Access
Publication Rights
Preferred Citation
Acquisition Information
Processing Information
Biography
Scope and Content of Collection
Arrangement
Separated Materials
Language of Material:
English
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Title: Michael Kearns papers
creator:
Kearns, Michael
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2008-009
Physical Description:
15.5 Linear Feet
10 archive cartons, 6 archive boxes, 5 flat archive boxes, and 1 archive shoebox
Date (inclusive): 1950-2014
Abstract: Clippings, flyers, manuscripts, photographs, programs, posters, scripts, and VHS videotapes of the works, theatrical performances,
and appearances of Michael Kearns; a parent, playwright, producer, director, actor, author, and activist, who is openly gay
and HIV-positive.
Container: 11-14, 18
Container: 15-17, 19-21
Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Publication Rights
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.
Preferred Citation
Box #, Folder #, Michael Kearns Papers, Coll2008-009, ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives, Los Angeles, California.
Acquisition Information
Gifts of Michael Kearns, July 2008, May-July 2011, October 2012, June 2013, March 2014, and June 2014, and dates unknown.
Processing Information
Collection processed by Michael C. Oliveira, with assistance from Sócrates Silva, 2008. Additional materials processed by
Kyle Morgan, 2015.
Biography
Michael Kearns was born in St. Louis, Missouri, 1950. He attended the Goodman Theater School in Chicago before making his
way to Los Angeles in the early 1970s where he has acted on the stage, in television, and in motion pictures. Since the 1980s
he has grown into the profession as director, producer, acting teacher, playwright, and author. Hollywood's first openly gay
actor, Kearns has been involved in various theater productions throughout Los Angeles addressing HIV/AIDS while also appearing
in mainstream television. In addition to more than a dozen produced plays and solo pieces including
The Truth Is Bad Enough (1983),
Intimacies (1989),
More Intimacies (1990),
Rock (1992),
Attachments (1996),
Tell-Tale Kisses (1998),
Make Love, Not War (2005), and
Once upon a Time in South Africa (2007), his writings have appeared in a wide variety of publications, including the
Los Angeles Times,
LA Weekly and
Advocate. He has authored seven books:
T-Cells & Sympathy,
Acting = Life,
Getting Your Solo Act Together,
The Truth is Bad Enough,
The Solo Performer's Journey,
The Drama of AIDS, and
Life Expectancies. He received the 2002 Playwright’s Arena Award for Outstanding Contribution to Los Angeles Theater acknowledging three decades
of his work as an actor, writer, producer, director, teacher, and fundraiser. In addition to his artistic contributions Kearns
has been honored for his philanthropic endeavors by numerous organizations. Among his philanthropic accomplishments was the
creation of Southland Theater Artists Goodwill Event (STAGE), which since 1984 has raised millions of dollars for HIV/AIDS
services and charities throughout Southern California.
Sócrates Silva
Scope and Content of Collection
The Michael Kearns Papers primarily documents Kearns' theatrical and charitable contributions to the community from the early
1970s. He organized and produced various benefits and awareness raising events for political, HIV/AIDS, and community organizations
including an annual event in commemoration of World AIDS day. The collection includes awards, clippings, correspondence, flyers,
manuscripts, photographs, programs, scripts, and VHS videotape cassettes. To a lesser extent, the collection also includes
materials regarding Kearns' personal life, including his relationship with his
husband Philip Juwig (died 1992) and with his daughter Tia.
Arrangement
The collection is arranged into six series, Theater; Emcee, Model, and Speaker; Writings; Awards, Commendations, and Honors;
Biographical; and Professional and Personal Papers. The Theater Series and the Writings Series are divided into subseries.
The Theater Series includes the subseries: Playwright, Director, Actor, and Producer and the Writing Series includes the subseries:
Author, Poet and Journalist, and Columnist. Each of these series and subseries are arranged alphabetically by the title or
name of the performance, publication, or organization. With the following exceptions, readings by Kearns at ONE, Spoken Interludes
and the West Hollywood Book Fair were placed at the end of the Actor subseries; and the folders of Editorials and Letters
to the Editor along with articles about Family were placed at the end of the Journalist, Columnist subseries. The Professional
and Personal Papers series comprises materials donated after the initial publication of the finding aid in 2008.
Separated Materials
Videos separated to the ONE audiovisual collection:
ACT UP / LA demonstration at University Hospital, February 14, 1992. Laughlin, Nevada trip, March 15, 1992. ABC Australia
"Review, " airdate February 24, 1992. Los Angeles Riots, March-May 1992. (VHS)
AIDSWatch. Channel 6, West Hollywood. 2002. (VHS)
Bill and Eddie trailer. Written by Robert Harders, directed by Jon Lawrence Rivera. 2001. (VHS)
Charles Pierce Memorial Service. June 19, 1999. (VHS)
Dream Man. Written by James Carroll Pickett, starring Michael Kearns. The Pride Playhouse Collection, volume 2. 1991. (VHS)
Express Yourself Workshop. Michael Kearns. Human Being Society Studios. 6 minutes. 2007. (DVD)
Get Used to It. "Out Parenting." Show 123, April 2006. Guests: Ellen Ledley, Bill Weinberger, Michael Kearns, and Phill Wilson.
Tape date March 24, 2004, running time: 59:13. (DVD)
Get Used to It. "The 100th Show." Show 100, June 2003. Host Sheila James Kuehl. Running time: 56:15. (VHS)
Happy Birthday Tennessee. The Katselas Theatre Company’s INKubator series. Tony Abatemarco, Richard Hochberg and Michael Kearns.
80 minutes. March 26, 2011. (DVD)
Michael Kearns. (Sony 40 DVCAM, 2 copies)
The Perfect Stranger. Produced by Hunter Lee Hughes and Nichole Cherill, directed by Ahmad Zahra, starring Michael Kearns.
October 1, 2001. (VHS)
Queen of Angels. Written by James Carroll Pickett, music by Jon Cohen, directed by Kelly Hill, starring Michael Kearns. San
Francisco, July 2, 1993. (VHS)
Rock. Michael Kearns. (VHS)
The Rumpelstiltskin Incident. Starring Michael Kearns as Agent Heron. (VHS)
The Truth Is Bad Enough: What Became of the Happy Hustler. Michael Kearns. Book Signing Party and Reading featuring Sharon
Barr, Katherine Kearns, John W. McLaughlin, Dale Raoul, and David Trudell. June 16, 2012. (6 DVDs)
Voices of AIDS. Featuring Artists Confronting AIDS Michael Kearns, James Carroll Pickett, and Dale Raoul. 29 minutes. 1989.
(VHS)
Audio separated to the ONE audiovisual collection:
Chorus singing "Santa Claus is Coming to Town" with new lyrics and Michael Kearns as Santa Claus. (audiocassette)
Fits & Misfits 2004, benefiting Lamp Community. "Blessings" performed by Scotch, written by Michael Kearns, composed by Darien
Martus. (CD)
Going in: Once upon a Time in South Africa. Text written and performed by Michael Kearns. 2008. (CD)
Homeless: A Street Opera. Michael Kearns and Darien Martus. 1990. (audiocassette)
Metrospect with Ann Germain and Michael Kearns. KOST 103.5 FM. January 10, 1993. (audiocassette)
Messages from friends and acquaintances on the 20th anniversary of an unknown event/performance. (audiocassette)
Michael Jackson Show. Michael Kearns and Stephen [Casik?] interview regarding homosexuality in Hollywood. December 2, 1988.
(audiocassette)
Michael Kearns and Amistead Maupin discussion regarding homophobia in Hollywood. (audiocassette)
Michael Kearns and Judith Light regarding AIDS. (audiocassette)
Michael Kearns interview regarding Intimacies. KGIL 94.3 FM, Mission Hills, California. (audiocassette)
Michael Kearns question and answer. Des Moines, Iowa. October 18, 1986. (audiocassette)
Michael Kearns with Alan Farley. KALW, San Francisco. June 6, 1988 and August 15, 1989. (audiocassette)
Queen of Angeles. Music by John Cohen, lyrics by James Carroll Pickett. 1991. (audiocassette)
Sunday Weekend Edition, NPR, Rock segment. KCRW 89.9FM. January 26, 1992. (audiocassette)
Separated to the ONE T-shirt collection:
Blue shirt with yellow text on front: “Celebration Theater / Los Angeles.” Text on front is flanked by the comedy/tragedy
masks. Text on back: “Come Celebrate with Us!”
Brown shirt with black text on front: “Politics, Pedagogies, and practices.” The Performing AIDS symbol with the text “Performing
AIDS” is on the right side. On the back: “Politics, Pedagogies, and Practices / Performing AIDS / February 22-25, 1996 / Omni
International Hotel / Cleveland, Ohio.” On the left sleeve: “Nightsweats & T-cells” with a heart symbol.
Red shirt with white text on front: “Occidental College AIDS Week / Are You Positive? / Presented by Programming Board.”
White shirt with a black-and-white image of Michael Kearns on the front. Text on front: “Michael Kearns.”
Subjects and Indexing Terms
One-act plays
Gay theater
Gay men's writings
Monologue
Homosexuality and theater
AIDS activists -- California -- Los Angeles
AIDS (Disease) -- Dramas
Gay dramatists
Gay actors
Kearns, Michael
Kearns, Michael