Finding Aid to the Naked Boys Singing Records, 1989-2007
Coll2013-098
Loni Shibuyama and Sarah Wilson
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
(c) 2013
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90007
askone@usc.edu
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Naked Boys Singing records
creator:
Schrock, Robert
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2013-098
Physical Description:
8.8 Linear Feet
7 boxes.
Date (inclusive): 1968-2007
Abstract: Correspondence, scripts, sheet music, contracts, production notes, photographs, clippings, publicity material, theater administration
files, DVDs, audiocassettes, posters, promotional objects and other material from
Naked Boys Singing!, bulk 1998-2004, an off-Broadway musical revue of gay experiences told through song and dance, co-created by Robert Schrock.
The collection includes recording demos from the show's composers, as well as administrative files and promotional material
from its national and international productions, including shows in Norway, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Japan, Italy and Australia.
Container: 1-7
Administrative History
Naked Boys Singing! is a musical revue conceived and directed by Robert Schrock. It opened at The Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles in 1998.
As its title suggests, the revue is performed by a cast of nude men singing about their experiences as gay men. The music
and lyrics were written by Schrock, Bruce Vilanch, Stephen Bates, Marie Cain, Shelly Markham, Jim Morgan, David Pevsner, Ben
Schaechter, Rayme Sciaroni, Trance Thompson, and Mark Winkler. It was originally conceived by Schrock as a way to increase
waning ticket sales at the gay and lesbian playhouse, Celebration Theatre, where Schrock served as Artistic Director.
Naked Boys Singing! became a success traveling around the country and running in an off-Broadway theater for eight years; and a movie version
was released in 2007. The show has also played in eight countries.
Naked Boys Singing! caused an uproar during the 2004 Republican National Convention in New York when its producers offered discounts to the Republicans
attending the convention. The Republicans demanded that the show be removed from New York City's official tourism website,
but no action was taken. In December 2004, a production in Atlanta was halted after the police cited the production for permitting
adult entertainment without a license. Atlanta's Mayor Shirley Franklin quickly asked that the charges be dropped as they
were based on a misreading of the city code. In 2003 the show was forced to close and change venues in San Juan, Puerto Rico
when the government's Department of Culture expressed concern for the "good name and prestige" of the theater. And in 2001
a Provincetown law stating that there cannot be any nudity within a certain number of miles from a church caused production
to be halted until a legal battle resulted in the law being changed.
Sources:
Box 1, Folder 1,
Naked Boys Singing records, Coll2013-098, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Box 1, Folder 2,
Naked Boys Singing records, Coll2013-098, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Box 1, Folder 3,
Naked Boys Singing records, Coll2013-098, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
"Naked Boys Singing Is On Stage Once More," Out.com, http://www.out.com/entertainment/popnography/2012/03/22/naked-boys-singing-stage-once-more
(accessed October 18, 2013).
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Acquisition
Received by ONE board member Bill Kaiser. Exact date of acquisition unknown.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name]
Naked Boys Singing Records, Coll2013-098, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Loni Shibuyama with assistance from Sarah Wilson, October 2013. The finding aid was updated in April
2016 to include an additional 1.5 linear feet of material.
Scope and Contents
The collection includes correspondence, scripts, sheet music, contracts, production notes, photographs, clippings, publicity
material, theater administration files, DVDs, audiocassettes, posters, promotional objects and other material from
Naked Boys Singing!, bulk 1998-2004, an off-Broadway musical revue co-created by Robert Schrock. The administration files include scripts, sheet
music and creative notes; programs and publicity material for the show and related events; clippings and theatre reviews;
and other administrative records from
Naked Boys Singing! shows performed throughout the United States, and international shows in Norway, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Japan, Italy, South
Africa and Australia. The DVDs and audiocassettes include video recordings of performances as well as recording demos from
the show's composers. The collection also includes promotional posters and objects such as a bathrobe, hats, a duffle bag,
buttons, magnets and T-shirts. The collection also includes administrative files for other theatrical productions in which
Schrock worked as an actor, director, writer, production manager or production designer.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in the following series:
Series 1. Administration files
Series 2. DVDs and audiocassettes
Series 3. Posters and promotional items
Series 4. Other productions
Separated Materials
The following posters from Robert Schrock have been separated from the collection and placed with the ONE Archives poster
collection:
Back Home, undated.
The Ballad of Little Mikey, 1994.
Clean, 1998.
Club Hell, 1995.
Cyberqueer, 1996 and 1998.
End of the World Party, circa 1995.
The Gay 90's Musical, circa 1995.
The He-Man Woman Hater's Club, undated.
Hollywood Honeymoon, circa 1994.
I Got Plans for the Rest of My Life, 1991.
Men on the Verge of His-Panic Breakdown, circa 1994.
Morticians in Love, 1997.
The Passion of Carmen!, 1997.
Supernormal Clutches, circa 1994.
Too Old for the Chorus, circa 1998.
White Boy, circa 1998.
The following T-shirts have been separated from the collection and placed with the ONE Archives garment collection:
Morticians in Love, 1997.
The Passion of Carmen!, 1997.
Too Old for the Chorus, circa 1998.
One videocassette (VHS),
Supernormal Clutches, 1996, has been separated from the collection and cataloged into the ONE Archives audiovisual database.
Related Archival Materials
Celebration Theatre Collection, Coll2007-017, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Theatrical posters
Gay composers
Homosexuality in the theater
Audiocassettes
Musicals
Musical theater -- California -- Los Angeles -- Archival resources
Gay theater
Schrock, Robert
Celebration Theatre (Los Angeles, CA.)
Administration files Series 1.
1993-2007
Series Description
This series includes scripts, sheet music and creative notes; correspondence and contracts; photographs; programs and publicity
material for the show and related events; clippings and theatre reviews; and other administrative records from
Naked Boys Singing! shows performed throughout the US, including its world premiere at Celebration Theatre in Los Angeles in 1998, and international
shows in Norway, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Japan, Italy, Australia and South Africa. This series also includes correspondence
and a contract agreement between Robert Schrock and producers of
Too Old for the Chorus, another musical in which Schrock was involved.
Arrangement
General administrative files are at the beginning of this series, followed by production files for the national and international
theaters in which
Naked Boys Singing! was produced. The files are arranged alphabetically.
Box 4, Item 1
Back Stage West, Garland Award for Musical Score, Robert Shrock
Naked Boys Singing
1998
Box 1, Folder 1-3
Clippings
1999-2003
Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 1, Folder 4
Correspondence, email
1995-2007
Box 1, Folder 5
LA Weekly Musical of the Year plaque
1998
Box 1, Folder 8-9
"A Private Spirit" event
2000-2002
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 1, Folder 10
Producer updates
2000-2001
Box 1, Folder 11-12
Production notebook
1997-1998
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 1, Folder 13
Program, autographed
2001
Box 1, Folder 15
Promotional elements and photographs
1998-1999
Box 1, Folder 16
Press, flyers
circa 1998-2004
Box 1, Folder 18
Reviews and articles
1998-1999
Box 1, Folder 19
Sankara, Gavin Dillard
1999-2000
Box 1, Folder 20
Schrok, Robert, other productions
circa 1998-2004
Box 1, Folder 22
Songs, first draft
1997-1998
Box 1, Folder 23
Songs, "In the Flesh"
1999-2000
Box 1, Folder 24
Too Old for the Chorus correspondence and agreement
2000-2001
Box 1, Folder 25-27
Amsterdam
2004-2005
Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 1, Folder 29-30
Brazil
2003
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 1, Folder 34
Florida agreement and royalties
1999
Box 1, Folder 32
Florida license agreement
1999
Box 1, Folder 36
Houston correspondence and reviews
2000
Box 2, Folder 3-4
London
2000-2002
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 6
Los Angeles cast and crew
1997-1999
Box 2, Folder 7
Los Angeles show Bible
1998
Box 2, Folder 9
Middlesex County College
1999
Box 2, Folder 11
New York opening night
1999
Box 2, Folder 12
New York review
1999-2002
Box 2, Folder 13
New York - Vancouver- Puerto Rico
2003
Box 2, Folder 14, 17
Norway, correspondence
2001-2002
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 15
Norway, Norsk text
circa 1998-2004
Box 2, Folder 18
Norway programs
circa 1998-2004
Box 2, Folder 16
Norway sheet music
1993-1998
Box 2, Folder 20-22
Provincetown
2000-2004
Physical Description: [3 folders]
Box 2, Folder 24-25
Rome
2000-2001
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 27-28
San Diego
2003
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 30
San Francisco correspondence
2000-2001
Box 2, Folder 32
South Africa press and publicity
2001
Box 2, Folder 33-34
Sydney
1999-2001
Physical Description: [2 folders]
Box 2, Folder 35
Toronto correspondence
2002
Box 2, Folder 39
Washington, D.C. contracts and agreements
2002
Box 2, Folder 37
Washington, D.C. production
2002-2003
Box 2, Folder 38
Washington, D.C. tourist information
2002-2003
Box 2, Folder 40
Washington, D.C. travel details and receipts
2002
DVDs and audiocassettes Series 2.
circa 1989-2003
Series Description
This series includes DVDs with video recordings of performances in the United States and Norway; and audiocassettes that include
demos from the show's composers, different versions of songs from
Naked Boys Singing!, and audition tapes.
Arrangement
The
Naked Boys Singing DVDs are at the beginning of this series followed by audiocassettes. Items are arranged alphabetically.
Box VDD, Item VDD0546
Naked Boys Singing
2003
Physical Description: 1 DVD and 1 DVD copy.
Box VDD, Item VDD0547
Naked Boys Singing Norway
circa 2000-2004
Physical Description: 1 DVD.
Box AC, Item AC2132
Answering machine
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2161
Bloom, Charles, demo
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2154
Boddicker, Michael, sample tape
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2143
Complete demo
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2162
Dennis record
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2123
Dillard, Gavin, "Christmas (This Song of Love)"; music by David Francis, lyric by Gavin Dillard
1989
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2124
Dillard, Gavin, "Don'tcha Messup My Hair"; Dillard and Stober
1992
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2129
"The Enchanted Cottage"
1998
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2133
"The End of the Line" rough rehearsal
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2142
"The Entertainer"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2125
Everest, John, songs
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2134
"Fight the Urge"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2150
"Fight the Urge"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2141
"Fight the Urge" counterpoint section
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2151
"Fight the Urge" new
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2159
"Fight the Urge" Pevsner and Sciaroni
1997
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2153
Getz, Mara, "Love Isn't Like the Movies"
1996
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2128
"Gratuitous Nudity" and "Finale"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2136
"In the Flesh"
1999
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2156
"In the Flesh"
1999
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2157
Jablonski, Peter, and Barker review songs
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2165
Jablonski, Peter, review songs
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2140
Jablonski, Peter, "Semper Fidelis"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2145
"Look What You've Missed"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2163
Mark and Brian Show
1998
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2126
"Muscle Addiction"
1998
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2130
Naked Boys Singing
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2127
Naked Boys Singing, act I and II
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2131
Naked Boys Singing CD dub
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2137
Naked Boys Singing demo
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2164
"Party Update" old lyric
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2139
Pevsner, David, songs: "Porn Star", "Shoelace", and "Maid"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2138
"Pizza Boy" composer demo
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2148
"Porn Star" suggested new ending
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2144
Rejected demos
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2149
"Robert Mitchum, Nothing but the Radio On"
1997
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2135
Savage, Mark, "Stripped"
1997
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2155
Sciaroni, Rayme, demo
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2146
"The Secret of My Appeal"
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2147
"Too Old for the Chorus" act 1 and 2
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2158
"Too Old for the Chorus" master
1999
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2122
"Window to the Soul" long and short
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2160
"Window to Window"
1997
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Box AC, Item AC2152
Winkler and Konecky
circa 1989-2003
Physical Description: 1 audio cassette.
Posters and promotional items Series 3.
circa 1998-2004
Series Description
This series includes posters (some of them signed) and objects such as a bathrobe, bath towel, hats, duffle bag, buttons,
magnets, T-shirts, picture frame and underwear promoting
Naked Boys Singing! productions, including performances in the US, Mexico, Puerto Rico, and Italy.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Box 3, Item 1
Bathrobe: "Naked Boys Singing New York"
circa 1999-2003
Box 4, Item 2
Buttons: "Get Naked"
circa 1998-2004
Box 4, Item 3
Duffle bag
circa 1998-2004
Box 4, Item 4
Hat: "Naked Boys Singing Italy"
circa 2000-2001
Box 4, Item 5
Hat: "Chicos Cantando y Desnudos Mexico"
circa 2004
Box 4, Item 7
Picture frame: "Naked Boys Singing Atlanta"
2004
Box 5, Item 1
Atlanta, The Armory (portrait)
2004
Box 5, Item 2
Atlanta, The Armory (landscape)
2004
Box 5, Item 3
Bienvenue Theatre production
circa 1999-2003
Box 5, Item 4
Bienvenue Theatre production, signed
circa 1999-2003
Map-case 14, drawer 2
Italy, Teatro Colosseo
2000
Box 5, Item 5
Los Angeles, Celebration Theatre, CD now available
circa 1998-2004
Box 5, Item 6
Los Angeles, Celebration Theatre world premiere
1998
Box 5, Item 7
Madame JoJo's production, signed
circa 1998-2004
Box 5, Item 8
Minneapolis, Loring Playhouse, signed
circa 2003
Box 5, Item 9
New York, Actors' Playhouse, 5th year
circa 2003
Box 5, Item 10
New York, Actors' Playhouse, signed
circa 1998-2004
Box 5, Item 11
San Juan, Puerto Rico, Teatro Tapia production
circa 1998-2004
Box 5, Item 12
Set drawing
circa 1998-2004
Box 3, Item 2
Towel: "Naked Boys Singing New York"
circa 1999-2003
Box GAR, Item GAR1733-GAR1740
T-shirts
circa 1998-2004
Physical Description: 8 T-shirts.
Box 4, Item 8
Underwear, signed
circa 1998-2004
Other productions
1968-1991
Scope and Contents
This series includes administrative records, correspondence, photographs, publicity material and other documents from other
productions in which Robert Schrock partcipated in the years before he worked on
Naked Boys Singing, 1968-1991. For these other productions, Schrock worked as a writer, director, production manager, actor or production designer.
Arrangement
This series is arranged alphabetically.
Box 6, Folder 9-10
The Dirtiest Show in Town
1970-1971
Box 6, Folder 11-12
Early shows, New York Stock, Army
1968
Box 6, Folder 13-14
Fantasticks drugs
1972-1973
Box 6, Folder 15-16
Gold Coast Repertory Theater
1987
Box 6, Folder 17-18
He-Man Woman Hater's Club
1990
Box 6, Folder 19-20
I Got Plans for the Rest of My Life
1991
Box 6, Folder 23
Lala Making it in LA
1979
Box 6, Folder 27
October 22, 4004 B.C., Saturday
1987
Box 7, Folder 1
Remembering Noel Coward
1980
Box 6, Folder 32-33
Side by Side by Sondheim
1988
Box 7, Folder 3
Stop the Madness, AIDS
1987
Box 7, Folder 6
Written projects,
Fame,
Best Man,
Royal Intruder
1982
