Homo File's Story
Homo File is a Queer history performance project chronicling
the life of iconoclast Samuel Steward (1909-1993). Steward was a college
professor, friend to Gertrude Stein and Dr. Alfred Kinsey, a groundbreaking
author of homoerotic fiction, an influential tattoo artist, and sexual rebel
who lived in the Bay Area before dying in his 80s, nearly forgotten.
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Samuel Steward's life story is an essential Civil Rights story
and reflects the experiences of many LGBTQ ancestors whose lives have been
erased from the historical record and tragically forgotten. We are preserving
Sam's legacy and we need your help to make it happen. Your contribution will
help produce the first staged production based on Sam Steward's life and you’ll
also be supporting an incredible team of artists.
The title Homo File is a fusion
of Sam Steward's Stud Files (meticulous records he kept of his
sex life) and "homophile," the alternative to "homosexual," used
by early gay Civil Rights activists. Homo File combines performance, original music, puppetry,
aerial dance, video, and visual art to examine Steward’s life 20 years after
his death. Because Sam meticulously described all of his sexual encounters, his
memoirs fill in missing pieces of Queer history (1930 through 1969) when the
majority of the nation’s LGBT community lived underground in fear of being
fired, jailed and socially ostracized. His creative output provides windows
into the life of a gay man who accepted his sexual orientation and examined his
impulses as sources of self-knowledge and artistic vision.
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Homo File On Stage
Homo File has had a fantastic run at CounterPULSE. Even Rudolph Valentino made an appearance:
Homo File Fundraising
We need to raise $15,000 to reach our final fundraising goal and we need your help to make it happen. Your generous donation will go directly to our artists, actors, musicians, puppeteers and designers. Your contribution will also help cover production costs ranging from studio and theater rental to sets, props, costumes and administrative support.
When you make a tax-deductible donation to our project we have an array of fabulous rewards for your generosity:
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Homo File Effect
Eye Zen Presents has a rich history of producing stunning
theatrical events from Blackbird: Honoring A Century of Pansy Divas to Buffet Flats. Since 2007, our
productions have told the stories of little-known and under-recognized LGBTQ
people whose lives contributed to the formation of contemporary Queer
culture.
This riveting production tells the fascinating human story that fills gaps in
LGBTQ history and speaks to the pain and beauty of living an underground
life. Sam's legacy must go on and you play a crucial role in helping to
share his story with audiences in San Francisco and beyond. Our goal is to take
the show on tour and that begins with the success of the premiere. Your
contribution to this project will help over 900 people learn about the legacy
of Sam Steward. We cannot make this dream without the generosity of our
community. Help Homo File today and make this dream a reality.
Other Ways You Can Help
Please help spread the word about the work we are doing by sharing this campaign. Use the Indie Go Go share tools, post the link on social media, and bring your friends on board.
If you can't make a financial contribution or you want to contribute more, volunteer with us. Email info@eyezen.org to learn about how you can be involved with Homo File.
