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The Barb 8
Entertainer of the Month
By Eric Cushman Moore
Trying to make it in
theatre in Atlanta can be
: very difficult. Patrick Cue -
-oo caro : has been trying to
establish tiipiself f as an
o i .actor, and fortunately, has
• ;4^a^t i^ith . spme success,
j -iisaHiSj most recent appear-
ii9lls%h^ e nB was, L inf “Story
Th^tref’ at the Druid CeL
?r#iw lar pipner Theatre (see
zD or ti§somo, Oct. 74),
"tqtllfP 1 *! which he received out*
>r', ?, r §tan^ipg reviews. Prior to
thatj^ l}e played Iago in the
( theatre Projects/Atlanta
.^ production of. ‘‘.Catch My
Ooo'l iPdlfot feinc- t-
B )| ‘Atlanta is very young
- culturally,” says Patrick,
o > “and this is shown in the
quality of what’s produced
here.” He feels that this
has both good and bad as-*
pects; bad because there
aren’t enough opportuni
ties for young artists, good
because “Much of what is
produced here is very
fresh, and not as bound by
tradition as in other
cities.” :
Patrick is concerned
about the state of the Arts
in Atlantaand in the rest
of the country, as well.
•! “The Arts are, necessary
> ? they are NOT a.Juxury, ’ ’
he says. He feels that the
. arts problem’’ is basi
cally a question of at
titudes.;-Most people, he
points out, do not recog
nize artists as workers.
What they don’t seem to
realize, he feels, is that
tlje arts are just as valid,
just as legitimate a career
as any business career.
“The sad thing is, that
in Atlanta it is extremely
difficult for artists, es
pecially young people, to
develop a talent. Beyond
that,; particularly in the
theatre, there is the un
fortunate problem of hav
ing to spend years making
contacts,” according to
Patrick. He feels that if
the Artist could change the
PATRICK CUCCARO
Photo by Zoe Bradford
attitudes of most people,
the long range picture for
the Arts would improve.
Cuccaro feels that the
Arts stimulate business,
and that if members of
the business community
realized this, the neces
sary financing for the Arts
would be easier to obtain.
What would he like to
see in Atlanta? “More of
the classical Repertory,
for one thing,” he said and
smiles. “I’d also like to
see the development of an
acting company for young
actors and actresses. This
should be a hard core,
performance oriented,
training company, simi
lar to those in Britain..
This is especially needed
in the areas of movement,
uses of the voice. This
is available in Atlanta, but
not in a single integrated
program. Trying to get all
of the training ayoung per
former needs is impos
sible in this town, and
far too expensive.”
Asked about the Gay
community’s responsi
bility to the Arts, Patrick
points with pride to our
traditional role, a very
supportive one. He says
that he would like to see
more original Gay enter
tainment in Atlanta. He
feels that it is the res
ponsibility of Gay es
tablishments, in particular,
to support more local
talent -- especially, he
says, “when they could
probably get it for free. ’ ’
I asked Patrick what he
would most like to do at
this point in his career.
“My main ambition, now,
is to work in a good
theatre,witha good director
and get paid enough tc
survive on.”
If talent is any indi
cation of success, he
should be on his way!
"HELLO DOLLIES”
By Gretta Gossip
The Galloping Gay Continues
Happy Birthday to Joey, my brother, who will soon,
with the help of God and modern day surgery, finally be
freed from the misery of his gender and be able to
pursue his life as the woman he always wanted to be.
Read Mother Goddam’s account of her whirlwind visit
to Boston last month. She left thinking it would be a
tour de force, but ended up being forced to tour! Where
next, Mother G?
. . . What’s this I hear about a certain gay lounge
being closed recently by nasty Vice Squad detectives?
My sympathy goes to-G.L. for his near miss with At
lanta gendarmes over the indiscreet conduct of a so
called “Friend” who thinks he’s another John Dillinger.
Hear C.C. got busted for drunk driving again! Mary,
will you never learn? They’re gonna put you under
the jail next time!
Yes, it is true that D.M. is still in town -- in drag
no less. K.R. and J.L. recently did a number in the
parking lot of a local lounge.
Tell me, K.R., did you really think you could commit
suicide by laying down in the middle of that little street?
Congratulations to R. and D., we love you and hope it
lasts a long, long time.
. . For those of youwho sked, yes, Jeanni the co-ed
does have a cat house - - 8 cats and one longhaired
German Shepherd -- No donations, PLEASE! Rumor
has it that D.D. is moving to N. Carolina. Needless to
say, Mother Goddam is very sad, as are Drucena’s
family that will have to stay behind.
. . . Good luck to Kitty Hawk with her new Antique
Shop in N. Carolina. Hey Cathy -- what’s happening up
there? It is true the W.R. is leaving again for New
York? C’mon, Mary, you had a miserable time the last
trip (which lasted for years). Are you a glutton for
punishment? Is it true that Joanne, now a full woman,
got a 10 1/2” deep you-know-what? Congrats, Honey,
Gretta is looking forward to meeting you some day.
. . .How about the tacky scene between our own E.M.
and his ex -- in the parking lot of a local dive at 4:30
a.m.? Hey Kids, kiss and make up -- life’s too short
. . . Our illustrious editor and the infamous Mother
Goddam attended the “Hollywood Halloween” at the
Apollo Club. Oh those happy hangovers!
Congratulations to Peral Bailee, who took the “Most
Glamourous” award at Phyllis Killer’s Oscar Awards at
the Cove. Shawn, honey, you did great as “Best Dress
ed,” Ernestine Brown took honors as Entertainer of the
Year.
Jimmy Dee won “Best Look-Alike” for Diana Ross,
and last, but not least, the Frantic and Gay Mr. Mickey
Day took the “Best Designer” title. We hear that S.W.
really tore up the town in Frisco recently. Hey Baby,
why didn’t you invite Gretta and Mother Goddam? Well
that’s it Kiddies. Raise Hell, be bad, take care and
remember that Mother Goddam is watching you. The
Wife you save may be your own.
Gretta Gossip
Continued from Page 2
1014 Oak Street, THE
TENT at 3314 Gilham and
the DOVER FOX at 4334
Maip. r
The 1VANHOE had the
dancing-est atmosphere of
any, bar we visited. The
drinks were mixed well,
ana moderately priced.
Gorgeous people, too! THE
TENT, on the other hand,
featured a more conversa
tional atmosphere. Here I
wps able to get to actually
talk . to some people--and
I found (as I’ve been find
ing in all of my journeys)
that there are great people
everywhere. The DOVER
FOX was extremely ele
gant, rather expensive, but
well worth it. Quiet here,
too!
I’d like to recommend a
fine restaurant, THE
PROSPECT, located in The
Westport has one of the
most interesting menus
I’ve ever chosen from, with
an after Midnite special,
“The Peasant’s Proven
der,” that is out of this
world. Also well worth the
price is their cold cu
cumber soup, their tossed
dinner salad (with a spe
cial twist I cannot reveal
--try it yourself!) and in
credible ice cream and
liquer desserts. •
Sunday Zoe and I visit
ed the Nelson Gallery of
Art, that has one of the
finest collections of Far
eastern art in the world.
Beautiful gallery, and
cruisy, as well.
Must men t i o n the
“meat rack,” located on
the corner of 1,0th Street
and Oak in downtown K.C.
For those interested in a
business transaction, this
is the place, I am told,
and it is hysterical to
drive or walk by.
I was very impressed
in Kansas City. The peo
ple were wonderful, plen
ty to do and see, and best
of all, two very dear
friends.
Boston. Just thinking
about going to Boston had
me excited for weeks. The
trip had been planned since
the end of September, but
things just kept piling up,
so to speak, so I ended up
going the end of October.
Delta Airlines again pro
vided the lift--I just can’t
say enough good things
about that company. The
flight I took left at 3:00 in
the afternoon, and the
scenery on the wav to Bos
ton, particularly Manhat
tan in the setting sun, was
gorgeous.
Waiting at the gate were
Atlanta friends Dee and
Adam, now living in Boston
for four exciting years of
college. Not having a car,
we had to take the bus and
subway out to Medford,
where I was staying at
Tufts University. The pub
lic transportation in Boston
is very good, although the
last run for most major
lines is about 1:00 A.M.
Unbelieveable as it may
sound, the trip from the
airport to Medford only
took 45 minutes!
Bostonians aren’t noted
for the friendliness. I am
happy to report that all of
the people I met in Boston
were extremely warm and
gracious. That first eve
ning in Boston I was treat
ed to a spectacular view
of Boston through the win
dows of Dee’s dorm room.
I think this is what im
pressed me the most about
Boston. It is a very beauti
ful city. In the fall, the
hills are afire with brilli
ant colors, the rolling, low
hills looking like huge,
burning bushes.
Armed with a list of
places to go that was two
pages long (everybody has
a “favorite” place to see
in Boston) I set out the next
day for Harvard Square and
Lunch with Adam at the
OXFORD ALE HOUSE. This
establishment is the ep-
tiome of the college eatin’
and drinkin’ places you
read about in college
novels. I’m not sure how
nice it would be after dark,
but for luncheon it was
great. I ordered oysters
for an appetizer, a bottle
of Miller’s and Boston and
N Chips. Delicious.
An amazing place to shop
(cruise) is the Harvard
COOP. It is a co-operative
(hence the name “coop”)
department store that is
run by the Harvard Co-op
erative Society. Persons
associated with Harvard,
Radcliffe or M.I.T. get
“Coop numbers” and get a
rebate on all of their pur
chases. The COOP boasts
one of the best booK and
record departments I have
been in for some time, and
also has anything else you
could possibly need, from
cigarettes to stationery.
That night I had dinner
with two new friends,
Janice Savin and Charles
Bland, at Stoffers TOP OF
THE HUB, located on top
(52 stories up) of Boston’s
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