NEW YORK, April 3, 2025 -- A never-before-seen slice of advertising and pop culture history comes to light. In a new video profile from Retriever, veteran ad man David Bartels recounts the story of a lost Broadway collaboration with the legendary artist — a dazzling, provocative stage production that nearly happened at the peak of Warhol's experimental era.
"It was going to be music, bizarre costumes, just dazzle — people were going to talk about it."
"I said, I'd like to get Andy Warhol to direct this play," Bartels recalls. "It was going to be music, bizarre costumes, just dazzle — people were going to talk about it."
The proposed play, themed around the iconic Virginia Slims campaign "You've Come a Long Way, Baby," was pitched as a bold replacement for the brand's sponsorship of the U.S. Women's Tennis Tournament after Billie Jean King's coming out sparked controversy in corporate boardrooms. Bartels envisioned a cultural moment that would challenge norms and elevate advertising to high art — and Warhol was intrigued.
A meeting at Studio 54 sealed the pitch. "He really liked the idea… he said, 'Yeah, we could do this.'" But just as the vision began taking shape, Warhol's sudden death in February 1987 halted the project before it ever made it to stage lights.
Now, nearly four decades later, Bartels' story offers a rare glimpse into a cultural crossroad where Madison Avenue met the avant-garde — and where Andy Warhol nearly became Broadway's boldest director.
This untold story reminds us of the creative risks that almost changed everything — and the timeless power of a wild idea.
Full video and press kit available here: https://tinyurl.com/ycyv3y2r
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