BufBloPoFoMonique Day (Day 10)
For BufBloPoFoMonique day, tell me who inspires you. Who is your hero?
Tim Ward and Julie Burdick. I lost them both within months of eachother and even though it has been years since they left this earth the wound is still raw.
Tim and I met in 1993 when I went to visit Niagara University and watched Little Shop, the show he directed. I could tell immediately we would be good friends and our relationship blossomed into something better than I ever expected. He became my Father away from home and my mentor during my time at NU. We did many shows together during and after college. I loved him dearly and I still do. He lost his battle with a kidney disease in September, 2006 and I was able to talk to him one last time in June. He was excited to be making it to his 69th birthday, his favorite year he told me. He called me "meechele" and I called him "my old man" and to this day his teachings and unconditional love inspire me to do great work and "make something happen" in life and on stage.
Julie I met around 1998 when she started dating my friend Derek. She was gorgeous and had an amazing stage presence and voice. She was cast in Musicalfare's Edwin Drood as Rosa Bud and even at her young age she was a powerhouse on stage. I was smitten with her immediately. Our friendship grew while she was an NU student and we did Oklahoma together at Artpark, our one and only show that we did together. We kept in touch after she moved to NYC and it wasn't long before she got her first tour and worked consistently after that. The last time I saw her was at Tim Ward's memorial where we sang together for the last time. Tim loved Children of Eden (a show that he directed) and he requested that I sing Children of Eden at his memorial. It was the hardest thing I have ever done emotionally but now looking back it is so bittersweet. That song was Tim's favorite and Julie and I got to sing it together. That is something I will always cherish.
Tim Ward and Julie Burdick. I lost them both within months of eachother and even though it has been years since they left this earth the wound is still raw.
Tim and I met in 1993 when I went to visit Niagara University and watched Little Shop, the show he directed. I could tell immediately we would be good friends and our relationship blossomed into something better than I ever expected. He became my Father away from home and my mentor during my time at NU. We did many shows together during and after college. I loved him dearly and I still do. He lost his battle with a kidney disease in September, 2006 and I was able to talk to him one last time in June. He was excited to be making it to his 69th birthday, his favorite year he told me. He called me "meechele" and I called him "my old man" and to this day his teachings and unconditional love inspire me to do great work and "make something happen" in life and on stage.
Julie I met around 1998 when she started dating my friend Derek. She was gorgeous and had an amazing stage presence and voice. She was cast in Musicalfare's Edwin Drood as Rosa Bud and even at her young age she was a powerhouse on stage. I was smitten with her immediately. Our friendship grew while she was an NU student and we did Oklahoma together at Artpark, our one and only show that we did together. We kept in touch after she moved to NYC and it wasn't long before she got her first tour and worked consistently after that. The last time I saw her was at Tim Ward's memorial where we sang together for the last time. Tim loved Children of Eden (a show that he directed) and he requested that I sing Children of Eden at his memorial. It was the hardest thing I have ever done emotionally but now looking back it is so bittersweet. That song was Tim's favorite and Julie and I got to sing it together. That is something I will always cherish.
posted by Michele at 8:06 PM
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