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Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Nostalgia Ain't What it Used To Be






My childhood was riddled with emotional bullet holes. The enemy? My schoolmates. My youth was spent plotting paths of least resistance, avoiding obstacles and ducking snipers. I don't recall how, but I found out about a theatre group at our (then) new community center. It seemed the perfect "hiding place", especially since I so wanted to be Loretta Young. The director of this goofy venture is the reason why I write. You think I'm Norma Desmond? Elaine Sack was Norma Desmond. Ebony hair, heavily coaled eyes (with a nod to Cleopatra) and only dramatic blood in her veins; she made her entrance and I was entranced. I don't know if any of my fellow performers thought of her quite as I did. Sure, we probably giggled a bit, but I was awed. I didn't realize it then, but I was gazing at a role model.

Our first "season" (HA!) together, we did "scenes" from things. I don't recall everything, but I know we did a little bit from Bells are Ringing. Another scene was from Neil Simon...maybe it was Come Blow Your Horn, I'm not sure. There was a little snippet of The Odd Couple and maybe a drop of Auntie Mame. Last October, I sifted through my hometown's newspaper's microfiche at the public library and presented here is what was the highly anticipated "Season II." A whole play! As you can see, we did Six Flights Up. Never heard of it you say? Ah, but you have.

I have no memory as to how Elaine began this group. I know that she got no money from the community center, bupkis. So, what does a lady, with drama in her blood and not a penny do when money is supposed to be paid to the Samuel French Company when Neil Simon's, Barefoot in the Park is performed? Why, she simply changes the name! Yes, I was Paul Bratter, Nancy was Corey & David was Victor, who lived upstairs. In our show, he lived on the ladder. The saddest part of the whole thing is that we had no stage. What we had was a very large room, huge in fact. I think the building had been a hotel at the turn of the century and we must've been in the main dining room. What we were given were risers, like what an orchestra might use. They must've been 5 or 6 inches off of the floor. This was our stage. There were no walls behind or beside us. We weren't theater-in-the-round, we were theater-in-the-whatever. The audience (ahem) had folding chairs to sit on. There were swinging doors that must've gone into the kitchen, so the risers were close to these doors. This was our back stage. We did have some furniture because I begged my parents to loan us something from their store. I think the furniture was the best part, it certainly was the most real part. It was sad.

I don't know why she gave me the male lead. Back then, I was so limp, so nelly, I imagine the girl who played my wife was butcher than me. I guess she saw something. Or maybe the other two boys wouldn't take on the role, I don't know. As you might imagine, the audience was made up of our families, I don't think that front page story and advertisement packed the house. What I do know is that Elaine Sack was a wonderful lady who gave us a lot of her time, because she wanted to. I know I was awful at memorizing my lines and blocking and she pushed me and dammit, I did it. I'd always hoped that I would run into her somewhere or get a chance to look her up. It was earlier this year that my sister connected with Elaine's daughter and I found out that Elaine is gone. The information was sketchy, some sort of cancer, and there was also a fire at some point, so photos of Elaine are rare. I asked for a copy of anything and her daughter sent me this, instructing me to keep it. She seemed so happy that someone was remembering her mother. Remember her? I could never forget her.


11 comments:

  1. BRAVO! AUTHOR....AUTHOR!

    I especioally identified with the part about your enemies. I think we were in the same league.

    But you get MEGA points for being brave enough to take to the stage. It takes guts to go up there and literally act. Most people think its easy - it is not, because having the courage to even walk out onto a stage and deliver announcements is difficult.

    Please accept my words as the rose petals that I could have thrown at your feet had we known one and other back then.

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  2. Wonderful post!
    I love dodging paying royalties by changing the name of the play. You must have been the Robert Redford of Sharon.

    I remain a fan of your blogs. Reading you has been one of the joys of 2010.

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  3. gentlemen, you're too kind. thank you.

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  4. Darling - You have officially Made My Day! This was so wonderful to read. Not only did it bring back many similar memories, but it made me so happy to know that you had a mentor like that in your life.

    So many of us survived those year by employing the "keep 'em laughing" rule. Not bad life training when you think about it.

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  5. What a wonderful story! If the town of Sharon had any sense there would be a statue of Elaine Sack.

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  6. I would like to know more about the "private booths" in Mr. Vincent's salon.

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  7. I was forced to appear on stage as a child, nothing special. But I know that everybody who has the guts to go out and deliever earns respect.

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  8. Oh, honey, I felt I was there in that theater-in-the-whatever! I loved it, and I think it's fabulous that you were able to find this photo of your early mentor to hold on to.

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  9. mr. vincent.....well, though i did go to his salon a few times, i believe brian cut my hair. my recollection of vincent is that either he was a closeted faygelah or a het who was afraid of being labelled otherwise.

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  10. and I remember the Knights of Pythias! They chartered a plane to Jamaica back in the 70's, a week at a resort in Ocho Rios, all-inclusive.

    There were some empty seats, so a buddy and I grabbed two from a travel agent and went along.

    We copped some weed and turned on some of the Knights and Ladies!

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