Bette Midler made her New York stage debut in Tom Eyen’s “Miss Nefertiti Regrets” at La MaMa in 1965. Photographs of her performance, and of a young Sam Shepard, and Harvey Fierstein and Lady Bunny — as well as the poster for 1962 La MaMa production of Tennessee William’s “One Arm,” the first play ever produced at the theater — are now available online,  at the La MaMa’s Digital Collections Website

La Mama, which Ellen Stewart founded in 1961 and is still going strong, has a collection of scripts, programs, posters, flyers, clippings, correspondence, photographs, videos and other materials that it is rolling out bit by bit for free on its new website.

Click on any photograph to see it enlarged.

Sam Shepard at La Mama in 1971

Bette Midler (right) at La Mama

La MaMa founder Ellen Stewart

Ellen Stewart with director Peter Brook

Harvey Fierstein

Harvey Fierstein wrote what?!

Jean Gene’s The Maids 1965

Candy Darling performing the role of the White Whore in Tom Eyen’s “The White Whore and the Bit Player” (La MaMa, 1973).

The 3 Travels of Aladin with the Magic Lamp, 1982. Francoise Grund Khaznadar (playwright) Elizabeth Swados (music)

Lady Bunny at La Mama 1971

the poster for La Mama’s first play, One Arm by Tennessee Williams

Viet Rock poster, 1966. a rock musical written and directed by Megan Terry that was produced a year before the musical Hair.