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Finding Aid to Les Nickelettes Photographs and Papers 1972-1992
SFH 740
SFH 740
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Title: Les Nickelettes Photographs and Papers
Date (inclusive): 1972-1992
Date (bulk): (bulk 1972-1985)
Identifier/Call Number: SFH 740
Creator:
Les Nickelettes
Physical Description:
1 flat box and 1 small pamphlet box
(1.75 Linear Feet)
Contributing Institution:
San Francisco History Center, San Francisco Public Library
100 Larkin Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 557-4567
sfhistory@sfpl.org
Abstract: Les Nickelettes were
an all-female experimental comedy troupe active from 1972 to 1985 in the San Francisco Bay
Area. This collection contains playbills, flyers, newsletters, newspaper and magazine
clippings, and photographs.
Physical Location: The collection is stored on
site.
Languages Represented: Collection materials are in English.
The collection is available for use during San Francisco History Center hours, with
photographs available during Photo Desk hours. Collections that are stored offsite should be
requested 48 hours in advance.
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in
writing to the City Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the San
Francisco Public Library as the owner of the physical items.
[Identification of Item], Les Nickelettes Photographs and Papers (SFH 740), San Francisco
History Center, San Francisco Public Library
Donated by Denise Larson in 2017. Accession number 2017-18.
See also: Anarchy in High Heels, Denise Larson's memoir about her time in Les Nickelettes,
in the SFPL collection; the Camp Performances of Les Nickelettes at the BAMPFA Film Library
and Study Center in Berkeley, CA; and two collections at the GLBT Historical Society in San
Francisco: the San Francisco LGBT Groups Ephemera Collection and the records of the San
Francisco Women's Building/Women's Center (where Les Nickelettes rented office space from
1979-1982).
Materials were separated by format for preservation.
Les Nickelettes (called the Nickelettes until 1974, when they became Les Nickelettes) were
an all-female experimental comedy troupe active from 1972 to 1985 in the San Francisco Bay
Area. The group's first stage appearances were informal, late-night performances at the
People's Nickelodeon, which aired old movies after midnight at the Mitchell brothers'
O'Farrell Theater. Denise Larson, a cashier at the O'Farrell, began performing songs and
dances with friends before the People's Nickelodeon movies, and the Nickelettes were
born.
The Nickelette's early years were filled with public stunts, parties, and satirical,
feminist performances. The group crashed notable San Francisco events and venues, from
opening night of the San Francisco Opera to Carol Doda's stage at the San Francisco Condor
(where they wore girl scout uniforms and plastic breasts). The Nickelettes also held a
thirty-month residency at the Intersection Theater (precursor to Intersection for the Arts)
from 1973 to 1974 and a six-month residency at Mabuhay Gardens in 1975.
In 1975, Les Nickelettes became a non-profit, and membership stabilized. The group began
creating and performing in full-length musicals, including:
- Peter Pan: A New Rock Fairytale (1976),
- Curtains (1978), a musical murder mystery,
- Peter Pan: A New Wave Fairytale (1979), a reprisal of their first full-length show with new music,
- Spaced Out (1980), a science fiction soap opera comedy featuring Ella Vader, Darth Vader's ex-wife, as a character,
- The Didi Glitz Story (1981), based on Diane Noomin's eponymous comics character, and
- Oh Goddess! (1985), a musical comedy and their final full-length show.
Throughout this period, Les Nickelettes continued to be known for their satirical
performances, bawdy feminist humor, fundraising parties, and collaborations with local
artists, cartoonists, performers, and musicians. The group also performed on the Gong Show
in 1979.
Membership in the group changed frequently, especially in the early years. Core Nickelettes
included Denise Larson, journalist Ellin Stein, Jane Huether, and frequent-director Betsy
Neuman. Other Nickelettes with recurring roles and significant creative contributions
included cartoonist Diane Noomin, Marga Gomez, Rhonda Zirkle, Mary Valentino, Elaine Schelb,
Liza Kitchell, Rose Bianco, Debra Jean Pollack, Judith Rain, Monika Gurney, Trina Robbins,
and Gudrun Thompson.
The collection contains playbills, flyers, newsletters, newspaper and magazine clippings,
and photographs. Photographs are mainly professional and press photographs. Significant
longform articles include a San Francisco Magazine cover story in October 1974 and an
article written by Nickelettes' member Ellin Stein about the group's performance on the Gong
Show for Boulevards (a San Francisco New Wave Magazine founded in 1978 by Kevin Jenkins).
Several of the flyers were designed by notable artists such as Diane Noomin and Trina
Robbins, and several photographs are accredited to Michael Jang.
Original order consisted of two folders, sorted by date (1972-1976) and (1977-1992). During
processing, items were further separated by format.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Experimental theater -- California -- San Francisco.
Feminist Theater -- California -- San Francisco -- 20th
century
Theatrical companies -- California -- San Francisco -- 20th
century
Feminism
Les Nickelettes
Larson, Denise
Noomin, Diane
Stein, Ellin
Jang, Michael, 1951-