June 9, 2026
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or breaking news
New Doc about SF Comediennes Nickelettes
by Doniphan Blair
The all-woman Nickelettes nicknamed ‘Virginal Vaudevillians’, circa 1973. Photo courtesy Les NickelettesPLEASE support our research expenses, rebuilding the cineSOURCE site and more with a one-time or ongoing subscription.
WELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? CINE-
SOURCE's animation expert, Karl F. Cohen, is included in “Anarchy in High Heels: The Story of Les Nickelettes”, a film that premiered in early June 2026 at San Francisco’s Documentary Film Festival, held at the fabulous Roxie Theater (see the trailer here).
"The Nickelettes did short skits live on stage between the films of a series I ran in San Francisco for about 15 years," Karl told me. "It wasn’t great art, but it was silly and often a lot of fun."
Created in 1972 by experimental theatre women from San Francisco State University—who initially were unnamed to retain group solidarity and diminish star egoism—they began as glitzed up hippy cheerleaders or virginal vaudevillians but soon switched to avant-garde feminist satire. Quite anarchistic, there were no entrance requirements or auditions, save gender, and many flocked to join the frantic free expression of female humor.
Les Nickelettes, in their trademark plastic breasts were acclaimed by the San Francisco Chronicle, circa 1978. photo: courtesy Les NickelettesFirst called "Virgins in Residence" at the Intersection for the Arts in North Beach, San Francisco, where Karl ran the Sunday night film show, they would do 30-minute improvs between films. They also liked to show up dressed as Girl Scouts wearing plastic breasts at topless clubs or at the gala opening of the San Francisco Opera, where the San Francisco Chronicle credited them with "stealing the show” (1973). Eventually assuming more functional structure and hierarchy, the performed at a wide variety of venue, including the San Francisco punk showcase Mabuhay Gardens, on Broadway in 1975.
A year later, the Nickelettes became Les Nickelettes, earned non-profit status, and produced their first full-length musical comedy, “Peter Pan: A New Rock Fairytale”. From then on they produced comedic plays, like “I'd Rather Be Doing Something Else” with comic book artist Diane Noomin, and appeared in places like on NBC’s popular “Gong Show” its premiere year, 1979. Although they scored a perfect 10, they were bested by a disco act.
The San Francisco Nickelettes took New York by storm, circa 1986. photo: courtesy the NickelettesIn 1982, Les Nickelettes did their compilation, best-of cabaret show “Anarchy In High Heels” in New York City. And three years later composed “Oh Goddess!”, a musical comedy about matriarchies and the sacred feminine, which became their last major piece.
Part San Francisco women's theatre phenom and part ribald romp, they expressed unique women’s humor while absolutely everything production-wise was done by women, with any needed male characters done in drag. Their work was avant-garde musical comedy with broad social satire blended with pop music and dance.
Poster for new doc 'Anarchy in High Heels', which premiered at the SF Doc Fest in June 2026. photo: courtesy Les NickelettesThe 2026 documentary about them, “Anarchy in High Heels: The Story of Les Nickelettes”, directed by Betsy Newman and written by Denise Larson, blends archival footage with interviews, evoking a lot of the color and irreverence of the ‘70s in San Francisco. It provides an excellent chronicle of their bold history and cutting-edge performances, which challenged gender norms and patriarchal structures, and brought women’s voices to the stage with humor, insight and irreverence.
Although their work predated today’s “empowerment” vernacular, they shaped our culture through creative sarcasm and wild performance. The film suggests their legacy was a form of resistance empowered by collaboration, inviting the viewer to reconsider the role of humor in both social change and feminist history before extremist ideologies set in. Indeed, it is time we rediscovered this alternative, little-known history of women artists, as well as techs and activists, which you can read more about at the Roxie’s Doc Fest site.
"Anarchy in High Heels" written and produced by Denise Larson is based on her book by the same name, a memoir of her adventures in Les Nickelettes. It won a 2022 IPPY Awards Silver Winner in Women's Issues. Denise founded Les Nickelettes after graduating from San Francisco State University with a BA in Theater and, for 13 years, guided it as its artistic director. She also took an active role in performing and playwriting, including directing three of their plays: "Peter Pan: A New Wave Fairytale", "Anarchy in High Heels", and "Oh Goddess!" She currently works as part of The Cosmic Elders Theater Ensemble in San Francisco.
EMAIL RESPONSES
Please email responses to and they will be posted here. Thanks for your interest.
Posted on Jun 10, 2026 - 02:11 PM
by Doniphan Blair
The all-woman Nickelettes nicknamed ‘Virginal Vaudevillians’, circa 1973. Photo courtesy Les NickelettesWELL, WHAT DO YOU KNOW? CINE-
SOURCE's animation expert, Karl F. Cohen, is included in “Anarchy in High Heels: The Story of Les Nickelettes”, a film that premiered in early June 2026 at San Francisco’s Documentary Film Festival, held at the fabulous Roxie Theater (see the trailer here).
"The Nickelettes did short skits live on stage between the films of a series I ran in San Francisco for about 15 years," Karl told me. "It wasn’t great art, but it was silly and often a lot of fun."
Created in 1972 by experimental theatre women from San Francisco State University—who initially were unnamed to retain group solidarity and diminish star egoism—they began as glitzed up hippy cheerleaders or virginal vaudevillians but soon switched to avant-garde feminist satire. Quite anarchistic, there were no entrance requirements or auditions, save gender, and many flocked to join the frantic free expression of female humor.
Les Nickelettes, in their trademark plastic breasts were acclaimed by the San Francisco Chronicle, circa 1978. photo: courtesy Les NickelettesA year later, the Nickelettes became Les Nickelettes, earned non-profit status, and produced their first full-length musical comedy, “Peter Pan: A New Rock Fairytale”. From then on they produced comedic plays, like “I'd Rather Be Doing Something Else” with comic book artist Diane Noomin, and appeared in places like on NBC’s popular “Gong Show” its premiere year, 1979. Although they scored a perfect 10, they were bested by a disco act.
The San Francisco Nickelettes took New York by storm, circa 1986. photo: courtesy the NickelettesPart San Francisco women's theatre phenom and part ribald romp, they expressed unique women’s humor while absolutely everything production-wise was done by women, with any needed male characters done in drag. Their work was avant-garde musical comedy with broad social satire blended with pop music and dance.
Poster for new doc 'Anarchy in High Heels', which premiered at the SF Doc Fest in June 2026. photo: courtesy Les NickelettesAlthough their work predated today’s “empowerment” vernacular, they shaped our culture through creative sarcasm and wild performance. The film suggests their legacy was a form of resistance empowered by collaboration, inviting the viewer to reconsider the role of humor in both social change and feminist history before extremist ideologies set in. Indeed, it is time we rediscovered this alternative, little-known history of women artists, as well as techs and activists, which you can read more about at the Roxie’s Doc Fest site.
"Anarchy in High Heels" written and produced by Denise Larson is based on her book by the same name, a memoir of her adventures in Les Nickelettes. It won a 2022 IPPY Awards Silver Winner in Women's Issues. Denise founded Les Nickelettes after graduating from San Francisco State University with a BA in Theater and, for 13 years, guided it as its artistic director. She also took an active role in performing and playwriting, including directing three of their plays: "Peter Pan: A New Wave Fairytale", "Anarchy in High Heels", and "Oh Goddess!" She currently works as part of The Cosmic Elders Theater Ensemble in San Francisco.
EMAIL RESPONSES
Please email responses to and they will be posted here. Thanks for your interest.
Posted on Jun 10, 2026 - 02:11 PM
