Psykho III The Musical

Psykho III The Musical is an intriguing play on the tension between “authentic” and “pop” camp. This celebration of artifice was originally written, directed, and produced by Mark Oates as a stage musical parody following the release of Psycho II in 1983, and was performed at the East Village’s most notorious nightspot — The Pyramid Club. In 1985, after a wildly successful run, Oates reached out to longtime friend and Downtown video artist Tom Rubnitz to produce a video adaptation of the stage musical. With its premiere screening taking place at Area Nightclub in the October of that year, the cast features many Downtown legends, including John Kelly aka Dagmar Onassis, Mark Phredd aka Hapi Phace, Stephen Tashjian aka Tabboo!, and Loretta Nicks aka Brian Butterick. Oates makes a cameo appearance in the video in traditional Hitchcock style. Along with being a brilliant queer reading of a Hitchcock classic, Psykho III The Musical is an important historical document that celebrates the vibrant underground queer community of New York City.

Cast
Roman Oates—John Kelly
Mary Anne/Lilly Heron—Stephen Tashjian
Det. Marblepuss/Dr. Face—Mark Phredd
Stanley Toole—Larry Maxwell 

Special Guests
Hapi Phace
Tabboo!
Dagmar Onassis
Miss Loretta Nicks

Set Decorations by Stephen Tashjian
“Stuffed Birds” by Mark Phredd
“Oates Motel” Sketches by Tom Rubnitz
Sound Recording by Chris Clements
Video Editing by Matt Danowski at Electronic Arts Intermix
Music by Mark Oates and Chal Pivik
Video Production by Tom Rubnitz
Produced, Written, and Directed, by Mark Oates