IN YESTERDAY’S POST, I LEFT YOU WITH GOING TO A NEW MAJOR BACKSTAGE THEATER DIRECTOR POSITION AT THE ASHCROFT THEATER AND FAIRFIELD HALLS CONCERT HALL. THE THEATER WAS NAMED AFTER FAMOUS ACTRESS, DAME PEGGY ASHCROFT 1907 - 1991. SHE WAS BORN IN CROYDON AND I WAS PRIVILEGED TO MEET HER MANY TIMES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE NEW THEATER’S LIFE. SHE WAS MUCH BELOVED BY THE THEATER COMMUNITY.
 |
| PEGGY AGE 22 IN 1929 |
 |
| DAME PEGGY IN THE MOVIE “A PASSAGE INDIA”. |
THE OPENING PRODUCTION AT THE ASHCROFT THEATER WAS “ROYAL GAMBIT”, A PLAY ABOUT THE LIFE AND WIVES OF KING HENRY VIII.
THE FAIRFIELD HALLS WAS COMPRISED OF THEATER, CONCERT HALL AND AN ART GALLERY, NAMED THE ARNHEM GALLERY AFTER THE MANY CROYDON-BASED PARATROOPERS WHO LOST THEIR LIVES IN A WWII AMBUSHED PARACHUTE DROP OVER ARNHEM, HOLLAND. THE BACKSTAGE OF THE THEATER AND CONCERT HALL WAS MY AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY. I WAS IN MY EARLY TWENTIES AT THE TIME.
THE JOB AT THE FAIRFIELD HALLS WAS ANOTHER CONTINUUM FROM MY TEENS. FOR 25 YEARS OF CROSS-ATLANTIC BICKERING BY THE AMERICAN AND BRITISH MUSICIANS’ UNIONS WHERE, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE AMERICAN ARMY SWING BAND UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF GLENN MILLER, ALL AMERICAN MUSICIANS WERE BANNED FROM PLAYING IN BRITAIN, AND VICE VERSA. THEN THEY MADE UP THEIR DIFFERENCES AND ONE AFTER ANOTHER, ALL THE MAJOR STARS AND BANDS OF AMERICAN JAZZ, SWING AND BLUES CAME ON CONCERT TOURS. AMONG THE PEOPLE I SAW FOR ABOUT 50 CENTS A TIME WERE DUKE ELLINGTON, COUNT BASIE, LIONEL HAMPTON, EARL HINES, STAN KENTON, THE MODERN JAZZ QUARTET, LOUIS ARMSTRONG ALL STARS, ELLA FITZGERALD, SARAH VAUGHAN, BILLY ECKSTINE, JOE WILLIAMS, PEGGY LEE AND MANY OTHERS OF SIMILAR STATURE. I SAW AND ENJOYED EVERY ONE.
 |
| COUNT BASIE |
 |
| DUKE ELLINGTON |
 |
| ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA |
IT WAS AN ORGY OF THIS TYPE OF MUSIC THAT I HAD FIRST HEARD AND ENJOYED AS A SIX YEAR OLD. THERE WAS A R+R CENTER FOR INJURED US OFFICERS IN A HUGE MANSION JUST NEAR MY PARENTS’ GROCERY STORE. RECORDED JAZZ AND BLUES MUSIC WAFTED THROUGH OPEN WINDOWS WHILE I SAT IN THE GARDEN, LISTENED AND GOT HOOKED ON THE INFECTIOUS RYTHMS.
WHEN THE FAIRFIELD HALLS OPENED IT BECAME THE VENUE FOR CONTINUING THESE CONCERTS. I WAS PRIVILEGED TO BE ON STAGE WITH MANY ACTS BUT THE EXPERIENCE THAT I MOST ENJOYED WAS SITTING IN ON REHEARSALS. MANY MEMBERS OF THE ELLINGTON ORCHESTRA HAD BEEN PLAYING TOGETHER FOR 40 YEARS, YET THEY REHEARSED DAILY FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS WITH NEW WORK. SUCH PERFECTIONISTS. I HAD LEARNED TO PLAY TRUMPET AND TROMBONE IN SCHOOL, SO THIS WAS “DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN” TIME!.
 |
| LOUIS ARMSTRONG |
 |
| ELLA FITZGERALD |
I COULD HAVE EASILY STAYED IN THE WORLD OF ENTERTAINMENT, IT WAS ALWAYS INTERESTING BUT VERY DEMANDING OF TIME AND ENERGY. I HAD MET AND WORKED WITH SOME AMAZING PEOPLE, THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS IN VARIOUS PARTS OF THE ENTERTAINMENT WORLD. I FELT VERY BAD ABOUT THE LACK OF TIME WITH MY FAMILY AND THE KIDS WERE GROWING APACE. MY PRIMARY REASON FOR BEING IN THE THEATER WORLD IN THE FIRST PLACE WAS TO MAKE MONEY TO START A CLAY STUDIO. NOBODY TOLD ME YOU COULDN’T MAKE A GOOD INCOME IN THE THEATER BUSINESS, SO, WITH THE POWER OF POSITIVE
THOUGHT AND ACTION, I ALWAYS DID. WHEN THE RENOVATIONS TO THE HOUSE AND STUDIO WERE DONE. I STARTED TO EXPERIENCE LIFE AS A SELF-EMPLOYED STUDIO POTTER. I KNEW THAT IF THE STUDIO DIDN’T WORK OUT, I COULD ALWAYS GO BACK TO THEATRE OR WORKING AS A TRAVEL GUIDE.
TOMORROW, MOVING TO A COUNTRY VILLAGE
No comments:
Post a Comment