RMM07329.xmlGuide to the Perry Brass papers, 1968-1992Brass, Perry papers, 1968-1992Compiled by Phil McCrayDivision of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library2000
Perry Brass was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1947. He graduated from New York University in 1974, having studied art education. As a gay playwright, writer, and essayist, Brass' most successful work was the theater piece "All Men" which was produced in New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago, in 1987 and 1988.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION
Manuscript versions of Brass' plays, stories, novels, and articles, mostly with gay male themes, including stage directions, programs, press releases and other promotional material for some of the plays, notably "All Men"; typescript of unpublished novel; original screenplay This is All of US, 1970; copies of COME OUT!, which Brass wrote for and published; professional and gay movement correspondence; course materials; and miscellaneous professional papers. Personal papers include a 1968 journal; student papers from NYU, 1971-1973; photographs; and personal and family correspondence.
SUBJECTS
Names:
Brass, Perry.New York University--Students.
Subjects:
Come out!Gay men--Drama.Homosexuality and art.Homosexuality, Male.Pornography.Gays' writings, American.Erotica.
Form and Genre Terms:
Diaries.Scripts.Erotica.Photographs.
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Cite As:
Perry Brass papers, #7329. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
PROVENANCE
The collection was received from Perry Brass in multiple installments in 1989 and 1992.
COLLECTION ARRANGEMENT
As the collection arrived at the Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections at Cornell, there was no evident or particular organization other than the one Brass provided to identify the components of his several donations. As with "All Men," which he called a "structuralist performance piece," Brass kept unlike forms together. These might include drafts of letters, ideas for essays, fragments of theatrical pieces, other forms of writing, and other material. These usually have a chronological integrity.
It is particularly useful to consider Brass' descriptive notes that accompanied each of the donations. These frequently became reminiscences or interpretations, and provide valuable insight into the works. These are located in
Box 1, folder 58. Wherever possible, notation of the correspondence is made between Brass' original folder designations, and the current archival configurations. Other connections can be inferred.
The terms "holograph" and "manuscript" are for the purposes of this collection interchangeable.
SERIES LIST
Boxes 1, 3Boxes 1, 2, 4, 5Boxes 1-5Boxes 1-5
CONTAINER LIST
Series I. Personal14Diary, 29 Apr. 1968 to 12 Nov. 196816Brass vita; "12 Musical Figures for Christmas"; Young/Brass change of address note; "5 Gay Plays by Perry Brass"317Diary, 1969-1972318-23Diary notebooks158Perry Brass' original descriptive notes of material
See also
key to Brass' notes
Series II. Correspondence11-3Letters to Perry Brass, from Rick Paul, Will Inman, Louise Landy, George Michell, Betty Deal, Christopher Hewitt, and others, 1987-1989217-22Letters from George Michell, 1975-1977223Professional letters and miscellany, mid 1970s226-27Gay Movement and Professional Letters, 1970s228Assorted Boyfriend and Personal Letters, 1970-1990229-31Personal and Family Letters and Papers, 1969-1974242Correspondence 1969-1971; Ian Young243Correspondence 1972-1974244Correspondence 1975-1978245Correspondence Feb - Apr 1980246Correspondence May 1980 - Feb 1982247Correspondence 1992248Correspondence, undated249Correspondence, Clippings, and typescript of "Men Keep House" 1987250Correspondence Jan - Jun 1988251Correspondence Jul - Dec 1988252Correspondence 1987253Correspondence Jan - Jun 1990254Correspondence Jul - Dec 1990255Correspondence 1991 and undated41-7Correspondence with Tom Kohn, 1977-197848Correspondence with Perry Brass' mother, 1969-197351Correspondence, Jan - Mar 198052Correspondence, 1983-198853Correspondence, photographs, poems, notes, and invoices, undated519Correspondence, 1985-1987520Correspondence Jan - Jun 1987521Correspondence Jul - Aug 1987522Correspondence Sep 1987523Correspondence Oct - Dec 1987524Correspondence, undatedSeries III. Works17Varied-Subject Pad, including drafts of letters, lists, synopsis of "The Chinese Monkey Feast," versions of "At Death's Door," "PCP," a poem inspired by Tom Finley, and other writings18-9"All Men" stage notes, program, and notes110"All Men" script for publication111-12"All Men" material: Flyers, biographical note, press release, programs, flyers, posters, Christin Bjorn photograph, publicity and promotional material, notes, and reviews, and an interview of Stan Leventhal and Perry Brass113-19Manuscript of Jimmie, an unpublished novel120"Night Chills" manuscript121-22"Night Chills" typescript123"Gay Success" manuscript and printed version in Advocate Men124"The Platinum Ring" manuscript125"The Platinum Ring" manuscript126"Taste" manuscript127"The Voice Within the Idol" manuscript128"At Death's Door" manuscript129"On Being Bullied" manuscript and printed version in Torso130"Notes from a Gay Playwright: manuscript and typescript131"A Blow Job is for Real" manuscript132"Smoky George Talks" manuscript133Drafts of letters134Varied-Subject Pad, including articles for Stan Leventhal, letters, "Southern Sissy Boy," "Men and Manners" and other writings135Varied-Subject Pad, including "The Golden Pavilion" manuscript (later called
"Spies in the Golden Pavilion"), drafts of letters, and a list ("New in the 60's")136"The Death of My Friend Tom" manuscript; "Summer on Christopher Street" manuscript137"A Regular June" typescript138"Spies in the Golden Pavilion" typescript139Cover (only) of "Survival Kit - A complete Guidance Manual for Gay Men Everywhere" edited by Perry Brass and Lou Thomas140"Sex Stick" manuscript141Draft of a letter to the New York Transit Authority, and list of stories142"Dark Mouth" manuscript143Lists of venues, poems, bus instructions, and a "Statement of Purpose"144"The Cold" manuscript, with printed version in Advocate Men145-46"Disco" manuscript and typescript147-48"Bargello" and "Souffle" (two interlinked, one-act plays), manuscript and typescript149"Unmasking Straight Men" printed version in Torso150"Meaningless Relationships" printed version in Torso151"Threesomes" printed version in "Torso"152"Disco" Manuscript153"Social Climbing" Manuscript154"Gay Anxiety" and "Men Keep House" manuscripts; draft of a letter to Greg Baysans of "The James White Review" and others; preparation notes155"Straight Men" manuscript (later "Unmasking Straight Men")156Miscellaneous pieces: draft of a letter to the editor; aphorisms, riddles, and short written pieces on cards; printed version of "The Cincinnati Connection Ballet Comes Alive!"; "Five Gay Plays"; mosaic promotional page for "Urban Fables and Verses"; "Osiris, the Dog Star"; and "The Enticing Lane" by Christopher Hewitt157Wings Theatre Company broadside and poster for "All Men"21-3Typescript of "Unforgettable is Paris"24-12Schoolpapers from NYU, 1971-1973213-15Copies of "Come Out!"224Typescript of "This Is All Of Us"225Untitled early stories, 1966-1967232-37Early draft of Jimmie238Professional papers, course description, 1980s239Mirage and publicity material240Sex Charge241"Sleep" woodcut, 1971256-57Mirage third draft typescript258-60Red-bound spiral drawing tablets, some with homoerotic drawings, 1972-197331-3Final Disconnect typescript34Prescription for Love by "Nancy Gwendolyn Bell" typescript35"Homosexual Politics" typescript36Drafts of short stories, correspondence, miscellany, c.1966-196737"Salonica" an original screenplay typescript38-10Draft manuscripts, typescripts, poems, and miscellaneous writings312Poems313"Pet Palmistry"314Short stories315"Homosexual Politics" draft typescript316Artwork324"Here, There, and Yonder," a trilogy of one act plays325Mirage326Sex Charge327"Daddy and the Eskimos"328"Bar None"329"Bargello" and "Souffle"330"Sex Charge" typescript331"Another Temporary Assignment" draft typescript332"Night Chills"333"The Chinese Monkey Feast"334"The Secret Gate"335"Munchenergarten"336"The Most Beautiful Man in the World"49"Men Living With Each Other"410Mirage holograph411-12"The Rat Man" holograph413"Secret Gate" holograph58-10"Works" second draft511-15"Mirage" second draft516-17Published pieces in "The Connection"518"Works" paperback526-30Notebooks of draft prose fictions, including "Book Talks - Maugham," "Movers and Shakers," "Mother's Boys," "Take it Slow," "The Freighter Story," "Night Chills," and "The Most Beautiful Man in the World"531-35Notebooks of drafts of "The Seventeenth Summer"536-39Notebooks of "Set" poem, "The Boathouse," "The Self-Expression Factor," "Bargello," "Poetry Education," and "The Body Queens"540"The Wounded Angel"Series IV. Miscellany, including photographs15Photographs of Brass, friends and lovers216Photographs, Germany, by Tom Kohn311Clippings, pornography magazines414Miscellany, including theatre programs, broadside, poem, letter from the Netherlands, photographs, and woodcut415Miscellany, including photographs, negatives416Miscellany, including passport, slides, negatives, and photographs54"Esquire" July 196455"Vogue" December 196856Theatre and musical programs57Anion Enzyme Educational Conference Center Workbook, 1983525Photographs541Publicity for Brass publications and readings, 1997-19985422004 Publicity
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Key to Perry Brass' original descriptive notes of the material:
Box 1:
"Envelope 7.A" = folders 1-2"Envelope 5.A" = folders 5-6"On this pad:" = folder 7"Envelope 2.A" = folders 11-12"Manuscript of Jimmie = folders 13-19"On this pad:" = folder 34"On this pad:" = folder 35"Envelope 3.A" = folders 36-41"On this pad:" = folder 43-44"Envelope 4.A" = folders 45-46"In this folder--5.A" = folders 47-48
Box 2 (primarily):
"Perry Brass List of Archive Box 2"1 = folders 1-32 = folders 4-123 = folders 13-154 = folder 165 = folders 17-226 = Box 4, folders 1-77 = folder 238 = folders 24-259 = folders 26-2710 = folder 2811 = folders 29-3112 = folders 32-3715 = folder 38
Box 3 (primarily):
"Perry Brass List of Archive, Box Four"Item 1 = Box 2, folders 58-60Item 2 = folder 6
Box 5 (primarily)
"Perry Brass List of Archive, Box Five"Batch 3 = folders 36-39Batch 5 = folders 26-30