25:THE SHOW!

Wow. Can't believe it came and went. Our 25th anniversary celebration. (Actually, it's the first of two or three events we're planning to commemorate 25 years in show business.) And how fitting that it occurred at the very same place we produced our very first play, A Short History of Hardin County, Birthplace of Abraham Lincoln in October of 1989. We had a great weekend and I am so proud of my actors! Some of them weren't even born when we first opened our doors in 1984!

Brian and I have had many a merry moment recalling highlights at the Studio: remembering students at the original location at 621 S. Washington (Larry Cates, Mike Bryant, Gail Nelson Welch, Pat Harris, Cynthia Betley, Jim Hughes, Debra Moran, Chuck Metty, Carol Ilku, among many, many others); recalling the time Sam Raimi -- yes, that Sam Raimi -- visited the studio as a guest director and calling me "kiddo" (we'd held some auditions overseen by Bruce Campbell for Evil Dead II when their offices were still on 9 Mile in Ferndale.) Then there was the year we had a Casablanca-themed New Year's Eve party. And the day Juliet Prowse (dancer, actor, former fiancee of Frank Sinatra and pantyhose pitchwoman ["Nothing beats a great pair of L'eggs!"]) visited the studio with our friend and star of The Big Story, Brian Schulz.

Have to also give props to our friend and original staff member, Gary Haight. What a beautiful man! Not just physically, but spiritually. I'll never forget the first time I saw Gary. The late afternoon sun was shining through the window at the studio when I arrived to take my first class. The light hit his gorgeous blond hair and blue eyes as he looked up at me. That moment is frozen in my memory: I was regarding one of the best looking men I have ever seen. Over the years, he has become one of my best friends and mentors.

Oh, also -- can you believe it? -- Charlie Maas stopped by the studio today while we were out! Charlie is a great friend as well. He used to own The Picture Company in Royal Oak at the end of Washington Avenue where we used to run class for a while and put on a few really good shows. Charlie used to shoot my headshots back when photographers used real film. He was an expert printer whose work was simply exquisite.

These and other thoughts ran through my head this past weekend as we presented 25: The Show at 1515 Broadway. Stay tuned for more reflections....

Bye for now!

- Aida