My First Union Gig
I’ve been an active member of the Live Event community in Central Florida since the earliest days of theme parks and convention/trade shows – the mid 1970’s.
While a tech theater student at FTU (Florida Technological University, now UCF), in 1975, I met Pat McDonald, the then BA for IATSE Local 631. The membership of the local in the early 70’s were movie theater projectionists, and I had friends who were managers of the theater! Pat learned I was a tech theater student with a background in costuming…although I was studying lighting design. As a woman of the 70’s I was adamant I was going to succeed in positions not normally considered ‘women’s work’…and I became, and still am, a stage electrician.
In November of 1975 Pat asked me to work wardrobe for ‘Shenandoah” at The Tupperware Auditorium, so my first gig for IATSE Local 631 was as Dresser for John Raitt (yep, Bonnie’s dad)…and it was the first of my many ‘Backstage Stories’.
