The Fig Leaves Are Falling. Part 1

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January 2, 1969 to January 6, 1969. Closed after 4 performances.  There were more if we add the previews, but of course it was such a huge disappointment for that young boy, David Cassidy. He was still 18 years old.

When DC at last graduated in 1968, I write 'at last' because he again had to make a last session of summer school, he moved to New York. Jack wanted to help him, paid for David's first professional photographs, asked Ruth Aarons to take care of his son. He found him a job, and I have to say that it was a great thing to do. Of course we know how DC complained about it..but such boring job could be very ..inspiring. I had once a very boring summer job myself and it  had an amazing influence on my learning. Jack gave him a place to live, if David really wanted to become a successful, serious actor, he had to work very hard. And he did. 

Maybe a little break with a song about money and work from nine to five, something DC never experienced..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AL8oxCCi-M

It was a part time job, and after work he did acting classes at the David Craig School . And I tell you that it must have been Jack who paid for it, and probably it wasn't cheap, because David Craig (1923-1998) was a very known musical acting teacher, a singing instructor, he wrote some very important books on theatre, stage singing. he was a real authority, and there is a wonderful, just fascinating video on YT, where his former students talk about him, and we can also see the man himself.  David Cassidy learnt from the best.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVdDvlosILY

So DC was working, learning and trying to find a job as an actor. He went to - ' nearly 200 auditions for parts on Broadway, off Broadway and even tried out for off-off Broadway as a last resort, as well as TV commercials and anything else I could interview for. I didn't get one job offer. Not one. Not even for the smallest part. There'd be 50 guys competing for every part even if the job paid no money.' (David Cassidy : 'Could It Be Forever?', 2007)

He was very depressed, had self-doubt, it was awful to be rejected day after day, he felt very lonely, didn't make any new friends and old ones were so far away, in California. He felt he was a failure, he was hopless at school, summer session year after year, even at Rexford which was a private high school. He could do only  one thing - keep trying. Of course for David it looked like an eternity, but it wasn't so long. Probably it was in October 1968 when DC got his first real professional job in a new Broadway musical comedy. 

He was to have his Broadway debut being just 18. 'The Fig Leaves Are Falling' at Broadhurst Theatre..

to be continued..


Ajay Suresh from New York, NY, USA, CC BY 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

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