Memoirs of a Madam

Susan O’Connell is

Notorious Mattie Silks in

Memoirs of a Madam

Our old west heroes may all be men 

But this fact I can attest

 It was the ladies, good and bad

Who tamed the men who tamed the west

With a great-great grandmother who was first cousin to Wyatt Earp himself, a great-grandfather who served his own brand of western justice to protect his daughter from a violent husband, a grandfather who was one of miles city Montana’s most famous auctioneers and a father who was one of the last of the west’s true cowboys, it’s no wonder the love of the early west is in her veins.

Susan O’Connell was born to portray Denver madam Mattie Silks.  She wrote her one-woman play “Memoirs of a Madam”, based on the lives of the ladies of the evening from the 1800’s out of her love of the west, theater and dressing up.  Not to mention that the subject matter was one that had fascinated her for years.  “I believe these ladies made a contribution to the settling of this country and they should never be forgotten” Susan says.  She tells of their lives with delicacy, humor, and respect.  “I’ve had the opportunity to travel around the country presenting my play and introducing people to a part of our history that has been hushed, hidden and only spoken of in whispers, until now.  And people love it. It’s like eavesdropping on a private, rather naughty conversation, you know you shouldn’t, but you just can’t help yourself.”

“I believe that a large part of my success is looking the part.  I truly “become” Mattie when I put on one of my outfits.  I love to dress up and it lends even more authenticity to my character and my play.  The outfits are beautiful and they’re made incredibly well, which is important to me as some of the venues I’ve played have been pretty rough and wild.”