Text of Remarks by 

Norma M. Deull

President, Clark Transfer, Inc.

Accepting the 2006 Touring Broadway Achievement Award

May 8, 2006

Thank you very much. On behalf of the entire Clark Transfer family, I want to thank the League for recognizing a part of our industry that the public doesn’t read about in their Playbills.

In 42^nd Street, that grand and glitzy musical about Broadway, the cast goes from New York to the Arch Street Theatre in Philadelphia – by train.  No one mentions how the props, the lights, the sets, the costumes – the ‘stuff’ – would get there.

In those days the ‘stuff’ traveled in the baggage car, and live theatre could only be seen if you were in a city on a  major rail line: Boston, New Haven, New York, Philadelphia, Chicago.

In the late 40’s my father Whitey Molitch, who was a bit of a Runyanesque character, came up with a way to get live theatre off the rail lines and into the heartland of America. His idea was really very simple: put all the ‘stuff’ on trucks.  It wasn’t so simple to make it happen, but of course it eventually did.

On a September day in 1949 a specialized rig holding the scenery, lights, props and costumes for Mister Roberts rolled out, and the first true ‘National Tour’ was on the road.  A new industry was born.

It was also the beginning of a family enterprise that continues nearly 60 years later. It includes my brothers, my children, my grandchildren, our dedicated staff, and our fleet of professional entertainment truckers.  This award is really for them. For them, ‘let's get the show on the road’ is not a slogan.  It is a way of life.

We thank the League for this award, and we thank you: the presenters, the producers, general managers, company managers, head carpenters, prop people, and all of the rest of this industry, for trusting Clark Transfer to be there – ON TIME – with your “stuff.”   Thank you.