Al Carmines

Al Carmines
Born
Alvin Allison Carmines

(1936-07-25)July 25, 1936
Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
DiedAugust 9, 2005(2005-08-09) (aged 69)
New York City, New York, U.S.
OccupationsComposer, lyricist, playwright, minister

Reverend Alvin Allison "Al" Carmines Jr. (July 25, 1936 – August 9, 2005) was a composer, lyricist, playwright, and clergyman. He is often regarded as a key figure in the expansion of off-off-Broadway theatre in the 1960s.

Carmines was born in Hampton, Virginia. Although his musical talent appeared early, he decided to enter the ministry, attending Swarthmore College, majoring in English and philosophy, and then Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York, earning a bachelor of divinity in 1961 and a master of sacred theology in 1963.

Carmines was hired by Howard Moody as an assistant minister at Judson Memorial Church on Washington Square Park, New York, to found a theater in the sanctuary of the Greenwich Village church in conjunction with playwright Robert Nichols. He began composing in 1962 and acted as well. His Bible study group grew into the Rauschenbusch Memorial United Church of Christ, with Carmines as pastor.

Carmines is perhaps best remembered in the church for the hymn "Many Gifts, One Spirit" #114 in the United Methodist Hymnal. He was commissioned by the United Methodist Women to write this hymn for their General Assembly in 1974.

Carmines' Judson Poets' Theater, along with other Off-off Broadway theaters; Caffe Cino, La MaMa E.T.C. and Theatre Genesis, were different to Off Broadway and Broadway houses due to their experimental nature and small size.

His 1973 musical The Faggot was a critical success which transferred from the Judson Memorial Church to the Truck and Warehouse Theatre and ran for 203 performances.

In 1977, he had a cerebral aneurysm that required months of therapy. He underwent surgery a second time in 1985, which only then cured his crippling headaches. He died in St. Vincent's Hospital in New York.

Theater credits

Year Title Role Notes Ref.
1963 What Happened Composer
1963 Home Movies Consists of two one act musicals: Softly and Consider the Nearness
1964 Patter for a Soft Shoe Dance
1964 Sing Ho for a Bear
1965 The Promenade Book and Lyrics by María Irene Fornés.
1966 Pomegranada Composer/Lyricist
1967 Gorilla Queen Additional music by Robert Cosmos Savage.
1967 San Francisco's Burning Composer Words by Helen Adam.
1967 In Circles Transferred Off-Broadway.
1968 The Sayings of Mao Tse-tung
1968 Peace Composer/Lyricist Transferred Off-Broadway in 1969.
1969 Christmas Rappings Composer/Lyricist/Playwright
1969 Promenade Composer Originally titledThe Promenade. Book and lyrics by María Irene Fornés.
1969 The Urban Crisis Composer/Lyricist/Playwright
1970 The Playful Tyrant
1970 About Time Composer
1971 W.C. Composer/Lyricist A musical based on the life of W. C. Fields, which starred Mickey Rooney and Bernadette Peters but closed out-of-town.
1971 Sister Composer/Lyricist Unproduced. Written with Paul Zindel for Angela Lansbury.
1971 The Journey of Snow White Composer/Lyricist/Playwright
1971 Wanted Composer/Lyricist Transferred Off-Broadway in 1972. Produced by Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in 1995.
1971 Joan Composer/Lyricist/Playwright Transferred Off-Broadway in 1972.
1972 The Duel An opera based on the lives of Alexander Hamilton and Aaron Burr
1972 A Look at the Fifties Transferred to Arena Stage in 1973. Produced by Seattle Rep in 1974.
1972 The Life of a Man
1972 The Making of Americans Composer
1973 Religion Composer/Lyricist/Playwright
1973 The Faggot Transferred Off-Broadway.
1974 The Future
1974 Listen to Me Composer
1974 Christmas '74 Arranger
1975 Why I Love New York Composer/Lyricist/Playwright
1976 The Bonus Army Composer/Lyricist
1976 Camp Meeting Composer/Lyricist/Playwright Originally titled Camp Meeting: 1840
1976 A Meditation on Beauty
1976 A Manoir Composer Gertrude Stein adaptation
1978 In Praise of Death Composer/Lyricist/Playwright
1979 Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah
1979 Doctor Faustus Lights the Lights Composer
1980 The Agony of Paul Composer/Lyricist/Playwright
1981 T.S. Eliot: Midwinter Vigil(ante) Last show at Judson Poets' Theater
1989 Máslova Composer

Recordings

Released Title Label Ref.
1966 Pomegranada Patsan
1967 In Circles Avant Garde
1969 Peace Metromedia Records
1969 Promenade RCA Victor
1972 Joan Judson
1973 The Faggot Blue Pear
1979 Christmas Rappings Judson
2003 Songs From W.C. and Other Theatre Songs of Al Carmines Original Cast Records

Awards

Year Award Category Work Ref.
1964 Obie Award Best Music Home Movies and What Happened
1968 Drama Desk Best Composer In Circles
Obie Award Best Musical
1969 Drama Desk Best Music Peace
1974 Drama Desk Outstanding Score The Faggot
1979 Obie Award Sustained Achievement
2003 Robert Chesley Award for Gay and Lesbian Playwriting

References

  1. 1 2 3 Martin, Douglas (2005-08-13). "Al Carmines, Experimental Theater Force, Is Dead at 69". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  2. ↑ "Many Gifts, One Spirit". Hymnary.org. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  3. ↑ "The Faggot". queermusicheritage.com. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  4. ↑ Helm, Robert Boynton (1979). The Rev. Al Carmines And The Development Of The Judson Poets' Theater. Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports.
  5. ↑ "MSS094: Judson Memorial Church Archive - mss094_ref419". sites.dlib.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  6. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater at the Pocket Theater-Leonce and Lena/Patter for a Soft-Shoe Dance July 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, 1964: 1964". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  7. ↑ "MSS094: Judson Memorial Church Archive - mss094_ref424". sites.dlib.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  8. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Devices/The Promenade 4/9/1965: 1965". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  9. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Pomegranada/After Closing Mar. 4-7, 11-14, 18-21, 1966: 1966". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  10. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Gorilla Queen 3/12/1967: 1967". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  11. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-San Francisco Burning [see oversize] Jan. 1-9, 13-16, 1967: 1967". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  12. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-In Circles/Big Projects, I Suppose 10/6/1967: 1967". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  13. ↑ Gertrude Stein Music By Al Carmines - In Circles, 1968, retrieved 2026-09-02
  14. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Untitled Play/The Sayings of Mao Tse-Tung 1/26/1968: 1968". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  15. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Aristophanes' Peace 11/1/1968: 1968". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  16. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Christmas Rappings 12/14/1969: 1969". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  17. ↑ "Promenade (Off-Broadway Production, 1969) | Ovrtur: Database of Musical Theatre History". ovrtur.com. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  18. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Urban Crisis 10/29/1969: 1969". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  19. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Playful Tyrant Oct. 18- 19, 23-26, 30-31,: 1970". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  20. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-About Time Apr. 12-13, 17-20, 24-27, 1970: 1970". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  21. ↑ "W.C. (Carmines, 1971)". Ovrtur. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  22. ↑ Calta, Louis (1971-05-29). "Angela Lansbury Joining With Brother in 'Sister'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  23. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Journey of Snow White Feb. 26-28, Mar. 1, 5-7, 12-14, 1971: 1971". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  24. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Wanted Sept. 17-20, 24-25, 27, Oct. 1-4, 1971: 1971". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  25. ↑ "Joan (Carmines, 1971)". Ovrtur. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  26. ↑ Funke, Phyllis (1974-04-21). "Al Carmines Opera to Debut". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  27. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-A Look at the Fifties Apr. 14-18, 21-25, 28-29, 1972: 1972". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  28. ↑ "A Look at the Fifties (Arena Stage Production, 1973) | Ovrtur: Database of Musical Theatre History". ovrtur.com. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  29. ↑ "Past Seasons | Seattle Rep". www.seattlerep.org. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  30. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Life of a Man Sept. 29-30, Oct. 1-2, 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, 1972: 1972". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  31. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Making of Americans Nov. 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, Dec. 1-4, 1972: 1972". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  32. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Religion Oct. 26-29, Nov. 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 1973: 1973". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  33. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Faggot Apr. 13-16, 20-23, 27-30, May 4-7, 1973: 1973". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  34. ↑ "The Faggot". queermusicheritage.com. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  35. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Future Mar. 22-25, 29-31, Apr. 1, 5-8, 12-15, 1974: 1974". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  36. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Listen to Me Oct. 11-14, 18-21, 25-28, Nov. 1-4, 22-25, 1974: 1974". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  37. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Christmas '74 Dec. 18-22, 1974: 1974". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  38. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Why I Love New York Oct. 10-13, 17-20, 24-27, 31, Nov. 1-3, 1975: 1975". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  39. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Bonus Army Feb. 20-22, 26-29, Mar. 4-7, 11-14, 1976: 1976". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  40. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Camp Meeting May 20-24, 27-31, June 3-7, 1976: 1976". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  41. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Camp Meeting Aug. 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29, 1977: 1977". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  42. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-The Beast: A Meditation on Beauty Nov. 5-8, 12-15, 19-22, 26-29, 1976: 1976". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  43. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-A Manoir Apr. 22-25, 29-30, May 1-2, 6-9, 20-23, 1977: 1977". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  44. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-In Praise of Death Nov. 3-6, 8-13, 17-20, 1978: 1978". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  45. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Someone's In the Kitchen with Dinah July 27-30, Aug. 3-6, 10-13, 1979: 1979". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  46. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights [see oversize] Oct. 26-29, Nov. 2-5, 9-12, 16-19, 1979: 1979". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  47. ↑ "MSS094: Judson Memorial Church Archive - mss094_ref508". sites.dlib.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  48. ↑ "Judson Poets' Theater-T. S. Eliot: Midwinter Vigilante March, 20-23, 27-30, Apr. 3-6, 10-13, 1981: 1981". findingaids.library.nyu.edu. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  49. ↑ "Maslova: Tolstoy Musical | David Boles". boles.com. Retrieved 2026-04-08.
  50. ↑ Pomegranada - 1966 Original Cast, archived from the original on 2025-03-19, retrieved 2026-09-03
  51. ↑ In Circles - 1968 Original Off-Broadway Cast, archived from the original on 2025-03-19, retrieved 2026-09-03
  52. ↑ Al Carmines - Peace - Original Cast Recording, 1968, retrieved 2026-09-02
  53. ↑ Maria Irene Fornes, Al Carmines - Promenade (The Original Cast Recording), 1969, retrieved 2026-09-03
  54. ↑ "64". Obie Awards. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  55. ↑ "Broadway Awards Database Browse by Year - 1968". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  56. ↑ "68". Obie Awards. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  57. ↑ "Broadway Awards Database Browse by Year - 1969". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  58. ↑ "Broadway Awards Database Browse by Year - 1974". www.broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  59. ↑ "79". Obie Awards. Retrieved 2026-04-07.
  60. ↑ "The Robert Chesley Award for Lesbian and Gay Playwriting". The Publishing Triangle. Retrieved 2026-04-07.