When Everyman Theatre raises the curtain on The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful at the end of this month, it will do more than open a show—it will honor a legacy. Charles Ludlam, the playwright behind this razor-sharp parody of gothic horror, was not only a master of camp and quick-change comedy. He was also a pivotal figure in queer theater during one of the most harrowing times in LGBTQ+ history: the AIDS crisis of the 1980s.
As The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful opens just in time for Baltimore Pride, the production invites audiences to revisit a work that is both riotously funny and deeply resonant. Beneath the wigs, the whirlwind costume changes, and the howling werewolves, Ludlam’s play pulses with courage. It is the work of an artist who used humor not to escape pain, but to face it—on his own terms. Fittingly, Everyman Theatre’s production features a director and cast who are themselves members of the queer community, continuing Ludlam’s tradition of queer voices shaping the stage.
Charles Ludlam: Theater as Resistance
Charles Ludlam founded the Ridiculous Theatrical Company in New York in 1967, where he developed a flamboyant, genre-bending style that came to define his career. His work was filled with absurdity, satire, and drag—a joyful rebellion against both theatrical convention and societal expectations.
But Ludlam’s brilliance shone brightest in the 1980s, as the AIDS epidemic devastated the artistic and LGBTQ communities. While many theaters hesitated to address the crisis, Ludlam’s company pushed forward. The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful, which premiered in 1984, used theatrical spectacle as a means of survival and visibility. In a world grappling with grief and fear, Ludlam offered laughter, resilience, and a space to gather.
His death from AIDS-related complications in 1987, at just 44, was a profound loss. Yet his work endures—subversive, celebratory, and unapologetically queer.
A Play for Pride: Honoring History During Baltimore Pride
Everyman Theatre’s The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful arrives as the city prepares to celebrate Baltimore Pride, making it more than timely—it’s essential. Pride is not only a celebration, but a remembrance: of those lost, of those who paved the way, and of the artists who shaped culture in the face of oppression.
Ludlam’s work stands as a testament to the power of theater to confront crisis with creativity. It reminds us that performance can hold grief and laughter in the same breath, and that queer stories—especially those born from struggle—deserve a place in the spotlight.
For audiences seeking a theatrical experience that’s equal parts hilarious and historic, The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful is the perfect Pride Month offering.
Celebrate Baltimore Pride with Bold Theater
Join Everyman Theatre in honoring Charles Ludlam’s legacy with this unforgettable production. The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful is a high-camp, high-speed romp that speaks to the past while celebrating the present—and it’s opening just in time for Baltimore Pride.
Tickets are available now. Don’t miss this witty, heartfelt, and history-rich production.
Laughter is a legacy. Be part of it.