Side in the 1960s. Di Prima and Jones were active poets in this scene, and co-edited the poetry newsletter
In addition to material found within the New York Poets Theatre Records, the following sources were used:
DiPrima, Diane.
Bottoms, Stephen J.
The New York Poets Theatre Records contain several mimeographed scripts of plays, as well as documents, programs, and press clippings associated with the Theatre's productions. The Records are arranged in two series: I. Works, circa 1960-1965, undated; and II. Publicity Materials, 1961-1965, undated.
Notable authors of scripts include Robert Duncan, Gertrude Stein, Frank O'Hara, and Kenneth Koch. The programs in folder 1.7 also include poetry by Bryon Gysin and Robert Filliou, among others; transcripts of a reading by William Burroughs and a recording by Antonin Artaud; as well as cast and crew credits for play productions. The clippings files contain announcements for performances as well as critical reviews. Many of the clippings also address Jack Smith's film