Ruby Lynn Reyner is an American singer, songwriter, musical playwright and actress known as the star of the

Playhouse of the Ridiculous Theatre of the Ridiculous is a theatrical genre that began in New York City in the 1960s.Bottoms, Stephen J. Chapter 11: "The Play-House of the Ridiculous: Beyond Absurdity". ''Playing Underground: A Critical History of the 1960s Off-Off-Broadway M ...

and associated as the leader of the

glam rock Glam rock is a style of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom in the early 1970s and was performed by musicians who wore outrageous costumes, makeup, and hairstyles, particularly platform shoes and glitter. Glam artists drew on diver ...

band

Ruby and the Rednecks Ruby and the Rednecks is an American Rock and roll band from New York City, inspired by New York Dolls, created by the singer, songwriter, playwright and actress Ruby Lynn Reyner with collaborating musical artists in 1970 and active until toda ...

in New York City. She and her band performed on the New York Club circuit such as

Max's Kansas City Max's Kansas City was a nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City, which became a gathering spot for musicians, poets, artists and politicians in the 1960s and 1970s. It was opened by Mickey Ruskin (1933–1983) in Decembe ...

and

CBGB's CBGB was a New York City music club opened in 1973 by Hilly Kristal in Manhattan's East Village. The club was previously a biker bar and before that was a dive bar. The letters ''CBGB'' were for '' Country'', '' BlueGrass'', and '' Blues'', Kri ...

during the 1970s]. Reyner also did film starring in ''Heaven Wants Out'' by director Robert Feinberg in 1970. Reyner was included among Warhol Factory denizens, artists and superstars and modeled for photographer

Francesco Scavullo Francesco Scavullo (January 16, 1921 – January 6, 2004) was an American fashion photographer best known for his work on the covers of ''Cosmopolitan'' and his celebrity portraits. Biography Scavullo was born January 16, 1921, on Staten Island, ...

for his photo book ''Scavullo:

Photographs 1948–1984''. She also modeled for

Leee Black Childers Leee Black Childers (July 24, 1945 – April 6, 2014) was an American photographer, writer and rock music manager, who "recorded the legacy of a theatrical cross over between rock music and gay culture". Born Lee Black Childers in Jefferson Count ...

, who included her in his ''130 Fabulous Faces''. Throughout the 1970s Reyner continued performing with her band on the downtown glam punk rock scene in NYC until experiencing a serious illness in 1982 which suspended her career for several years. It wasn't until the 1990s that she returned to music and performance continuing until today. Reyner last directed, performed and produced her play ''Singin'in the ER'' in Fall 2019 at

Theater for the New City Theater for the New City, founded in 1971 and known familiarly as "TNC", is one of New York City's leading off-off-Broadway theaters, known for radical political plays and community commitment. Productions at TNC have won 43 Obie Awards and the P ...

in New York City.

Early life and career

Born Lynn Reyner on January 27, 1948, in Brooklyn, New York to Dr. Franklin Cooper Reyner and actress Rubye Reyner (né Rubye Meyers), Ruby Lynn Reyner spent her infancy under the care of her maternal grandmother and family in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn. Her father was a physician, an Ob/Gyn Specialist, who moved the family to Long Island, New York. Reyner graduated from South Side Sr. High School in Rockville Centre, then entered Emerson College. She began a career in modeling and attended a rehearsal of The

and was introduced to John Vacarro who immediately put her in the chorus of ''Conquest of the Universe''. She soon rose to the feature role as Alice, the conqueror's wife. She starred in many Playhouse productions during the 1970s and 1980s.

Theatre

Ruby Lynn Reyner performed with

and was added to the cast of

Drag Queen A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part o ...

s and

Warhol superstars Warhol superstars were a clique of New York City personalities promoted by the pop artist Andy Warhol during the 1960s and early 1970s. These personalities appeared in Warhol's artworks and accompanied him in his social life, epitomizing his fam ...

. She appeared in 40 Vacarro productions such as ''Conquest of the Universe'', ''Lady Godiva'', ''Heaven Grand in Amber Orbit'', ''Cock Strong'', ''Son of Cock Strong'', and ''Pineapple Face''. She remained with the Playhouse for many years starring in ''Heaven Grand in Amber Orbit'' by

Jackie Curtis Jackie Curtis (February 19, 1947 – May 15, 1985) was an American actress, writer, singer, and Warhol superstar. Early life and career Jackie Curtis was born in New York City to John Holder and Jenevive Uglialoro. She had one sibling, half-br ...

, ''Sissy'' by Seth Allan, and ''La Bohemia'' written and directed by John Vacarro. She won the

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

for outstanding performance in ''La Bohemia'' and received good notices for her Broadway role of Mary, Queen of Scots in Paul Foster's ''Elizabeth I''. Reyner and her co-writer Gordon Bressac created and produced several musical variety shows at Crystal Fields Theater for the New City, including ''Voidville 1'' and ''Vandals of 1981''. In addition, she made appearances in other shows like Jimmy Camecia's ''Hot Peaches''. During the 1990s, she wrote, directed and starred in ''Singing' in the Islands'' and ''Christmas in the Islands''. Reyner continues to write, direct and perform in the show ''Singin' in the ER'', a satirical play about her own hospital experiences, produced at the

during Fall 2019.

Music

Reyner sang in many Playhouse productions and formed a band with her collaborating musical artists

. She wrote satirical songs, many from the Playhouse, with her partner and collaborator John Madera and debuted at the

Mercer Arts Center The Kitchen is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary avant-garde performance and experimental art institution located at 512 West 19th Street, between Tenth and Eleventh Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was foun ...

where she opened for

The New York Dolls New York Dolls were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1971. Along with the Velvet Underground and the Stooges, they were one of the first bands of the early punk rock scenes. Although the band never achieved much commercial succ ...

and thus became part of the

movement and punk rock scene at

and

. Ruby has performed with the Rednecks since the 1970s. About her performance when singing her song "Beat Me Daddy", ''Village Voice'' wrote "Ruby threw out an oversized Teddy Bear, shrieked, stomped on the bear, kicked it, clawed at the audience while her claque (from ''Interview'' magazine I was told) roared back their delight. Meanwhile Michael Goldstein of the ''Soho Weekly News'' was telling

Tina Weymouth Martina Michèle Weymouth (born November 22, 1950) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, and a founding member and bassist of the new wave group Talking Heads and its side project Tom Tom Club, which she co-founded with her husband, Tal ...

, Trixie A. Balm and myself that Ruby was going to make it big because she has what it takes." She has produced two albums for Ruby and the Rednecks: ''From the Wrong Side of Town'' produced with Peter Crowley and ''Live Again! at CBGB's'' a live album, narrated by

Jayne County Wayne Rogers (born July 13, 1947), better known by her stage name Jayne County is an American singer, songwriter, actress and record producer whose career has spanned six decades. Under the name Wayne County (inspired by Wayne County, Michigan), ...

Film

Ruby starred in ''Heaven Wants Out'' in 1970. It features

Holly Woodlawn Holly Woodlawn (October 26, 1946 – December 6, 2015) was a transgender Puerto Rican actress and Warhol superstar who appeared in the films ''Trash'' (1970) and '' Women in Revolt'' (1971). She is also known as the Holly in Lou Reed's hit glam r ...

Mary Woronov Mary Woronov (born December 8, 1943) is an American actress, published author and figurative painter. She is primarily known as a " cult star" because of her work with Andy Warhol and her roles in Roger Corman's cult films. Woronov has appeared ...

, Ondine and the photographer

. ''Heaven Wants Out'' remained on the shelf incomplete until the 2000s when the film's history was told by the documentary ''Finishing Heaven'', appearing on HBO in 2008. Reyner also had the lead role in 1971's ''About Me: A Musical'' by

Robert Frank Robert Frank (November 9, 1924 – September 9, 2019) was a Swiss photographer and documentary filmmaker, who became an American binational. His most notable work, the 1958 book titled ''The Americans'', earned Frank comparisons to a modern-da ...

. Other appearances include ''

Beautiful Darling ''Beautiful Darling: The Life and Times of Candy Darling, Andy Warhol Superstar'' is a 2010 feature-length documentary film about Candy Darling, pioneering trans woman, actress and Andy Warhol superstar. The film was written and directed by James ...

'' and '' Generation Um''.

Filmography

Broadway

Off Broadway and Off Off Broadway

Awards

Ruby and the Rednecks Discography

Albums

* ''From the Wrong Side of Town'' (2004) * ''Live Again! At CBGB's'' (2008)

Compilation albums

* ''Max's Kansas City 1976 & Beyond'' (2017)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Reyner, Ruby 1948 births Living people People associated with The Factory 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Actresses from New York City American women rock singers American women singer-songwriters American film actresses American rock songwriters American television actresses American voice actresses Singers from New York City American dramatists and playwrights Singer-songwriters from New York (state)