Dear Virginia:

I have made my first foray at female impersonation in public. As you know I am a member of a barbershop quartet. I sing tenor, a natural for a girl's part. I have for years hoped for some opportunity to play a female part on stage. The chance came this summer when the show com- mittee was hashing over ideas for this year's show. The theme was finally decided as a revue of old time vaudeville days. I subtly suggested some names that were famous including Julian Eltinge and others. I men- tioned that every vaudeville act in the old days always included a female impersonator. Surprisingly the others jumped at the idea. Others had evidently thought of the same idea. In discussing various acts, reminis- cences of the "Our Gang" comedies came up. Acts were assigned to others and I put in a bid for “Our Gang.”

When the act finally jelled we had the school teacher, who was the smallest of the four. He is a real little guy. Next we had Percy the rich kid, who would wear a Lord Fauntleroy suit. Then there was "Spike" the tough kid. Of course any group of children would include some girls. This part was for me because I was the biggest and would supposedly be the most comical. I was to be "Baby Jane" and we would all be 10 years old. There is an expert arranger in our chapter and he arranged a medley of "School Days", "The bell in the schoolhouse", "Nursery Rhymes", and "I don't want to play in your yard”. We worked up a routine and started practicing.

Meanwhile I visited Providence and met Barbara who has done amateur acting. She was very doubtful about the whole thing and told me about all the horrible things that would happen to me as a result of appearing in public as a girl. I did not intend to use makeup, or high heels or breasts anyway. They did not go with the part. It did not seem to me to be so awful so I was determined to do it anyway. It took me many years to get up enough nerve to impersonate a female on stage and I did not intend to lose this chance.

I wore a $5 wig fluffed up big with a loose forelock that hung over my eyes which I continually brushed aside without success. This was good for a laugh. Then a pale blue cotton blouse, a light blue shantung jumper similar to a school uniform. Finally, bright blue fishnet stockings and black flats, I told them I got it all at the Goodwill store. I wore the outfit at two dress rehearsals before the show. Nothing bad happened and the act was very well received.

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