It’s customary to take a look back on December 31st on the year that was. In this case it was 2015. Heck I remember graduating high school in 1983 thinking, “what will it be like when we aren’t in the 19’s any longer?” Here we are 15 years into the 21st century and I couldn’t have imagined a better century. First and foremost, I’m so incredibly thankful to have spent the past 18+ years with Carolyn; my partner, my soul-mate, my love and my best friend. Her victories are my victories. My victories are her victories. In 2015 and every year, we are an unbeatable team!
My 2015 started in with a drive from Fort Meyers, FL at the end of 2014. Carolyn had been down to see me in “The Great American Trailer Park Christmas Musical” and we drove back after the show closed. We drove to Georgia where Carolyn dropped me off for my first show of the year, “Ring of Fire” at the Legacy Theatre. What a great way to kick off 2015!
Our ensemble was nominated for a Suzi Bass Award in Atlanta for Outstanding Musical Ensemble and we even added performances. It was great! But when a performance was added our final Sunday evening it made my trip home a little hairy. It just happened to be the night a massive snowfall was headed through Kentucky!
You see that area between Hazard and Pikeville? Well, that was where I was headed from Atlanta. My 7 hour drive became 9 as I drove overnight, and arrived as the snow was coming down around 4:30 in the morning. It was an unexpected 17″ of snowfall, Carolyn and I snowed in unable to get out of town from Monday through Wednesday, and eventually me flying back out a few days later back to Florida! Unfortunately, Carolyn had to stay in the cold.
I flew to Fort Meyers, FL and started rehearsals for “The Odd Couple” with a fantastic cast of friends both old and new! What a treat it was playing Murray in the classic Neil Simon comedy. Our audiences loved it!
In early May I headed back home to Eastern Kentucky for a short break with Carolyn and the pups! My time home included a wonderful Memorial Day weekend trip to Asheville, NC!
In June I was back in Georgia gearing up for a production of “Footloose” the musical. What a tremendous show!
And my family even had the opportunity to see it!
When “Footloose” closed in August I headed back home to Eastern Kentucky. And that’s when another exciting development happened! Carolyn was hired as the new Director for The Plaza Theatre in Glasgow Kentucky. So, we moved back to South Central Kentucky.
It was a whirlwind move with me flying out a few days after to Rock Island Illinois. I spent the Fall of 2015 in the Quad Cities (Rock Island and Moline Illinois & Davenport and Bettendorf Iowa) along the banks of the mighty Mississippi River! What a pleasure doing a regional premiere of “Route 66”!
I closed “Route 66” on a Saturday in October and the following day I was in Georgia in rehearsals for “Appalachian Christmas Homecoming” at the Legacy Theatre! We opened in November to wonderful audiences but the most special was the weekend of November 29th. Yep, my 50th birthday! To my complete surprise Carolyn coordinated a special 50th birthday celebration after my Sunday matinee on my birthday! The entire theatre staff, the audience and my cast knew all about it! During curtain call the artistic producer came out on stage, made a speech, the entire audience (donned in birthday hats and noisemakers) sang happy birthday to me as a cake and cupcakes were pushed out in the theatre. It was fantastic!
I arrived home the night of December 20th and on December 22nd Carolyn and I started our drive north to visit family for Christmas! What a great time!
I’ve been thoroughly blessed in 2015 and so look forward to 2016! I hope you enjoyed reading about my year.
*Lifts glass* Here’s to a Happy and Prosperous 2016 to you and yours!
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