In commemoration of World AIDS Day, observed annually on December 1, the Missouri History Museum is welcoming St. Louis native Michael Kearns for an evening of performances, storytelling, and more. “An Intimate Evening with Actor Michael Kearns” will take place December 4 as part of Thursday Nights at the Museum. Kearns will be performing a farewell program of characters from his performance piece Intimacies, conversing with That Uppity Theatre Company producing artistic director Joan Lipkin, and staging two musical performances with musician Brian Clark. This will be Kearns’ final performance in St. Louis as he approaches his final career shows.
“It’s very emotional to be here and to have kind of a big presence in St. Louis,” Kearns says. “There were times along this long arduous road that I’ve taken when I didn’t think I’d be performing for another five years, or even another two years…It’s really a thrill to be here and to be able to do this work one more time.”
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Kearns is a man of many hats, having taken on the role of actor, writer, director, teacher, producer, and activist during his long career. Born and raised in St. Louis, Kearns attended the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago and moved to Los Angeles following his graduation. Ever since, Kearns has been a familiar face within the artistic and political scenes, making history in the mid-1970s as one of the first Hollywood actors to open up to the public about his sexuality. In the 1990s, he made history again when he announced his HIV-positive status on Entertainment Tonight.
The ongoing AIDS crisis has fueled Kearns’ fire for decades. Seeing fellow actors being taken by the disease is what encouraged Kearns to speak about his own life and attempt to destigmatize the LGBTQ+ community and try to ease some of the homophobia and fear surrounding AIDS.
Kearns co-founded two foundations in the early 1980s with his artistic partner, James Carroll Pickett: Artists Confronting AIDS and Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event (S.T.A.G.E). S.T.A.G.E. became one of the longest-running AIDS benefits in the world, running for 33 years. Today, Kearns can be found teaching private and group writing classes, working as publisher with Purple Circuit—an organization dedicated to promoting LGBTQ+ and feminist theater productions—and, for a bit longer, on stage.
This year, World AIDS Day, which is dedicated to the millions of lives lost to AIDS-related illness, was not officially recognized by the U.S. government for the first time since it was established in 1988. The reason for the lack of commemoration, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott, is that “an awareness day is not a strategy.” Many celebrities and activists, including Madonna, Andy Cohen, Dr. Anthony Fauci, have been vocal in their continued support of World AIDS Day. Kearns did not believe he would ever see a move like this happen in his life and believes it to be “monstrous.”
“You have to fight, fight, fight. Hold onto your spirit,” Kearns says. “I think that’s what we’re losing.”
Kearns’ farewell performance at the Missouri History Museum will incorporate inspiration from the museum itself, taking a look back at United States history focusing on Thomas Jefferson. The second half of the show will focus on the commemoration of World AIDS Day in which Kearns will bring back characters who are HIV positive from his early career.
“Most of my stuff for 35 years has been HIV-related, especially if it’s autobiographical…I have been HIV-positive all that time. I tested around the weekend the show Intimacies, which is the show that put me on the map, premiered,” Kearns says.
“An Intimate Evening with Actor Michael Kearns” opens at 5 p.m. on December 4. Food and drink will be available to purchase from Amighetti’s and Patty Long Catering. Resource tables will be available for visitors to visit with local LGBTQ+ organizations along with the Historian’s Corner featuring Ian Darnell, curator of community history. Michael Kearns’ performance begins at 6:30 p.m.
This program includes mature language and content that is not suitable for all ages, visit mohistory.org for full event details.
