Xplosive Blog

The Show Must Go On

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It has been 30 days since the wrath of Hurricane Sandy began brutally beating on our beloved Jersey Shore region.  Life has changes for thousands.  While many are sick of talking about the aftermath and seeing article after article written about the destruction, the rebuilding process and all the political nonsense surrounding the storm, one thing definitely holds true for all: at some point, the show must go on.

 

I personally can speak of the damage and destruction caused by Sandy because  I’m presently in the process of rebuilding my home.  Like most in my neighborhood, four feet of sheet rock, insulation, carpet, flooring, furniture, doors, appliances, cabinets and personal belongings, have been discarded.  This blog, though, is not a story of sorrow;  instead it is meant to be a lesson or antidote about moving on.

 

I have the privilege to work as an entertainer. I love my career.  Weekend after weekend I work with families on creating picture perfect, once in a lifetime, memorable occasions.  Regardless of the event type – wedding, bar mitzvah, or Sweet 16 – along with a crew of other entertainers, we leave at home our proverbial “ baggage” and create an atmosphere for guests that allows them to ignore the outside world and focus on a celebration.

 

Just a few days after the storm, on Saturday November 3rd, I left my house (after a few hours of demolition); I found the only pair of black dress shoes I had, which were not floating in a foot of seawater.  I put on my suit (just shortly after kicking off dirty jeans and construction boots), and I drove to one of the only area venues that  did not lose electricity.  I debated with myself if I should stay home and continue working on the clean up process inside my house.  I thought, “Hemmm… who can I get to cover me on this gig?”

 

But I realized one thing… I love my job!  It will take my mind off everything else going on.  And, I really want to ensure that Zack had the most amazing bar mitzvah a 13-year-old can hope for.  It really wouldn’t be fair for him, his family, and his party guests to suffer based on my experiences with Miss Sandy.  While the guest count was a somewhat  shy of what had been expected, Zack and the rest of the Baker family had an incredible time.  Not a single beat was missed:  The caterer provided all the food exactly as expected.  The photographer was onsite capturing every moment of Zack’s big day.  And our staff including an emcee , a DJ, and three attractive and talented dancers, all gave Zack 100% of the Super Hero themed celebration he was hoping for!

 

Interestingly, this was not the only event of the weekend.  My partner Jordan and a crew of entertainers, simultaneously setup in Princeton at the Marriott helping another family celebrate their daughter’s bat mitzvah; and the emcee Mike P took his team to a venue in Hamilton, N.J., to host another bar mitzvah celebration.   In a more difficult situation the following day, Sunday November 4th, our company was contracted to help Michael and Tiffany celebrate their wedding at a waterfront venue in Monmouth Beach.  This venue had not only lost power, but ended up flooded.  A  boat washed onto the lawn and was leaning along the building.  Michael and Tiffany faced a tough decision.  Do they cancel their wedding, notify all their guests, and try rescheduling all of the vendors or do they look for another venue.  They elected to move forward as scheduled and spent a day driving around looking for a venue with power and open availability.

 

Using a  suggestion of ours, they visited a venue in Long Branch, N.J., which miraculously did have power, did have the date available.  Within 48 hours, the owners prepared the food, brought in the staff, and executed a wedding to remember for the Kellner family!  Michael and Tiffany’s story could have had a tough and awkward outcome, but they looked at each other and said they were in love. And the show must go on!  (Their story was aired on NBC news later that day).

 

These stories are all living proof that even days after a catastrophe, we must begin to move forward.  Taking the approach that life must continue, finding time to celebrate special occasions with friends and family, and following through with your commitments are the key steps to moving on.  As an entertainer, I’m blessed that every weekend I get to help other families forget about the gloom, which they read in the papers and see on the news.  In fact, for me, the five hours that I’m performing at each gig, helps me, too, put aside my issues and focus on building a positive and uplifting atmosphere.

 

With the holidays  gradually advancing, Halloween basically skipped over, and many more months of returning to “normal,” I’d like to remind those reading this story that family, friends, work, celebrations, and life pre-hurricane need to be in focus.  It is all of these reasons why we should rebuild, restore, and restructure.

 

-Michael Langsner

Vice President

Xplosive Entertainment

Brick Township Resident

michaell@XEevents.com

732-866-1620