Virginia Nicholson

Ruth, I know you know we married young, Orson was known around for doing everything so young, and marriage was no exception. I fell for his wit, his brilliance, his ambition to be in the spotlight. I wanted that too. I had just started to make a name for myself in Chicago. I was as a socialite, and I knew he could help us grow both of our careers. I saw his potential, and for a moment he saw mine. He would listen to what he called my outrageous stories and ideas for plays, movies, and any new form of art I wanted to see done. He paid attention to me. It reminded me of when we first met during the Summer drama festival in Illinois . When Orson began working with the Federal theatre project, I came to him with an idea. What if we had a production of Macbeth, where the witches were voodoo priestesses, and it was set in Haiti. We would hire NTP actors. I loved when we worked together, and he took my idea and crafted a world better than I could have ever cultivated. Voodoo Macbeth was a huge success! The line was impossible to get through from 131st to 132nd street. The New York Times said “The the opening was an exciting event in Harlem last evening.” It had bent me a bit that I hadn’t been credited, I watched as his name got plastered all over the papers, yet my name was only ever written as an afterthought. Yet I still prided myself in what I had made the foundation of. I felt like I was a part of something, a part of a bigger picture that was being painted so meticulously. I loved being able to act in many of his projects, whether it was on screen or the stage. Until I didn’t. You understand how difficult it can be to work with Orson. He can get so frustrated at the smallest things. I trusted him with my whole heart. I thought I knew him . Now my world has come crashing down around me, his infidelities and his boozing. I can’t take it anymore. What will happen to me? To our daughter? I don’t know, but I can’t go on living like this.