Finding aid of the Once In A Blue Moon Productions Records

Mor Fleisher-Leach
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
Phone: (213) 741-0094
Fax: (213) 741-0220
Email: askone@onearchives.org
URL: http://www.onearchives.org
© 2009
ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. All rights reserved.

Finding aid of the Once In A Blue Moon Productions Records

Collection number: Coll2009-011

ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives

Los Angeles, California
Processed by:
Mor Fleisher-Leach
Date Completed:
September 8, 2009
Encoded by:
Mor Fleisher-Leach
© 2009 ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives. All rights reserved.

Descriptive Summary

Title: Once In A Blue Moon Productions records
Dates: 1976-1980
Collection number: Coll2009-011
Creator: Unknown
Collection Size: 0.4 linear foot (1 archival carton).
Repository: ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives.
Los Angeles, California 90007
Abstract: The bulk of this collection contains correspondence, financial records and printed ephemera documenting the activities of Once In A Blue Moon Productions, a production company and women's collective located in Los Angeles, California. The materials document Blue Moon's activities and operations from 1977 to 1980. Information about musicians who collaborated with Blue Moon--Woody Simmons, Joanna Cazden, Willie Tyson, Julie James, and Alix Dobkin--is included in the form of typed biographies, clippings, and correspondence.
Physical location: ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.
Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.

Publication Rights

Researchers wishing to publish materials must obtain permission in writing from ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives as the physical owner. Researchers must also obtain clearance from the holder(s) of any copyrights in the materials. Note that ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives can grant copyright clearance only for those materials for which we hold the copyright. It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright clearance for all other materials directly from the copyright holder(s).

Preferred Citation

Once In A Blue Moon Productions records, Coll2009-011, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.

Acquisition Information

Date and method of acquisition unknown. Materials found in the Lesbian Legacy Collection Subject Files.

Biography

Once In A Blue Moon Productions was founded in 1977 by a group of women--Patt Riese, Susan Rowe, Carol Leamy, Barbara Allen and Lesley Mallgraves--who had worked together on the Women On Wheels L.A. series of 1977.
Blue Moon was L.A.'s only feminist collective production company of its time. Barbara Allen describes it as an alternative production company with the goal of spreading women's culture by presenting and supporting feminist performers. The organization put on concerts with feminist musicians such as Woody Simmons, Alix Dobkin, and Julie James. By doing this, Blue Moon's founders hoped to develop an alternative to the dominant capitalistic system they regarded as defining and separating people according to class, sex, race and age in order to insure the power of the elite.
The women behind Blue Moon felt that the capitalistic system separated and isolated the feminist community; and they actively worked to counter such affects by unifying women through benefit concerts, activism and outreach. They were committed to the eradication of sexism and the widespread effects that it had on all women's lives.
Blue Moon's founders desired to use women's culture as a means of combating the patriarchal system. By doing so, women would be able to advance politically, socially and economically. Within the organization, each woman had equal power and responsibility and all jobs paid the same regardless of job title.
As often as possible, the women of Blue Moon attempted to use services from other women's businesses and hoped to make an exclusive practice of this. Collaborators include Olivia Records, Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW), Wise Women Enterprises, and Redwood Records.
At Once In A Blue Moon events no woman was turned away due to lack of funds. Childcare was always available and leaflet tables were provided so that the organization could continue its outreach. Blue Moon's founders also hoped to take as many of their productions as possible inside prisons so that all women would have equal access to the spirit and support of the feminist movement.
Once In A Blue Moon Productions appears to have ceased operations around 1980.
Sources:
Allen, Barbara. Once In A Blue Moon Production. Production's Press. Santa Monica, CA (December 9, 1977).
Box 1, folder 1, Once In A Blue Moon Productions Records, Coll2009-011, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.

Scope and Content of Collection

The bulk of this collection contains correspondence, financial records and printed ephemera documenting the activities of Once In A Blue Moon Productions, a production company and women's collective located in Los Angeles, California, from 1977 to 1980. The correspondence items consist of handwritten and typed letters from and to Once In A Blue Moon. The content of these letters relates to benefit concerts and artists supported by Blue Moon, as well as the day-to-day activities of the organization. The financial records outline the organization's spending from 1977 to 1980; they include budgets, receipts, bank statements, and check stubs. Printed ephemera consist of fliers, posters and two mockups of the Willie Tyson, Kay Gardener and Alive, and An Evening with Good-time Music concerts held between 1977 and 1980. Information about musicians who collaborated with Blue Moon--Woody Simmons, Joanna Cazden, Willie Tyson, Julie James, and Alix Dobkin--is included in the form of typed biographies, clippings, and correspondence. A negative of a photograph of Willie Tyson--used for the Willie Tyson, Kay Gardener and Alive concert--is included as well.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.
Concerts
Feminist music
Lesbian musicians
Music trade
Women's music
Women musicians--United States
Women singers--United States


Box 1 : 1

Organization Files nd

Box 1 : 2

Agreement Forms nd

Box 1 : 3

Auditoriums 1979, nd

Box 1 : 4

Biographies -- Musicians nd

Box 1 : 5

Clipping 1977-1978

Box 1 : 6

Callaborators [sic] Files 1976-1979

Box 1 : 7

Concert File nd

Box 1 : 8

Contacts nd

Box 1 : 9

Correspondence 1976-1980, nd

Box 1 : 10 - 11

Financial records -- Budgets, Receipts, Bank Statements, and Check Stubs 1977-1980

Physical Description: 2 folders.
Box 1 : 12

Letterhead nd

Box 1 : 13

Printed Ephemera -- Fliers, Posters, and Mockups 1976-1980

Box 1 : 14

Productions Agreements -- Wise Women Enterprises 1977

Box 1 : 15

Production Notes and Guidelines nd

Box 1 : 16

Resolution -- Women Against Violence Against Women (WAVAW) 1977

Box 1 : 17

Willie Tyson Negative and Fliers nd