Steven Skelley

 PAWPAW'S MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 81 Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer! It is Christmas Eve 2023. I have been thinking about you boys for weeks. I texted your Mom to ask if I could send Christmas gifts but she didn't reply. I try to imagine what you look like now. I wonder how much you've grown and changed. Before bed at night, I picture you boys in my mind and send you loving thoughts that Pawpaw loves you.  Someone told me that your Grandma J is visiting you now. I am banned from seeing you and your parents and have been for the last several years. Before your Mom and Dad married, they were angry at your Grandma and they banned her. She wasn't allowed to attend their wedding. She wasn't allowed to attend your births. I was. I think she was finally allowed back in the family when Connor was 6. Then, when Connor was 8, my husband Tom and I were banned from the family and have been ever since. I miss you every day. I look at old photos I have of you and sometim

  Steven and Tom review the hilarious musical MEAN GIRLS  ​ by Steven Skelley and Thomas Routzong ​ It has been nineteen years (OMG) since Tina Fey's brilliant comedy movie about the perils of high school where the apex predator students either grant you a merciful and pitiful glance or viciously tear you apart for the sin of not being them. We loved the film MEAN GIRLS and now we love the MEAN GIRLS musical on stage!  For those of us not as cool as The Plastics, high school is a dangerous place where offending the queen of mean Regina George (Maya Petropoulos) means immediate and complete social suicide because Regina enjoys nothing more than ripping classmates to shreds with insults.  Homeschooled Cady Heron (Natalie Shaw) has just transferred to North Shore High School after having grown up in Africa where she enjoyed the starry skies while learning the hard truths of predators and prey. Innocent, friendly and practically a genius, Cady quickly finds herself a social misfit in e

A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS LIVE ON STAGE REVIEW BY STEVEN SKELLEY AND THOMAS ROUTZONG I was two years old when the 1965 animated television special A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS first aired. I have watched it every year since. It has become a holiday tradition. Seeing A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS LIVE ON STAGE today had us anticipating every iconic line of dialogue, laughing at Snoopy's crazy antics and feeling the holiday spirit as we heard the wonderful giggles of all the children in the audience.  A CHARLIE BROWN CHRIST 1965 animated television special was based on the comic strip PEANUTS by Charles M. Schulz and featuring the hypnotic beautiful musical creations of Vince Guaraldi.   This spectacular new touring production, A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS LIVE ON STAGE, is based on Charles M. Schulz’s timeless story and features the music of Vince Guaraldi but it also adds joyful choreography and a mixture of familiar and new music. We loved it all. Ethan Davenport's Charlie Brown is ever

  Hi guys, Pawpaw loves you!    It has been difficult for me to write to you lately. I miss you so much that it's painful to think about you and to wonder what you are doing. I I texted your Mom and Dad but they didn't reply again.   Do you have any memories of Frank? Connor and Bryson, you named a gopher tortoise Frank. He was on the vacant lot beside your house that I loaned your parents the money to buy. You named him after one of my best friends named Frank. Frank and his spouse Curt were my best friends. They loved you guys. You swam in their swimming pool when you visited me and Tom. Your Mom did too. They lived in a huge 6 bedroom mansion on a nature preserve.  Curt and Frank bought you guys birthday and Christmas gifts every year.    Frank was diagnosed with cancer two years ago. He battled it courageously but he passed away on October 17, 2023. Curt and I had been with him every day while he was in Intensive Care. We were there for 12 hours on Frank's final day unt

 PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS I create these Messages To My Grandsons because I want you to know your Pawpaw as you did when you were little children. I want you to know that I did not abandon you. Always know that Pawpaw didn't leave you. I was banned from seeing you. I hope you find these messages when you are a grown man. If I'm still alive, I would love to see you again. I would never leave you, my loves, Pawpaw

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 78 - Bryson 8th birthday message I create these Messages To My Grandsons because I want you to know your Pawpaw as  you did when you were little children. I want you to know that I did not abandon  you. Always know that Pawpaw didn't leave you. I was banned from seeing you. I hope  you find these messages when you are a grown man. If I'm still alive, I would love  to see you again. I would never leave you, my loves, Pawpaw

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 77 I create these Messages To My Grandsons because I want you to know your Pawpaw as you did when you were little children. I want you to know that I did not abandon you. Always know that Pawpaw didn't leave you. I was banned from seeing you. I hope you find these messages when you are a grown man. If I'm still alive, I would love to see you again. I would never leave you, my loves, Pawpaw

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 76 - Swimming at Pawpaws I create these Messages To My Grandsons because I want you to know your Pawpaw as  you did when you were little children. I want you to know that I did not abandon  you. I spent at least a week every month with you until your parents ended our  relationship. Always know that Pawpaw didn't leave you. I was banned from seeing  you. I hope you find these messages when you are a grown man. If I'm still alive,  I would love to see you again. I would never leave you, my loves, Pawpaw

  PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 75 - Baby Connor dancing This is my little buddy, baby Connor with happy feet. You loved to dance! I create these Messages To My Grandsons because I want you to know your Pawpaw as  you did when you were little children. I want you to know that I did not abandon  you. I spent at least a week every month with you until your parents ended our  relationship. Always know that Pawpaw didn't leave you. I was banned from seeing  you. I hope you find these messages when you are a grown man. If I'm still alive,  I would love to see you again. I would never leave you, my loves, Pawpaw

  PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 74 I create these Messages To My Grandsons because I want you to know your Pawpaw as you did when you were little children. I want you to know that I did not abandon you. I spent at least a week every month with you until your parents ended our relationship. Always know that Pawpaw didn't leave you. I was banned from seeing you.. I hope you find these messages when you are a grown man. If I'm still alive, I would love to see you again. I would never leave you, my loves, Pawpaw Pawpaw loves Connor! Pawpaw loves Bryson! Pawpaw loves Archer!

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 73 - Happy 11th Birthday Connor! To my beloved grandson Connor Rudolph. Today is your eleventh birthday. Happy Birthday my sweet buddy-pal. I wish I was there to give you and big hug and a kiss. Of course, I'd have some wonderful gifts for you too. I delight in buying you whatever your heart desires. It breaks my heart that I'm not allowed to see you or talk with you. Please know that I did not leave or abandon you. When your parents joined that church in Englewood, everything changed. They disowned me and my husband Tom. They disowned all of our mutual friends and even our family members. We are all heartbroken to have lost you all. I am heartbroken. I texted your Mom to ask if I could send gifts this year but she refused to answer me again. It's been three years since I have held you in my arms, since we have played together on the trampoline, since we have played games and toys together. I've been thinking about you for days as

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 72 - Tricked By The Church Ladies  Pawpaw loves Connor! Pawpaw loves Bryson! Pawpaw loves Archer! TRUE STORY I was a minister on staff at a Florida church. A retired senior Ladies Group asked me to bus them to another city and back. They suggested that I pack a swimsuit and towel so I could enjoy the nearby beach while they were at their meeting. As I dropped them off, they giggled as they told me to enjoy my time at the beach. As it turns out, the beach nearest the church they were visiting is a nude beach. At church on Sunday, one of them made a special announcement in front of the whole congregation thanking me for driving them. She looked at me and said they hoped I enjoyed my beach time. They thought they were sending to the nude beach as a surprise. What they didn't know is that I went there regularly. I let them think they had pulled a prank on me. ______________________________________________ I create these Messages To My Gran

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 71 ____________________________________________________ Dear Connor and Dear Bryson,   Some of the happiest moments of each day were the moments when my phone would ring. You two would phone me at least once a day just to talk. One day, you even called me twelve times. I loved it.   Sometimes you guys would sneak your Mom's phone without her knowing and call me. I would laugh out loud as I'd hear your Mom chasing you around the house trying to get her phone back.  ____________________________________________________ Always know that Pawpaw didn't leave you. I was banned from seeing you in 2020. I hope you find these messages when you are a grown man. If I'm still alive, I would love to see you again. I create these Messages To My Grandsons because I want you to know your Pawpaw as you did when you were little children. I want you to know that I did not abandon you. I spent at least a week every month with you until your parents end

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 70  Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer! I miss you guys so much. I hope you find these messages some day. I want you to know that I love you. I never left you. I was no longer allowed to visit you. I hope these messages help you know your Pawpaw and your family better. All my love forever, Pawpaw __________________________________________________ I have been thinking about writing an ode about The Sacred Band. Prior to Christianity, in the Greek era, the Greeks were divided by city states. They united against foes but fought between themselves often too. Everyone knows of the mighty Spartan warriors who have always been referred to as the mightiest of Greek warriors. You may have seen the movie THE 300. It has finally been confirmed that the city state of Thebes had a world renowned army called The Sacred Band of Thebes. It was an elite special forces unit of 150 gay couples! In this era, homosexuality and bisexuality were as normal as hetero

PAWPAW'S  MESSAGES TO MY GRANDSONS 69 -  Highway Gas Tank Puncture Pawpaw loves Connor, Bryson and Archer! I miss you guys so much. I hope you find these messages some day. I want you to know that I love you. I never left you. I was no longer allowed to visit you. I hope these messages help you know your Pawpaw and your family better. All my love forever, Pawpaw Highway Gas Tank Puncture    In Ohio , we could get our driver’s licenses at age sixteen. I was born on January 12 and my best friend Scott was born on June 12.   We both earned our driver’s licenses in 1979. Scott and I both loved playing tennis and watching professional tennis. Scott’s awesome Dad agreed to let Scott borrow his car so that Scott could drive the two of us three hours south to Columbus , Ohio to attend a professional tennis tournament. This was a big deal!    We were having a fantastic time driving down the highway and feeling like adults. Suddenly the car in front of us swerved violently. Before we c