Vaccaro then directed a play written by Ludlam, "Big Hotel", which opened in an East Village loft in February 1967. David Kaufman, discussing "Big Hotel", has said: "Various features of Ludlam's 28 subsequent works figure prominently in his first play. His predilection for collage - folding in cultural references, both popular and obscure - is especially pronounced. Characters include Mata Hari, Trilby, Svengali and Santa Claus, and Ludlam acknowledged no fewer than 40 sources for "Big Hotel" - everything from ads and Hollywood films to literary classics, textbooks and essays."