Some theatrical disasters are simply too good to be true. Such was the case of Atlanta's 1949 original musical River Fire.
Not only did the show not go to Broadway, but it drove the producing company out of business, and none of the participants were ever heard of again.
"The Stage, Incorporated" was the name of the resident professional (Actor's Equity) stock company created by wealthy Atlantan Lucia Collier Cooke. Thanks to River Fire, their first and only season was 1948-49. Read on, MacDuff!
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February 20, 1949 -- Auditions
April 3, 1949 -- Print Ad
April 3, 1949 -- Teaser "Broadway bound"
April 5, 1949 -- Good review
April 8, 1949 -- Favorable Journal editorial
April 11, 1949 -- All hell breaks loose
April 12, 1949
April 13, 1949
April 18, 1949 -- Going Hollywood
May 19, 1949 -- The Finale
Producer Lucia Collier Cooke, during the first and happier 1948-49 season of Atlanta's The Stage.
--(c) 2014, 2015 Bob Foreman