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to Events
There
were two events a year in the prison, at San Quentin, that we looked
forward to with anticipation. The prisoners were permitted to stage
two major shows a year for the entertainment of their fellow
prisoners and for the employees and their friends. One show was held
on July Fourth and the other was at the New Year. The prisoners
worked hard at these events and the result was a very entertaining
performance. The show usually opened with an old fashioned Minstrel
show, followed by several Vaudeville skits and oleos. The end men,
with blackened faces and gay costumes, were usually talented and
could really rattle those bones and beat those tambourines. They sang
well and their jokes usually were aimed at the local scene. The
prisoners relished the opportunity to dress in fancy costumes,
discarding for the moment those hated striped uniforms. They prepared
for these shows for weeks ahead, holding tryouts and rehearsals. The
show was
presented to the inmates first, usually the night before the
holidays, and was repeated the next night for the employee's families
and their guests. These shows were originally presented in the
Library, but later this space was inadequate, so the main dining room
was used. People appreciated being invited as guests to these great shows.