Born in San Antonio, TX, I was brought up, via Chicago, in Leavenworth, Kansas, where my father was President of St. Mary College (now University). He was the first layman hired by an order of nuns to preside over their college. My earliest memories are visual: seeing a cartoon shown in Marshall Field’s department store at Christmastime, and making a drawing of a candy store in red, blue-green and yellow crayons.
I also remember seeing a performance of JANE EYRE at St. Mary as a child. I understood little, but I was captivated by the spectacle. The setting was candle-lit and had three round arches hung with red drapes. I made a miniature cardboard model of the set, with painted drapes and gilt arches, adding birthday candles for sconces.
About that time, I recall, my mother sewed little chasubles for my brother and me, and provided a “chalice” and little vases of flowers — encouraging us to play “Mass”, hoping, I presume, to encourage vocations to the priesthood. No luck on that.
Undaunted, she turned to my evident theatrical inclinations. When I was in the second grade, I received an astounding present. Under the tree on Christmas morning were four beautiful maroon boxes, one containing a script she had written, and the others holding costumes she had sewn.
The play was THE PRINCE WHO FELL OUT OF THE SKY. I played a King, my brother was the prince, and our neighbor, Lois Linck, portrayed the Princess. The prince, an aviator with engine trouble, parachuted into my kingdom and fell in love with my daughter. I clearly recall my cotton burgundy gown with paint-daubed white flannel “ermine” trim, Lois’ blue dress overlaid with panels of lace curtain salvaged from our previous residence, and my brother’s aviator cap.
Having opened these presents, I was led to the basement, where my father had rigged a set of blue curtains (also from our previous home) with pulleys, enclosing a stage about six feet deep and twelve feet wide. Lights on either side – controlled by pull cords – lit the playing space. My mother had sewn a maroon valance, and in bias tape had identified: “The Mimic Theatre.” It was here that THE PRINCE debuted, prior to its triumphant tour to the First through Fourth Grades at Sacred heart School. My future was sealed.
(I should also report that my far-sighted parents gave my brother a hectograph, on which he duplicated a neighborhood news sheet. He then began reporting grade-school basketball scores, and eventually became a newspaper editor in Philadelphia .)
Donn B. Murphy, Ph.D.
President and Executive Director
The National Theatre
1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington , DC 20004
703-524-1616
703-524-1919 Fax
dbm@nationaltheatre.org
www.nationaltheatre.org
Donnbmurphy's Blog 
Donn, thanks for taking us back down your memory lane. My live theater experiences also started at home as well, either down in the basement or under the living room archway (my first proscenium show!) with my many younger brothers and sisters as willing, or unwilling, as the case may be, co-stars. We also had the luxury of dancing class at my Chicago Catholic grade school, Queen of angels with Mrs. Woods and Mrs. Cook were the dance instructor / accompanist duo, who gave us everything from tap lessons to ballroom dancing, plus full-length musical productions at the end of each year. I couldn’t wait to try our for The King in “Cinderella” and remember walking out on stage for my very first line. After that, it was the big spring musical every year at St. Scholastica’s High School (all-girl) in Chicago where we boys were strenuously recruited each year and where we had the luxury of fully-mounted musical productions, professional direction, choreography and accompaniment. Had my first walk-on lines in “Plain & Fancy” and “Bye Bye Birdie,” before graduating to the roles of Frank Lippincott in “Wonderful Town” and Will Parker in “Oklahoma.” Great memories…