The End of an Era

Saturday was the end of a landmark event that drastically changed our lives. One month shy of 4 years ago, Chris began his trek with the beloved Phantom of the Opera, and our lives on the East Coast began. Chris booked Sister Act about month ago, so for that period of time he has been working 2 Broadway jobs....rehearsing Sister Act during the day and doing his last performances for Phantom in the evenings. This has been a good, exciting month, but we have definitely missed having Chris around during the day. And he pretty much worked his tail off!!! We went into the city on Saturday to watch Chris's last matinee performance. The above is the last walk to the stage door with Daddy.

One more picture in front of the covered chandelier.


The marvelous elephant that Chris got to know so well.....he climbed it numerous times as Piangi and pushed it out onto stage every night as a stage hand.

Saying goodbye..........

to a dear friend..............

And going for a "ride" on the Phantom's boat, the one that takes he and Christine down to the depths below the Paris Opera house.

After our goodbyes on stage, we went backstage to enjoy some time with some very talented people. Here are the kids and Chris with his good friend, Sara. (Pssst....she plays Christine Daae!!)

Chris with his friend Carly.....one of the ballerinas, who Jordan and I just LOVE. We have not-so-secret fantasies of being ballerinas!!!!

Jordan and Jaron found a quick home in the Phantom's dressing room.....

Hugh wanted them to take a picture with his doll that someone special knit for him.


And they made fast friends with Soot, Hugh's labradoodle. He was the sweetest dog in the world :)

One of the highlights of our time at the theater was watching Hugh get his Phantom make-up on. He chatted and visited with us the whole time, we had several good laughs too!




Hugh was adamant about doing his own eyebrow!!! He didn't want Thelma doing it for him!!!!!

How cool is this?!


And this?!?!?!


This was about the time they called places. We had to scoot on down to our seats, but Hugh wanted the kids to come back after the show and say goodbye....he was a marvelous host and we were TOTALLY star-struck!

I snapped this picture of a picture going down to our seats, this wall on the landing is covered with pictures of people in the cast and their families. Here is my sweet family :)

We sat fourth row, center. It was the perfect place. When the chandelier fell at the end of the first act, we thought it was going to fall on our heads!! We have never sat that close!

I snapped one more picture of the angel statue and the chandelier up in it's place.

I had plans to have a party during bows, I wanted to scream my head off....I was not expecting the wave of emotion that hit me. Phantom was one of the first Broadway shows I fell in love with, that and Les Miserables. As a teenager, I remember knowing all of the music and having dreams of seeing it one day on Broadway. I never would have dreamed that one day my husband would be a part of the cast. As Hugh sang his final line of the show "it's over now, the music of the night"....I completely lost it. After seeing Chris in the show 8 times (5 for the kids), I was so sad to see it over. As people kept coming out for bows, people that the kids and I had gotten to know a little bit and Chris had gotten to know ALOT a bit, the tears kept coming, but as Chris took his final bow for us and shot us the "I love you" sign, I just couldn't control myself. The pride and admiration for he and his talent and accomplishment just rose up in me. He is a rock star in our books.....a Broadway performer, but still just a normal, silly Daddy. He loves us and leads us in the ways of the Lord. He is the best thing we have in our lives.