the Angels of Light

From 1970 on, the white hot center of San Francisco's
radical gay culture was in theater: a madcap group called
"The Cockettes," lasted two years and then it split into
professionals and a free troup: "The Angels of Light."

"The Angels" would zoom towards their zenith in 1980,
then limp along until fizzling in 1984. But throughout an
eight year hay-day, this was SF's absolute non-plus ultra
for hilarious insanity, eye-popping costumes and sets,
psychological transformation and a unique fusion of stage
with its adoring audience/community. That became legend.

But the group wasn't only entertainment; it was political
and made a social statement too. A collective- one which
was about evenly divided between men and women-
it was largely gay or bisexual, but certainly not completely.
The Angels were also a free theater who lived communally,
practiced vegetarianism, non-monogamy and resisted
defiantly many, many offers to sell out or go commercial.

I was part of the group- one of the principle performers
and the scriptwriter of two hit epic shows between 1974
to 1980. It was an amazing time. Harvey Milk certainly
symbolized the political vanguard of the City. We were
the artistic counterparts with a few occasional crossovers
into Harvey's sphere. The two ran side by side.

A wild, oftentimes anarchistic theater, which staged giant
fairy tales on an opera-sized scale, a world of puppets, masks,
acid fantasies, tap-dancing and  mime, ballet and high camp
all fused in art that blew apart accepted rules of 20th century
theater. Smashing the concept of "the unity of time and space"
propelled viewers into a magical world of beauty, imagination
and outrageousness, simultaneously communicating the utter
fabulous-ness of being gay and liberated and free.

But it was surely a doomed world. It would last only as long
as the post-hippie "Glitter Age" could fend off the undertow
of a country lurching from prosperity to austerity. It was also
undermined by the 1980 election of Ronald Reagan and the
horror of AIDS in 1981. The arrival of computers transformed
the world from a personal/handmade culture with the Internet
and, of course, there was incredible damage and self-damage
through drug and alcohol abuse. As a consequence, many fell
by the wayside. Now only a few survive.

Still, like the cabaret world of Berlin in the 1920s, and the 60s
era between the starting of the Haight Ashbury counterculture
and Woodstock in 1969- (an event which followed Stonewall
by only a scant month)- this explosive, radical, wild, gay world
existed full-blown. To be "out" and visible initiated a process
that changed the nation and helped change the world, not only
for gay people, but also for the Intersex folk and in other ways.

It connected to the growing concern for ecology, the recognition
of other spiritual traditions (Native American, those from India-
yoga, meditation) and healthful living. It accompanied a move
back to the land- a migration of marijuana farmers from SF north-
which affected local legislation and changed California politics.
It affected Statewide ballot initiatives and was part of the process
which defeated Right Wing maniacs when they tried to persecute
gay teachers or quarantine people infected with HIV.

Progressive/revolutionary Art and politics meshed in a fusion
not seen before or since. Boomeranging out of the repressed 50s,
fueled by the 60s youth movement, it all got traction in the 70s,
brought down a corrupt President through Watergate and went
on to address further causes.

I look back with some pride when I think of the many brave souls
who took risks or accepted voluntary sacrifice for a greater good.   
In that respect, I know LGBT people in the Gay Revolution were
in the forefront- not simply motivated by selfish concerns, but by
an awareness of human rights and civil equality for all people-
irregardless of race, religion, sex, gender or gender preference.
And that's what it's all about. Or so say I.