a love story 25 years in the making...

Wait, it didn't really "begin" with Sangria. Let me start over. In '96, a grizzled Old Actor of 28 found himself in a theatre in Vista. Coming in late, he could barely remember people's names let alone whether they were cast or crew. By Opening, he was beginning to get his head above water. One of the first things he noticed was that the Theatre provided a Masseuse! There was an impossibly Young Girl of 21 with a heart-shaped face and gloriously blue eyes that appeared in his dressing room to knead his back and shoulders before the show and frequently during intermission. Of course, by Closing, the Old Actor realized that the Young Girl was providing this service of her own accord... 12 years on, the (now even older) Actor was back in that theatre when a note arrived backstage that the Young Girl was seeing the show that night. He stepped out to say hello and was surprised to find she had barely changed. They chatted, laughed, and even took pictures together, then parted again. Over the next dozen years, they'd pass "like ships in the night" until, in late '19, the Old Actor teased the Young Girl with '#Goals' in response to her post about Sangria... She invited him to join her for some of the same and, uncharacteristically, he agreed; most likely because he couldn't believe that, almost 24 years on, the Young Girl was actually old enough to imbibe. When the Young Girl arrived at the restaurant, the Old Actor was surprised to see that she was now, truly, a Young Woman... The same heart-shaped face and stunning blue eyes but a different demeanor. Not Serious but Thoughtful and Hopeful. They sat down, ordered Sangria, and proceeded to start talking (the waiter came by 4 times before they'd even looked at the menu). They talked and laughed for the next few hours as the rest of the world faded away and, as the evening closed, the suddenly-much-younger Actor knew he wanted never to stop Talking and Laughing and Kissing that Young Woman... And they still haven't stopped!

I was in rehearsal for "Phantom" at Moonlight Amphitheatre. Mid-way through a staging of "Dressing For The Night", a man walked in and was introduced to us as our 'Phantom'. He had a commanding presence, yet seemed to be the strong, silent type. As rehearsals continued, he remained just that; somewhat elusive and mysterious. And when he opened his mouth to sing, I immediately became the chorus girl with the enormous crush on the lead. I found myself lingering around his dressing area, subtly offering shoulder massages, or hiding in the wings watching him nightly. On closing night, I presented him with a bottle of champagne with a Phantom theme to it. He told me that he would only accept it, if I would share it with him at the cast party. I felt so honored. Yet, after closing night, to my disappointment, we did not keep in touch. Twelve years later, I attended another show at Moonlight. I came to watch friends in a production of "Les Miserable", and Sean was playing 'Javert'. I sent a message backstage saying, "if you remember me, I'd love to say hello after the show." A short time after the curtain fell, he stepped out into the audience to say a hello, take a couple of photos, engaged in a short conversation, give me a hug, and we parted ways yet again. In 2015, thanks to Facebook, I received a suggestion for "someone I might know". Sean had somehow found his way back into my life, yet again. I tried on a few occasions to ask him out. Things like, "I have these tickets for this show....wanna be my plus one?" or "What are you doing to ring in the New Year?" Each time I would suggest something, he was not available. So I took it as him politely brushing me off. Perhaps he just wasn't interested.

In 2016, I asked Sean to be my "date" to Universal Studios. He politely turned me down...again. He did, however, mention that if I was looking for a breakfast place that morning, he suggested the NoHo Diner, which was close to his place. I quickly recognized the opportunity to see him again, asked him to join my BFF and I, and to my surprise, he did! On December 4th, 2019, I posted a photo of a large mug of sangria, with a caption that stated that I was "starting my weekend off right". Sean, who was never one to post much, was the first to comment. He simply stated, "#goals". I replied that I would be honored to share a glass with him sometime, and he mentioned that there were plenty of places in LA to go. On December 29, 2019, we met at Lala's in Los Angeles. It was never intended to be a date, but a chance for old friends to catch up. As I walked from my car to the restaurant, I admit to feeling butterflies, and actually feel the excitement building. Sean was waiting for me at the front of the restaurant. At dinner, we chatted for over two hours, sharing stories about life, theatre, love, relationships, and the trials and tribulations that we had both faced over the years. He was interested in everything I had to say, and I was touched by how much he was willing to share with me. As we sat there, I took no notice of the world around us. I hadn't even realized that the parties at the tables nearby had even changed. That night, Sean walked me to my car. We stood there and talked for a few more minutes, and then we hugged goodbye. As I drew back from him, my eyes caught his, and I just knew... I kissed him. We said that we would try to get together again at the end of January, but I couldn't wait. The following week, we met for brunch, that turned into a 9-hour date. At the end of that night, we shared how much we loved one another. There has never been a day since, that I have doubted my love for Sean. So, there it is. A love story 25 years in the making.