In 1989, August Wilson’s much talked about play, Joe Turner’s Come and Gone, broke box office records at ACT. I was both surprised and thrilled because the play was a Black play and ACT was not a Black theatre. I was also excited about being a part of such a stellar cast, led by veteran actor Roscoe Lee Browne and including such actors as Anna DeVeare Smith, Steven Anthony Jones, Delores Mitchell and Kimberly La Marque.

     ACT bought the set and costumes of the original production, and I inherited both Angela Bassett’s originated role of “Martha Pentecost” and her costumes. Being a bit smaller than me, our costumers had to let her wardrobe out for me. Angela had not become a household name at that time, but I clearly knew who she was. She had not met fame yet but I had seen her work in the original touring production at the Old Globe Theatre at the invitation of fellow cast member and my fellow ACT friend, Delroy Lindo in San Diego.  He had not become a household name yet, either, but both were on their way.

     Even from the beginning, there was a magical history that surrounded our production of Joe Turner’s Come and Gone.

     That three month carpet ride in Los Angeles would produce many stories for me.

     It was now time to leave ACT. 

back to Chapter Synopses