Four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein is set to return to Broadway with Casa Valentina, about a group of heterosexual men in the Catskills in the 1960s who enjoy getting together to dress up like women. Problems begin when the men must decide whether or not to go public with their organization. (Source: Entertainment Weekly)
In real life, Casa Valentina was Casa Susanna. The New York Times printed a story about it in 2007, which came on the heels of the publication of a photo book containing flea market found snapshots of the girls who femulated at Casa Susanna.
Casa Susanna was also the site of the 1968 book A Year Among the Girls by Darrell G. Raynor, the “Uncensored and Unexpurgated – the World-Famous Autobiographical Report on the Men Who Dress in Woman’s Clothing – the Transvestites” …the book that opened my eyes to the fact that I was not alone.
(Thanks to Aunty Marlena for the heads-up about this story.)
Olvin Medalen femulating in the 1920s.
Wearing Albert Ferretti.
I looked EVERYWHERE for A Year Among the Girls. I almost found it in the Library of Congress, but the book was lost/misfiled.
ReplyDeleteMy copy went the way of the Great Purge of 1983.
DeleteThank you Stana, you gave me back some very fond memories of my first "safe house", The Tiffany Club back in the late seventies early eighties when it was in Weston, MA. I had the pleasure and fond experience of meeting and being interviewed in by Marrissa Sheryl Lynn. And made friends with so many of those who were pushing gender boundaries. It was a whole new world for this little naive country girl.
ReplyDeleteThe book, "A Year Among the Girls" is currently out of print but is available from Boleriam Books as USED-VERY GOOD in hardcover from Amazon dot com for $83.50usd.
ReplyDeleteGenerally speaking, we cross dressers have NEVER been alone, nor are we unique! I'm sorry I "purged" the book years ago. There are lots of books on the topic of cross dressing and I've merely given up reading them. I like to feel I've given in!
I'm proud to be a woman and love all the trappings. Hope my comment helps.
While most of us lament that we are not able to get out and about as often as we would like or to frequent as many places as we would like to frequent ~ in that we need to pick our spots or find a venue that is comfortable and safe ~ the opportunity to go to a Broadway show could be a unique experience.
ReplyDeleteIf this show opens in April and my wife asks me what I want for my 62nd birthday I think I will ask for her to finally step out of the house with me dressed and go together to see this show.
This is just a thought of mine at this time but I think it would be wonderful if as many of us as possible use the opportunity to affirm the experiences of the pioneers at Casa Susanna by doing the very ordinary act of going to see a show while dressed.
Pat
Excellent! My wife Dee and I Stepped out In NYC Several years ago to go and see Hairspray. It was the prefect venue and the perfect time. One of my most memorable. Dee prefers discrete, It's pretty easy to be discrete in NYC
DeleteWhat is it about you
You're big
You're loud
You're tough NYC
I go years without you
Then I
Can't get
Enough