
Tinamarie Ivey

A Jolly Bachelor Woman
This research-driven playwriting initiative delves into the life, artistry, and cultural impact of America's first celebrity, Charlotte Cushman (1816–1876), whose groundbreaking acting methods and rejection of a heteronormative life have been largely overlooked. A pioneering queer American actor who defied 19th-century gender norms, Cushman convincingly portrayed male roles, demanded equal pay as men, and married at least two women. Weaving together 19th-century politics with the stories of renowned personalities that circled her life, the play emphasizes how Cushman maneuvered through public and private domains while engaging in queer world-making with her cohort of "jolly bachelor women." Her group parallels the queer spaces that surfaced in the 1980s, such as artist organizations like WOW Café, where like-minded artists thrive creatively, free from the limitations of a heteronormative framework. Research will offer critical insights into how LGBTQ+ figures shaped and were shaped by their historical contexts, making it possible to write a play centering on not only Cushman's powerful portrayals of male Shakespearean roles but also on her defiance of societal expectations, which contributes to the broader field of queer historiography.



