Eric's Big Move

Yesterday was Eric's last day at Saratoga Springs Resort.  A few weeks ago he was invited for a meet-and-greet with the leadership team another Disney resort.  It went very well and the result of the meeting was his being asked to take a position on their team!  He will have the same title he had at Saratoga, just at a new place.  He's very excited about the move but it was hard for him to leave his team at DSSR.  They made a major fuss about his going away--a big potluck party, a beautiful scrapbook, a plaque for his new office, and a lovely print of the resort that the cast had all signed.  The whole tizzy just reaffirmed what I already knew--that Eric is respected and looked up to because he is excellent at what he does.  One cast member even wrote a sweet poem for him:

Today I write this poem for you,

As our ways do part, a fond "Adieu"

Is what your family wants to state

For a brand new role is on your plate...

New York's the state from which you came

In the town of Herkimer you made your fame

Spent days with residents, supporting their need

You helped them develop, showed rules they should heed.

In the Resource Center is where you worked

Did training and supervising, your job never shirked.

One day you decided to leave all the snow

And move here to Florida joining our show.

In June of '07 at Boardwalk did start

Your Disney career in a concierge part,

You were also a trainer, gave yours and did Ops,

Then Saratoga Springs begame one of your stops...

An "Emerging Leader"--you were our first

Excellent guest service is alays your thirst.

I asked for some input from all of your Cast

Here's some comments they made, from the first to the last:

"You're a positive role model," and "Certainly cute,"

"You're a flashy dresser, in a colorful suit."

"Professional-looking," and "Giving's your knack,"

"He'd give you the shirt right off his back."

"You're a quiet guy" and "You look the part

Of a thoughtful soul with a caring heart."

Your black hair is spiked--you've got brown eyes,

"Your eyebrows are perfect," "You're helpful and wise."

We heard you're in Encore, you sang with Celine,

In a Candlelight robe in the choir you were seen.

You're married to Katie, your wife and your pal,

She's a talented hostess and Kimonos gal.

She plays the music up on Swan's stage,

Where karaoke songs are still the rage...

Someone told me, which must really stink

Is that you didn't have a kitchen sink?!!

Don't know if that's true, but I heard it four ties

So as part of my poem, made it one of my rhymes...

You've been our fine leader for more than two years

You're a wonderful asset to all of your peers.

Now you're heading to Yacht and Beach,

You'll be a Manager, the Basics teach,

Not just by words, but by actions, deeds,

You'll charm new Cast and meet Guests' needs.

It's a perfect fit in a leadership role

'Cause "moving forward" is your Disney goal.

Consensus of opinion..."We think you've been aces!"

That's obvious to see by the look on our faces.

The rev of your Honda as you leave us tonight

Will sadden our hearts as you leave from our sigh.

We'll miss you lots as you leave from our home

But we wish you the best as from us you do roam.

So farewell, Eric Brown, we hope that you're blessed,

From your family at Saratoga and at Old Key West.

What's New with You?

The Time and Music Cabaret, a fund-raiser for Encore, was a major success last weekend.  I got to sing "To Keep My Love Alive," a darkly humorous Rodgers and Hart tune which was an audience favorite.  You may also remember from a previous post that I was cast in a production of Joseph... at the Garden Theatre.  Yesterday at our first rehearsal, I was promoted to the role of Potiphar's Wife!  I will still be singing with the ensemble, but I'll also be featured in the Potiphar scene in addition to my chorus duties. 

As for the house hunt, we decided to put in an offer on the Model Home.  We really liked it and feel it fits our needs best.  The offer has been approved by the seller, but since it's a short sale, we're still waiting on approval from the sellers' bank, which could take up to 90 days.  If we're approved, then we would have 45 days to get our loan and then hopefully we would close! 

Carmen has Carmen gone

Last weekend we opened (and closed) the collaborative production of Carmen with the Orlando Philharmonic and Mad Cow Theatre.  It was a wonderful experience!  My first time visiting the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center was as a performer on the stage--I got a major kick out of that.  It ended up being a really fun venue to perform in.  Exploring the backstage area was a total adventure.  Stage stars had autographed the walls when their shows came through town so I lingered quite a bit gawking at our heroes' signatures. 

The show itself seemed a success and the house looked full on Sunday afternoon and Friday night.  My folks--the very educated and cultured parental unit of three professional musicians--have sat through a lot of boring musical performances in their lifetimes, but they both geniunely enjoyed every moment of a three-plus-hour evening at the opera, even the parts where their kid wasn't onstage.  And the Orlando Sentinel's theatre critic even noticed that we received a pretty lengthy round of applause at the end of the night (read the review).  That could have been the result of the lengthy, non-underscored curtain call, but who knows?  I can say that between my first rehearsal three weeks before opening night and the interminable final bows, I made some invaluable memories, contacts, and friends.