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Wired Women Poster and Photograph Collection

 Collection
Identifier: P1048

Scope and Contents

The Wired Women Poster and Photograph Collection contains snapshots, posters, publicity photos, and negatives documenting Wired Women events and visiting performers. Snapshots show attendees, many dressed in costume, at various events. Individuals are identified and include Wired Women co-founders Mary Carpenter, Connie Lane, and Barbara Lau. Posters advertise performances by musicians and comedians at the Sheldon Concert Hall, with a dance in the Sheldon Ballroom following each performance. Performers include Kate Clinton, Del Rubio Triplets, Heather Bishop, Sherry Shute, Betty, Michele Isam, Two Nice Girls, June and Jean Millington, Pam Hall, Mimi Baczewska, and Lea Delaria. Publicity photos are headshots of visiting performers. Negatives show Kate Clinton's St. Louis debut at the Heartbreak Hotel on May 17, 1984.

Dates

  • 1984-1996

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

No viewing restrictions.

Conditions Governing Use

Copyright restrictions may apply. The user assumes full responsibility for conforming to the laws of copyright.

This collection may contain material with privacy concerns. All living people have a right to privacy which ends legally at their death, and federal and state laws and archival ethics protect private, living individuals by giving them a right to be left alone without intrusion into their personal affairs. The user assumes full responsibility for all privacy concerns.

Biographical / Historical

Wired Women Dance, Inc. began in June 1983 when Barbara Lau, Connie Lane, and Mary C. Carpenter sought a location to socialize with other women. They worked with the owner of the Heartbreak Hotel bar in downtown St. Louis to host a dance, “Sister Solstice Strut.” The women rented audio equipment and supplied the music and earned a profit of $16.10. By 1984, Wired Women hosted weekly dances at this location.

In April 1984, Connie Lane and Barbara Lau used their theatrical expertise to direct and produce Last Summer at Bluefish Cove. The program stated, “Wired Women Productions, Inc. is a not-for-profit corporation whose purpose is to promote and facilitate women’s theatre, dances, and other cultural events.” Soon, it brought nationally-known acts to St. Louis, such as lesbian comedian Kate Clinton. As comic and musical event productions increased, the weekly dances decreased. Wired Women secured various venues in the St. Louis area. Its first play was produced on the Webster University campus and later events took place at First Unitarian Church, the Sheldon, Soulard Preservation Hall, Tower Grove Park, and the Edison Theatre at University of Missouri-St. Louis, among others. At the Sheldon, Wired Women held an event in the Concert Hall and a dance afterward in its ballroom. They also provided free childcare for many early events.

Wired Women did not maintain a central office space and much of the work was accomplished by a core group of volunteers. They sent out mailings to a list that quickly reached over 800 addresses and also created flyers and posters. In 1988, the group officially incorporated as a non-profit in the state of Missouri as Wired Women Dance, Inc. Its publicity and logo used Wired Women. Eventually, it obtained funding from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis to produce arts events. Wired Women co-promoted events with Contemporary Productions, Inc. in the 1990s. As its revenue grew, Wired Women hired people skilled in various aspects of production with whom volunteers could work and learn.

Wired Women was a cornerstone of lesbian social life in the St. Louis area for a generation. The acts brought to St. Louis became marketable to larger local production companies. In 2003, Wired Women Dance, Inc. filed its last non-profit registration report with the state of Missouri and was dissolved in 2004.

Extent

0.08 Cubic Feet ( (4 folders, 1 negative set))

Language of Materials

English

Arrangement

Material has been separated by format for storage.

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

No physical or technical restrictions.

Donor Information

Collection donated by Mary Carpenter, 2020.

Existence and Location of Copies

Digital copies and item-level records of select images are posted as they are created and can be accessed through the Online Collections on the Missouri Historical Society website (mohistory.org/collections).

Digitized images are generated from the original item whenever possible and files are adjusted only to ensure an accurate representation. Master files are saved in TIF format and JPEG viewing files are automatically generated from the master files.

Separated Materials

See the Archives Department and the Museum Collections Department for additional materials related to Wired Women Dance, Inc.

Formats

Photographs; Posters; Negatives

Processing Information

Processed by Lauren Sallwasser, 2021.

Title
Guide to the Wired Women Poster and Photograph Collection.
Status
Completed
Author
EAD by Lauren Sallwasser using ArchivesSpace.
Date
2021
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Missouri Historical Society, Photographs and Prints Department Repository

Contact:
Library and Research Center
225 South Skinker Boulevard
St. Louis MO 63105