Black-Eyed Susan (born Susan Carlson) is an American actress based in New York City, New York.
She has worked primarily in Off-Off-Broadway theater with artists including Charles Ludlam, Ethyl Eichelberger, Mabou Mines, John Jesurun, Jim Neu, Lola Pashalinski, and Taylor Mac.
Early life and education Carlson was born in Shelton, Connecticut.
She studied theater for one year at Emerson College, then transferred to Hofstra University, where she completed her degree.
Career While at Hofstra, she met fellow student, Charles Ludlam, who cast her in one of his early plays. After finishing college, she moved to Manhattan.
In 1967, she was in rehearsals for a Theatre of the Ridiculous production directed by John Vaccaro and written by Ludlam. During rehearsals, Vacarro and Ludlam had a disagreement which led Ludlam to leave the company and began his own, which he called the Ridiculous Theatrical Company. Its first production was called When Queens Collide. Black-Eyed Susan became a long-time friend, collaborator, and actor in Ludlam's work for the following two decades.Shewey, Don. "BLACK-EYED SUSAN: LA DAME AUX RIDICULOUS" , Village Voice, 1986. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
During her time working with Ludlam, she met and began to collaborate with Ethyl Eichelberger.Gussow, Mel. "Ethyl Eichelberger, Performer, 45; Creator of a Gallery of Characters". The New York Times. August 14, 1990. Retrieved September 30, 2013. Eichelberger wrote the play Saint Joan for Black-Eyed Susan following Ludlam's death in 1987.Gussow, Mel. "Stage: 2 Eichelberger 'Classics'" . The New York Times. August 18, 1987. Retrieved September 30, 2013.
Black-Eyed Susan performed in numerous productions at La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. In 1970, she was in Bluebeard, directed at La MaMa by Ludlam and performed by his Ridiculous Theatrical Company.La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: 'Ridiculous Theatrical Company Presents: Bluebeard' (1970)". Retrieved May 30, 2018. She was the narrator in Eichelberger's Phedre and Oedipus at La MaMa in 1977.La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Phedre and Oedipus (1977)". Retrieved May 30, 2018. She was in Jesurun's Red House at La MaMa in 1984La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Red House (1984)". Retrieved May 30, 2018. and his Deep Sleep at La MaMa in 1986,La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Deep Sleep (1986)". Retrieved May 30, 2018. performing alongside Steve Buscemi in both productions. She was in Jesurun's Black Maria at La MaMa in 1987.La MaMa Archives Digital Collections. "Production: Black Maria (1987)". Retrieved May 30, 2018.
She acted in the 1987 film Ironweed, but has always preferred theatre acting.
In 1989, Stuart Sherman made a short film about her titled Black-Eyed Susan: Portrait of an Actress."Black-Eyed Susan: Portrait of an Actress" , Internet Movie Database.Retrieved September 30, 2013. In 2014, she received a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Grants to Artists Award.
References Notes
Further reading Katz, Leandro, Bedlam Days: The Early Plays of Charles Ludlam and The Ridiculous Theatrical Company,
External links
BOMB Magazine interview with Black-Eyed Susan by Kate Simon (Spring 1988) Black-Eyed Susan's page on La MaMa Archives Digital Collections