The Cockumentary, "The Cockettes" a film by David Weissman and Bill Weber...first played Thursday June 21st 2001 at the world famous Castro
Theatre in San Francisco during the International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival. THIS EVENT SOLD OUT! and has so far this year (2002) has played at Sundance and in Berlin and MANY more.
New Mention in the SF Weekly Cockettes. The Cockettes, first the toast of the gay community, then the toast of the whole town, were particularly beloved by local society figures and seemed destined for bigger things when they headed east to take their revue to New York. ``Marlene Dietrich places her limousine and chauffeur at their disposal,'' wrote Sally Quinn in the Washington Post, and ``artist Robert Rauschenberg gave them $1,000 to keep them afloat.'' David Rockefeller booked tickets for himself and 11 friends. Columnist Rex Reed was rhapsodic.
But on opening night, the Cockettes bombed. ``What had been `gay, light and campy' in San Francisco became boring, tedious, tasteless, stupid and amateurish in New York, and the audience began walking out in droves,'' wrote Quinn.
A Chronicle story upon the troupe's return home called its foray ``a bummer.'' Nonetheless, filmmakers Weissman and Weber claim the Cockettes' ``unique burst of cultural experimentation . . . continues to influence the worlds of theater, fashion, music, gay politics and spirituality.'' resource
THE JOYS AND THE SORROW OF THE COCKETTES-Leah Garchik-SF Chronicle.
Filmmakers David Weissman and Bill Weber are just back from New York, where they were researching their forthcoming documentary on the Cockettes, the San Francisco troupe that brought a joyous form of gay and cross-dressing entertainment to local stages in the early '70s.
Following last week's item about the Cockettes documentary, Kreemah Ritz, one of the original members of the troupe, sends word that he is working on a book about the Cockettes, as well as designing an exhibition about another Cockette, ``Sylvester: Metamorphosis,'' to open this fall (1998) at the Gay & Lesbian Historical Society and the Hormel Center at the Main Library. resource
Bill Weber and David Weissman, whose documentary project on fab 70s queer theatre troupe the Cockettes had just been given a prominent mention in Leah Garchik's "Personals" column in the Chronicle. (We can just imagine the conversation over breakfast in the suburban kitchens the Chron penetrates: "Daddy, what's a Cockette?" "Finish your cereal, Junior, or you'll be late for English-only school.")
Did you know that the San Francisco Chronicle wouldn't even print the word
Cockettes until late 1970?! They would list the Palace Theater with "Call
Theater for Title".
