124

we could keep the dough in the family. But 1 give it
to the director’s fresh, new lover.

“Why? It makes him happy and a happy director
is what I need more than anything else, even a
happy wife. I don’t want him interrupting rehearsals
to telephone and make sure lover-boy is being faith-
ful, staying at home and watering the plants on the
penthouse.

“So the kid’s hired. He and the director never
arrive together, but they’re not fooling anyone. They
barely nod throughout the day which gives the com-
pany something to gossip about. That’s good. It
keeps their minds off other troubles.

“The kid’s got nothing to do, but he’s bright, good
looking and stage struck. He just swoons over the
leading lady who loves fags and flattery. He brings
her tea, runs errands, walks the dog. Hiring him is
a lot cheaper than having a $200 a week assistant
stage manager waiting on her hand and foot. And
that could easily happen.

“So one lover-boy at a few bucks a week makes a
lot of people happy. Me, especially. Now I got noth-
ing to worry about except getting the rest of the
money for our out-of-town opening.”

Few show people speak so frankly about the at-
traction homosexuals have toward the theatre, the