Frank Dunnigan, WNP member and columnist. -
Recently, we looked back at several local individuals and groups who achieved some notable successes in the performing arts, but exactly what nurtured all that talent? One might argue that attending San Francisco schools, either public or parochial, in the 1950s and 1960s, gave us all a taste of show business at an early age.
My own acting debut was in December 1957 on stage at Parkside School. As part of the Christmas (a word still used in public schools back then) pageant, many of us kindergarteners were interspersed on stage among the big third sixth graders in the cast. Our non-speaking roles involved holding/shaking flocked, glitter-encrusted cardboard snowflakes, thus setting the wintertime scene. We felt quite smug and superior to the first and second graders who formed the chorus, and who were relegated to sitting on the floor, singing endless choruses of
Mexico
La-mancha
Veracruz-llave
University-of-san-francisco
California
United-states
Washington-high-school
Oklahoma
San-francisco-art-institute
Golden-gate-park
Parkside-school
Lowell-high-school