So what can I tell you about myself? I was born in the San Fernando
Valley, which is a suburban area in Southern California. I lived in
a little town called Mission Hills, whose only claim to fame is the
birthplace of Olympic skater Tai Babalonia and the final resting place
for 50’s singer Richie Valens.
I was like any other kid growing up in the valley in the 60’s and 70’s…long
hair, puka shell necklaces, using the word “like” in every sentence
(i.e. “That burrito is, like, so good!!!”). I’m not sure
when the acting bug hit, but I know that at the age of 10, I was asked to
be the title role of “The Candy Man” in which I danced around
with a stick decorated with colored masking tape to look like a candy cane,
and I took handfuls of hard candy and threw them at the audience. And of
course, Sammy Davis Jr.’s song was blasting from the speakers while
all of the drama was unfolding. 
Yes,
a truly noble beginning. From there, it was on to performing in shows from
elementary school all the way through high school. Some highlights: Abraham
Lincoln’s teacher in a play about the childhood of Honest Abe. I was
bummed because as the teacher, I wasn’t allowed to participate in the
square dance section (and I could alamand left with the best of them), Beldar
Conehead in a Jr. High School version of “Saturday Night Live”.
(I wrote it as well)
In
high school I directed an hour version of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia
Woolf?” for my Drama Class. I was called into a meeting with the drama
teacher, who urged me to remove any of the “naughty” words which
are peppered in the play. I held my ground, wanting to maintain the integrity
of the play. I won, and the principal said it was the best show he’s
seen at the school. (See what a few carefully placed curse words can get
you.)
From
there, I was accepted into the Theatre Department of UCLA in 1980, where
I spent 5 years honing my craft and learning that there were a lot more
talented people out there. I actually auditioned for the Musical Theatre
Class in my freshman year and didn’t get in! But luckily for me, I
finally did and found my calling. I took a semester off from my sophomore
year and got my first professional job.
In
1982, I was a “Kid of the Kingdom” at Disney World and we performed
5 times daily in front of Cinderella’s Castle in the Florida heat and
humidity. Sometimes it got so hot that the rubber melted off of our dance
shoes, but I didn’t care. It was a dream come true. After that, I went
back to UCLA to finish my tenure, and worked at Disneyland on weekends,
holidays, and summers. 
While
at UCLA, I won the Carol Burnett Musical Theatre Award, which is an award
given for performance. I got to meet Ms. Burnett, which was a thrill. After
I graduated from college, I spent a year and a half at sea performing on
the real Love Boat. Yes, I got a job with Princess Cruises, right when the
TV show was in its heyday. So every night we would hear the melodious strains
of “Love, exciting and new..l” It was really cheesy, but I visited
12 countries and met the Queen of England, so it wasn’t all that bad.
I
guess my life changed for me when I got back to L.A., and auditioned for
a musical called “Mail”. Well, I got it, and to make a long story
short, it was the show that brought me to New York and to Broadway. We opened
in the winter of 1987, and unfortunately, closed a few months later. But
it got me to New York, and started me on the road which has led me to where
I am today. 
I
did 6 Broadway shows in all, the most memorable being the lead role of the
Engineer in “Miss Saigon”. I feel so blessed that I got to do
the shows that I did. And those opportunities have brought me to where I
am today.
In
1997, I went for an audition to be the new proprietor of “Hooper’s
Store” on “Sesame Street”. I remember going into the audition
thinking, “Wow, this would be great. This feels really right for me.”
Well, that audition led to another, then another, then another. Talk about
nerve racking!! And after a few weeks of waiting I got that call that I
had gotten the role. I flipped. I grew up with the show, and many of the
people who are on the show were the people that I watched when I was growing
up. The very first day on the set was terrifying. I wasn’t sure what
I was doing, or if I would be accepted. But everyone, and especially all
the talented actors who play the Muppets, welcomed me so openly and warmly,
that I felt an immediate sense of belonging. And it has been my home for
the past 8 years. And I hope that it will be a home for many years to come.
Thanks
again for stopping by.