well Jonathan Larson was riding his signature song for the hit Broadway
signature song for the hit Broadway
signature song for the hit Broadway musical rent he asked his friends a
musical rent he asked his friends a
musical rent he asked his friends a question how do you measure a year
525,600 minutes and sunsets in
525,600 minutes and sunsets in Midnight’s and cups of coffee I’m sure
Midnight’s and cups of coffee I’m sure
Midnight’s and cups of coffee I’m sure if I went around the room here and ask
if I went around the room here and ask
if I went around the room here and ask each of you we’d come up with a wide
each of you we’d come up with a wide
each of you we’d come up with a wide range of answers all based on her own
range of answers all based on her own
range of answers all based on her own perspective but what if your perspective
perspective but what if your perspective
perspective but what if your perspective changed in the blink of an eye would
changed in the blink of an eye would
changed in the blink of an eye would your answer change too my talk today is
your answer change too my talk today is
your answer change too my talk today is as much about that as it is anything
as much about that as it is anything
as much about that as it is anything else
else
else see my wife Nina and I are members of a
see my wife Nina and I are members of a
see my wife Nina and I are members of a very exclusive club it’s a club no one
very exclusive club it’s a club no one
very exclusive club it’s a club no one joins voluntarily because the initiation
joins voluntarily because the initiation
joins voluntarily because the initiation fee is much too high where parents have
fee is much too high where parents have
fee is much too high where parents have lost a child at 3:58 a.m. on July 25th
lost a child at 3:58 a.m. on July 25th
lost a child at 3:58 a.m. on July 25th 2009 I stood at the front door of my
2009 I stood at the front door of my
2009 I stood at the front door of my house while the Florida Highway
house while the Florida Highway
house while the Florida Highway patrolman looked me in the eye and
patrolman looked me in the eye and
patrolman looked me in the eye and without him saying a word I knew my life
without him saying a word I knew my life
without him saying a word I knew my life would never be the same
would never be the same
would never be the same Julia bought her my 18 year old daughter
Julia bought her my 18 year old daughter
Julia bought her my 18 year old daughter was killed on the car accident what do
was killed on the car accident what do
was killed on the car accident what do you do with that tears yes
you do with that tears yes
you do with that tears yes guilt yes anger yes hopelessness
guilt yes anger yes hopelessness
guilt yes anger yes hopelessness absolutely but in our case well actually
absolutely but in our case well actually
absolutely but in our case well actually the truth it’s all of this things
the truth it’s all of this things
the truth it’s all of this things rolling into one but in our case we also
rolling into one but in our case we also
rolling into one but in our case we also discover what community is about
discover what community is about
discover what community is about especially the theater community
especially the theater community
especially the theater community Julie’s accident happened during the run
Julie’s accident happened during the run
Julie’s accident happened during the run of Oklahoma where she was stage manager
of Oklahoma where she was stage manager
of Oklahoma where she was stage manager in this very theater in Broadway
in this very theater in Broadway
in this very theater in Broadway tradition they dimmed the lights out
tradition they dimmed the lights out
tradition they dimmed the lights out front to signify her passing but that’s
front to signify her passing but that’s
front to signify her passing but that’s but then her friends did something else
but then her friends did something else
but then her friends did something else something unexpected and her memorial
something unexpected and her memorial
something unexpected and her memorial service they revealed there was a chair
service they revealed there was a chair
service they revealed there was a chair backstage a chair for Julia seeing their
backstage a chair for Julia seeing their
backstage a chair for Julia seeing their minds she was still part of the show
minds she was still part of the show
minds she was still part of the show the next show they placed another chair
the next show they placed another chair
the next show they placed another chair backstage this time they decorated it
backstage this time they decorated it
backstage this time they decorated it and then the show after that and then
and then the show after that and then
and then the show after that and then they spread the word to other theaters
they spread the word to other theaters
they spread the word to other theaters until there’s been a Julius chair in
until there’s been a Julius chair in
until there’s been a Julius chair in over 75 theaters across the country from
over 75 theaters across the country from
over 75 theaters across the country from Florida to Washington State California
Florida to Washington State California
Florida to Washington State California Pennsylvania North Carolina Illinois New
Pennsylvania North Carolina Illinois New
Pennsylvania North Carolina Illinois New Jersey internationally in England in
Jersey internationally in England in
Jersey internationally in England in Australia there’s been a Julia chair on
Australia there’s been a Julia chair on
Australia there’s been a Julia chair on Broadway for the show’s wicked and next
Broadway for the show’s wicked and next
Broadway for the show’s wicked and next to normal and Broadway touring groups
to normal and Broadway touring groups
to normal and Broadway touring groups like rent and Mamma Mia we have a
like rent and Mamma Mia we have a
like rent and Mamma Mia we have a Facebook page that displays all of the
Facebook page that displays all of the
Facebook page that displays all of the chairs and many of the actors from those
chairs and many of the actors from those
chairs and many of the actors from those productions and we invite any theatre
productions and we invite any theatre
productions and we invite any theatre who wants to participate to join us
who wants to participate to join us
who wants to participate to join us Julia was passionate about theatre and
Julia was passionate about theatre and
Julia was passionate about theatre and she was dedicated to making every
she was dedicated to making every
she was dedicated to making every production she was part of the highest
production she was part of the highest
production she was part of the highest quality down to the last detail now I
quality down to the last detail now I
quality down to the last detail now I travel a lot for business and at one
travel a lot for business and at one
travel a lot for business and at one time I came home after being gone for
time I came home after being gone for
time I came home after being gone for three weeks and my house was empty my
three weeks and my house was empty my
three weeks and my house was empty my wife was out my son Joe was gone
wife was out my son Joe was gone
wife was out my son Joe was gone somewhere and I knew Julie was stage
somewhere and I knew Julie was stage
somewhere and I knew Julie was stage managing and working at the theatre so I
managing and working at the theatre so I
managing and working at the theatre so I came up here to see her in the show well
came up here to see her in the show well
came up here to see her in the show well at intermission she came out on the
at intermission she came out on the
at intermission she came out on the stage and she’s moving set pieces and
stage and she’s moving set pieces and
stage and she’s moving set pieces and props around so I walked up to the edge
props around so I walked up to the edge
props around so I walked up to the edge of the stage
of the stage
of the stage and she’s working diligently getting the
and she’s working diligently getting the
and she’s working diligently getting the show ready for the second act
show ready for the second act
show ready for the second act but then she disappears backstage
but then she disappears backstage
but then she disappears backstage without so much as a glance so I went
without so much as a glance so I went
without so much as a glance so I went back to my seat and I watched the rest
back to my seat and I watched the rest
back to my seat and I watched the rest of the show and then later in the lobby
of the show and then later in the lobby
of the show and then later in the lobby she came up and she gave me a hug and
she came up and she gave me a hug and
she came up and she gave me a hug and she said what were you doing standing at
she said what were you doing standing at
she said what were you doing standing at the edge of the stage and I said well
the edge of the stage and I said well
the edge of the stage and I said well well Julie I haven’t seen you for three
well Julie I haven’t seen you for three
well Julie I haven’t seen you for three weeks I thought I might say hello and
weeks I thought I might say hello and
weeks I thought I might say hello and she looked at me and promptly said dad I
she looked at me and promptly said dad I
she looked at me and promptly said dad I cannot break the fourth wall for those
cannot break the fourth wall for those
cannot break the fourth wall for those of you don’t know the fourth wall is an
of you don’t know the fourth wall is an
of you don’t know the fourth wall is an invisible barrier that separates the
invisible barrier that separates the
invisible barrier that separates the stage from the audience and even though
stage from the audience and even though
stage from the audience and even though we’re a small theater in a small town
we’re a small theater in a small town
we’re a small theater in a small town Julia did not want to compromise the
Julia did not want to compromise the
Julia did not want to compromise the audience experience or lower her
audience experience or lower her
audience experience or lower her standard of excellence
standard of excellence
standard of excellence it’s not even for her dear old death
it’s not even for her dear old death
now the concept around in 2006 on
now the concept around in 2006 on Julia’s MySpace page there is an
Julia’s MySpace page there is an
Julia’s MySpace page there is an original quote where Julia said a bear
original quote where Julia said a bear
original quote where Julia said a bear stage is a sad thing but it can give
stage is a sad thing but it can give
stage is a sad thing but it can give birth to so many new beginnings it’s
birth to so many new beginnings it’s
birth to so many new beginnings it’s hopeful its optimistic it’s full of
hopeful its optimistic it’s full of
hopeful its optimistic it’s full of endless possibilities that is how Julia
endless possibilities that is how Julia
endless possibilities that is how Julia viewed and lived her life three days
viewed and lived her life three days
viewed and lived her life three days before her accident Julia started a blog
before her accident Julia started a blog
before her accident Julia started a blog and it’s the only entry she wrote I want
and it’s the only entry she wrote I want
and it’s the only entry she wrote I want to change the world but I don’t know how
to change the world but I don’t know how
to change the world but I don’t know how I believe she accomplished this because
I believe she accomplished this because
I believe she accomplished this because how do you change the world you do it
how do you change the world you do it
how do you change the world you do it locally you do it in your own community
locally you do it in your own community
locally you do it in your own community you do it by having a positive impact on
you do it by having a positive impact on
you do it by having a positive impact on the people you see every day you do it
the people you see every day you do it
the people you see every day you do it by living your life as an example of
by living your life as an example of
by living your life as an example of what you want the world to be and the
what you want the world to be and the
what you want the world to be and the concept of Julia’s chairs and spreading
concept of Julia’s chairs and spreading
concept of Julia’s chairs and spreading the word was nothing I did it was her
the word was nothing I did it was her
the word was nothing I did it was her friends it was the cast and the crews in
friends it was the cast and the crews in
friends it was the cast and the crews in the show she worked it was from having a
the show she worked it was from having a
the show she worked it was from having a spirit that was contagious 2011 Western
spirit that was contagious 2011 Western
spirit that was contagious 2011 Western watches will place the chair backstage
watches will place the chair backstage
watches will place the chair backstage for the Florida theatre conference and
for the Florida theatre conference and
for the Florida theatre conference and then they put in the note in the program
then they put in the note in the program
then they put in the note in the program explaining it they said Julia may not be
explaining it they said Julia may not be
explaining it they said Julia may not be with us physically but we feel she
with us physically but we feel she
with us physically but we feel she touches each show that has a chair by
touches each show that has a chair by
touches each show that has a chair by helping us realize that in theatre we
helping us realize that in theatre we
helping us realize that in theatre we are all a family gathering in this art
are all a family gathering in this art
are all a family gathering in this art form that we dearly love like the lives
form that we dearly love like the lives
form that we dearly love like the lives of every individual is only here for a
of every individual is only here for a
of every individual is only here for a brief moment and it too becomes a memory
brief moment and it too becomes a memory
brief moment and it too becomes a memory now accepting the fact someone you love
now accepting the fact someone you love
now accepting the fact someone you love is now a memory it’s not an easy thing
believing the world with the legacy that
believing the world with the legacy that makes them proud to have been part of
makes them proud to have been part of
makes them proud to have been part of your life as a gift Julia gave us that
your life as a gift Julia gave us that
your life as a gift Julia gave us that gift how many of us will continue to
gift how many of us will continue to
gift how many of us will continue to struggle with acceptance or search for
struggle with acceptance or search for
struggle with acceptance or search for answers as to why an 18 year old so full
answers as to why an 18 year old so full
answers as to why an 18 year old so full of hope so full of promise so full of
of hope so full of promise so full of
of hope so full of promise so full of life can be taken from us but we can
life can be taken from us but we can
life can be taken from us but we can still accept Julia’s gift and we can
still accept Julia’s gift and we can
still accept Julia’s gift and we can look to a Julius chair as a way to
look to a Julius chair as a way to
look to a Julius chair as a way to signify that life is really just made up
signify that life is really just made up
signify that life is really just made up of seemingly insignificant moments
of seemingly insignificant moments
of seemingly insignificant moments unimportant in themselves but when put
unimportant in themselves but when put
unimportant in themselves but when put together
together
together there can have a long and everlasting
there can have a long and everlasting
there can have a long and everlasting effect I open my remarks with a quote
effect I open my remarks with a quote
effect I open my remarks with a quote from Julius favorite musical Rent so
from Julius favorite musical Rent so
from Julius favorite musical Rent so I’ll close the same way and at Jonathan
I’ll close the same way and at Jonathan
I’ll close the same way and at Jonathan Larson asked another question how do you
Larson asked another question how do you
Larson asked another question how do you measure the life of a woman or a man and
measure the life of a woman or a man and
measure the life of a woman or a man and again if we went around the room I’m
again if we went around the room I’m
again if we went around the room I’m sure we would come up with a wide range
sure we would come up with a wide range
sure we would come up with a wide range of answers but from my perspective our
of answers but from my perspective our
of answers but from my perspective our value on this earth could not be
value on this earth could not be
value on this earth could not be measured in time and maybe just maybe a
measured in time and maybe just maybe a
measured in time and maybe just maybe a life should be measured in love
who’s that to you Julius chair for TEDx
who’s that to you Julius chair for TEDx useless Florida 2018 thank you
useless Florida 2018 thank you
useless Florida 2018 thank you [Applause]
”
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