By Floyd Stephen Alexander
My journey with Community Actors Theatre (CAT) located at 2957 54th Street, San Diego, CA 92105, is that of a professional theatre artist who had no home in the theatre community until Mrs. Jeannie Hamilton, the driving force of Community Actors Theatre, took a chance on me. Mrs. H., as I lovingly call her, put me on the map in San Diego when I was in Naval Service stationed at 32nd Street. That was from 1985 to 2004.
In commercial theatre, it is a financial risk to take a chance on an unknown playwright’s work. I never knew what the box office receipts reflected, but I have been privileged to have five productions staged within a 15+ year period. The productions are many that the community remember: Dracula (2x), Scribes, Here I Am!, Wolf Man, and Baldwin: Portrait of A Writer. Mrs. Hamilton directed Scribes and Mr. Wally Williams directed the second run of Dracula in November 2004.
From the notoriety of these productions, I now have a catalog of over 18 plays on social media with YouTube.com, X, Indeed and published with Heartland Plays, Inc., Blue Mount Publishing, Citi of Books, and recently Pen In Charge, LLC. My book, ”Gay Notions”, is on over 50 bookstore and library websites and has won two film festival awards in A.I. adaptation.
As the saying goes, it only takes one person to believe in you before you can see the value of yourself. Through theatre, Mrs. Hamilton has entertained, engaged and enlightened many in the Oak Park District. Mrs. Hamilton allowed my plays to do the same as well as other up-and-coming artists in the community. Bravo, Mrs. Hamilton! Bravo!
