My cast members took me to gay discos, after the show and after hours and it was pretty eye-opening. There was no better time in the world than the late ’70s and early ’80s. Before the damned plague hit it was absolutely party central. On our days off we went to Fire Island and there were tea dances and it was a scene. No one forced themselves on you. Everyone was just in love with life. Some would disappear into the Pines or whatever it was called. Others just carried on dancing and drinking. [Laughs] It was a memorable time. I’m glad I got to come to New York before the Disneyfication of the city and before the pall was cast over it by that dreadful disease. I lost friends like everybody. It’s like anywhere nowadays when you look at it and think it’s changed, but thank God I knew it then. I was lucky enough to experience that.source
