We wish to thank everyone for coming together to create this special One Night Only production of Joe and Mark's Big Gay Wedding. The vision for this night began May 18, 2017 at the Chateau de Balleroy in Normandy, France, the home of a dear friend who is in the audience this evening and the magical place where we proposed to one another.
Earlier this year, we decided the perfect venue for our celebration would be Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, and you will understand why after experiencing it firsthand. We are genuinely grateful to Kevin Abbott, Managing Partner of Joe's Pub, and his amazing staff for working with us to create an uproarious event. Kevin introduced us to Jill Pangallo, and together the two of them spent countless hours with us on every aspect of what you will experience. Jill coordinated all of the logistics for our artists and also created our wedding invitation, which we hope all of you will eventually receive as a fun memory of tonight—no thanks to the US Postal Service.
Jill, we are are truly lucky to have found you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making all of this happen. We are also grateful that we have a wonderful new friend in you as a result. We wish to thank all of our performers this evening as well. We specifically selected this very talented, diverse, and enthusiatic group of people who not only are the best at their art, but exude positive energy, compassion, and laughter—all elements we hope to bring to those we touch. Thank you, thank you, thank you all for making Joe and Mark's Big Gay Wedding what it has become.
Finally, it is impossible to shout out all of our family members by name since we spend so much time with so many of them. But, we are grateful to Gene and Joanne and Bess "Baba" and Paul (in loving memory) for teaching us to be kind, accepting and generous; and to our sisters, Paula, Beth, Lynn, Betsy, Ginger and Katie, and Mark's children, Hannah, Liza and Grant, for nurturing our relationship and giving us the chance to bring not just ourselves together in this marriage union, but also to bring the Harper and Stephanz families together to create a lifetime of love and joy.
We love all of you!
Joe & Mark
