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Psykho III The Musical

Mark Oates

1985 00:23:46 United StatesEnglishB&W and ColorMono4:3Video
Tags:
Camp, Hollywood, Humor, LGBTQ, Music Video, Psychoanalysis

Description

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 Along with being a brilliant queer reading of a Hitchcock classic, Psykho III The Musical is an important historical document that celebrates the vibrant underground queer community of New York City.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

 

About Mark Oates

Mark Oates arrived in New York City from Texas in the late 1970's and immediately began working with a host of Downtown stars including Ann Magnuson, John Sex, Kestutis Nakas, Edgar Oliver, Steve Buscemi, and John Epperson. Oates starred in a number of John Epperson’s stage productions including Ballet of the Dolls and Dial M for Model, as well as appearing in Kestutis Nakas’ cable show Your Program of Programs. He founded the pop band Etiquette with John Reilly and Anne McInnis, and was actively involved with TWEED Theatre Works.

In addition to Psykho III the Musical, Oates wrote, directed, and starred in an all drag cast of Cinderella in 1983. Ten years before Madonna starred in the major motion picture Evita he rewrote, adapted, and directed the Broadway play, modifying the music and script, to accurately tell the story of Madonna (played by himself). Oates died from an AIDS related illness in 1989.