My junior and senior years in high school (1972-1973), I was persuaded by my beloved English teacher, Miss Duff, to participate in the statewide one-act-play contest. Our tiny rural school had no budget and no stage, and boys refused to do anything as faggy as acting, but Miss Duff tracked down plays with miniscule casts and props yet tremendous dramatic opportunity. The first year, doing the recognition scene from "Anastasia", our play won second in the district, which astonished everyone. Even more striking, I won Best Actress. The following year, we did "To Burn A Witch" and I was cajoled into the role of Dame Stanley, the horrid old Puritan who is interrogating the girls to determine if they are witches. Our play was passed over but I once again won Best Actress. This is me in my costume right before the first performance.
Posts
