Local resident goes from ad man, set designer to octogenarian producer/director

From making model airplanes and recycling tin cans into something artsy, even as a kid Guy Papale’s creative talents kept him happy and busy. Using his artistic abilities he created two separate and pleasurable careers.

Working his way up from a gofer for a mail order company (now termed Direct Response) whose clients were publishers to creating stage sets, Papale’s creative juices were always flowing.

After serving in the Army for three years in World War II, he returned to New York and used the G.I. Bill to attend the renowned Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y. to further hone his artistic skills.

And even though he had been gone for a few years he was able to return to his former employer, because as he said, “Employers had to take us back at that time.”

Opportunity knocked, and for four years he was art director for Book of the Month Club when it was first getting started.

Even decades ago, Book of the Month Club used “negative response” as a marketing tool. With “negative response,” if a member doesn’t respond and return the enclosed card specifying preferences by a given date the member will receive the book of the month.

A very successful marketing scheme still very much in use today, Papale said the key to mail order is tracking results—what techniques or ads bring the greatest return, what techniques work best for specific age groups, etc.

A new career emerges

Living with his wife Ruth and three daughters in Armont, N.Y., it was through his involvement with the local historical society and school board that Papale’s career took a creative turn.

He had connected with the high school’s musical teacher who said he wanted to do a summer program of three musical productions. As it turned out, daughter Nancy, a lyric soprano who enjoyed being on stage, was in one of the productions.

“She came home one day and said she had volunteered me to do the set construction for all three productions… later a local theatre company learned of my stage sets and I was able to build a clientele and create a new career,” Papale said.

Asked what made this work satisfying his immediate response was “creativity;” his wife added that he enjoyed working with young people.

Then asked what made the work challenging, he said, “trying to do something in a different way—and then getting it done.”

Some years later a friend from Yale coaxed a reluctant Papale to take a job at Pace College in White Plains, N.Y. While resisting at first he had nine and a half pleasurable years there. Continuing to do set designs, he worked with directors to create sets within the parameters of the college’s stage and space.

Model maker

As he had done with his earlier productions, to show a director a proposed stage set for a forthcoming production Papale would make a three dimensional scale-model of his design.

Now living in La Posada, many of his former stage set models are uniquely displayed on shelves that are part of his kitchen’s cove ceiling; the lights are set in such a way that it appears each of his stage sets are backlit.

And La Posada is a perfect venue for Papale to continue working in theater. He’s been busy producing and directing “Show Time V,” a series of entertaining skits adapted for the community’s senior clientele that will be performed at the end of January.

A group of about 12 residents form the theater company so there’s no need for auditions, Papale said. Previously using the hit play “Plaza Suite” as inspiration he creatively adapted it to become “Plaza Motel.”

“We’ll include local humor in the skit… mention the White Elephant or Lavendar’s Restaurant and it brings the house down,” he said.

The skits, performed in La Posada’s meeting and entertainment rooms don’t use stage sets. The acting ensemble simply improvises and borrows nearby furniture from down the hall or wherever; two chairs take the place of a sofa, that kind of thing, Papale said.

Continuing to use his creativity and theatrical instincts appears to be the right mix to keep Papale’s mind and spirit young and vibrant—it’s hard to believe he and Ruth will celebrate their 60th anniversary on June 7.