Shaun Squad Society
The Shaun Squad Society Podcast is a podcast written, produced and hosted by three women who want to keep the Magic of a Midnight Sky alive!
Cindy, Dorese and Dame became friends at a Shaun Cassidy concert and immediately decided to form "The Shaun Squad." Soon after, the Shaun Squad Society Podcast was conceived to discuss and reminisce about all-things Shaun Cassidy, from his first years as a teen idol to his current career as a writer and producer.
This podcast brings together a community of Shaun's devoted fans, the ones who played his albums non-stop, and who tuned into The Hardy Boys Mysteries every Sunday evening. And now, 46 years later, Shaun's story-telling tour has delighted fans again. So, join us for the stories, fun-facts, and fascinating interviews as we take you down memory lane with our Teen Dream, Shaun Cassidy.
Shaun Squad Society
Shirley Jones Gala: Reliving a Night to Remember
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What if you could experience an unforgettable night celebrating an iconic star, surrounded by the grandeur of Pittsburgh's historic Byham Theater, and filled with laughter, music, and heartfelt stories? Join us as we relive the magical evening honoring Shirley Jones for her 90th birthday. We explore the enchanting atmosphere of the Byham Theater and the timeless elegance of the William Penn Omni Hotel, both steeped in history and perfectly suited for such a remarkable celebration. Discover how these prestigious venues added to the allure of the gala dedicated to Shirley's illustrious career in film and television.
We discuss the Broadway stars who were deeply influenced by Shirley--Kelly O'Hara, Sierra Boggess, Jesse Mueller, Adam Pascal, and Norm Lewis. They shared personal tributes through song and story which includes Kelly's first inspiration, Adam's memorable performance with young artists from Pittsburgh CLO, and the delightful camaraderie among Shirley's sons, Patrick, Shaun, and Ryan Cassidy. We also bring into the conversation the Shirley Jones Scholarship, which ensures that future generations of artists can continue to thrive.
In this episode we reveal that this was the first-ever on-stage appearance of all three Cassidy brothers. We are sure that you will agree, that the gala was both interactive and heartwarming. We invite you to stay connected with us for exclusive videos and audio from this unforgettable night, and we encourage you to support the continuation of Shirley's legacy through the scholarship fund. We were honored to be included in celebrating a legendary career and supporting future talents. This was an evening that truly captured the magic of Shirley Jones's enduring influence.
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Email us at shaunsquadsociety@gmail.com
Shirley Jones Gala at Byham Theater
Speaker 1The most special thing about the whole evening was Shirley Jones. Yes, it was to honor the life and legacy of this beautiful mother, and they could have went on longer too.
Speaker 3They could have went on longer with this, but I think they wanted to just pinpoint her most special projects.
Speaker 2They wanted to celebrate their mother's success as an Academy Award winner in show business and a musical movie icon. She was also the iconic mother in the history of television, and this year she turned 90, but she's still just as perfect as ever.
Speaker 3Oh yes, welcome to the Shawn Squad Society podcast with your hosts myself, cindy Doris, jay Madonna where we invite you to share in our enthusiasm and reminisce about all things Sean Cassidy.
Speaker 1From his teen idol days to his recent adventures. Back on the road again.
Speaker 2Please join us for the stories and memories that connected us to those happy days that helped create the Sean Squad Society podcast. Hey.
Speaker 1Cindy, hey Dane, hey Dorese, it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Oops, sorry, it's nice out.
Speaker 3Yeah, we're outside.
Speaker 1We're outside in the gazebo again and Dane's with us on the phone. And, man, we have a lot to talk about today because we're going to cover the great gala that we just went to the Shirley Jones gala at the Biome Theater, Wasn't that?
Speaker 2so it was very special.
Speaker 1Very special.
Speaker 2Yeah, it was a place where Shirley Jones, you know, did a lot of her work, and it's in the downtown part of Pennsylvania. Yep, so Pittsburgh. Yep so Pittsburgh. Yeah, so, which is, which is awesome. Did you girls know that back in the 1930s the theater was renamed it's spelled F-U-L-T-O-N. Oh, the Fulton. That's when it became a movie theater. And then it was renamed to the Byham Theater through a naming gift from that family, with that last name, oh so someone gifted the Byham the Fulton Theater and they renamed it after them.
Speaker 2Yes, yes, actually, back in, even in 1903 is when it originally came about, and then there was more details about how they used sandbags and hemp rope to work the scenery and very, very interesting. But they also had that after they received this gift in 1995, when they redid it, the old lighted Fulton marquee was saved and it's still and it has been restored by the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg. Wow.
Speaker 1Isn't that cool. So it's not the marquee that is up on the biome right now, because that's a beautiful marquee.
Speaker 2It is yeah. Well, it said that there was one that was restored and taken to Harrisburg in a museum. Oh, okay, they put it in Harrisburg, but they still they did so much work to this. It's just a neat exhibit too that you can see there. But anyway, it's pretty cool because they did, you know, different restoration and then like there was a cherub lobby, that how did it look to you girls when you went in there to the venue?
Speaker 1Well, I'm going to tell you that is one beautiful theater. I love the small, beautiful theaters, Right, Cindy?
Speaker 3Yeah, it was, you could tell it was historic.
Speaker 1Yeah, and if you look around when you go in these theaters, one of the things I like to do when I'm in the lobby is look up, or when I'm in the actual theater part, you look up and you look at the ornate stuff on the walls and look at like what did they call them? The boxes, the opera boxes.
Speaker 3Oh, in the balcony.
Speaker 1Yeah, the ones like on the side of stage. What were those boxes called? Yes, I can see those those.
Speaker 2Yeah, I know.
Speaker 1Yeah, I love looking at old theaters and just paying attention to that kind of detail.
Speaker 3Back then they they paid attention to detail in these older theaters. I don't think they do so now, but it was beautiful ceilings and, yes, you know, the surroundings were just pretty and the theater itself besides the stage, so it was really nice cool well, shirley had a history of performing, I guess, in this theater, so it was a perfect place for them to honor her birthday.
Speaker 2You know year exactly 90, exactly that's her hometown, so this is very appropriate.
Speaker 1It was very close to her hometown. Pittsburgh is very close to the town where she's from.
Speaker 2I think like 40 minutes, charlotte ray, about 40 minutes, from what what you're talking about?
Speaker 3I think she was born in charlotte ray, but was raised in smithton smithton, yes, and we which?
Speaker 2is so cool.
Speaker 1we didn't get to visit any of these towns, we were kind of in and out. But yeah, the theater day, like you said, that's such great history and you know what else was I found very cool.
Speaker 3The William William Penn Omni Hotel. Yes, how was that? Oh beautiful.
Speaker 1Historic, oh, beautiful, historic. Just such a in the lobby, like they have a showcase of all the old pictures of when the hotel was built, the history of the whole hotel. Yes, and the guy who it was named after. And you walk through that hotel and I do this weird thing, like I imagine myself when I'm looking at the pictures.
Speaker 1Oh, back in those days I imagine myself in that day, oh, back in those days. I imagine myself in that day, oh, doreen. So when you go in the lobby and you see, okay, so you see this picture of the hotel lobby from that era, and then you look at it today and it's the same window, the way the window is set, and it just does everything. They haven't changed a whole lot, in fact. You look at the tables and the chairs and the seating in the lobby and they kind of arranged it the same way. I'm like, oh man, this was so cool, yeah it was a very nice hotel.
Speaker 1Yeah, it was.
Speaker 2I know, as we think about all this, we think about honoring Shirley, but I have to say this it was so cool that you girls went to Pittsburgh, because I have spent thousands of hours studying my great-grandmother and how she was into the same thing as Shirley was into in these venues, and so you girls being there was wonderful. What a wonderful experience that you got to have. What's?
Speaker 1in a lifetime. Let's talk about it. Yeah, it was a great experience and actually I'm going to be honest, it was a little bigger than I thought. You know how you're pleasantly surprised. It was the show, the show. Yeah, just the way surprised. It was the show.
Speaker 2The show yeah, just the way all that was put together, just from start to finish.
Speaker 1If you know anything about Broadway, they had this all-star Broadway lineup as the cast. So you got Norm Lewis.
Speaker 3Norm Lewis, who was in Phantom of the Opera. Yes, he has a big voice.
Celebrating Shirley Jones' Legacy
Speaker 1Yeah, we're going to talk a little bit about him. Who else?
Speaker 2was in the show Kelly O'Hara. Kelly O'Hara, she's from here, she's from Elk City, and she said, yes, which is only you know so many miles away from me. And she said that that's the only well, I'm not the only influence, but the first influence on her to help her become a singer was listening to Shirley.
Speaker 3Jones.
Speaker 2And I was so excited, yeah, to hear that and to hear her say yes, and I was from Oklahoma, elks City, yes, and I thought, wow, and then we sometimes don't even know what an influence we're going to make on somebody sure, yep, until later an amazing mentor. She could you know she wasn't.
Speaker 3Yes, she tells her story when she comes on stage. She tells her story about how she connects to shirley and what it meant to her and then goes into oklah, oklahoma, as a little girl yeah.
Speaker 2Yeah, yes.
Speaker 3And these Broadway stars are there to sing her songs from her famous movies. Who else did we have in her career Besides Kelly?
Speaker 2was. I have down that there was Sierra.
Speaker 3Sierra Boggess yes, she played the little mermaid on Broadway, I believe she had the right red hair. Perfect. Yeah for that role Perfect and her voice was just as powerful. Man wow. And then Jesse Mueller. Jesse Mueller was there, yes. And Adam Pascal. Adam Pascal was in Rent on Broadway, yes.
Speaker 1So we had Adam Pascal, who's a huge, huge Broadway star, and, yeah, and Jesse Mueller and Kelly O'Hara and Norm Lewis, so we had this all-star cast To honor and they come to sing Shirley Jones' musical song, yeah, so they each had their turn. They come out, they give their little story about how they're connected with.
Speaker 3Shirley Jones' musical song yeah, so they each had their turn. They come out, they give their little story about how they're connected with Shirley and what she meant to them, and they go into this beautiful song. Some of them were duets and at the very end, I think, they kind of all came together and sang a song.
Speaker 1Saturday September 21st was officially declared Shirley Jones Day in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3Yes, it was, and they also had a special guest on the stage to declare that I think it was the assistant to the mayor of the city.
Speaker 2Yeah, yeah, and how perfect, because it was Saturday that her dad would drive her there every week.
Speaker 1Yes, so it just all tied together perfectly.
Speaker 3So Saturday, september 21st in Pittsburgh, pennsylvania, is Shirley Jones Day.
Speaker 1Well, let's talk about the song. So I think I really enjoyed Norm Lewis. Oh, he's beautiful. So there was you.
Speaker 3I think he sang with Kelly O'Hara. Yeah, Beautiful.
Speaker 1Just gorgeous the way he's, yeah, and Kelly O'Hara is just, you can't say enough. But Adam Pascal, I think he stole the show when he came out with the children. The Pittsburgh CLO they have a learning program Right when they teach children acting in theater and stuff. Yeah, education and arts programs, yes, and surely benefited from that program. So these children who are now in the program came out with adam and they sang the opening theme to Departures Family, which was Come On, get Up, come On, get Happy. And they sang. I Think I Love you.
Speaker 1And I got to tell you they brought the house down.
Speaker 3Yes, and we were in the front row, luckily, so we got to sing along with these and it was so funny to watch the kids, watch me sing it with them, like oh you know the words to this song.
Speaker 2Yes, because you know every word in all those songs, Cindy.
Speaker 3It was very cute, but it was so nice to have the kids there as part of the program.
Speaker 2Yes, as a teacher. It fit in perfectly, I feel that, and my husband's a fine art degree, and so this is something very special. Just to contribute to something like this as a fundraiser, you know, is amazing. So it was so neat that, in Shirley's honor, they would do something like this for her. You know, she's still just as stylish and high class and elegant as she ever was, but she wasn't able to be there, but in a way she really was there. She really was.
Speaker 2Yeah, she dressed up, looked beautiful, and girls, how was she able to be there?
Speaker 1She was there because backstage they were, so someone was filming this whole thing.
Speaker 3Well, let's talk about the host of the show. Let's go back up. Oh yeah, we haven't even talked about the host, because they're involved with the Shirley story.
Speaker 1Okay, so we told you who the stars were. Yeah, who were the hosts of the show. Yes, patrick Cassidy put this together. I told you who the stars were.
Speaker 3Yeah, who were the hosts of the show. Yes, patrick Cassidy put this together. He was the director, yes, of the show, so he put this whole thing together for his mother and, of course, his brothers, sean Cassidy, ryan Cassidy, were there with him, and this was the very first time they were all on stage together, which was very special.
Speaker 2Yes, together, which was very special. Yes, and Patrick mentioned that several times that he felt like that was just wonderful because this was the first time all three of them together like that.
Speaker 3They all came on stage separately first. Yes, okay, patrick, I think was the first one.
Speaker 1Yeah, yeah, he came out and he did his little monologue. He was cute. He was like I'm Patrick Cassidy, can you just love me? Please love me Because you know, he grew up with David and Sean.
Speaker 2No we love.
Speaker 3Patrick, yeah, he said something about. You know, everybody loves Sean, but I'm the middle child. Please love me too. That's cute actually. Yeah, please, love me too, please, and he's like pleading with the audience to Please love me too.
Speaker 1That's cute actually. Yeah, please, love me too, please. And he's like pleading with the audience to love him too and it was kind of a funny moment. It was a funny, cute moment.
Speaker 2And he did his story. I know about the kicking. He did that story. Oh yes.
Speaker 3So they kind of tell their story about how they're involved with their mom's movies also. So he comes out and tells a story about when his mom was pregnant with Music man. But she wasn't allowed to say she was pregnant because you could get fired for that during the day. So Patrick said about his him kicking at the moment. His mom kissed Like move away from my mama. Yeah, she was with her co-star on the bridge and there was a close moment. Were they kissing bridge?
Speaker 1And there was a close moment Were they kissing?
Speaker 3Yeah, and he decided to kick at that moment I'll be kicking my mama.
Speaker 1He said what was that? And then Patrick goes. He goes years later and he sees Preston at another benefit yes, and he goes backstage and he introduces himself.
Speaker 3He's told well, I think we've already met. Yeah, he backs up like don't kick me, Like yes, we've met already.
Speaker 2Not again, not again I'm not getting too close, not again. So the boys?
Speaker 3will add their stories too, about what they remember from their mom's career. So Patrick was the first one, and then they go into the Music man song, yes, yes. Then the Broadway stars come out and they do the song, and then Sean came out.
Speaker 1Sean came out.
Speaker 3Well, he thanked us for being there. First of all, Thank you for being a part of this show.
Speaker 2It was very touching for him and yeah, he said get your Kleenex because he knew that. You know it's going to be emotional, not only for him but for everyone that has loved Shirley so much.
Speaker 3So I don't know if Sean had a personal story he told, but I think he just overall appreciate everybody came out for this and he didn't know if he could get through it or not. It was very emotional.
Speaker 1And then I think at that point is when they were singing the songs from Oklahoma.
Speaker 3I think. I think so, kelly O'Hara Perfect.
Speaker 2That was perfect from her and that was perfect for me to hear, since I'm from Oklahoma. Yeah, you're from Oklahoma.
Speaker 3Yes, and here I was while you guys were there. And I think Kelly also mentioned she was in a show with Shirley at one point and they had lunch and Kelly had just had a child and she didn't know how to balance the mother actors, type things. Yeah, she had a conversation with Shirley and Shirley said, yes, I had my kids while child and she didn't know how to balance the mother actors, type things. Yeah, she had a conversation with Shirley and Shirley said, yes, I had my kids while I was doing the movies and you could do this. You know it is possible.
Speaker 2She was the perfect motherly mentor, you know, yeah. So she remembers that from Shirley Aw, so she probably cried oh yeah, but she was able to get through this and it looked like the sons were too.
Speaker 5They did get emotional I think some of them were kind of choked up a few times, I think Norm Lewis.
Speaker 3He didn't really know Shirley. He said Okay, but he grew up watching the parts of the film. He was the youngest of three kids, but he remembers watching that. Yes, he remembers watching that. The youngest of three kids, but he remembers watching that. Yes, he remembers watching that, Shirley the mom of everyone. Yeah, his story was so funny. Okay, so Adam was last Adam. Wait, before that, I think Ryan came out.
Speaker 1Yes, Each brother would come out and then they would introduce the act.
Speaker 3Yes, the next song. That was perfect. Ryan came out and said he introduce the act.
Speaker 1Yes, the next song. So that was perfect. Ryan came out and said he was the youngest.
Speaker 2He mentioned that he was in a little show called Facts of Life until this guy named George Clooney kicked him off the show. I saw that from the Facts of Life. I forgot about that. And then I think I actually ordered one of the pictures. I was so happy with Ryan that he had signed something that says Two Dame yeah, so I ordered the pictures of just him he was talking about.
Speaker 3oh, he said he's the most famous brother of the three, but he just keeps it quiet. But of course he was joking about that.
Speaker 6Because he knows.
Speaker 3Patrick and Sean and David were the most popular.
Speaker 2We have. We have Ryan's book anyway, so she can, she can be so proud of, of his style.
Speaker 3Ryan wrote a book called Jones.
Speaker 1Cagney, what's my baby?
Speaker 3said Yep.
Speaker 1And we talked about that before on another podcast episode.
Speaker 3we did so. Yes, he, he didn't mention the book there, but he did talk about you know his family's history.
Speaker 1Yeah, and it was so good and so perfect because after Ryan, that's what Adam comes out with and he sings. I think I love you. He had a guitar.
Speaker 3Yes, and he. He had a funny story, oh yeah, about his connection with with Shirley, about the Partridge family. He was younger but the only way he could watch Partridge family was when he was sick that day from school.
Speaker 1He loved to stay home. You know how we have rerun channels. So, he loved to stay home when he was seven years old and lay on the couch and watch his reruns of Partridge Family. Kill Against Island Bewitched, so whenever he felt like he wanted to stay home, he'd get sick. One day he found this show called the Partridge Family, and here comes this cartoon you know bird and she's kicking and she's shaking off all these little birds.
Speaker 1And he said, from that day, these little words he's like what is this? And he said, from that day forward, he has to thank Shirley Jones and the Partridge family because, well, he has no recognition of basic colors or shapes, because he missed that much school he was joking that he couldn't even pass first grade.
Speaker 3Basically yeah, because he was just home watching the Partridge family and didn't go to school, so he didn't learn. I heard that he couldn't even pass first grade, basically yeah, because he was just home watching the Partridge family and didn't go to school, so he didn't learn the basics. Yeah.
Speaker 4Yeah, oh, a lot of loving is what we'll be bringing. We'll make you happy. We had a dream. We're going to travel together, we spread a little loving and we keep moving on. Something always happens whenever we're together, we get a happy feeling when we're singing a song. Traveling along is a song that we're singing. Come on, get happy. Oh, my beloved is what we'll be bringing. We'll make you happy. We'll make you happy.
Speaker 1We'll make you happy. So it was really cool how they told how they connected to Shirley and then their songs, and it was just so cool at the end, after all of them saying that all three brothers come on stage.
Speaker 3Yeah, they came on stage and there was a video playing in the background. I believe they talked about their parents. Together they played a Jack song. Yeah, and they talked about their parents and that the video showed how they grew up.
Speaker 2Yes. Because at the end we're like oh, they made it very personable for them, so the boys were watching the video at the same time.
Speaker 3We were watching it on stage.
Speaker 2Yes, I saw a picture of the three of them looking up and watching it.
Speaker 3So it plays that shows Shirley and Jack singing a song together, which they played some of that, and then it went into the slideshow of their family growing up.
Speaker 1And there they all are.
Speaker 2Girls. Tell me a little bit more about this classy Shirley doing this beautiful video? Oh, yeah, because she. Well, when she was 12 years old, she started taking class there in Pennsylvania. You probably knew that in her art classes and stuff but how was she able to communicate with the whole crowd that?
Speaker 3day. Yeah, sean came back on and said you're probably wondering where she is. And he went in and said she's 90 years old, she doesn't want to fly. Yeah, she just doesn't want to fly Totally understandable. So then they played a video that she pre-recorded to the audience.
Speaker 5Hi, it's Shirley. I'm so sorry I can't be with you in my beloved Pittsburgh, but at my age, long trips are not my best friend. So I would like to thank the City Flight Offer and all of you, especially my sweet boys, for this extraordinary honor so many talented people and so much love. I thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you.
Speaker 2She just looks so stunning. I mean, she's so stunning anyway.
Speaker 3Her daughter-in-law's dressed her up, put makeup on her, did her hair. She looked beautiful and she yeah and she did this little video to play at the show and she was so appreciative. Thank you so much, you know, for everybody involved doing this. Always classy Sharon said they were all going backstage appreciative. Thank you so much, you know, for everybody involved doing this, and always classy sean said they were all going backstage calling her during each person's segment.
Speaker 1Oh yes, they were playing like letting her hear each person sing and she's like I know that song and sean's like we know.
Speaker 3You know that song.
Speaker 2This is what we're playing it for you and it was very cute it was very cute.
Speaker 3Yes, that triggered a lot of memories for her, I'm sure and I think at the very end they, the cast, all came back together. Yes, and they did a song. It was carousel. Yes, there was a song, uh, from carousel that they sing at the very end, yes, walk On, don't Be Afraid of the Storm, walk On. It was a very beautiful song. The whole cast came out and sang that at the end. It was wonderful. I loved every minute of it. It was very wonderful, yeah, and then that was the end of it. I think what a special place to have it too.
Speaker 2Her, her father used to take her there every Saturday. Her father would drive her to Pittsburgh. Okay, that's why she, you know acting young.
Speaker 1Yeah, and you know she was in that.
Speaker 3like I said, she was a part of that, the Pittsburgh CLO school of of Theater theater, theater school, where these kids could go, and all these kids that were in the show were from that program okay, and they could raise money for this right.
Speaker 2How? How did that work, girls?
Speaker 1well, in other words let me tell you so. It was so cool. I'm getting all choked up, but's a. We all know that Shirley Jones is connected to Pittsburgh. She grew up in the area and the Pittsburgh CLO has this scholarship, the Shirley Jones scholarship. It's a 90 for 90 initiative they want to raise Can people still give for it. Yes, they want to raise $90,000. And $90,000 in honor of Shirley Jones's 90th birthday, so that other children can benefit from this education program.
Speaker 2Yeah, and Drees, didn't Norm say that if they raised it, if they raised $90,000, he would sink. So at the dinner.
Speaker 3So after the show follows with a dinner, a cocktail hour, a dinner, so we attend the dinner.
Speaker 1And the brothers go on and they continue, you know, telling more stories. There's the host is mostly what was his name? Mark Mark Mark is, he was the executive director of the theater, and they're all telling their little stories and things. Dame Norm had said that during the fundraising section at a dinner, they send a text, an auto text, to everyone in attendance and everyone could take their phone out and click a link and make a donation at that time Thanks to technology and if he made $50,000,.
Speaker 1he was going to sing and they made their.
Speaker 2Okay, I thought it was $90,000, but $50,000? Wow.
Speaker 1Well, the goal was $90,000.
Speaker 3Yeah, the goal was $90,000.
Speaker 1But at the dinner at that time if they got to $50,000, and they did get there and they sang. And then, I think right after that, Patrick was up on stage and they did. That's when they did their toast. Okay To Shirley Jones, to his mom, they put stony beer on all of the tables.
Speaker 3Yeah, they put this big bucket on their table. We're like well, their grandpa, their grandpa Shirley's dad.
Speaker 1Right. So for those of you who don't know, like Dane said, Shirley's dad had a brewery in Pittsburgh.
Speaker 3I think her grandfather did. Oh, it was her granddad. Okay, passed on to her dad.
Speaker 2Yes, oh, okay, so no wonder they were honoring that specific camp.
Speaker 1Here's a fun fact, cindy and I sat at the table with the current owner of the brewery?
Speaker 3Yes, we did. We had dinner with him. You know what?
Speaker 2girls, you looked beautiful that night. Thank you, jay.
Speaker 3It was a formal type event. Yeah, you look so pretty. It was very formal, so we did get to dress up, but at the table.
Speaker 1this man told us that he bought it and it's no longer in the Cassidy. One of the grandchildren or?
Speaker 3Jones family Right. Yes, and this man brought it from the grandchild, the grandson. Okay, so passed down.
Speaker 2So they passed it around. We don't know which grandson.
Speaker 3Yeah, we don't know who had it, but Okay, it was a grandson.
Speaker 1But Patrick, then you know he proceeds to do a toast to his mom, and, and you know he proceeds to do a toast to his mom, and we all had to raise not our glass but our can.
Speaker 3Instead of champagne, we're going to toast Shirley Jones with Stoney's beer, and we raised the can to Shirley Jones.
Speaker 2Yes, we had a toast. So not only an honor to Shirley, but to their grandfather.
Speaker 3Their history, yeah, their history of their business.
Speaker 1Which is so neat. Patrick tells how they would go to the brewery and he would go with his cousins, and it was. They always went. So it's a history. Childhood memory of theirs.
Speaker 2Girls, not only did you look beautiful, but there was that cute little girl that got up on the crate. Yes, we got to talk about that cute little girl.
Speaker 3Oh, dang, you are so good with your segues. She's adorable. Allie Rose yes, well, it's cute. She took charge. I mean it's cute. Patrick told a story about when his mom was little and his grandfather was going around town, I guess, trying to sell the beer and Shirley would go with them and Shirley would get up on the table and start singing. Yeah, up on the bar in the middle of the bar singing oh, so she could get on top of the crate. Yeah, Frankie and Johnny.
Speaker 1She was singing this song, Frankie and Johnny.
Speaker 2Yeah, so like their mama.
Speaker 1So there's this cute little showstopper girl and we had the pleasure of riding. There was a trolley that took you from the theater to the hotel, after the show to the venue where the dinner was hosted, and she gave us a little preview of her singing abilities on the trolley time okay.
Speaker 3Yeah, I'm on the trolley, she would do some little bits.
Speaker 1She did a couple of songs and then when we got to the dinner and Patrick was telling the story of how Shirley sang Frank and Johnny he brings her up.
Speaker 3I was wondering what that milk carton was on stage for. Yeah, that was a little milk crate. It was for her. You're like, didn't they want to move that? She was so little she had to stand up on the milk crate to sing the song.
Speaker 2I saw that. Yeah, and did you girls notice that all of a sudden patrick couldn't control? He had to start dancing and singing with her.
Speaker 3Yes, he was on stage with her and I think he had a. I don't know if he had a bit with her, because she stopped singing for a minute and she was waiting for him.
Speaker 4Frankie and Johnny were a couple Over in County Goodwill. Each quarter reached from town, each shelter. Chimney's true and the star never. He was a man, he wouldn't do it alone. Frankie went down to the corner.
Speaker 1Oh you know what was on purpose. Now is a good time to tell everyone this video, what we're talking about, what Dame saw. It hasn't been released, but if you go to the Charter Squad Society YouTube channel, you can hear this whole presentation, the whole podcast, the podcast, the theater production at the theater, as the podcast. But these video clips I think we put, if you go to our YouTube not YouTube, I'm sorry our Facebook page. The dinner videos are on our Facebook page, right? And they can see what Dame saw.
Speaker 3Yes, fair. And then, after she was done, patrick said and this is replaying what Shirley might have looked like doing this little song. That's precious and it was very cute. She was a soul stopper.
Speaker 2Yes, she was, and she knew what she was doing and it almost that's precious and it was very cute. She was so so stopper. Yes, she was, and she knew what she was doing and it almost like she's like what did she say?
Speaker 3Start it or get it, and Patrick was like getting out of her way. He's like, okay, I'll let you do this.
Speaker 2Yeah, hit it. You're right. She said hit it.
Speaker 3Yeah, there you go Same idea Very cute. But there you go. Same idea, very cute. But also, besides her Norm Lewis, a little taste of Shirley Well yes. It was supposed to be kind of like Shirley Jones as a child, yeah, but then after that Norm Lewis sang a song after dinner.
Speaker 6Nighttime in the showers Lightens each sensation. Dark as stars Dark esters and winks imagination. Silence leave the senses Abandon their defenses and sometimes it's your turn. Slowly, gently, bright and furtive. Set it genuineness and tender. Turn your face away from the garish light of day. Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light and listen to the music of the night.
Speaker 2That was beautiful A strong voice, a very strong voice From.
Speaker 3Phantom and the Opera. He sang a song from Phantom and the Opera and, yeah, he's got a great voice. I loved it. It was beautiful and he's got a great voice.
Speaker 1I loved it. It was beautiful and he sang it because he promised if we did 50,000, I will sing, and he did, and that video, too, will be on our Facebook page. That's awesome. I will make sure, because I did all of the videos at the dinner. I will make sure that they are on our YouTube channel. So squad society.
Speaker 2So a special night for you you girls and so many different ways, and thank you for making me feel like I was right there too, and also to with the dinner.
Speaker 3Wasn't that cute that they put themes on each table for, like her, different movies? Oh yeah, they had a windmill on a table, Then they had a carousel on another table. It was very. I saw that Good arrangement of the dinner tables. For sure. All the brothers were gracious. We got to have words with Sean and Patrick and Ryan and they were all just very nice, gentlemen. And you know, and I think even Melissa Patrick's wife said to us at one point thank you so much for being a part of our family.
Speaker 2I thought that was such a sweet. Yes, melissa wanted to take a picture with you girls. She did, and that was such a blessing.
Celebrating Shirley Jones' Legacy
Speaker 3She is so kind, but she is so kind to be so personable with his fans and it's just a joy to be around her too.
Speaker 1And one of the things that we have that I think I will cherish for the rest of my life and this memory. I shouldn't even bring it up, but we have a picture with all three other cassidy brothers and we can't share it on social media because it has not been approved to share right, but to get all three of them and to get yourself in a picture.
Speaker 3It is historical because on this occasion, this was the first time the three brothers were together. Yes, you'll always remember that because they were the hosts and it was very special to get a picture with all three of them and you girls got a picture with Tracy.
Speaker 2You all three look stunning she looks stunning.
Speaker 3They were all so very nice. It was a very nice evening. Girls got a picture with Tracy yes, we did. You all three look stunning. She looks stunning. They were all so very nice.
Speaker 1It was a very nice evening. We were able to meet and get photographs with Sean Patrick, ryan, tracy, melissa, jack and Cole.
Speaker 3And don't forget, you also spoke with the Broadway stars too.
Speaker 1And then on top of that, you get to talk with Norm Kelly, adam Sierra, Sierra, and it was just an honor, an honor to be in their presence.
Speaker 3You had to be in the moment. Almost a blur, probably, but yet yes.
Speaker 1None of this was real to me for two weeks Probably, but yet, yes, none of this was real to me for two weeks. It was two weeks later when I was looking at some of the pictures that the theater shared with us Just a couple of the pictures that they took and I'm like, oh yeah, this happened you know, it was so quick.
Speaker 3I'm glad we have the photos, because how else? Yeah, there's a lot of guests there. It was kind of like a wedding reception type thing, so I would say about the size of a wedding yeah.
Speaker 1It was set up like a wedding reception with the tables. We have a funny story about our table. We've gotten ourselves around a cocktail hour mingled and talked to, you know, the Norm and Kelly and whoever we saw there, and as much as we could with Jack and Cole and Ryan yeah, with the family members, you had so many people as much as we could with other guests. The next thing, you know, everybody's going into the banquet room and there's Cindy and me looking around going where did everybody go?
Speaker 1So now we have to gather our belongings and get to the banquet room.
Speaker 3Yeah, and remember, the first thing we saw in the banquet room was a bridge.
Speaker 1Yes, there's a reproduction of that bridge scene, the actual bridge scene where Patrick kicked.
Speaker 3Yes, that's funny. They had that scene set up. That would have been fun to have Patrick take a picture on the bridge kicking somebody. That would have been fun there you go Now.
Speaker 2he can go back and do that later.
Speaker 1But we get to our table and we don't have a seat because I guess everybody and it was nobody's fault Everybody go into the room. They have a signed table, you have a table number, but we're the last two strollers in there. They probably thought we weren't coming, so other people sat yeah.
Speaker 3I don't know what happened with that, oh and your places, but that turned out good for us.
Speaker 1It made for a great thing because we talked to some people from the theater and we explained how we don't have a seat and they moved us up.
Speaker 3We were like almost at the stage. Yeah, we were at the stage. Yeah, we were right there in the front row.
Speaker 2That was so cool.
Speaker 1I'm like well see Cindy sometimes coming in late doesn't hurt.
Speaker 3Shout out to Brandon.
Speaker 2Shout out to Brandon. He organized the dinner. That worked out.
Speaker 1You know what was really special After the show? When everyone they take their final bow and everybody's walking off the stage. Sean looks out into the audience in the front row Cindy, me and another lady, what was her name? Jennifer? Jennifer. Jennifer's from the Facebook group, from Janet's Sean Cassidy Fan Convention Facebook group. Shout out to Janet we were all sitting there. Sean looks out into the front row and points to each one of us separately yes, he did. And then walks off the stage.
Speaker 3He knew us. He recognizes his fans, I believe, so give him credit for that too.
Speaker 1He recognizes who fans, I believe, so give him credit for that too. He recognizes who supports him. When we were at the cocktail reception and I walked up to him and I started talking to him, he said didn't you see me point at you in the audience? I said, yeah, of course. So he made sure to mention that, he made sure to recognize us.
Speaker 2Yeah, that was nice. He can be very kind. And then he kissed Teresa on the cheek. Yes, she got a special kiss.
Speaker 1I was talking to him after the dinner was over and he gave me a hug and a kiss on the cheek and then, of course, my life truly was complete at that moment. I said, okay, we can go now, Cindy.
Speaker 3No one else to see here. I don't think we need to ask for anything else. That was a special evening. We got our nice memories and we'll always have that.
Speaker 1But what made it extremely special we could talk about meeting Sean Patrick Ryan. The most special thing about the whole evening was Shirley Jones. It was to honor the life and legacy of this beautiful mother, and they could have went on longer too.
Speaker 3They could have went on longer with this, but I think they wanted to just pinpoint her most special project.
Speaker 2They wanted to celebrate their mother's success as an Academy Award winner in show business and a musical movie icon. She was also the iconic mother in the history of television, and this year she turned 90, but she's still just as perfect as ever. Oh, yes, yes, she is.
Supporting Future Shirley Jones Scholarship
Speaker 3I really wish she could have been there.
Speaker 1but we understand and if you would like to give, you could give to Pittsburgh CLO, the Shirley Jones Scholarship. Just go to PittsburghCLOorg and they have on their website and on their social media how to give to a scholarship.
Speaker 3It's a worthwhile cause it's a perfect way to support the arts.
Speaker 1It's a perfect way to support future Shurleys. Are you just reading my mind today? You are right there.
Speaker 3Future.
Speaker 1Shurleys yes, yes, let's get those. Future Shurle, you are right there. Future Shirley's yes, yes, let's get those future Shirley's right out there. It was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity it really was.
Speaker 3Just be a part of it. So we all had a good time. Don't forget to visit the Pittsburgh CLO website.
Speaker 1I think they put some videos on their social media page and make sure to go to our social media and our youtube page and you will find all of the videos that we were talking about and the full episode audio of the event of the theater production's, on our YouTube page.
Speaker 4Trust and Go, for God Will Open your Heart and You'll Never Walk.
Speaker 3Alone, never walk alone.
Speaker 2Peaceful, shuntastic week and don't forget to follow us on Facebook Instagram Thread and subscribe to our new YouTube page Make sure to keep in touch with us at our email shuntsquadsociety at gmailcom.
Speaker 3The Shunt Squad Society podcast, including past, present and future versions, and its contents are owned and controlled by the Sean Squash Society. The podcast is written, produced and recorded at the Borden Studios and the views and opinions are solely those of the Sean Squash Society podcast. We may think we are always right, but we may get things wrong from time to time, so we assume no responsibility for errors of submission of content.