Photos courtesy of the Grand Rapids Civic Theater. Paul A. Dreher, photographer. All rights reserved.
I began acting at a very early age with various local theaters in Grand Rapids, Michigan. When I was nine years old, I was cast as Rufus in a production of Tad Mosel’s drama ALL THE WAY HOME at the Grand Rapids Civic Theater. My mother, Marti Childs, played Mary, Rufus’ mother in the play. It was directed by Paul A. Dreher who subsequently directed me in a half dozen other shows during my youth.
Set in the American south, ALL THE WAY HOME had won the Pulitzer Prize during its run on Broadway several years before our production. It was based on James Agee’s autobiography, A DEATH IN THE FAMILY. It was a powerful, large cast play with beautiful language and filled with high drama and raw emotions.
Rufus was the lead, so a lot was resting on my slim shoulders. This was most likely when I became fated to spend the rest of my life in some capacity of the theater. I loved every moment of rehearsals and performances. I was dazzled by the commitment of the rest of the cast and all of the design elements of this magical world. The gods of theater had blessed me with this complex role at a tender age.
