12/17/2024
Good morning!
First, if I might introduce myself, my name is Lonna D. Kingsbury. Our company is Kingsbury Productions, LLC.
And I have a few people to thank before I really speak about our friend Paul Robert Weidle.
Second, if I may apologize to all those folks that asked me about the lack of connection with Kingsbury Productions and my good friend Robert throughout the social media realm, and how I reacted to those inquiries. “Yes, why hadn’t someone posted something about all of our years together?”
The simple answer, folks – now that my social media guru Robert was no longer with us physically, that someone was me.
Thank you, Sydney and Avery for bringing that to my attention – and your understanding of my craziness. And thank you for your offer to help!
Yes, anyone who actually knows me, knows how inept I am at attempting to work my way through the social media mazes.
I could write, but somehow posting those writing could go terribly wrong.
The stories are legendary of my faux pas, but Robert could fix anything. And then there was the time that I lost my editing privileges – but that story is for another time.
And thank you, Kathy a/k/a Mrs. Claus for bringing Robert’s “santa gear” over to the family. I could barely walk into the trailer after Wednesday night.
And thank you, Terry, for coming to our Santa rescue and keeping the spirit alive throughout the remainder of the run.
And of course, you, Margaret, for taking Mrs. C’s chair for the night this coming Wednesday so that she can attend Robert’s service, along with my daughter Gina adjusting her schedule to allow me to attend as well.
And our crew, our amazing PNC Festival of Lights crew – no words can express my gratitude.
But, Robert was my guy!
Robert was my guy for so long in so many ways – as he was to so many other people, the guy who always understood what you were going through, the person who could calm you and assure you and convince you that everything would be fine tomorrow – my own personal Daddy Warbucks.
Where do I begin – Robert has been my boss, my mentor, my stage manager, presenter, my Santa.
I have written shows for Robert. Robert portraying Mrs. Weideman haunting his mansion comes immediately to mind.
So many adventures, terrors and so much laughter . . .
There was - and I think it might even have been his first tree lighting at the Zoo where we had him in a cherry picker going to the very top of the tree to light it - and the timing was off so there we were all down on the ground frantically motioning for him to STRETCH - SING ANOTHER SONG - until all the news media was ready. He survived.
And I know that almost everyone has heard this story where when serving as our stage manager for PNC Festival of Lights, Robert was portraying Father in Children of Eden.
I was just beginning – wow – has it been - twenty-year run now with the Zoo as chief cook and bottle washer for all the characters at Festival, not quite sure of my footing, but so excited about the opportunity.
Kathy and I went to see Robert in Children. At one point in the performance, I turned to Kathy and said, “Somehow, someday, I don’t know how, but I am going to do it. You will be our Mrs. Claus and “Mrs. Claus, I would like you to meet your new husband.”
The rest is history. Our Santa is legendary. So is our Mrs. Claus. These are my friends.
I, like so many others grieving across the tristate, can’t believe he’s gone, and physically he is, but true believers know that in every act of kindness we display, in every moment that brings a twinkle to the eye, in every breathtaking event we witness, Robert lives on within.
