By Mary Lackie

Julie Haydon reminds you of a stage struck little girl. Shy and courteous in her greeting backstage at Theatre Atlanta, she explained: “I always wanted to be an actress; I even dreamed of struggling to become an actress -- of starving in New York. And, my dreams were realized.” The story had a happy ending. The young actress from Oak Park, Ill., became a Broadway success. This story is not news. What is news is that Miss Haydon is the first professional actress to sign as a member of the new Theatre Atlanta Repertory Company.

Miss Haydon became famous for her role as Laura in the original production of Tennessee William’s “The Glass Menagerie;” as Kitty Duval in William Saroyan’s “Time of Your Life;” and as Bridget in Paul Vincent Carroll’s “Shadow and Substance.” It is to her credit that all three plays won the New York Critic’s Award. In addition to her Broadway successes, Miss Haydon played opposite Neil Coward in the movie, “Scoundrel,” written by Ben Hecht and Charles McArthur. Miss Haydon is most proud to be known as the wife of the late George Jean Nathan, one of the great drama critics and writers of our times.

In conversation she is hesitant and thoughtful:

Q. Why did you choose to come to Atlanta?

A. Because -- George always believed that the hope of American Theatre lies in theater beyond Broadway.

Miss Haydon believes that “the theater should be as much a part of the community as its libraries, museums and churches.” Miss Haydon is enthusiastic about the future of Theatre Atlanta and the opportunity to work with Jay Broad, the managing director. Her first appearance with the repertory group will be in the role of Ada in the Jack Kirkland adaptation of Erkskine Caldwell’s “Tobacco Road.”

“How do you create the role?” she was asked. “I read the play over and over -- I try to find the character’s memory -- I draw from that. I don’t think it is necessary to have experienced the same thing the character has experienced. Naturally, the role deepens as the play progresses” But because Miss Haydon has a strong loyalty to the playwright and director, she feels, “to change a line or gesture once the play has opened wouldn’t be fair to the other actors, or to the director. In ‘live’ theater there is a discipline -- you must be disciplined. At the same time,” she concluded, “there is a tremendous freedom in doing ‘live’ theater. You let your imagination work. And then comes that shimmering moment of loveliness -- when you walk on stage -- with the audience out there -- and experience the realization of the playwright’s words.”

The actress reminisced about her husband: “You couldn’t help having a sense of humor around George. I recall once that he wrote of a certain playwright, ‘this man writes for the ages - the ages between seven and twelve.’ And of course, George had such friends! There was Eugene O’Neill. We were so fond of the O’Neills.”

“One of my favorite plays has always been “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.” O’Neill was deeply concerned with men’s relationship to God. And I feel that it was O’Neill’s mother, Ella, who played a great part in encouraging our interest in the Catholic faith.” And through her influence, both Miss Haydon and her husband became Catholics.

There was the inevitable question: “How do like Atlanta?” Miss Haydon smiled, “I am madly in love with it -- and everyone has been a marvelous angel.”

Theatre Atlanta’s move this fall into its new open stage theater will see another dream come true. It will mean the beginning of the first resident company of professional actors in the state. The new theatre will include in its complex a restaurant, parking space, and a small theater history museum. The new one-million dollar building, located at West Peachtree and 17th has seating capacity for 775 people. The repertory company will perform for 34 continuous weeks in a series of eight plays covering a wide spectrum of theatre.