SUMMER, 1967 MY FIRST "REAL" THEATRE JOB IN ATLANTA, AS APPRENTICE FOR THE GREAT CHRIS MANOS, LAST SUMMER OF SIX WEEK STAR STOCK IN CHASTAIN. THINGS WERE LOOKING UP! ONE GAL, MARYDITH CHASE HAD THE JOB OF SPRINKLING GLITTER OVER THE STAGE SCENERY WAGONS! THIS FROM THE SOUVENIR PROGRAM BOOK...
(BUT LET US BACK UP TO) NOVEMBER, 1966 THEATRE ATLANTA! FRANIA LEE- REMEMBER THAT NAME...
WHAT A MARTYR!
OCTOBER, 1968-- TERRY KAYE PANS RED WHITE & MADDOX
DECEMBER, 1968 RED & WHITE MOVES TO NYC FOR A BRIEF RUN, THEATRE ATLANTA LOSES HOME, FOLDS
FEBRUARY, 1969 THE THEATRE ELEMENT OF THE ALLIANCE, CHRIS MANOS' MUNICIPAL THEATRE FOLDS, TAKING WITH IT THE ATLANTA BALLET, THE REP COMPANY, THE CHILDREN'S THEATRE, AND THE OPERA COMPANY. GRANDMOTHER RARY MAILED ME UP TO TAFT TWO TIX FOR GISELLE, UN-TORN-- WORTHLESS. IA STAGEHANDS HAD DEMANDED CASH IN ADVANCE OF PERFS! CHILDREN'S THEATRE, ATLANTA BALLET SAVED; MEDIOCRE ALLIANCE THEATRE BEGUN TO SATISFY TICKET HOLDERS,UNDER DIRECTION DAVID BISHOP, AN ASST. STAGE MANAGER FOR CHRIS; CHRIS CREATES THEATRE OF THE STARS, PLAYED WINTERS AT P'TREE PLAYHOUSE, SUMMERS AT CIVIC CENTER; PLAYS TO THIS DAY AT FOX! TRUE SURVIVOR, ALONG WITH VINCE FAGABOND! I SAW ONE OF CHRIS SHOWS AT ALLIANCE "THE HOSTAGE;" SAW ALSO THE DREADFUL "YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU," FIRST NON-CHRIS ALLIANCE PRODUCTION-- WESTMINSTER HAD DONE A MUCH BETTER HI-SKOOOL JOB WITH THE ELDER SON OF THE TALENTED ATLANTA BEATTIES AS LEAD.
MARCH, 1970 HOMO ANTICS IN BOYS IN THE BAND FORCED FROM ALLIANCE STUDIO; MOVED TO POCKET ON JUNIPER, RUN BY THE GREAT DICK MONROE AND THE STILL-LIVING (LAST TIME I CHECKED) LUIS MAZA!
NOVEMBER, 1971 HAIR PLAYS THE CIVIC CENTER, SAW IT, CHANGED MY LIFE, OPENS WITH A BANG!
JUNE, 1973 BRINGS DRUMBEAT IN GA, A/K/A MOSQUITOES OVER JEKYLL AND HYDE- IT LASTED TWO SEASONS
MAY, 1975 BEN THOMPSON DOES HIS SECOND SHOW. DEPOYS'S GREAT STORY WAS OF THE MALE HUSTLER SPOT OP WHO REFUSED TO "BLACKOUT" ON CUE--DIDN'T FEEL IT RIGHT-- BEN & DAVID (IT IS SAID) MET AT THE FRUIT JUNGLE
MAY, 1975 JOHN PORTMAN WHO HAD AT TECH USHERED AT THE ROXY, IMPLODES IT ALONG WITH THE HENRY GRADY HOTEL; OPENS ROUND THEATRE
NOVEMBER, 1975 HARLEQUIN OUT OF ROCKVILLE, MARYLAND, THEATRE BUILT OUT OF ITS OWN SCENE SHOP! ONE-WAY TRAVELERS (NO FLYHOUSE) AND FIRST COMPUTER BOARD IN TOWN, PLUS TALENT! GRACE MACCEACHRON (ZABRISKIE) HELPS OUT.
JUNE, 1979, WELL THEY LASTED FOUR YEARS! THE DEATH OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN MENTIONED, LASTED THREE YEARS-- FORMER ROUND THEATRE USED BY PORTMAN'S DRAFTSMEN TO DESIGN THE NYC MARRIOTT MARQUEE, WHICH SPELLED THE DEATH OF THE MOROSCO, HELEN HAYES AND BIJOU-- AWFUL HOUSE!
MAY, 1976 SID & MARTY OPENS! ERNEST BORGNINE THERE-- WAS HE THE PROBLEM?
NOVEMBER, 1976 ONLY SIX MONTHS, AND WE WERE MARCHED OVER TO UNEMPLOYMENT! LET'S SEE, 300,00O OVER 150PLAYING DAYS MEAN 2000 A DAY. PROPOSED "JOURNEY TO CENTER OF THE EARTH" BESTED BY CNN AND TED; THANK CHRIPES S & M NEVER GOT HOLD OF THE RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL, AS THEY SEEMINGLY DESIRED!
SEPTEMBER, 1977 DAVID, HAVING DIVORCED BEN MAKES A FATAL ERROR 
JUNE, 1976 THIS IS HOW I MET MICHELLE AND LOST MY VIRGINITY. SHE AND ROB HAD COME FROM SAME GENRE IN OKLAHOMA TO THE PLANNED TOWN, PEACHTREE CITY. LATER TERMED THE MACINTOSH T R I A L, IT LASTED A MONTH I THINK.
OCTOBER, 1976 CHRIS OPENS NEGRO THEATRE GROUP AT PTREE PLAYHOUSE--PANNED-- OF COURSE ONE MAY NO LONGER PAN NEGRO PLAYS... OR FACE LYNCHING!
MAY, 1977 ACADEMY OUSTED FROM BUCKHEAD CHURCH, SAW MANY GOOD SHOWS THERE (AND STRANGE); ONE TIME HOME OF KKK- GOOD VIBRATIONS! PAUL & ME PLAYED (RENTAL) CHARLIE BROWN THERE, 1974ISH
JUNE, 1978 SIXTEEN YEARS IN ONE HOUSE! BURNED DOWN! RECALL MISS FRANIA LEE? SHE STRIKES AGAIN! ACADEMY MOVED IN TO MOVIE THEATRE PEACHTREE ART, THE HOUSE MARGARET MITCHELL MADE THE ERROR IN SELECTING THE NIGHT SHE WAS DRUG DOWN THE STREET BY AN ERRANT TAXI AND KILLED; ACADEMY LATER MOVED TO NEW HOUSE, FOLDED!
NOVEMBER, 1977 PEACHTREE PLAYHOUSE RENTAL RUN AMOK-- I WAS THERE, CHARLIE! RAN A FRONT LIGHT. THEN I MOVED TO NEW YORK--WONDER WHY? GUESS I W A S EX H A U S T ED !!!
THE DENIAL OF BARBARA THOMAS' DREAM
