| By: Paul S. Cilwa | Viewed: 4/26/2024 Occurred: 6/1/1965 Posted: 10/14/2022 |
Page Views: 660 | |
| Topics: #Autobiography #CrossandSword | |||
| The Oldest City gets a play with the Oldest Plot. | |||
On Anastasia Island, when I took the school bus from our beach home into town, we passed a section of Florida jungle that had been cleared, stripped down, and was home to something being built. This was all through 1964. Now, I didn't know that we were about to become hosts to Florida's Official State Play. But everyone knew about St. Augustine's big anniversaery coming up: it's 400th since the city's founding by Don Pedro Menendez de Avilles in 1565. (And yes, I just typed that from memory. Some things are such a big deal you can just never forget them.)
Cross & Sword was that play, written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paul Green.
Although I was working as a lifeguard by day, not being a partier, I was happy to supplement my income by working for the State Play in whatever capacity I could find. The one they offered was as drink vendor, working the aisles in between acts.
Although the pay was minimal, I was able to watch the show for free every night, all summer long. (In later years, I would be in it.) I also got to hang out with my pal from Boy Scouts, Tommy Wilbur, who worked alongside me.
