Way before her fame I knew of her for two stage roles of plays that my college did in the 70s. Hotel Baltimore where she was the hooker April. And then the drama The Sea Horse, a two hander where she starred as Gertrude opposite the author, Edward J. Moore. She won awards for that dramatic performance. It’s such a powerful script. Of course in those days I didn’t see these as they were during my last two years of high school. Before the Internet and YouTube you just had to hear about them or read about them in the research section of the library which I did.
Conchata reprised her role as April in the short-lived TV series of Hot L Baltimore. It was one of the first shows to have a gay couple amongst the characters in the cast.
So many years later I would often see her in the audience at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum where she would go to support her many friends in that lovely outdoor theater in Topanga Canyon.
I’m glad she achieved fame with her TV series but wish I had gotten to see her live on stage.
Miles Robert Mills