Allen Shankles and Pattilou Dawkins

00:00 Know your Iran

00:31 Hi, my name is Allen shankles. I am 62 years old and I am here at the Amarillo Little Theater in Amarillo, Texas on October 28th, 2020 and my conversation partner is Patty Lou Dawkins, and she's just a good friend and Patron of the Arts in Amarillo.

00:54 Hi Alan, good to be here. I'm at I'm Patty Lou Dawkins. I'm 84 years old and Allen's given the date and so we'll get started. I do want to start Allen with a little bit of the history of Amarillo and I have my orders were reminded of this little tails at all three printers when he would start about the histogram raw, and he said it was one of those days when God was making the Earth and is he came to the high plains of West Texas Darkness fell and he had to stop

01:31 So I looked around and he said I know what I'll do. I'll make it real smooth and easy going kinda and then I'll come back tomorrow and I'll make it pretty like the rest of the world with rivers and mountains and streams and fries.

01:50 But the next day when he came back he can pardon the light concrete and God looked at it and he said I know what I'll do. I'll make people like it just this way and that's how it came about that. The people that live here today not only like it just this way but it's given back to your dreams and their talents and certainly the fruits of their labors. So that was how I am really got started is flat and horrible. And today we have over 200,000 people still like it just this way and just a quick history. I'm going to say there were there were few things with kitchens in open. The West one was barbed wire. When was the Colt 45 and one was the windmill and all three of those developed Amarillo, Texas. We had came down for no good.

02:50 I came down to the Colorado in 1886 with 1600 panel and started all the cattle industry Hill. And from there. We just go into all kinds of Santa Fe that came up Chicago downtown LA the other support worth in Denver that came from Fort Worth on up to Denver and instead of rocking these and having these long cattle drives if they used to have that Larry McMurtry.

03:26 We had frames across right here in Amarillo to great state. So that's another way. I'm on my. Started and we got started and the cattle industry and installing oil and gasoline became a real we're closer to five other states capitals and we are our own Wyoming Cheyenne, Wyoming to Denver, Colorado, Albuquerque, New Mexico to Oklahoma City, Oklahoma and Topeka Kansas, but Allen and we've had a glorious history here in part of our history has been the way people avoid taking up.

04:22 Taking in and I'm sorry art Humanities the different things that make a city crate and we are definitely a great City. I want you to talk about where we're sitting right now cuz it's pretty special. Well, we'll talk about that in a in a few minutes, but let me to ask you if you lived here all your life you were born and my mother was born in last year really. So you remember downtown being a bustling bustling area of the city and sodium are on weekends and hang out probably and shop and wash cotton gloves really easily and they could always be closing.

05:22 But we did have those my grandparents came here in that area and they came in. My grandfather came in 1890 and my grandmother came in her cousin's aunt some relation. There was the manager of the Old Capitol hotel and raped by grandmother grandmother grandmother and my great-grandmother came and spent the summer. And in that time she met a man named Charles Oldham Wilson and one night a day. They dated quite a while in one night. They went out he took her out to what is today Washington and Wilson Avenue, and he said I have two Desires in my life you and that section of land.

06:22 From Kansas and had lots of Farmland. It's her husband left her a widow and it also left a little Trust phone to this daughter. So with the money the story was she gave both the land and her daughter to Charles older Wilson and mr. Wilson took that land and he started a dairy farm dairy farm did well in labor. My grandfather was followed later in this community and when my Uncle Charles Alexandra Wilson,

06:59 I sent him to University of California in Davis University at that time was the leading animal husbandry College in the nation and he came back them early 1927 college graduate and animal husbandry and he was going to run that bury. It didn't work out that way people were wanting houses. They were wanting Lots Amarillo was growing and statistical fact that Community will always grow into the prevailing winds. They didn't have air-conditioning. So all these houses what part of town where is the industry or has went into the other side? So we were in the southwest part of town and people

08:00 Finally, he went to Abilene Kansas and Wilson addition and then they sold those cows and then the army surplus building.

08:36 Wasabi agreed with my mother and my uncle to now you take it from here and tell us about how fabulous it is of the old days of the theater. We're sitting in a beautiful facility that was built in 1957 that is on the land your family donated and the organization was successful enough at that time as they built this beautiful building just for to be a theater space and so we've been in this wonderful facility since 1957.

09:27 I haven't been here that long. Thanks. Thank goodness. But I'm I'm I'm 37 years into to my my work here at the theater and and I seen a lot of changes but I'm sure you seen a lot of changed over the years to wipe. What is can you remember that that most used what are the first place we reproduce the place in the in the emerald Municipal Auditorium engines and in the dark scenes where they were killing everybody in the dark.

10:11 City of fire department with don't let us pull up handles. So I sat throughout the play behind the couch with a bucket of water. And anything is when we finally got over here. We were starting to really make an impact on our community. I was on the board and I was on the board of directors and president. When a young guy who owned it when did shop glass shop in Canyon Texas applied to be our managing director? We all kind of looked at him but we interviewed him and I thought well, maybe we better try this guy.

11:11 Successful production after the next one fabulous part of our community coming together behind you and several houses and it's been a remarkable run and you are the cause of it the end of the Arts. Well, it's been a it's been a long fun ride and I've been very successful at transforming this theater from a from a sort of low functioning Community Theater to the very highly functioning functioning Community Theater and we built built in 1957. We've added the lobby space for restrooms dance studios.

12:07 We have a Sporting Academy program. Now that that I started 25 years ago in a pet shop down the street a vacated pet shop down the street and now they are Academy has about 600 students in each year. And we do 12 year in two different places that we have. And so it's been we we are doing some good things out there waiting to production here to wait for the money PayPal.

13:07 How do you say go on here? And then we put on players that maybe you're a little avant-garde a little maybe an R rated R.

13:26 Or just so so not on children. So to speak mature interesting place and then at the main stage we put on things like Spamalot curious incident of the dog in the night-time wonderful wonderful place for them. And that's what I think. That's what's made this theater. So outstanding is so well.

14:09 The opportunities not only for all these children to be onstage from the academy. But all the creative talent that is here in our community. We had very seldom admitted. It was not his son and we had a professional or sage and then it was a lip ring Insurance o to do so. And so what time you have a dear friend Shirley fan sure that that just played on stage a lot during up in the 50s and 60s and 70s.

14:48 Shirley has strongly opposed some great stories about some of the the stars that came through to do some shows. Let's talk about some of that what you remember about some of these stars and how they acting sometimes when they were here and we have a suite there that we were we would let them in and be Davis was so funny and so cute, but she was always demanding other things who was the girl in the purple bra and he and surely kept in touch for a long time.

15:48 7-Eleven we became very Freudian slip and we decided that we didn't need those folks. We were too much trouble with the best thing to do with a wonderful Community people that can sing and dance better than anything we could bring in we've had so many people from out of town and it seemed one of our place and send. Oh my God. Where did you get this Talent? Is it so many different places with his talent come from we have a fabulous College. What in miles from West, Texas?

16:48 A&M college

17:03 Junior colleges in the nation and Suites a beautiful experience educational opportunities. We have here plus the musical and performance opportunities we have here. What did you say your family was involved with the theater for a long time and like you said they gave those the plot here the Lots at the theater sits on when did they do that board? And he was really excited that we were going to give this property.

17:45 Actually when the property was like fighting this area in the next two. Lots to the North or dedicated to be for nonprofit entities, and we did that by an ordered us to do when we get one to the League of Women Voters not very long ago, very fine benefactor resonator for three separate entities initially, but but we on them all three now.

18:45 What you plan to build on these three locks and it's Allen. I'm so excited to see the growth and I mentioned earlier that area where we are. Although the city population might be just around 200,000. We have over a million people that come to shop and medical all kinds of reasons come to Amarillo for essentially serve the 26 counties of the of the panhandle of Texas start at the top.

19:45 Our base of support is more like about 600,000 then than 200,000 closer to them and you know with we have kind of a cross teissier between interstate 40 East and West and Interstate 25 degrees north and south. So again just like was with the railroads.

20:32 Ashley wants to deny 2725. But you have to be to do well you do it well, so we have good people here good people that.

21:02 Used to say that all the farms and ranches that built up if they would have hoedowns these heaux down. They might have the brand and everybody from all that we come and help and Brandy and then I used to read word party animals back then weren't you about that? I don't know what the statute of limitations is on that.

21:47 Okay.

21:55 Waiting

21:57 Well business training

22:01 It was it was fine, and we could walk downtown at night. It was never fear Prime.

22:14 We are there are there are a number of people in Amarillo. We we should discuss this because it's one of the reasons why the Arts flourish is the way it does in Amarillo because we've had a number of people that have made a huge fortune in the oil business.

22:30 In this part of the in this part of the world Don Harrington made

22:40 Millions and millions of dollars in this in this area his wife Sybil Harrington sponsored the even sponsor the Metropolitan Opera New York City, but they they have

22:57 They have over the years through and through their foundation and support of the Arts in Amarillo very strongly and and we've got your number people who made lots of money in the oil business. Also when in the early 1920s, I guess the income tax dollars in 1960 that Amendment Congress approved oil and gas we discovered around here in about 1912.

23:38 So there were people here it made as you say an armas amounts of money monthly the end. There was a million dollars a month and very little income tax. So they wanted to

23:54 They came back to this community and I will say this the land to be has always been cool. Well, that's that's the only reason why is typically why I'm smart communities don't have art programs. And we've got a highly functioning sip Symphony Orchestra. We've got a ballet and Opera and obviously as we've already spoken a fantastic theater. Oh, yes, but

24:24 Those all those entities are FF head and been successful because there's there's a lot of philanthropy in the in the city still some of that leftover some of that money. That won't that won't ever run out for some people but they're also been a lot of has been a lot of cattle come and go through this town to the largest cattle auction in the world 70s and 80s. So blokes have both on their property windmills. Yeah, they're going up around here. That's a real.

25:19 Our Chamber of Commerce leaders. We did not just stick with oil and gas and cattle. We branched out. We brought a medical community's fabulous medical complex in 1959 reform the emerald Hospital District and out there. Now. We had the two main hospitals. We got all kinds of medical community is another reason all those folks around the area come to visit to get medical services. And we also have the re-education by lots of money into the car as I mentioned earlier.

26:19 They build the Amarillo Army Airfield and it is still making arnott's and it is still making that we oh, we all wrote letters to get we had our Congressman pushing for it. We had a good conversation and help make it all this possible, but we have lots of Industry here and it's

26:59 Is it just keeps multiplying itself?

27:12 Everything come with baguettes War Industry gets more industry. So the other side Industries are growing and they support these arts and they support let me say this. We have a wonderful Community for the down downtrodden got them all kinds of programs for addicts and

27:58 Send her out again. It's in the medical center that treat that it is rehab center and about forty beds VA hospital here. We've got so many wonderful established well-established programs that help anybody that needs help. Our churches are very into helping. It's just a good place to live. Well, I agree. I've lived here all my life and I've raised two daughters here and and they are off now. I'm into the world being successful one, but they had a good life here in Amarillo growing up.

28:46 Number one of the guys live here, but the rest of my life would love to me. Sometimes laughing people kiss about being from Amarillo, Texas and let me tell you how an Emerald Texas is A Real Fine Place to be for them and we've been treated right mentors and his health has had people like Alan bring people and especially those young people and even if they don't go onto on stage,

29:33 Their products and their Productions Productions are good the costumes. I don't know where they come up with these costumes the children Productions Academy does a fine job and job

29:59 That is made alt Renown in some Circles of the world as we were we were the the theater that hosted Oprah and her Entourage for the for the trial back in the back in the nineties. I guess it was.

30:15 No, it was it was in the late 80s late 80s.

30:21 We hope to do for a heater at our theater for she essentially took over our theater complex for 6 weeks and we had to we had to move our our production. We had a production that was improv was in rehearsals, and we moved it to a local high school.

30:40 I want to interrupt you tell her why let's say why she was here. She was here because she was she was suing the

30:49 Are we doing that we worship and one of our notorious not notorious but plan buoyant Cattleman slap his suit.

31:14 And so she had to come to Amarillo to to go through that go through the trial and so while while she was here, she she she typing and broadcast her Daily Show from right here from Amarillo Little Theater and there were some great story. We had some with phenomenal people come through through the doors everybody from Celine Dion Garth Brooks, John Travolta.

31:50 Just just a Cavalcade of stars coming through here. And we had people that would camp out in the front of the building for overnight to try to get tickets. I found I learned a people that were friends that I never heard of family that I never heard of in and it was a it was an exciting but but trying time here and i l t a completely remodel or Auditorium. They took about 200 seats out of it and store goes in a in a storage location and then I had to come back in and put all those back in when we when I got done with her with your stuff, but it was quite a it was quite interesting ordeal. I took some photos from the from the call Miriam complex right behind the theater.

32:41 From up above and you can see the satellite trucks in the electrical trucks in the catering catering trailer and and Oprah had her own little trailer outside that you can go to and be separated from everybody in and so I was glad it was quite an ordeal whole thing of a bed and breakfast.

33:16 The local people loved it. They were going in there buying standing sign her buying dishes pots and pans everything just for Oprah so that she can have her perfect meal was a trying time in some ways because she there was this there's this misconception that because we're

33:48 Everybody from Texas is a redneck and Carries a Gun and and she was afraid she was going to get shot and

33:58 There there are I'm proud to say I'm I'm among the non rednecks in this in the city and I'm probably a lot more liberal than a lot of my brethren and in Amarillo are but

34:12 I'm safe being that it's okay for me to be that in this community in and that's a that's a good thing regardless of whether I'm on the wrong side of the political structure most the time. I am still I'm still treated. Well, there are different opinions and we welcome.

34:44 We appreciate people with their new ideas. I think you're very Community a welcoming. So when we when we say we love Amarillo.

35:02 And we love you love doing what you're doing is I love doing what I'm doing. It's a great place for Real Estate great place for commercial real estate. I'm involved in commercial real estate and I've had nothing but success and I are honorable they're willing to cut a good deal car and the seller

35:29 It's it's just a good place to do business people were at the pool in honest work with its integrity.

35:38 For the most part everybody has their downbeat some deadbeat. We have many more good people and bad people good place to visit Collier Canyon State Park. Oh my gosh. It's the second largest canyon in the nation Grand Canyon. We've got Musical Fabulous Museum down in Canyon that has a lot of the historical aspects of this area reservation for an Oklahoma that down there in the summer. I mean in the where's the harsh winter?

36:38 Turn on the Kansas became your way we could get rid of the engines. He felt was to capture them while they were down in Calgary Canyon State Park. And, when you take that bicycle away from the kid you get his attention Mackenzie went down there and killed all the horses and that got the engines attention. Then we took them to reservation over Oklahoma, and that's how this country became livable. I heard boys from girls and

37:36 So this is how it started Amarillo.

37:49 You know, I don't I don't think so.

37:59 We get along good.

38:06 Balboa Island Ferry

38:23 Pull in another girl's the last week terrible terribly humility is the best thing to ever hit a morel.

38:40 Great job.

38:45 We're done.