May 3, 2013: Walter, I'd like you to meet Walter.

Performance number one of Aladdin, Jr. went marvelously. The kids pulled it all together and we had a great evening with at SRO crowd. Tonight is the other public show at 7 PM, next weeks shows are for the elementary school students so come out tonight and have some fun with the Drama Dawgs.

On this date in 1871, Walter Robinson Parr was born in Liverpool, England. Parr came to America and settled in Illinois. He graduated from Beloit Academy, then Beloit College and finally the Chicago Theological Seminary. Parr went into the ministry and while serving as pastor at St. Paul’s Congregational Church in Chicago he befriended Elias Disney. Elias was so impressed by Parr that he named his fourth son, Walt, after him. I haven’t brought this one up in a while so let’s go to The Magic Kingdom and enjoy the “Partners” statue and Walter Parr’s namesake.

Dorothy Gladys Smith was born on this date in 1896 in Lancashire, England. Dorothy was better known as Dodie and in 1956 she wrote a novel based on her dog, Pongo. The Hundred and One Dalmatians was adapted by Disney and released as A Hundred and One Dalmatians in 1961. Let’s go enjoy Fantasmic! with that great villain, Cruella De Vil.

On this date in 1903 the narrator of Disney’s 1949 feature The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad was born in Tacoma, Washington. We all know that Mr. Toad no longer has his own attraction at Walt Disney World, his former home now belongs to Pooh, Owl, Piglet, Eeyore and Roo. The instantly recognizable narrator had other interests as well and a nice career as a singer. In fact, he had one of, if not the, biggest musical hits in history, “White Christmas.” Happy birthday Bing Crosby. Look for Mr. Toad at Pooh’s attraction and at the exit of The Haunted Mansion.

Remember, your best excuse is always: waiting for your dreams to come true.