March 12, 1970 at Repertory Theatre of Lincoln Centre Operation Sidewinder closes in April 1970.
Commercial production by Alvin Ferleger "Scuba Duba" who leased the rights to Rep of Lincoln Center in the American play season...J. Voight turned down the Young Man. Directed by Michael Schultz who cut down the play and concentrated on the spectacle.
"Shep left and never came back. Mainstream critics gunned it down." John Lahr, the literary manager for Lincoln Rep championed the play as a "grotesque spectacle of our psychic death and the possibility of rebirth."
Levy declined the Lincoln Center production and Michael Schultz "Cooley High and Car Wash" took over. Feingold on the rewrite of the Black Panther scene to a drive in because "the whole revolutionary thing was outworn."
Don Plumley. Shep rewrites Mickey Free and misses the historical character, "the Hopis came and requested we stop using real corn for the Kachina, which is a god represented by a mask..." GOOD quote.
Influence of film experience
Contradictions: a family man.
"Domestic bliss didn't come easily to someone so notorious for his taste in women and chemicals.
A great disappointment, Rounders conncetion with the plays, Shep's cinematic technique VV. "That single-frame-editing kind of thing doesn't work on stage. It was very static."
May 1970 Jesse Mojo is born.
Purchases a farm in Advocate, Nova Scotia.
April 1, 1970 Unseen Hand and Forensic and the Navigators at Astor Place Theatre directed by Jeff Bleckner Hill Street Blues. Poland in the Sunday times article "America's Great Hopes- White and Black?" Shep pulls Back Bog because he doesn't like it and substitutes Unseen Hand from La Mama which Shep was directing but losing interest so Bleckner took over. But bad reviews by older critics. Brothers and friends helped to develop Unseen at La Mama. Beeson Carrol (the Old man type in Fool for Love). Lee Kissman. Actors hanging around the Lower East Side.
Richard Lamparski selling pornography to the elite in the Lobby of the Astor Place, art work by Joey Skaggs, a Dadaist.
Poland says that Shep like Dr. John and the Night Trippers music...Shep wants a commercial hit (contrary to the attitude toward integrity seen in "disposable as Kleenex Clive Barnes on Poland's retort."
Together Shep's attitude toward politics-pointless to try to change the world because it either goes on as usual or destroys itself despite conflicting ideological efforts.
G.I. Gurdjieff a quest for self knowledge through distinguishing the real inner world from the illusory outside world. Claims he went to Gurdjieff at Peter Brooks behest later in England. Shep believes in the futulity of overt politics.
Quote on experience of theatre as a confrontation to your reality.
Abbie Hoffman and Andy Warhol raved.
Robert Redford attends and asks Shep to write a treatment for a film adaptation and Shep passes the job to Tony Barsha, Genesis Vision Piece.
Shep disenchantment with the NY theatre scene.
Forensic, smoke is burning baby oil kidnapping Shep as an event Tony Barsha participates.
St. Adrian's Bar, Silver's on Union Square.
Rewriting constantly during rehearsals and previews. Sends Shep to see Heathcliff Williams AC/DC and his reaction to Mick Jagger digs.
Mystique-very very aloof from the press and very very infatuated with heros...he liked personas and had a persona of his own..."He's not a big hedonistic person but here's always a danger around Sam.
July 1970 Shaved Splits directed by Bill Hart in La Mama. 4 midnight performances. Begins with pornography (Richard Lamparsky "for the elite") and ends with Rolling Stones and Toby Cole tells Poland that he doesnt want his plays moved any more, he doesn't want his plays called tissue paper. True West problems...need for directors he can trust and for close collaboration.
Burton Greenhouse, "Shepard was hard to get to know, he didn't talk about his feelings much..."
At the Cafe au Go Go on Bleecker St. the Rounders are covered by Patti Smith for ??
Description of Patti Smith-into everything dangerous and fashionable met, made friends with and had affairs with people she idolozed...Robert Mapplethorpe, Bobby Neuwirth, Todd Rundgren and Tom Verlaine (like the Andy Warhold girls as groupies/poets/fashion.
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