By Randy Graff

"The year I graduated college, I picked up Back Stage and started auditioning for non-Equity summer stock. In 1976, I landed my first professional acting job as Louise in GYPSY at the Village Dinner Theatre in Raleigh, North Carolina. A non-Equity, $125 a week plus dinner (of course) theatre job. I was in heaven. I had a very fattening great summer and did GODSPELL for them in the fall. Well, a year later, like magic, the theatre went Equity. I was cast in PROMISES, PROMISES. That theatre was very loyal to their young, non-Equity actors. I joined Equity, got my card, made more money and still got free dinner. Today, especially this year, knowing how hard our union fought for us during the Production Contract negotiations, I’m prouder then ever to call Equity my union and will always be grateful to the Village Dinner Theatre in Raleigh, North Carolina!"