UPSTAIRS INFERNO - Documentary Featured

Reverend
Bill Richardson
Rector of St. George's Episcopal Church in New Orleans at the time of the fire, Richardson was an LGBT ally from the start of his career. He opened the doors to the chapel at St. George's (rent free) to the fledgling New Orleans chapter of the Metropolitan Community Church, as an alternative to the 3rd room at the Up Stairs Lounge as a place of worship. This was instrumental to the MCC congregation. It allowed them to save money for their own house of worship. The day after the fire, Richardson once again opened the doors of the chapel for a small memorial service. This decision was heavily chastised by his vestry and Archbishop. They were upset that the Episcopal Church had been used for a memorial service for "those people". Richardson was very upset that the congregation was acting this way, in what he considered "a non-Christian way entirely".
New Orleans District Chief
Chris Mickel
At 18 years old, Mickel was a volunteer for the Red Cross, actively participating in their Fire Watch Program. He often assisted at fire scenes. He arrived at the Up Stairs Lounge fire when the building was still in full blaze. He assisted with first aid and canteen services for the fireman. He then helped the firemen with the difficult task of separating the charred bodies, putting them in body-bags and transporting them to the coroner's unit. This fire was one of several major fires that compelled him to pursue a career as a firefighter. As someone who worked closely with the firefighters on the scene, Mickel brings an insider's point of view from the perspective of the first responders.
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Former Reporter for Times-Picayune
Clancy DuBos
A cub reporter at the time for the Times-Picayune newspaper, the Up Stairs Fire had a permanent impact on his life. As an up close witness to the gory mayhem outside the bar and the triage of victims in the Emergency Room at Charity Hospital, his articles about the fire paint a graphic and startling picture of the horrific fire and are frequently cited by scholars. The fire and the callous, homophobic reactions by the community completely altered the way he viewed the gay community. This was the first time he ever "saw gays as real people".
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Author
Clayton Delery-Edwards
Born in New Orleans, Clayton Delery-Edwards has a B.A. and an M.A. in English from the University of Louisiana, Lafayette, as well as a Ph.D. from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. His book, “The Up Stairs Lounge Arson”, was published in 2014. It was named Book of the Year by the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, was a finalist for a Lambda Literary Award in LGBT Nonfiction, and was named one of eighteen "must-read" Books by The Advocate. For 5 years, he thoroughly researched the topic, conducted interviews and is now considered an expert on the facts surrounding the fire.
Reverend
David Billings
St. Mark's Methodist Church played a HUGE role in the aftermath of the fire. Reverend Kennedy, with the approval of Bishop Finis Crutchfield, opened the doors to St Mark's to host the memorial service for the victims. This was in a time when all but one other church closed their doors to the grieving and those in need of spiritual comfort. David Billings was part of the church at that time and worked with Reverend Kennedy to host the memorial. Billings later became pastor of the church. He provides the inside story about Reverend Kennedy's and Bishop Crutchfield's involvement with the Memorial.
Son of "Mitch" Mitchell
Duane Mitchell
Son of Metropolitan Community Church Associate Pastor, “Mitch” Mitchell. Mitch initially escaped the inferno through the back door, but he rushed back into the bar to rescue his partner, Horace Broussard. They both perished in the fire. Their bodies were found next to each other. He considers his Dad a hero, not only for risking his life to save his partner, but for living his life working for what he believed in: LGBT equality. Only 11 years old at the time, Duane and his younger brother Dane were visiting their Dad in New Orleans. Mitch and Horace dropped them off at the movies, but they never returned to pick them up. To this day, Duane feels his Dad was "murdered" and the murderer robbed him and his childhood. He does not forgive the Mayor, city and state officials or religious leaders of the time for "sweeping this under the rug". He holds the city responsible for the fire and feels the victims' families should be compensated.
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Reverend
Elder Troy Perry
Perry founded the Metropolitan Community Church, a Christian denomination with a special affirming ministry with the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender communities, in Los Angeles in 1968. Other MCC Churches began forming around the country, including in New Orleans. After learning about the fire, Perry assembled a team of MCC ministers and gay activists to travel to New Orleans to help minister to the injured, perform funerals and hold city and government officials accountable for the investigation and homophobic remarks. He also organized and presided over the two memorials.
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Survivor
Francis Dufrene
A regular of the Up Stairs Lounge, 21 year old Dufrene was in the bar with his date, the night flames burst into the bar. He is one of the only survivors to escape through the windows. After jumping from the 2nd story window, he blacked out and was transported to the hospital. He suffered 3rd degree burns on his face and arms. Even today, scars are visible. His date was one of his many friends that died in the fire. Up until the 40th anniversary of the fire, he chose not to talk to anybody about the tragedy. He is another survivor who agreed to provide UPSTAIRS INFERNO with an exclusive on-camera interview.
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New Orleans Historian
Frank Perez
As an expert in New Orleans history, specializing in LGBT History, Perez is the author of two books, “In Exile: The History and Lore Surrounding New Orleans Gay Culture and its Oldest Bar”and “Treasures of the Vieux Carre”. He is a former college professor, with a B.S. in Criminal Justice and M.A. in English. He is a licensed tour guide in New Orleans and writes a weekly history column for the local LGBT newspaper, Ambush Magazine. Perez organized all the events related to the 40th Anniversary Memorial held in 2013. This included lectures, a funeral procession through the French Quarter (complete with horse drawn hearse), a second line march and a "Celebration of Life" reception.
Founding Member of MCC New Orleans
Henry Kubicki
A founding member of MCC New Orleans, Henry Kubicki witnessed the congregation grow. He supported the founding Reverend's decision to hold church services at the Up Stairs Lounge, in the room that housed the stage. Henry considered the members of MCC and people at the Up Stairs Lounge as his "family", since he had been rejected by his own family. He suffered Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome after losing so many members of his "family" to the fire. As one of the people deeply hurt by the unsympathetic and homophobic reactions to the fire, he was forced to endure popular cruel jokes such as "What do you bury the ashes of queers in? Fruit jars." Henry details what it was like living in New Orleans under those suppressive conditions. He firmly believes the true "hate crimes" related to the fire include the churches' refusals to hold funerals for the victims, families refusing to claim their loved one's bodies and the city and state leader's failure to acknowledge the huge loss of life.
Grandson of Inez Warren
Jamie Warren
Grandson to the only woman to lose her life in the fire, Inez Warren, he is also the nephew of Eddie and James Warren, two more victims of the fire. His family was devastated at the loss of three members of their family and resented the fact that the Mayor, Police Chief, Governor or religious leaders wouldn't acknowledge the fire or even offer cursory condolences.
Business Owner
John Meyers
Not everyone in the gay community was happy that Reverend Troy Perry and his group of ministers and activists traveled to New Orleans to organize memorials, hold press conferences and talk to the media. Meyers is one of several business owners who referred to them as "fairy carpet baggers". He and Troy engaged in a very heated confrontation. To this day, Meyers resents their actions.
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Author
Johnny Townsend
With 25 years of research behind him, Townsend is considered the first "expert" on the topic of the Up Stairs Lounge fire. He wrote the leading publication about the fire, its victims and the aftermath, entitled “Let the Faggots Burn”. Feeling a sense of urgency to record this story before too many people were lost to AIDS and age, Townsend began writing the book in 1989. Many of the people he interviewed have since passed away. Without Townsend's diligence and devotion, many details would've been lost forever. No one will have the access to the survivors and levels of information like he had. This includes the last interview given by Buddy Rasmussen, the bartender considered a hero for leading many survivors out a back door to escape the fire. Townsend's tremendous foresight and tenacious research put a face on this tragedy at a time when few people would talk about it. He frequently lectures about the fire at universities across the country.
Godson of Phil Esteve
Kevin Coakley
The Godson of the Up Stairs Lounge owner, Phil Esteve. Kevin saw first hand the effect the fire had on Phil and how it bankrupted and nearly destroyed him. He is a fourth generation New Orleanian and is a Sergeant with the New Orleans Police Department, proudly serving the city for nearly 20 years.
Witness of Up Stairs Lounge Fire
Mike Moreau
A long time resident of New Orleans, Mike had been on the receiving end of the homophobic attitudes of New Orleans police before. He had experienced several bar raids. Mike lost one of his best friends in the fire, Skip Getchell. However, like Stewart Butler and many others in the gay community, Mike was forced to grieve in private, fearing he would be outed if he talked about the fire. He was even too frightened to attend any of the memorials.
Leader
Misti Ates
Voted New Orleans Lesbian of the Year for the past few years, this young leader of the community helped organize the 40th anniversary memorial ceremonies held in 2013. She plays a key role in providing perspective from the point of view of a younger generation.
Architect of Modern Gay Rights Movement
Morris Knight
Based out of Los Angeles, Morris Kight was one of the architects of the modern gay rights movement, spearheading a non-violent movement for social reform. A brilliant public relations strategist, he forced gay issues into the mainstream media when there was minimal coverage--most of it quite negative. This skill set was extremely valuable after the Up Stairs fire. He traveled to New Orleans with his good friend, Reverend Troy Perry and three other gay activists and MCC ministers to help mobilize the community, set up the National New Orleans Memorial Fund and hold the police and press accountable for their homophobic responses to the tragedy. While he passed away in 2003, a cassette tape containing an interview of Morris candidly detailing their experience in New Orleans was recently discovered. UPSTAIRS INFERNO was given exclusive rights to the audio.
Reverend
Paul Breton
As a member of Reverend Troy Perry's team of ministers and gay activists who traveled to New Orleans to help minister to the dead, injured and hurting, Breton was the primary clergy to minister to the gravely injured victims in Charity Hospital. He also performed funerals for many of the fire victims, including fellow Metropolitan Community Church pastor, Deacon Bill Larson (posthumously ordained as “Reverend”). As someone who was there, Breton provides intimate details about the hours and days after the fire, the struggles in the community and attitudes of the dying. He’s also one of the trustees who established the "New Orleans National Memorial Fund", designed to help pay for medical bills, funerals or other expenses incurred by the victims.
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Survivor
Regina Adams (aka Ricky Soleto)
Moments before the fire, Regina left the Up Stairs Lounge to retrieve her checkbook from the nearby apartment she shared with her lover, Reggie Adams. After about 10 minutes, she returned to the bar to find it fully engulfed in flames. Reggie perished in the fire and was identified by his dental records. For weeks, she laid out his clothes on the bed as if he was coming home. She soon legally changed her name to "Regina Adams", as a tribute to her lost soul mate. Regina provides a step by step account of the evening and shares the difficulties she had recovering from the trauma, including a long struggle with alcoholism. Through heart felt stories, she brings to life many of her friends that were lost in the fire and what the bar meant to the community. Known for routinely refusing to talk about the fire, she agreed to share her story with us, providing an exclusive on-camera interview.
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Survivor
Ricky Everett
A regular at the Up Stairs Lounge, Ricky often performed in the popular stage productions ("Nelly Dramas") held at the bar. He was also a founding member of the New Orleans Chapter of the Metropolitan Community Church. He was in the bar as flames rushed in. He remembers the details vividly and praises God for saving him. He methodically explains how the bar manager/bartender, Buddy Rasmussen led him and a handful of others through the panic and flames to an exit behind the stage, which led to the roof. Not seeing his friend on the roof, Ricky went back into the bar to look for him. He went back into the inferno with MCC Associate Pastor Mitch Mitchell, who was looking for his partner. Only Ricky made it back out.
Photographer for Times-Picayune
Ronnie Lebouef
Nineteen years old at the time, Lebouef was a brand new photographer at the local newspaper, the Times-Picayune. He was one of the first people at the scene of the fire. He immediately began snapping photographs, ultimately capturing the iconic and horrifying images that made headlines across the country. This includes the photo of Reverend Bill Larson's charred, lifeless body wedged in the Up Stairs Lounge window, a victim (Luther Boggs) on a stretcher with "skin dripping off like wax" and bartender "Rusty" Linn Quinton staring up at the fire with tears of horror in his eyes.
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Survivor
Stewart Butler
A frequent patron of the Up Stairs Lounge, Stewart vividly remembers what the Up Stairs Lounge looked like and the role it played in the community before the fire. He witnessed the horror of seeing his friend, MCC Reverend Bill Larson, burn to death as he tried to escape through a window. Grieving was extra difficult for people like Stewart, since many were forced to stay “in the closet”, fearing loss of their job or home. They were not able to grieve openly. Over 80 years old, he is still an active leader in the New Orleans LGBT community.

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