Dave (But You Can Call Me Nick) Nichols

More or less in his own words... Went to Granby and Norfolk Catholic High Schools—penquins with hitting sticks have a way of fostering a studious atmosphere but help produce good SAT scores! Attended ODU and landed a job as a waiter at the Lake Wright Dinner Theater—the proverbial 'Fork in the Road' where I left the straight and narrow and began my Walk on the Wild Side. Next thing I know, I was building sets, hanging lights, and of course, after David Dexter explained that the Screen Actors Guild would not issue a Guild Card unless you did, started smoking weed. The highlight there was production of "Hair" (see pic) then Davejoined the Norfolk Theater Center's Repertoire company under Stan Fedyszyn and the old adage proved true that simply walking by a theater has affected some people's lives but I stand in, not so mute, testimony as to what can happen if one actually participates in an entertainment avocation.

Through the theaters, I met and fell in with the likes of John Nesci, G. Bernet and Rollie Bristol to name a few of the wonderful and live-long friends that I made during that time. George Kello I knew as an artist about town in Ghent. Dick Ross lived across the hall from me at an apartment on Manteo Avenue. This was Ghent before the gentrification, a glorious neighborhood, past its prime, slightly tattered but just low class enough to provide affordable rent for the young and hip. This as the Ghent where the Melrose Theater, next door to Larry Bages T-Shirt print works and Head Shop, was showing 'Deep Throat" and if you were out walking in the area and had any sense at all, you would put your money in your shoes, allowing you to signal the hoards of panhandling bums that roamed the streets that you had no "spare change' by turning your pockets inside out. Worked every time.

Nesci, WGH announcer Tom Morgan and I moved into a town house on Raleigh Avenue and promptly hung a sign on the front porch, naming the house "the Ivory Groin" thus insuring a delightful stream of curious people dropping by. John insisted that Brinsfield interview me for a spot at WOWI and I was told to report to the 5am drive shift—thus began the 'best years of my life!"

I stayed in theater after WOWI, joining the Virginia Opera Association as Technical Director from 19750-80 where Kello was the staff artist and John Nesci was taking acting roles. Around this time, I worked doing production management for Cellar Door Concerts, Webb Concerts, and Whisper Concerts but finally the day came when I took a real job. I went into the concrete business spending 30 years constructing bridges, roadways, buildings, and paving runways for the Air Force and Navy. I retired a couple of years ago and spend my time piddling around the house, getting together with friends, heading to Polo Beach on Maui a couple of times a year to get baptized again and again. I'm enjoying the Progressive WOWI-FM Fbook page 'cause it's a thrill to not only hear about but be able to listen to my old friends from the station and so nice to hear from our friends who we played for. My heartfelt thanks to all of you who made it happen.