The Nickelettes were playing their "Spaced Out" science fiction take-off around town and Spielburg's big "Close Encounters of the Third Kind" was all over the movie houses, of course, and we were thinking of doing another living tableau, something which would amuse us and help promote the Nicks at the same time.  Well, just then somebody made a contact with the San Francisco Mental Health Out-Patient Center (!) which had a big auditorium in the Tenderloin (!) and said they were always looking for things to put in there.  (Hmmmm.)

            So we said Sure! and came up with a silly little one-gag spoof of Close Encounters called "The Coming of the Aliens."

            We did a little poster taking off from Spielburg's "We are not alone."

            The tableau would show the final scene in Close Encounters when the giant "flying saucer" descends on the Devil's Tower in Wyoming and thousands of people come flocking to see it.

            The Nickelettes, of course, were anxious to be among the first Earthlings to make contact with the aliens.

            Raymond Neher was perfect in his role as NASA scientist recording the event in his little notebook.

            Even Betsy Ross, played by Sharon Rosenburg, was there.

            Vince Stanich played a "patriotic American," of course.

            That's Rachael Spenser as the Indian Princess Pocahontas.

            Yes, it looks like even a Nickelettes' "kelp child" showed up, kneeling in prayerful anticipation of the aliens.

            So our one-gag tableau began with the slow revealing of the giant saucer appearing in the sky above the Devil's Tower.  All eyes of our huge mental out-patient audience were gazing heavenward, and the crowd began stomping their feet in growing excitement.

            Slowly the Aliens descended on the crowds of Earthlings and it was revealed to be a "flying CUP and saucer" that lands in Wyoming!  Our audience got it in a second and rose to their feet screaming and clapping with delight!

            We got a good little bit of coverage in the local press, though what their readers made of our tableau is anyone's guess.

            Wheeew!

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   ...NEXT:  THE BOX LUNCH