American Playwright Charles Ludlam and his impact on the arts world as a Renowned Arts Leader - Research Paper Example

After this, he wandered to a freak show where he saw a group of armless black dwarves busy painting pictures with their toes. The Catholic Church, with its high pageantry and religious ritual was a prominent force in his family. Right across the street from his home, there was a movie theater. Ludlam was therefore encouraged to explore his vivid childhood imagination, producing basement and backyard plays and vignettes with other children in the neighborhood (Gary, 2005). Throughout his high school, Ludlam as known as a rebel and outcast and his first formal exposure to theatre was through an apprenticeship in 1958 at the Red Barn Theater, a summer stock company.

Here, Ludlam was exposed to the often haphazard, frantic and chaotic theater experience. Ludlam then begun pursuing his interest in theatre arts by travelling to New York where he saw a variety of theatrical entertainment ranging from the commercial to the avant-garde productions to the experimental. The Living Theatre in particular was of significant motivation and influence Ludlam such that at the age of 17, he founded his own avant-garde arts company which he named the Student’s Repertory Theater.

This was in Northport, New York. Later on in life, the multidimensional, prolific artist became responsible for responsible for founding and growing The Ridiculous Theatrical Company, one of the most unique theater enterprises in America. As the founder of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company, Ludlam’s work in theatre and film had made him a recognized renowned arts leader. This is mainly because his theatrical work made a break with the existing dominant trends in theatre of realistic settings and naturalistic acting.

The introduction of some elements of queer performance to avant-garde theatre was very evident since the formation of Ridiculous Theatrical Company (Wilmeth and Miller, 1996). This was the major stage