Oral History

Agosto Machado on NYC Theatre and the Arts in the Sixties: The Alternatives

Machado – OH 1 – 00:18 “I am a pre-Stonewall Christopher Street queen…” – 3:16 “…a whole movement came.”

Agosto introduces himself with a personal manifesto and a brief description of the origins of the downtown theater movement.

Machado – OH 1 – 27:54 “I mentioned being a witness and participant…” – 32:02 “…it’s more structured.”

Agosto recounts his first encounters with the work of Joe Cino and Jack Smith.

Machado – OH 3 – 32:02 “Culturally the stuff we experienced…” – 35:15 “…even if there’s only three.”

Agosto describes the differences in creative process in the different troupes he worked with and other more structured theatre groups.

 

 

Agosto Machado’s Statement

Amerika Cleopatra (1968) 

 

 


Candy Darling:

Jack Smith:

Chance encounter at a dumpster, working with him and Mario Montez, his lost footage and influence

Photo Series with Jack Smith, modeled with Mario Montez 1968

In Search of the Cobra Jewels (1973), with Harvey Fierstein, H.M. Koutoukas, etc (content warning: attempted suicide)

The Cockettes