The Con Signs Legal Documents With Intent To Deceive

(Please read this story from the first post to the most current to truly get entertained by the unfolding con of Marvin Nathan.  It is just too amazing to miss!)

On November 11, 2013, Marvin convinced Gene and myself that his $126,000 would be posted in his bank from the cashed-in life insurance policy by the next day.  He originally was just going to name us as beneficiaries of this policy.  But I suggested that he cash it in, keep some for a cushion for himself and invest the rest in our musical since he was also one of the stars.  Marvin agreed.

So, from his $126,000, he told us he'd give us $1500 toward the two months of our feeding, housing and helping him, plus, he'd invest $75,000 in the play.  We had no reason to think he was conning us.

Gene spent the money to form an LLC for the play and Marvin signed this document as one of the members on November 11, 2013.

We had written up a budget for the cost of Gene's studio time to arrange and produce the songs for the play.  This money was coming out of the $126,000 and we had scheduled six hours per day, five days per week in the studio to complete the songs by mid-January.  This later became a problem since Gene did not schedule anything else during those hours for the months of November and December.

I was not going to take a draw from this money until we went into a full-blown workshop for two weeks.  I wanted to use it sparingly so that we could possibly mount a version of the show to showcase to interested producers and booking agents.

But the money was again delayed for various reasons that Marvin obviously had used in the past when running this same con on others.  Finally, on November 17, 2013, Marvin said he was totally certain the life-insurance money would post the very next morning.  So, we drew up the investment papers which he signed in our presence on November 17.

How a person could fraudulently sign legal papers while knowing there was no money coming in, is totally astonishing to me!  All he had to say regarding the life insurance policy was that he could not cash it in due to it not maturing yet, or some such thing.  He did not have to take this story and draw it out so dramatically.

But wait, it gets much, much worse.  Remember that Marvin had also told us his lawyer "Howard" had settled the fiasco with his Credit Union in Florida wherein Marvin was now going to get $50,000 as a result of that Credit Union's three employees stealing money from several accounts?  Seriously...I heard him "talking to Howard" on the phone!  LOL!  He asked Howard how much the settlement was actually for and what percentage was he taking.  I mean, this guy is a highly skilled actor who can talk on the phone to no one better than the famous actors I've seen do this on TV or film!

Here's a real nice twist to Marvin's storytelling.  He informs me that Howard is coming to Vegas over the weekend and is bringing the check with him!  Evidently, "Howard" wanted to come to Vegas with his new girlfriend.  On top of all of this, Marvin says he will give us $5,000 from this Credit Union money as an extra thank-you for all that we have done.

But wait, it gets much worse...if you can even believe that!  Holy cow!  Gene and I never believed that this old queen could make up crap like this!  Who would do that?  Certainly, no one in their right mind would make up a string of stories like this.

We soon found out that Marvin Nathan was not in his right mind.  He was a con with much more devastation to bring before we finally realize what he is doing.

(To help me bring attention to the law about this situation, and to be highly entertained as well as to help me promote the musical that Marvin nearly derailed, please JOIN THIS SITE but clicking on the "join this site" icon at the top right of each blog post title.  I'd really appreciate the company and support.  Happy New Year!  Heidi)

The Con Adds A Bigger Hook, Line and Sinker

If you haven't been following this blog from the first post to this one, I hope you will go to the beginning and read from there.  This story unfolds like a Lifetime Movie!  It's still so very unbelievable!

Okay, so where did I leave off from the last post.  Oh yeah.  Marvin not only told Gene and me that he was cashing in his matured life-insurance policy of $126,000 in order to invest $75,000 in the musical, but now he was also going to get a settlement from the Credit Union in Florida who had supposedly had three employees steal funds from those with social security and disability accounts.  He was talking to his "lawyer," Howard Newman, every day on the phone.

Marvin had moved into our home for a "two-day stay" on September 24, 2013.  It was now the end of October and he had been with us a month.  Things even got fun when Marvin  booked his first gig since getting back to Vegas. 

He was going to perform for a local drag show as "Cher."  I had given him an original song I wrote and recorded as Cher called "Cosmetic Surgery" to hopefully perform at this gig.  We wanted to see if it "read" enough to put in the new musical.

I even bought a sturdy I.V. pole for him to use as a prop.   He seemed to really want to perform this number.  (pictured to the right)

But he never learned it nor rehearsed it.  I then asked him, "Marvin, if you were a producer of a play, which you are since you are investing in it, what would you do if one of your stars never learned or rehearsed anything you gave to him?"  To this question, Marvin replied, "I'd fire him."  I wish I had taken his advice!


Gene and I were about to leave for a one-week working cruise over my birthday (November 7).  My birthday always reminds me of my Mother's passing on Nov. 1, 1991.  So, I try to keep myself very busy each year around that time.

 (My mother is pictured here on her wedding day)


Since we had been supporting Marvin for over a month now, we were hoping he'd get in his "life-insurance" check soon so that he'd be able to reimburse for what we had spent thus far and then move into his own apartment.

Before our leaving on the cruise, Marvin told us that not only would his $126,000 come in within the next few days, but that Howard (the fictitious lawyer) got him a $50,000 settlement on the Credit Union fiasco.  We left for the cruise on Nov. 3rd with high hopes.



The cruise was amazing!  It was called "The Malt Shop Memories Cruise" and hosted an array of iconic oldies stars such as Petula Clark, Bobby Rydell, Leslie Gore, Neil Sedaka, Bill Medley, Little Anthony and The Imperials, The Four Tops and more!  I was one of the not-so-iconic performers hired to entertain the over 2,000 guests aboard this beautiful Holland America ship.  I had a blast!

(Here's a pic of me performing through the audience, who were also dressed to suit the oldies theme)

On my birthday, I get a text from Marvin that his "big check has come in!" 

Gene and I were so very relieved.  Marvin was going to deposit it into his new US Bank account that day.  We were home-free, or so we thought.

As for the "settling of the Credit Union Fraud in Florida," Marvin was creating a lovely scenario wherein he had to do a deposition for the case.  He had been complaining that he did not want to have fly back to Florida to do this in person.  Oh, he was very convincing.  We got a text while on the ship that he was able to do the deposition by phone!  How nice for him.

We arrived back home on Nov. 9th.  Marvin had been enjoying free-reign of our home, car, food and more.   (I have since learned that he lied to one of the stars of the top drag show, "Divas," about my not wanting him to use my car to pick that star up at the airport during this time.  The star then thought I was a, well, you know.  We fixed all of that, thank goodness!)

Everything seemed to be in order and Marvin had done a good job watching our two Persian female cats, Emmy and Toni.  (Yes, I had to have and Emmy and a Tony in my home...lol!  Emmy is the white one and Toni is the tortoise shell.)

But his "life-insurance" check had not yet cleared and his story was that his bank account was brand new and that he did not have a Nevada Driver's License or home address.  Thus, they had to hold the check for ten days.  This was reasonable, right?

By now, you're probably thinking, "Why didn't Gene and Heidi see that they were being conned?"  Well, I had known Marvin for over 20 years.  We weren't close, but we kept in touch much over that time.  He had been in major shows and on many national television shows.  I had no reason to think he was a professional con.  Plus, he's an old, Jewish queen nearing the age of 60.  He seemed very harmless, which was a good cover.

By mid-November, we were still waiting for Marvin's "funds" to post in his bank account.  And, he had great news about "settling" his Credit Union case...

(Please join this blog by scrolling up to the top of this post.  To the right where you see all the "followers," you will see a "join this site" icon.  Just hit the icon and follow the prompts.  It's free but you may have get a google account, which is also free.  I'd really appreciate your support and company as we move forward through this unbelievable story!)

The Con Hooks His Mark

It is Christmas Day, and I thought I'd take time away from this saga to enjoy some holiday cheer.  But it's hard to feel cheerful knowing that someone has conned several people out of tens of thousands of dollars.  The man I had generously taken into my heart and home, and offered a valuable future to had conned me in an evil, cold and calculating manner.  There are seven of us thus far involved in filing criminal charges against him.   (Marvin Nathan is pictured below in one of my showgirl headpieces.)

I've even had people ask me "Why would you trust a gay man in the first place?  Especially a drag queen?"  WHAT?  That makes me even sadder because I've had more love and friendship from my gay male friends than from most of my straight friends.  So, please don't go there with me.  This bad apple does not spoil the whole bunch, even though the stench of his rotting pulp permeated my very soul.

Yesterday, I was speaking to one of the stars of "Divas," the premier drag show in Las Vegas.  I was warning him about Marvin Nathan so that he did not become yet another victim.  This performer told me that Marvin had agreed to pick him up at the LV airport while Gene and I were away on a cruise gig.  Marvin had full use of my car, home, food, etc.  But, when this star called Marvin to come pick him up, Marvin told him he could not do so because I would get angry if he used my car.  Thus, this star thought I was something that I am not.  I had even invited him to come to my home and have Thanksgiving dinner with me, my husband and Marvin.  He declined because of his now unfavorable feelings for me.  Why do I think Marvin lied about the car situation?  My instincts tell me that he did not want to get up off the couch to pick this man up.  Marvin never got off the couch except to go to eat or lay on the bed.

Speaking of his using my car while we gone, I had another conversation with a man I'll call P.J., regarding Marvin's use of my car during that same time I was on the cruise.  You see, P.J. is a very loyal and trusted friend of ours.  He's also a very large, formidable man you would never want to cross.  Marvin scammed P.J. out of $150 but P.J. did not yet know it at the time Marvin was watching our home during the cruise gig.  Anyway, P.J. told me that whenever he came over to our home to do some work in the detached garage out back, Marvin would get in my car and take off within minutes!  I guess Marvin wasn't too lazy to go out of the house when he thought he might get confronted by P.J.!  I think that's funny, personally.  But it just goes to show you how Marvin's mind was working at the time.  He was guilty and he was paranoid.

Here's another funny story.  There's a sweet man in Vegas who owns a bunch a spas.  We'll call him "T."  So, Marvin had told me that "T" was a "bi-polar" man who was difficult to be around, and who threw him out of his home one day with no reason or rhyme.  Per Marvin, this action led to him staying in an airport for three days until someone else bailed him out.  But, the stress from all of this caused Marvin to have a stroke (I think he said he had THREE strokes, but it's hazy now) which resulted in a heart condition.  Anyway,  in the first week or so that Marvin was staying with us, he called "T" while we were both sitting in the living room.  I heard him demand from "T" to give him two free spa days for him and me with some products included because "you owe me!"  He was extremely demanding to "T" on the phone and it upset me to the point where I called him out on this.  I told him he could have asked "T" nicely and that his demanding attitude was over the top.

Well, "T" did decline Marvin's request, which was disappointing to me but understandable with the way Marvin spoke to him on the phone.  The funny part of this story is this:  Marvin was NOT speaking to anyone on the other end of the phone when he was demanding the spa day from "T!"  It was a fake phone call!  I found this out after speaking to "T" myself!  "T" told me that Marvin never spoke to him in that way at all!  Wow!  I guess that was the first of his phone calls to nobody on the other end!  And, even less surprising, is that "T" is a very nice man who had also opened his home and bank account to Marvin.  It appears that those whom Marvin scams become his enemies once they find out. 

The above are just a few of the minor pieces of information I found out after the fact.  But, I digress.  Let's take up where we had left off in the last blog post, shall we?

Marvin had just made the gracious offer to name Gene and myself as the beneficiaries to his "life insurance policy" via Prudential that his mother had purchased for him when he was born.  If you recall from the last blog post, Marvin convincingly told us that we were his "family" now and that we were the best people to receive this money.

Well, being the ethical person who wants all situations to be a win-win, I said to Marvin, "Why wait until you die to put this money to use?  Since you are having so much trouble with money, why not cash in the policy now?  You can invest some in the play since you are starring in it, and you can put some away as a cushion for yourself."  I thought that was a beautiful way to give us all an easier runway to getting us to the point where we showcased the play to the interested Producers.  Makes sense, right?

Now, you'd think that if this "life insurance" was just a scam to get Gene and me to take care of Marvin for a longer period of time, that Marvin could have easily pretended it did not yet mature and that he could not cash it in for a while.  That would have been a way to go.  But, NO!  Marvin played his hand by telling us the policy was now worth $126,000 and that he could have the check in a few weeks!  He went further into this con by telling us that he decided to give us $75,000 of that money to invest in the development of the play!  So, Gene spent the money to form an LLC and have investment contracts made.  Marvin signed the contracts in front of us.

IT DIDN"T STOP THERE!  Jeez, you'd think that having this $126,000 coming in would be enough to hook Gene and me into allowing Marvin to continue staying with us and buying him his food, etc.  But Marvin created another story to add to this one.  Remember the missing disability check and the phone calls to his attorney, "Howard Newman?"  Okay.  So, this is what Marvin tells us about that situation.  He says that the lawyer found out that three of the Credit Union Employees had been stealing funds from those with social security and disability checks, and that it is a big problem for the Credit Union.  He further tells us that "Howard" is going to get him his money back plus a bunch more in a settlement.  This story drags on a bit, so I will fill you in more later on.

Man, I can't even believe we bought all of Marvin's B.S. as I write this.  But, we did.

My friends who know me, know that I don't take injustice lying down!  I'm a major bull dog...a momma lion, when it comes to protecting others from being hurt.  P.J. said today, "Marvin didn't expect the tsunami coming back at him from you!"  And P.J. is probably correct.  You see, to this date, no one has ever even filed a legal complaint against Marvin.  Well, I did much more than that.  I'll tell you all about in the next blog post...lol!

(Please help me to bring attention to this situation by joining this blog.  It's free.  You just need a google account, which is also free.  Once you sign up for a google account, you can press the "Join this site" icon on my blog near where all the "followers" pictures are located.  I'd appreciate the company as I take you past this con and back on track to getting the musical play produced.  I hope you will join me.  Merry Christmas!)

The Con Baits His Mark

They say that lying is the lowest form of creativity.  Marvin Nathan has blended all of his amazing talents and endearing attributes to skillfully create a con worthy of a master thief.  What a waste of potential.

I saw in Marvin many things.  He had a comical look supported by a natural comedic ability.  He had a funny demeanor and speaking voice.  He was highly animated and could mug with the best of them. (Mug:  to make funny faces)  He could act and he could sing, even though he hadn't sung live in years.

Although Marvin needed to constantly promote his own self-worth, and seemed lazy and critical, I truly thought his talent was worth the challenge.  But the challenge I got was not the one for which I had bargained.

My goal was to make Marvin feel safe and at home, to create some magic in the script that he could get excited about, and to help him get settled in his new apartment as quickly as possible so that Gene and I could go back to our private lives.  Marvin had already been in our home for nearly two weeks with no money coming in at all.  His disability checks were still missing and he had already told us he had sent $2,000 back to his friend in Florida in order to avoid any meddling in his personal life.  So, I asked him if there was anyone else he could borrow money from until he got his disability check problem handled.

Marvin's next move to prolong his stay in our home was to state that he would have his ex-roommate, "Father Jamie," place $1500 onto an old credit card that he had not used in years.  This should only take a few days and then Marvin would have the funds for his new apartment.  This sounded like a plausible solution.

Meanwhile, I'm still writing the musical and trying to have some fun with Marvin.  I tried some of my wigs and headpieces on him to make us laugh.  I never would have dreamed he was a seasoned con man. 

"Father Jamie's" deposit never got onto Marvin's credit card.  Marvin was very adept at explaining it away as a fluke.  He recounted his many conversations with Jamie regarding this unexplainable ordeal.  He told me how upset Jamie was and that Jamie even yelled at him, which he never does.

Of course, I helped to calm Marvin down and even took sides with Jamie, telling Marvin that he was just frustrated and upset.  The ending to this small scene was that Jamie had the credit card company put his money back into his bank account because of the delay.  Marvin was still broke and living with us.

Meanwhile, Marvin is still speaking with his "lawyer, Howard Newman" about the problem with his disability check.  But he must have sensed that Gene and I were getting a little impatient with all of his excuses.  This is where Marvin kicks his scam into high gear and baits us with a con I have since found out has been highly successful for him on many past occasions.  THE PROMISE OF BIG MONEY TO COME IN so that we will not only be reimbursed for the money we've put out, but we will also be rewarded with a little extra as a "thank-you."

Marvin tells me that he has decided to name me and Gene as the beneficiaries of the life-insurance policy his mother took out for him at birth.  He explains that he has no real family and that we are his family now.  He does this convincingly and with tears in his eyes.  He further explains that he has come full circle because he has always loved the theater and that he wants the money to go people who will make audiences happy with their creative works.

Little did I know that I was the audience at that moment, and that the play that Marvin was acting out had been acted out upon prior audiences whose ticket price was more than they could bare.

(To find out what happens next and to support me on my journey, please follow my blog by clicking on the "join this site" icon to to the top right of the blog title.  It's free and I would love your company.)

The Con Sets Up His Mark

I'm a pretty good judge of character and I usually can spot a criminal a mile away.  But I just didn't see this one coming!  The excitement of creating a new musical play along with the upcoming first meeting of the two drag actors I had chosen to originate it, was all-consuming.

On September 24, 2013, I picked up my old friend, Marvin Nathan, from the LV airport.  He had been in Wilton Manors, Florida for the past year and a half, and was very happy to be back in Vegas.  Being that his new apartment would not be ready for move-in for two days, it was decided that he would stay with Gene and me in our home.

Marvin spoke as if he could not wait to get his things out of his LV storage and begin his new chapter as one of the principals of this new musical starring myself, him and the wonderful Randy Roberts.  But he realized that the apartment he had on hold in the Northwest was much too far away from me and everything else.  So, he ended up changing his mind and procured a new apartment with a sister property just a few miles from my home.  However, this apartment would not be available for move-in until the 3rd of October.  This meant that Marvin's two-day stay would extend to nine.

Since Marvin was waiting for his disability check, he was broke.  Gene and I were on a tight budget ourselves, but kindly paid for all of Marvin's food while we put a roof over his head.

The first red flag that should have waved frantically in front of my face was when Marvin said he had borrowed a few thousand from his friend, B.B., in Florida to move out here, but that he gave it back because he did not want this person to meddle in his business.  Marvin was always speaking negatively about his circle of friends in Florida.  The only person he spoke highly of was "Father Jamie," his last roommate and confidante.  I was taken back by his critical nature, but justified it off as being residual negative energy left over from his protested life in Wilton Manors.

I worked hard to get a rough outline of the new play ready for when Randy Roberts graciously took time out of his busy show schedule in San Francisco to spend a few days working with Marvin and myself.  Marvin was supposed to have moved into a temporary residence by the time Randy came to stay at my home so that Randy could take over the guest room.  But Marvin was not going anywhere.  So, I moved him onto the couch in the living room so that Randy could have the spare bedroom.

We went over the script, sang together in the recording studio and hashed over the ideas I had set in motion.  It was a bit tense to have Randy and Marvin and myself come together in a group dynamic.  I wondered if I had made the right choice.  Was Marvin not up to the task of keeping stride with me and Randy, or was Randy just not aware of my abilities or of Marvin's potential enough to feel confident of this project?  I didn't know.

I explained to a critical Marvin who was concerned about Randy, that Randy and I were very similar.  We were both leaders who had been in charge of our own projects.  I further explained that I would react just as Randy did in a similar situation.  I would doubt the project until I saw it unfold into something in which I could align.

I told Randy that I was tense over Marvin's reliance on Gene and me for everything but that he had a natural comedic talent.  I was in between a rock and a hard place, but I kept on going. 

Randy went back to his gigs on the road and Marvin remained, either fixed upon the couch or upon his bed talking on his phone, writing emails or playing on Facebook.  Oh, he would take five minutes to load or unload the dishwasher.  But that was his only productive moment of each day.  I justified this by thinking to myself that he needed time to unwind and adjust.  After all, he was not as physically well as the rest of us.  He had been hospitalized with a stroke a year prior and was on heart medication.  Thus, the reason for his disability check each month, which was scheduled to arrive by October 3rd.

This check arrival also meant Marvin's ability to depart into his new apartment.  It had been a long ten days now.  But, there was a problem.  According to Marvin, the check did go into one of his accounts at the City County Credit Union in Wilton Manors, Florida.  However, he needed to transfer it from one account to another in order to keep his disability money separate from his second account.  The check disappeared with this transfer.  His money never posted in the other account.

After another three days of this, I suggested to Marvin that he have an attorney check out the problem with the Credit Union.  Enter his fictitious long-time lawyer, "Howard Newman."  I heard Marvin speaking to Howard about the problem with the Credit Union.  He even imitated Howard's gruff voice to make the illusion more realistic.  I still didn't see the con unfolding, but unfold it did much like a volcano spews its hot lava, harming all in its path.

(To find out what happens next, please join this blog by hitting the icon at the top right near the little pictures of the "followers" and let the prompts guide you.  By doing this, you will receive an email every time I write a new post.  I hope you'll join me.  This story gets really good...)

Saucy, Cher-ish, Funny and then BOOM!

Finding the right title to stand out in the over-crowded marketplace is not easy.  I wanted it to get noticed, to let people know there would be "Cher-ing," and that this comedy is a bit saucy.  So, I started asking for title suggestions from friends and family. 

(Marvin Nathan as Cher pictured below)

It was the intelligent, talented and beautiful Mr. Randy Roberts who came up with the current working title.  For those of you who do not know Randy, please google him.  He is an immense talent who sings live and does an array of wacky characters and impersonations.

So, what was his title?  Can't tell you just yet.  But, soon...

I asked Randy to be one of the cast members in this new undertaking.  Although he is booked most of the year, he kindly offered to contribute ideas and come to a meeting with myself and Marvin Nathan.

Marvin and I appeared together on the TV sitcom, "The Nanny" years ago.

(Marvin Nathan as "Cousin Ira" as he lip-sync'd to my vocals coming down the stairs.)









          (Me bandaged up as "Cher")

Marvin had been living and performing in Florida.  He decided to move back to Las Vegas and ended up staying with Gene and me until moving into his new apartment.  Randy came to our home on a break from performing in San Francisco.  And there we were, all three of us at my home to discuss the ideas I had put together thus far for this play.

Although there were some disagreements, mainly between myself and Randy, there were also some great ideas which were born from them.  We went over a few scenes, recorded a few songs in the studio and basically got some things ironed out as to basic direction.

(Randy Roberts pictured below)

 

Randy went back to San Francisco and on to his many gigs.  It was then decided to be more beneficial to get another person to sub for Randy in the workshop and development of the play.  So, I called upon my friend and fellow performer, Tony Torres, who has been a mainstay featured performer in "Tony and Tina's Wedding," currently at Bally's here in Vegas.

While Tony has never been a drag queen, he can certainly bring the talent.  We continued onward.

The script and songs began to take on a new life.  But some twists and turns in my own life began to impede the further progress of the play.  Drama, drama and more drama unfolded as if my life was mimicking a bad soap opera.  Sometimes when you are getting close to something huge, the barriers get even bigger.  I was feeling like a modern-day "George Bailey" with all of the rocks and boulders being thrown at me at the same time.

Get ready to hear some unbelievable turn of events and what I did to handle them!  (Hint:  Legal battles, health issues and a string of "tomorrows" that created a financial fiasco!)  But what doesn't kill us makes us stronger!  And nothing is as powerful as an idea whose TIME HAS COME!!!!

(Please join this blog.  Your support and company is greatly appreciated!)

This Idea: Could it be THE ONE?

Nothing worthwhile comes easy, unless you are born with a silver spoon in your mouth or are not adverse to performing sexual favors.  Well, my spoon is not silver and sex is not on that table either.  So, I have had to rely on my talent, brains and personality, like most everyone else.

However, the one talent that has been very good to me in a weird way has been my ability to look, talk, sing and act like Cher. 

                                     
                                                            (Marvin Nathan, Frank Marino and myself)

At first thought, one might think "how cool it is to impersonate a famous person!"  And, on some levels, you'd be correct.  I've had the honor to entertain audiences for decades in top Las Vegas shows like "Legends in Concert" and "American Superstars."  I've guest-starred on national TV shows such as "The Nanny," "The View," "Leeza Gibbons" and "Ellen DeGeneres."  I've entertained for major corporate events which has given me the opportunity to perform on the same stage with numerous stars such as Kenny Loggins, Jay Leno and Barry Manilow.  And, I was featured in a national book release about the real Cher called "The Cher Scrapbook" as well as a few beautiful table top books, "Planet Vegas" and "Made You Look."

I've also traveled most of the world working with some of the most talented persons I've ever known.  So yes, there have been some major perks.  As for the down side, I've really never been able to express my own talents as a singer or a writer.  I've had a job, not a career.  Of course, there are always plus and minuses in anything, and we choose the paths we take whether we know it or not.

Okay, so you've got a bit of the back story now.  I've been a top Cher impersonator for decades, all the while desiring to create a career for myself as a singer/writer.  There are some pretty cool highlights such as nearly getting one of my musicals on Broadway in 1985.  But I won't bore you with the details.  Suffice it say, I've gotten in some big doors many times and was close enough to taste success before the fires were put out in one way or another.  Did that leave a bitter residue in my mouth?  I'll let you decide.

So, how does all of this relate to this latest idea of my writing a musical comedy starring myself and two amazingly talented drag queens?  (BTW, Frank Marino pictured above is the star and producer of his own iconic show called "Divas" and is not affiliated with my project.  Marvin Nathan, pictured above, was asked by me to be one of the cast members)  I've been working on getting a musical to Broadway since 1983.  For the past two years, I worked on a wonderful play that went nowhere due to several things, the largest being cost.  I knew I had to create a play that could be produced in a lower budget in order to get my foot in the door.  Thus, the idea of taking my "Cher-ness" along with some of my other crazy characters and placing them all in a play with two drag queens who also did "Cher" along with other crazy characters was born!

Why drag queens?  Well, I've met practically every queen who impersonates Cher along with their female impersonator friends, my husband has had drag queens as clients in his recording studio for decades and I thought it to be an interesting idea.  So, I put together a short outline of the show, some photos and some casting ideas.  Then, I presented it to an amazing husband and wife team who are affiliated with a production company boasting 40 Tony Awards.  They saw the potential in the idea and I ran with it!

I've got to confess that the journey thus far has been filled with so much drama, that I'm not sure which is more powerful, the play or the story behind getting the play completed.  And so, this blog! Everyday, I will post pictures and recount the timeline of what has happened along the way.  I hope you will join me because it is a story worthy of a daytime soap opera!

I thank you for reading this and I look forward to your company as I continue down this "Yellow Brick Road!"  See you tomorrow!

Heidi