Scarlet Masque Theatre Journal New Beginnings and Fond Farewells Vol. 1 | Page 14

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assumed nearly all artistic direction of the theater. His passions changed in the late 1960s when
he turned towards amateurism, and began focusing all of his attention on composing large-scale
oratorios for performance at the theater that called for up to sixty singing parts per piece,
including audience participation. This push against the previous artistic direction of the theater
alienated many senior artistic staff members (including Larry Kornfeld, who quit in 1970), and
caused a riff between the semi-professionals and Carmines.
Carmines found creative inspiration in the Gay Liberation movement of the late 1960s
and 1970s, and himself came out as a gay man in 1972. His experience as a closeted gay man
during this time period is what inspired him to write his most recognized (and most
controversial) work, The Faggot in 1973. The Faggot was initially conceived as a combination of
two stories Carmines had previously been working on, one about the life of St. Paul and the
other about a New York City policeman, and is widely recognized as the first musical in New
York City that was billed as being completely devoted to contemporary gay issues. The Faggot
premiered on April 13, 1973 at the Judson Poets’ Theater at Judson Memorial Church, with a
cast of 14 actors, who often performed multiple roles during the course of the revue. The cast
for opening night was as follows: Peggy Atkinson as Alice B. Toklas, Essie Borden as Fag Hag/
Lady in Waiting/Sister, Lou Bullock as Groper/Business Man/Host, Marilyn Child as Adele/Sadie/
Lady in Waiting, Tony Clark as Secretary of State/Business Man, Frank Coppola as Groped/
Business Man/Joseph Reiner, Lee Guilliatt as Gertrude Stein/Narrator, Bruce Hopkins as
Desperation Man/Hippie, Julie Kurnitz as Catherine the Great/Mother, Phillip Owens as Hippie/
Business Man/Queen, David Pursley as Score/Business Man/Oscar Wilde, Bill Reynolds as
Hustler/Hippie, Ira Siff as Guru/Bosie, and David Summers as New Boy in Town/Aide. Carmines
himself wrote, directed, and made a cameo appearance in Act One of the revue, with