Amateur shows with lawyers and doctors as fundraisers is a bit of a tradition across the country. A sign post of how badly theatre artists have to humiliate themselves in order to fund the possibility of exercising their craft. We did it too. I had no choice. A few Agatha Christie shows with the doctors and lawyers selling the tickets at $150 to colleagues and friends and helping the theatre balance its budget. I tried to use it as a way to get to know designers or give potential playwrights a chance to see what it feels like to act, in the hopes it might get them to write better plays. Check the “Appointment” cast list. Mingling among the celebrated Montreal burghers, is Nicholas Boullion, on the verge of being one of Canada’s most produced theatre, TV and film writers. He was a bit of a stiff actor, but gave it a good try. He was also persuaded romantically by a number of the female members of the cast. Paul van Dyke, another celebrated playwright, also acted in one of our fund-raising amateur shows. Yup, perhaps all would-be playwrights should all try a bit of acting, like Shakespeare himself, to improve their understanding of the writing craft.