Research Catalog

John Edward Heys papers

Title: John Edward Heys papers, circa 1962-2001 (bulk 1969-2000)
Author: Heys, John Edward, 1948-
Supplementary Content: Finding Aid

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Item details
Status	Container	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Offsite to submit a request in person.	Box 1	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Offsite to submit a request in person.	Box 2	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Offsite to submit a request in person.	Box 3	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Offsite to submit a request in person.	Box 4	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Offsite to submit a request in person.	Box 5	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Offsite to submit a request in person.	Box 6	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite
Request Appointment Not available - Please for assistance.	Box 7	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite
Request Appointment Available - Can be used on site. Please visit New York Public Library - Offsite to submit a request in person.	Box 8	Archival mix	Supervised use	*T-Mss 1998-045	Offsite

Details

Additional Authors

Subject

Genre/Form

Clippings.
Correspondence.
Obituaries.
Memorial cards.
Photographs.
Posters.
Scripts (documents)

Access (note)

Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Source (note)

Heys, John Edward

Location of Other Archival Materials (note)

Manuscripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.

Biography (note)

Actor/performer John Edward Heys (born 1948) appeared with numerous performance groups, including the Angels of Light and Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatrical Company, but also became known for one-man shows, including his portrayal of Diana Vreeland. Heys, who was born in New Jersey, moved to New York City in 1967 and became a part of that city's downtown art and performance scene. He began his career as an usher, then stage manager and designer for the performance artist, Ethyl Eichelberger. During the 1970s, he was a member of the New York-based drag troupe, Angels of Light, an offshoot of the San Francisco group, the Cockettes. In addition to appearances in New York, in such productions as the Palm Casino Revues, Heys also worked with both groups in San Francisco (though he never was a member of the Cockettes). A onetime lover of Charles Ludlam, Heys acted in several of his Ridiculous Theatrical Company productions during the 1980s. He starred as Moderna 83 in Le Bourgeois Avant-Garde (1982), Aristotle Plato Socrates Odysseus in Galas (1983), and as Schahabarim in Salammbo (1985). In addition to his work with Ludlam, Heys also collaborated on experimental theatre productions with many other notable artists during this period, including Jackie Curtis, Gary Indiana, Cookie Mueller, Tomata du Plenty, and Bill Vehr. He also was a favorite model of photographers, including Peter Hujar. Heys created several one-man shows, beginning with an autobiographical monologue, The Childhood Show. In 1982, he presented La Mamounia (Crime Doesn't Pay Interest), an autobiographical show written and performed at the Open Gate Theatre at Bellevue Hospital. In 1983, he performed La Mamounia in Berlin, where he would later settle. His acclaimed portrayal of Diana Vreeland was first performed in New York at La MaMa E.T.C. in the early 1990s and at several other venues in subsequent years. By the late 1990s, Heys was working more often as a director than a performer. In 1997, he directed socialite Alba Clemente in a New York stage production of Jean Cocteau's A Human Voice, with a new translation by Rene Ricard, as well as a short documentary film, co-created with Matthias Küntzel, concerning Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Indexes/Finding Aids (note)

Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Call Number

*T-Mss 1998-045

OCLC

84658162

Author

Heys, John Edward, 1948-

Title

John Edward Heys papers, circa 1962-2001 (bulk 1969-2000)

Description

8.34 linear feet (8 boxes)

Arranged in series: I. Productions, circa 1970-2001; II. Personalities, 1967-2000; III. Personal papers, 1972-2001; VI. Oversized materials, circa 1970-2001.

Summary

The John Edward Heys papers primarily include materials related to the people and personalities whom Heys knew and performances either attended by Heys or in which he appeared. Production files contain scripts, correspondence, and publicity materials primarily related to shows in which Heys performed. Personality files contain materials related to artists whom Heys knew, as well as productions in which Heys apparently did not perform. There are several files devoted to the Ridiculous Theatrical Company Productions and Jackie Curtis. Materials include correspondence, scripts, photographs, clippings, publicity, and advertising posters. Of note are materials documenting the members and events of the mainly New York City-based artistic community of the 1970s-1990s, including items related to Agosto Machado, Jackie Curtis, and Cookie Mueller. The Jackie Curtis files contain correspondence with Heys, publicity materials for multiple performances, photographs, obituaries and prayer cards. The Cookie Mueller files include scripts from performances with Heys, publicity, articles, and clippings. Also well-documented are many of Hey's one-man shows (including materials that convey Heys' perfectionism regarding his recreation of Diana Vreeland) and his work with Charles Ludlam. The Ridiculous Theatrical Company files contain scripts for performances in which Heys appeared, publicity materials, photographs, and materials related to Charles Ludlam, including correspondence and personal writings. Also included are correspondence and publicity materials from other Ridiculous members, Bill Vehr and Black Eyed Susan.

Restricted Access

Collection is open to the public. Library policy on photography and photocopying will apply. Advance notice may be required.

Biography

Actor/performer John Edward Heys (born 1948) appeared with numerous performance groups, including the Angels of Light and Charles Ludlam's Ridiculous Theatrical Company, but also became known for one-man shows, including his portrayal of Diana Vreeland. Heys, who was born in New Jersey, moved to New York City in 1967 and became a part of that city's downtown art and performance scene. He began his career as an usher, then stage manager and designer for the performance artist, Ethyl Eichelberger. During the 1970s, he was a member of the New York-based drag troupe, Angels of Light, an offshoot of the San Francisco group, the Cockettes. In addition to appearances in New York, in such productions as the Palm Casino Revues, Heys also worked with both groups in San Francisco (though he never was a member of the Cockettes). A onetime lover of Charles Ludlam, Heys acted in several of his Ridiculous Theatrical Company productions during the 1980s. He starred as Moderna 83 in Le Bourgeois Avant-Garde (1982), Aristotle Plato Socrates Odysseus in Galas (1983), and as Schahabarim in Salammbo (1985). In addition to his work with Ludlam, Heys also collaborated on experimental theatre productions with many other notable artists during this period, including Jackie Curtis, Gary Indiana, Cookie Mueller, Tomata du Plenty, and Bill Vehr. He also was a favorite model of photographers, including Peter Hujar. Heys created several one-man shows, beginning with an autobiographical monologue, The Childhood Show. In 1982, he presented La Mamounia (Crime Doesn't Pay Interest), an autobiographical show written and performed at the Open Gate Theatre at Bellevue Hospital. In 1983, he performed La Mamounia in Berlin, where he would later settle. His acclaimed portrayal of Diana Vreeland was first performed in New York at La MaMa E.T.C. in the early 1990s and at several other venues in subsequent years. By the late 1990s, Heys was working more often as a director than a performer. In 1997, he directed socialite Alba Clemente in a New York stage production of Jean Cocteau's A Human Voice, with a new translation by Rene Ricard, as well as a short documentary film, co-created with Matthias Küntzel, concerning Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, which premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Location of Other Archival Materials

See also John Edward Heys papers in the Manuscripts and Archives Division, New York Public Library.

Indexes

Collection guide available in repository and on internet.

Connect to:

Request Access to Theatre Division Special Collections material

Finding Aid

Occupation

Female impersonators.

Performance artists.

Added Author

Black-Eyed Susan.

Clemente, Alba.

Curtis, Jackie, 1947-1985.

Du Plenty, Tomata.

Eichelberger, Ethyl, 1945-1990.

Hujar, Peter, 1934-1987.

Indiana, Gary.

Ludlam, Charles.

Machado, Agosto.

Mahlsdorf, Charlotte von, 1928-2002.

Mueller, Cookie.

Ricard, Rene, 1946-2014.

Vehr, Bill.

Vreeland, Diana.

Angels of Light (Theatrical troupe)

Cockettes (Theatrical troupe)

Ridiculous Theatrical Company.

pt Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-7498 WPRC/HK

Research Call Number

*T-Mss 1998-045

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