Ever known or met someone who then becomes famous? I have. But that isn’t what my A Christmas Miracle at Massey Hall story is about.

Let me explain.

I once auditioned for a short film produced and directed by Drew Scott, a local actor/real estate salesman/producer.

It was before I had cancer and was much heavier than now. 

But that’s what the role was for – a heavy man. 

And that’s the thing about being an actor – there’s a role that fits every description. 

You just need to supply the talent.

I got a booking on the project –  A Better Me

Zena Driver, a fellow castmate and friend from the Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding Show, was also in the short film. 

She now lives in Toronto.

Drew successfully pitched his film, and his talent was rewarded with a television show called Property Brothers, which originally aired on the Woman’s Channel in Canada.

Later, it got syndicated to a worldwide audience, and the Scott brothers accomplished their goal of becoming successful actors.

They are now millionaires!

I went to Drew’s going away party at his rental home on Holdom Avenue in North Burnaby. 

I remember talking to him on his back patio about tips on buying used Mercedes vehicles from the States. 

I also used to buy theatre passes from Drew. 

You know, a book of ten tickets to Odeon theatres at a reduced price.

When I was recently at Kevin Clark Studios, I talked to Tricia Clark about Drew Scott. 

Drew used to get his headshots done at Kevin and Tricia’s studio. 

I was staring at Drew’s photo as we spoke about him. 

We were both proud of his accomplishments, although I missed his twin brother, Jonathan’s Dancing With The Stars appearances a few seasons ago.

Drew is one of my friends who made it to the big time. 

But many of my friends have been successful in their careers. 

Some with successful, long-term relationships with loved ones, too. 

And a few of them have their own 40% success/survival stories!

I have also known friends who have gained wealth yet, maintained their best qualities as humans, sharing space on this planet. 

Others have wasted away their wealth or health due to misfortune or ignorance. 

But they are my friends, regardless of their station in life.

However, some friends may feel they have outgrown people of my means. 

I never hear from them, but I don’t miss them, and I’m neither envious nor jealous of their success.   

A true friend celebrates their friends’ wins and consoles them on their losses.

Danny, what in the name of you-know-what are you going on about?  You’re putting us asleep!

Spanky

Relax, Spanky!  It’s Christmas time, and this is my version of A Christmas Carol.

Christmas is a time for love. 

Loving your partner, loving your family, loving your friends, and loving yourself. 

Sometimes, the latter is the most difficult for me.

This year, I lost a few Santa Danny venues that I had in previous years. 

So I know it will be challenging to reach my objective of raising $2,000 for cancer research. 

I’m currently at a little over $1,000, which includes what I earned at the Standardized Client Program last month.

I had gotten over feeling sorry about my health issues, and now I was worried about Santa Danny.

And then the beginning of my Christmas miracle occurred!

You will not believe what happened on Friday, September 13th, at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster, BC.

I’m still shaking, and it’s been two days.

Here’s a hint:

The photos above are from the last Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding Show performance in June 2009. 

The show played every weekend, continuously, for fourteen years. 

I played Tony Nunzio Sr., the groom’s father, and owner of the Animal Kingdom nightclub in East Vancouver. 

I was with the play for 18 months and became close friends with many actors.

The lady in the church and the photo above is Helen Volkow, who played Nona, my mother. 

Larissa is the younger lady in the picture, but I can’t remember her last name. 

She played Maddie, my twenties-something girlfriend, who used to be a stripper at my nightclub.

The show ended its run in June 2009. 

The place was standing room only for the last performance. 

It was a memorable evening.

And so was the next day.

That Sunday morning, a tumor inside my throat burst, and blood started gushing from my mouth.

I was rushed by ambulance to the ER and spent that day in the hospital. 

In the following days, I was diagnosed with stage 3 throat cancer and given only a 40% chance of survival. 

Many of you know my cancer story and how I kept my illness a secret from my family because my mother’s heart was failing, and I knew she would be devastated by the news.

So the only people who knew about my cancer were my actor friends. 

At the time, I was on Facebook, and most of my FB friends were people I’d met on both the local stage and the film industry. 

All of these friends kept my illness secret, and I received a continuous outpouring of love and support. 

They became my second family.

And after Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding Show ended, my actor friends and I stayed in touch over the last decade. 

If one was in a show, I would buy a ticket to their appearance. 

I would usually try to get a seat close to the stage, so my friends might see a familiar face in the audience.

A bunch of us used to also get together for coffee or lunch. 

Our circle included Pete Smeader, Randy McCormick, Helen Volkow, Sabrina Pravda, Jane Braithwaite, and Cher Lewis. 

Each performer is as talented as any I’ve seen on the big screen. 

And I’m always excited to see them perform.

But I deactivated my Facebook page last year (2018) and lost contact with many of those friends. 

Some have moved to LA or Toronto and are still pursuing their dreams. 

Others have retired or found new dreams to chase.

A couple of times, I attended my friend Dane Warren’s performances. 

He was one of the singers in Tony ‘n Tina’s Wedding, and I have always been a big fan of his talent.   

He won the best actor award for his role in West Side Story, and I caught one of the shows. 

Another friend and TNT Wedding alumni – Emilio Salituro, was also in that play.

A couple of weeks ago, I got an email from Dane – announcing an upcoming performance at the Massey Theatre in New Westminster. 

He would perform a Christmas tribute to Frank Sinatra with the fantastic Bruce James Orchestra! 

Tickets for the show included a VIP Section, and tickets were $108 each. 

I bought two tickets and was lucky to get our seats in the front row of the stage.

I’m usually in bed by 8:00 p.m., but that’s the time of Dane’s performance, so I knew I would have a late night. 

But as the day approached, I became increasingly excited about attending Dane’s show. 

I’d met Dane’s mother at one of his performances at either the Hard Rock Casino or the Cascades Casino. 

My gal pal, Sannie Tsui, and I attended both venues – and he was terrific.

As I entered the theatre, my eyes searched the crowded lobby for a familiar face but didn’t recognize anyone. 

When the doors opened, I rushed to my assigned seat. 

The stage looked so impressive.

I got my cellphone camera ready to record a few of the songs. 

What follows is a video clip of Dane’s performance.

So, I guess that the miracle isn’t a miracle. 

We all knew that Dane was ready for the big time, and I was thrilled that he was now on top. 

The miracle is how three friends, who met twelve years ago, got together one more time for each other. 

And although that may not be a miracle in everyone’s book – seeing Dane perform again was a thrill for Helen, Annette, me, and his many fans in the Pacific Northwest.

One day, he will sing in a sold-out stadium, and I will be the first in line to buy a ticket.

Dedicated to Dane Warren and Helen Volkow

I hope my stories are a gift to your head and heart.

Hugs,

Danny

Today’s tune from Danny’s library (purchased):

Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away
If you can use some exotic booze
There’s a bar in far Bombay
Come on, fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away

Come fly with me; let’s float down to Peru
In llama land, there’s a one-man band
And he’ll toot his flute for you
Come on, fly with me; let’s take off in the blue

Once I get you up there where the air is rarefied
We’ll just glide, starry-eyed
Once I get you up there, I’ll be holding you so near
You may hear all the angels cheer because we’re together

Weather-wise, it’s such a lovely day
Just say the words, and we’ll beat the birds
Down to Acapulco Bay
It is perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say
Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly away

Once I get you up there where the air is rarefied
We’ll just glide, starry-eyed
Once I get you up there, I’ll be holding you so very near
You might even hear a whole gang cheer ’cause we’re together

Weather-wise, it’s such a koo-koo day
You just say those words, and we’ll beat the birds
Down to Acapulco Bay
It’s so perfect for a flying honeymoon, they say
Come fly with me, let’s fly, let’s fly
Pack up; let’s fly away!

Pack a small bag.

Songwriters: Jimmy Van Heusen, Sammy Cahn
Come Fly with Me lyrics © Concord Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc

Here’s what Danny is listening to now: Drowning in a Tub Full of Tunes