Black-Eyed Susan is an Off-Off-Broadway actress who was featured in countless Charles Ludlam plays as a part of the Ridiculous Theatrical Company. Some of the plays include: WHEN QUEENS COLLIDE (1967), EUNUCHS OF THE FORBIDDEN CITY (1971), CAMILLE (1973), BLUEBEARD (1975), THE VENTRILOQUIST’S WIFE (1978),REVERSE PSYCHOLOGY (1980), SECRET LIVES OF THE SEXISTS (1982), THE ARTIFICIAL JUNGLE (1986), and MEDEA (1987). She appeared in more of Ludlam’s plays than any other actor except Ludlam himself; however, she was not limited to Ludlam plays. Ethyl Eichelberger created the play SAINT JOAN (1987) for her, and he directed and performed ARIADNE OBNOXIOUS  (1988) and HAMLET (1984)(she was Hamlet) together. Her most recent performance was in Mallory Catlett’s THIS WAS THE END (2014), which earned her the Foundation of Contemporary Arts “Grants to Artists” Award. She has also performed with Mabou Mines and the playwrights John Jesurun and Jim Neu. Susan’s career in Off-Off-Broadway has garnered an OBIE Award for Sustained Excellence of Performance (1987) and a Villager Award for Outstanding Performance (1987).

Black-Eyed Susan was born in Shelton, Connecticut and moved to New York City while studying at Hofstra University. It was there she met Charles Ludlam and premiered in her first Ludlam play, BIG HOTEL (1967). Although Black Eyed Susan primarily appeared on stage, she also appeared in films. Her film credits include The Sorrows of Dolores (1986), Ironweed (1987, in which she acted alongside Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson), Bloodhounds Of Broadway (1989), and the Stewart Sherman documentary Black-Eyed Susan, A Portrait Of An Actress (1989).