Mike

Singing “Hakuna Matata” and teaching cubs to roar

March 9, 2012

Kids love animals! Thus, they must love me. Right? I was a guest storyteller at Cartwheels & Coffee, a wonderful little place on Cary Street in Richmond, Virginia. I had a blast and I might even venture that a “wild” time was had by all! Evidently, according to the manager Mat, this was the largest crowd […]

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The Richmond Dress Rehearsal

February 16, 2012

It is always a challenge to open an elaborate show like The Lion King in a new city every month.  For instance, after the show wrapped in Minneapolis on Sunday, the cast, crew and costumes had just 2-3 days to reach the next city — and some drove the long 1,200 miles to Richmond, Virginia. […]

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Roaring with the AGAPE kids in Minneapolis

February 7, 2012

Mondays are The Lion King’s “dark” days, our one valuable day off each week. I spent my past Monday taking some wonderful kids to the zoo — but in my version of the zoo, they were the animals! My castmate Rashada Dawan, who plays Shenzi, asked Syndee Winters (Nala) and myself to work with the […]

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Girl, look at that body… I work out

February 3, 2012

Apparently, Ang has been fielding a lot of concerned inquiries as to my general state of health.  Hmmm. I guess the impression from my last few posts is that I have been eating out in Minneapolis…a lot. Indulging in charcuterie, pasta, ribs, and a 5-lb platter of Polish sausage seems excessive, right? Have I gained […]

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At Nye’s Polonaise, some things never change

January 31, 2012

It’s rare to find a place like Nye’s Polonaise — a place where nothing has changed in FIFTY YEARS!  Literally. I’ve got a penchant for all things “oldie-timey,” and when I heard that this Minneapolis institution was frozen in time, I had to go.  And so Nick Cordileone (aka Timon in the Lion King), his […]

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Bar La Grassa, well worth the walk

January 25, 2012

My foodie companion Ang and our boy Max are hanging with her family in Northern California until we reunite next month, when Lion King docks in Richmond, Virginia. So I’m left to explore the Minneapolis scene on my own. Where to go next? Another recommendation! This one from Patrick, the friendly bartender at The Local.  […]

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2 Gingers and headcheese at The Local

January 20, 2012

It’s about -4° here in Minneapolis, and after my first full week of The Lion King tour, all I have to say is: thank you, Josh Landay! Josh is a dear friend from The Lion King in Las Vegas.  He’s a Lion King tour veteran, and his recommendation of The Local, a proper Irish whiskey […]

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On being a new dad

January 9, 2012

There’s no arguing that when you become a parent, your daily life changes.  But how much do you change? Intrinsically, are you the same person, just living under different circumstances, or are those circumstances groundbreaking enough to change the person you are? I know I am different. I worry more, I sleep less, and … […]

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The last night of Lion King Las Vegas

December 31, 2011

Yesterday was our final bow. Although it’s always sad to end a show’s run, the night was filled with joy for me. I am so grateful for this experience and everyone we have come to know and love. Being here in Las Vegas these past two years marks an important time in my life; not […]

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No place like home

December 27, 2011

When you close your eyes and click your heels together like Dorothy, what do you see as home? We are about to leave a house in Las Vegas. A real house, our first “grown-up” house — one with a garage, washer/dryer, neighborhood pool and playground, and kitchen pantry full of Trader Joe’s goodies. We even […]

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