Third Girl from the Left Audiobook By Christine Barker cover art

Third Girl from the Left

Preview
Try for $0.00
Prime logo Prime members: New to Audible?
Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Third Girl from the Left

By: Christine Barker
Narrated by: Betsy Struxness
Try for $0.00

$14.95/month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $19.95

Buy for $19.95

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

About this listen

“A beautifully written memoir of life on the Broadway stage at the onset of the 1980s AIDS epidemic.... Compelling, and remarkably hopeful.” (Mara Liasson, national political correspondent, NPR)

A moving, real-life account of making it as a dancer in New York City, embracing the changing faces of love and family, and being at ground-zero for one of the most fatal epidemics of modern times....

Wanting to be a dancer while growing up in a large military family made Christine Barker somewhat of a black sheep, but she followed her dreams to New York City, where—in a moment of almost unbelievable good fortune—she was chosen for the London cast of A Chorus Line.

London, and then New York, in the '70s and '80s opened up Christine’s world. The creativity, culture, and nightlife were intoxicating, enough so to compel her older brother Laughlin to join her. Once there, the divorced father, veteran, and corporate lawyer met rising fashion star Perry Ellis. Romance and success soon followed—as well as rumors of a devastating new disease....

Broadway’s theater community is ravaged by loss as the AIDS epidemic takes hold, and Christine is shocked by the toll it’s taken on her inner circle. Holding on tight to friends and loved ones left behind, the crisis becomes a crucible moment for her family and for all of society. And Christine is once again forced to go her own way to make sense of the tragedy.

©2023 Christine Barker (P)2023 Audible, Inc.
Entertainment & Celebrities Entertainment & Performing Arts LGBTQ+ Studies Theater New York Celebrity Heartfelt Inspiring Thought-Provoking
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_T1_webcro805_stickypopup
About the Creator - Christine Barker

About the Creator

Christine Barker was raised in a military family and grew up living in Europe and throughout the United States. When her father retired from the military, her family settled in Santa Fe, NM. After attending two years of college at UCLA, Ms. Barker moved to New York City to pursue a career in dance and theater. She appeared in national tours and off-Broadway productions before being cast in the London production of the Tony Award-winning A Chorus Line. From London, she toured with the show, eventually joining the Broadway cast in New York. In addition to her theater credits, she appeared in numerous national television commercials. She holds an MFA in writing from Sarah Lawrence College and divides her time between Santa Fe and her home in Connecticut.
Photographed by Cait Kelly
Betsy Struxness

About the Performer

Betsy Struxness is a Broadway vet most known for her work with Hamilton (original cast), amongst other hits (and flops). Betsy now bounces across mediums, appearing on screens small and large, and speakers loud and soft. A dancer, an actress, a singer, a writer, she’s happy to use whichever voice she’s given to serve the story and move you.

Powerful Storytelling • Personal Perspective • Phenomenal Narration • Emotional Impact • Historical Significance
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
I lived through all of it and had a somewhat similar life where all my best friends were gay men and tragically lost one after another. This is a very important story to either remind people or educate young people about what happened back then.
Sometimes I fell like this was a novel because it was so well written .
I wished that the author narrated it. The narrator was good but I felt like she was rushing through the story like she had some sort of deadline. It was sometimes distracting..

All my grief came flooding back

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

This book was an excellent story of Broadway in the 70’s and 80’s and an intimate look into the AIDS crisis. It has so much insight on one of the best shows A Chorus Line. Having staged and danced that show, I loved listening to the beginnings of the success of that show. Also…I lost friends during the time of this book to AIDS and it did bring that horrifying time into focus. Betsy Struxness was amazing. She draws you into the story and keeps you engaged and brings so much emotion. I hope she narrates more.

A must listen

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Christine and Betsy are a powerful team. Both know what it is to perform on Broadway, and both love humanity.
This comes out as Betsy performs Christine's story - Third Girl from the Left.
So rich in writing and performing, can’t say enough about this book on audible.
A must listen!

Powerful and Poignant

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Christine paid homage to A Chorus Line, life on broadway, AIDS victims, Perry Ellis and the 1980’s in a relatable, poignant book.

Great Portrayal of the Times and the Grief

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I lost a husband to HIV in 1997. With love, poignance, and beautiful prose, Ms. Barker portrays the confusion, heartbreak, and immense sense of loss during the early days of the AIDS pandemic. She also conveys the challenges women faced in industries dominated by men.

A Dancer’s Dream Told with Heart

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Amazing how ignorance and fear can be so very hurtful. Such a poignant story. Sad, but enlightening! I’m glad my gay son lives today and not in the 80’s.

A story that must be told

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Really enjoyed this dual story centered around the iconic Broadway show, A Chorus Line and the Perry Ellis fashion house. So much love, pain and fortitude to move on.

An interesting and powerful story

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Thank You for committing to record that women and homosexuals had so very few rights, if any at all, during a time that it should not have been the case. And though much progress has been made, we have so much further to go! And now, in 2024, we are heading right back into the evangelical christian radicalism that we fought so hard to break free from.

Truth Nearly Forgotten

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

Powerful true story that gives such wonderful insight into Christine's life as a Broadway dancer and performer, as well her navigating the lack of humanity occuring during the AIDS crisis involving the loss of her brother and many loved ones.

Beautifully written & performed

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

I cannot recommend this book enough. Well written, well narrated and a sad and accurate view of AIDS. Please read this!

This Was A Long Time Coming!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

See more reviews