The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-04-14

CHOWDER
BY RAYMER

ly about background material
which / was suppose to turn in
as a profile in connection with the
series of biogs on members of the
cast of "Our Town." the Thorn
ton Wilder drama presented this
week by the Key West Players at
the Barn Theatre. In the rush to
get everyone written about, for
got to do my own biog. Now I'm
not in the same flip mood today
because as this is written, it's
Monday and / have opening night
filters. although / have only a
minor role as the town gossip
Mrs. Soames, and everyone seems
to think it's "a natural" I've al
ways claimed that this column is
chitchat, not gossip.
Back to the background. It's
difficult to interview oneself, but
remembering the questions and
data | asked other Players, / find
I'm suppose to relate first ex-
perience in the theatre. Outside of
Sunday School appearances on
Christmas and Easter there was
only one outstanding performance.
When was around ten years old
! read Charles Lambs "Tales of
Shakespeare" and became a
Worm-in-the-bud playwright, writ
ing my own version of "Romeo
and Juliet" The only male re-
cruit we could get for the neigh
borhood production was a reluc-
tant boy of about six whose
mother had culture" in mind and
forced him into the pIaylet. He
retaliated by being the best little
scene stealer in the business. He
was suppose to be a page boy. !.
but he turned circus clown. did
nipups and cartwheels in every
walk-on, made horrible faces at
the audience and loused up af-
fairs in general.
ADMISSION to the opus was
by pins and collected enough to
keep my mother in pins (and on
needlesl for weeks. Since the only
contribution by neighborhood boys
was to stand on the edge of the
lawn on the afternoon Of the play
to yell and boot, my sister and
the girls in the area had to double
in all the roles. My sister Carrie
Mae tucked a pillow under her
robe to play the fat friar; re
moved it to be Mereutio. AS the
tallest. | was Romeo and used a
skillet for a lutte. One bit of bust.
ness called for the tossing of
rose up to the balcony. a real
one about Is feet above the foun-
dation of our big oId-fashioned
Pennsylvania home with its high
walls. Every time / threw the
flower my aim was bad or my
sister Gwen. who was Juliet. miss
ed. catching it. We devised an IL.
fusion. | made the gesture of toss
ing the rose but actually crumpl.
ed 1t in my fist and at the same
time, Gewn drew another one
from her pantywaist blossom she
had not at the age Of eight and
pressed it to her face.
THROUGHOUT highschool and
college and graduate years, both
at Ohio State University and An
tioch College, was consumed with
interest in speech, drama, play
production, and for a while dabbl-
ed with the thought Of making the
stage a career. During M. A. year
at State was attendant to King
decentralization Hearted in an
outdoor production of sherwood
Forest. Was suppose to hold the
Kings steed when he dismounted,
The trouble was. the king couldn't
stop the horse. until after three
gallops on, across, and back for
another so at L. | would run out,
grab and be practically knocked
down until the fourth time when
the horse stopped abruptly and the
king dismounted. right over the
horses head. By that time the
audience in the area we're hys.
terical with laughter, the king was
Ia towering rage and beth the
horse and / we're completely wind
ed
SPENT six years as nighieiub
and movie editor en- a Miami
paper. followed By one year On
radio with my own show. includ.
Ing selling il TO sponsors one Of
them vas Minxky's and had 10
Einsk words vhen Interviewing
personalities like Rose Ia REESE
HoRever. did get more than 1
acquaintance with all
sorts Of stage. nlghselah. vaude-
vile and movie stars through Ran
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