Well guys, I’ve taken my last bow with the national tour of @moulinrougebway . What an amazing gift this show has been. 20 photos doesn’t do it justice, and a caption is insufficient, but allow me to try.
Beyond a place to use my talents in such a rewarding way, the Moulin Rouge has given me some of the most amazing people I know. Every good memory I have is with them. There’s a certain bond you make when you’re throwing each other around in Roxanne at 11 PM in Mexico on uneasy stomachs, and that bond is strong. I’ll tell my grandkids about my time as a ‘creature of the underworld’, dancing around the Sparkling Diamond in a top hat and tails, and how it felt to live inside a dream.
Every chapter of life is amazing in its own way, but this one was extra special. At the same time, I’m so excited to finish up healing and be back in NYC.
Silhouettes of Tade
I love making stuff, especially with friends. I’d never worked with studio lighting before yesterday, and Tade was super down to jump in and help me out. (and knock it out of the park)
It’s been a refining experience being injured and not being on stage. I’ve felt a weird guilt about getting excited with art forms outside of what I’ve been so focused on for half of my life. But when the art is fulfilling, it’s fulfilling, so might as well make more of it 🤷🏼♂️
It’s my second Christmas on tour with @moulinrougebway . This time of year I really hold on to the light spilling over the first couple rows of the orchestra. From the college students excited to see their first Broadway tour, to the couples holding each other through silent tears as the confetti falls, I’ve had countless glimpses into stories I’ll never fully know.
I’m incredibly lucky to live as a creature of the underworld every day at the Moulin Rouge. Though I won’t be home for Christmas this year, my dream is that the audience finds a little bit of home in us. 🙏🏻
It’s strange living inside a dream. Everything around me sparkles and shines, and somehow I always find it surprising when I come face to face with all the dull realities of being alive. This show is really hard, and that’s why I believe my time here has been so wonderful. Taking photos is one way I try to maintain the beauty I see in the world. I love that photography is a medium that I don’t have to be the subject of- I just get to capture what’s already there. This photo reminds me “how wonderful life is”. That the views we see every day and may take for granted really are quite amazing. I’ve learned that it’s an active choice to keep life special. To keep showing up and keep searching to make the world better.
I’m so lucky to be surrounded by absolute stars who make the magic happen. Shoutout to Amanda. She looks absolutely stunning. And so timeless. Thank you for encapsulating the beating heart of showgirls everywhere.
PS shot on film w/ a Canon AE-1, on Kodak ColorPlus, wearing my top hat and tails.
When I was eight I saw a show downtown @broadwayinchicago for the first time. I remember having a really warm feeling in my chest and thinking “I’m going to do that one day.” The people in these photos are the ones who got me there. My dance moms, my choir teachers, my friends, my church, my family. They gave me the skills to jump in, work hard, and believe in myself.
This has been a homecoming better than I could have ever imagined. I grew up in an amazing community filled with so many good people who cared deeply. Thank you for being there for me, both then and now. It really does take a village- thank you thank you thank you.
