Page 203 - From the Outhouse 4 -21

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later when Mrs. Thomas went home to be with the Lord. I had no idea she was even sick. My eyes were opened, and I decided I had
better get in action mode.

I called my friend Roslyn Burrough in New York. She was a Broadway and television performer so I was happy to catch her because
I really wanted to get her opinion. We had formed a friendship in Miami at the Coconut Grove Playhouse where she was performing

as one of the singers in the play, Purlie Victorious. Shortly after I moved to Miami, I was introduced to Roslyn’s high school classmate

Rosetta Teasdale, who was from Jacksonville, Florida. When Roslyn came to perform in the play, Rosetta introduced us.

My friendship with Roslyn grew and has lasted over 45 years. Our meeting proved to be a “BUT GOD” experience because I had

auditioned for the same play, but did not get a role. Being the persistent person that I am, I returned for a second time, only to discover
that all the roles had been taken and a New York cast had been approved to come to Florida. Roslyn was part of that cast.

My Audition Story

I was a soloist in the Mt. Tabor Baptist Church Choir, where I attended in Miami. One of the Ministers of Music, Mr. Roscoe Speed,
asked me to audition for Purlie Victorious because Mr. Charles Austin was going to be the musical conductor for the play. Without

doing any research on the play, I went to the audition. All I knew was that it was a Black play. I didn’t know what this musical was
about or its musical genre. So, I ignorantly auditioned with a Barbara Streisand song, “On A Clear Day.” I guess you know that was a

big mistake. I was only allowed to sing two bars and the judges said, “Next.” How embarrassing! I had asked the next person in the

audition line (a stranger) to hold my 6-month old baby, Kamili, while I auditioned. The good part is that she only held him for about
five minutes thanks to the snappy audition I had! How bold was that? The way times are today, I could have lost my child. “BUT

GOD!”