The Big Five-O

On Saturday, the folks at DMTC helped me celebrate my 50th birthday (actual date: October 30th), with a pleasant party at the Hoblit Performing Arts Center.

Interestingly, I'm not the only one shares that date - of the folks there that night, two others, Bethany Pedersen and Rich Kulmann, also share that same birth date (plus other DMTC regulars who weren't there, like Gil Sebastian), but I was the only one there with a major milestone birthday that night.

Nice food and wonderful companionship - William Hedge and Scott Griffith; the Kulmanns; Linda Abrille; Abby and Andy and Clocky and Bethany; Lauren and Mike McElroy; Monique McKisson; Emily Beal; Steve and Jan; Jeannie and Alec; and others! Arthur and Dannette, dressed as the lead characters from 'Pirates of the Caribbean' entered the theater dueling in a mock sword fight. Such fun!

Steve and Jan assembled fragments from six shows to put together a tribute DVD of some of my DMTC performances (monologue as Eugene in 2003's 'Grease'; dance with Lori Holmes in 2001's 'Oliver'; dialogue with Lauren McElroy in 2006's 'Titanic'; monologue as Bobby in 2003's 'A Chorus Line'; dance with Stephanie Skewes in 2001's 'Carousel'; playing Mr. Gatch with Lauren McElroy and Mr. Ovington with Arthur Vassar in 2003's "How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying').

The DVD began with my opening oration as Eugene Florcyck, from DMTC's 2003 production of 'Grease', as I welcome the Class of 1959 back to a Rydell High School class reunion. I had rather forgotten that freneto-spastic performance! In the darkness of the theater, we all heard a shaken MikeMac mutter "Dear Lord, save us!" The highest praise!

A great decade - well begun!