Plaster Caster of 'Packages'

 Today's post deals with mature sexual themes. Please read at your own discretion. I have other posts that you can read instead.

Cynthia Albritton

Cynthia Albritton, also known as Cynthia Plaster Caster, was an artist and self-proclaimed "super groupie". She was born in Chicago, IL on May 24, 1947, and would go on to be one of the most fascinating artists of the classic rock era.

In 1968, during her final semester at an art college, she was tasked with an assignment to make a plaster cast of something. In a 2012 interview, she recalled, "When my art teacher told me to make a plaster cast as my homework assignment of something that could retain its shape. Something solid. And I'd heard through the grapevine that penises got solid, although I had yet to see that happen." That assignment led to what she is most famous for: plaster casting rock stars' penises.

Cynthia called the penises "packages". Describing herself as a "shy, fledgling, virginal, goody girl that wanted to get laid by cute British boys with long hair and tight pants" she found it difficult at the beginning to find the right subjects. She didn't feel she was "experienced of seductive" saying, "the only way I could go about getting zippers down was, it had to be in a goofy, funny way."

Her first intended subject was Mark Lindsay of Paul Revere and the Raiders. However, Cynthia was ill-equipped to cast his "package" because she was told to use sand and water to make the negative impression. That led to Cynthia creating a sort of dental dam mixture to protect the "packages" from the plaster. The dental damn could easily be removed at the end of the process.

Jimi Hendrix's plaster cast

One of Cynthia's first casts was of the incredibly talented Jimi Hendrix, but he was definitely not her last. Some of her casts went hand in hand with her self-identification of being a groupie. She participated in a 1970 documentary called Groupies, however, she disagreed with the way she was characterized.

At some point she met Frank Zappa, who was entranced with her work. He did not pose for her, but he did support her work, becoming a patron of hers. He's spoken of her work with her former partner, "It was the most fantastic thing I ever heard. I appreciate the work they're doing both artistically and sociologically. Sociologically isn't really heavy. I'm their advisor to see that they're not mistreated." He supported Cynthia by moving her out to Los Angeles, CA. After her LA studio was robbed, he even helped her find somewhere to put her work and protect it.

Pamela Des Barnes, Frank Zappa, and Cynthia Albritton, 1988

Throughout her career, Cynthia casted more than seventy "packages". Among her subjects are Jello Biafra, Peter Shelley, Anthony Newley, Gene Simmons, and Jim Croce. She didn't only cast "packages" in 2000, she began casting breasts. Among those casted were Suzi Gardener, Karen O. and Peaches.

Her work and relationships inspired several songs about her. Gene Simmons wrote "Plaster Caster" that he released with Kiss. Pacific Drift released "Plaster Caster's U.S.A.". Jim Crose released "Five Short Minutes" about his experience. In 2001, a documentary about her and her work was released titled Plaster Caster. It included interviews from a few of her subjects. Cynthia also inspired Miley Cyrus' character in the 2024 film, Drive Away Dolls.

Cynthia would go on to run for mayor of Chicago in 2010 and is quoted saying, "I am not a politician. I am an everyday citizen that is sick and tired of seeing the problems of our city escalate, and I believe we all need to participate in helping to make our city the best it can be." Unfortunately, she did not win the election.

Sadly, Cynthia passed away in 2022 after a battle with illness. However, her memory and her work will live on for a very long time. The Kinsey Institute at Indiana University required her collection in 2023. The collection includes the casts, original art, memorabilia, and personal effects. Among the personal effects are her diaries that hold descriptions of all of her casting sessions.

Sally Timms of The Mekons said about Cynthia, "She chose a very unusual path. And then as a person she was such a sweet, gentle person. You imagine you're gonna meet this very raunch woman who's super sexual and pushy and everything else and she would emerge as this socially shy, gentle, funny woman who was just dedicated to try and cast rock stars' penises, but the image of her and what you think she would be is very different to what she was. She's a total one off, and there won't be any more Cynthias."

I couldn't agree more with Timms. Cynthia first appeared on my radar when I was a teen. She fascinated me as I was a young classic rock fan. There was a time when I remember I wanted to be a groupie. She inspired me. I never did become a groupie, but she inspired me to put more of my writing online. Especially some of the raunchier stuff.

She will never be forgotten, and her legacy will live on in the hearts of fans of her work.

Cynthia Albritton's plaster case