A Chance to Bring Out Gay History

In his review of my new play “A History of Shadows,” reviewer Don Shirley questioned, “Why didn’t (I) dig up actual case histories instead of made-up ones?” (“Stale Text Hurts Static ‘Shadows,’ ” Calendar, May 23). The play is based on a novel, a “fictional” work also titled “A History of Shadows,” by Robert C. Reinhart. It has been in print in two separate editions since 1982, selling more than 60,000 copies. A new edition is set for release next January. The late author Randy Shilts (“And the Band Played On,” “Conduct Unbecoming”), in his review of the novel, wrote, “Could well be the most profound book on gay life in America . . . funny and poignant.” The novel deeply moved me and I felt it could be the source of an important and unusually theatrical experience.

The play is the story of the lives of four older gay men who have been friends for more than 40 years. As they reveal their oral history, we learn what it was like to survive as homosexuals in the 1930s-70s, before “gay liberation.” How did a gay person in the 1930s decide on a career, live with a lover, cope with oppression, attain self-esteem, form friendships? These are stories that have never been told on the stage or in film, and present a rich and colorful hidden history.

*

While I could have avoided buying the rights to the novel and “dug up” my own case histories, Reinhart had done such an incredible job of illuminating these four men and using their stories to represent an archetype of what it was actually like to live in those decades, to do so seemed silly. Are these characters (the famous Manhattan interior designer, the B-movie/stage actor, the composer of film music and the accountant) the product of actual interviews? No. Could an astute observer connect a real person with each character? Easily. But as one character says of his gayness: “My secret is the habit of a lifetime.” To “out” the shadowy basis for the characters would be inappropriate.

Both the novelist and I gave these characters lives and attitudes of real people we have known. I was not interested in literal documentary, but instead turning real-life events into art and metaphor, and that, I hope, has more resonance and color than the literal. “A History of Shadows” is an opportunity to bring into the light the hidden gay history of earlier times, stories that entertain and educate audiences, whatever their sexual orientation.

*

I wish Shirley had discussed the rich, deep and multileveled performances. While Bernie Kopell, Robert Mandan and William Christopher are best known for their television work, their performances in the play are impressing the hell out of audiences. For me, it is so wonderful to see our “uncles” from television using their talents to make all audiences comfortable watching an evening of only gay characters. (Theater’s Jack Beckerman and Larry Cox more than hold their own among the familiar TV faces.) Finally, many gay people have told me after seeing the play, “That is my story up there.” I can assure you you’ll find a big part of me up there too, alongside many of my dear friends and acquaintances. The characters may be fictional, but the voices are real.

Counterpunch is a weekly feature designed to let readers respond to reviews or stories about entertainment and the arts. If you would like to rebut, reply or offer a better idea, Counterpunch wants to hear from you. Write to: Counterpunch Editor, Calendar Section, Los Angeles Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles CA 90053. Or Fax to: (213) 237-7630. Articles should not exceed 600 words.