How We Met:
We met for the first time in September 1993. Jeff had been in California for barely three months and had been encouraged by a co-worker to get involved in community theatre. The first thing was to usher several performances of Jesus Christ Superstar. The next was to have a walk-on in Lettice and Lovage. This is where we first encountered each other as Will was the light board operator.
After that there were many “hellos” and “nice to see you agains” at theatre events over the next two years.
In March 1995 we got cast together in It Runs in The Family. Jeff played a ditzy doctor and Will played a rebellious 20-something in this farce set in a hospital. We quickly discovered we had lots in common: a love of ABBA, movies, 70s television and more.
Will took it upon himself to find out more about Jeff by asking our mutual friend, Clint, for details.
Meanwhile Jeff was doing the same thing, except he didn’t know that Will was going to make a move first.
On May 1, 1995, we met up to take in a showing of the remake of Village of the Damned at the Eureka Theater. Afterwards we walked back to Jeff’s car, parked at the corner of 7th and F streets and talked for hours (sometime after midnight). Finally Jeff said he had to go because he had work the next morning and even had things to do before bed to prepare for the next day.
It was then that Will finally said what had been on his mind: “Will you go out with me?”
That led to another flurry of talking and we became a couple — albeit a quiet one. We spent tons of time together after that night talking and getting to know each other more. Clint was thrilled that we’d decided to go out and we were quickly becoming the talk of our friends as we were seen everywhere together.
We finally went public sometime around late May/early June with our relationship and we’ve been inseparable ever since.
After more than six months of getting to know one another and “going out,” we decided to move in together. We signed the lease for our first home on Valentine’s Day 1996.
On May 1, 1996, Jeff brought Will back to the corner of 7th and F and proposed marriage and put a ring on his finger.
The wedding took place on September 7, 1997 at the Ferndale Repertory Theatre with family and friends gathered to witness our commitment to each other.
We moved from Eureka to New York City in December 1998 and initially lived in Brooklyn followed by a May 2002 move into lower Manhattan.
We became legally married in the State of New York on October 19, 2011 with a City Hall ceremony.
