When I was 13, I went through the giant phone book in Buffalo and called random ad agencies because I wanted to be in TV commercials. I had no idea what I was doing, so I asked each of them, as I called, how I could be in commercials.

One of those agencies, Weil, Levy, and King, told me to send them a picture. I only had my 8th-grade picture; it was my only copy, but I sent it. They called me a couple of weeks later to come in to audition for a commercial.

I caught the bus and went, not telling a single soul what was happening. I instinctively knew I didn’t want negative input, even at that age. To make a longer story short, it worked… I became a regional star as the teen actor playing the stockboy in the Tops Friendly Markets commercials for the next couple of years. I had billboards throughout the city and the region and TV commercials running daily.

(Pictured: Top to bottom, Doreen Bishop, Jerry Green, Annette Falasa and Kevin Ross)

In 1977, The Buffalo Academy for the Performing Arts was about to open. It was converted from a public school, Clinton Jr. High, that I was not fond of. I missed most of 7th and 8th grades by skipping school, but I still passed. I auditioned for the new school and wanted to be in the music class because I dreamed of being a singer. When they saw me, before I could sing, they said, “Oh, you’re the kid in the Tops commercials… you’re in! You will be in the drama class.” I was so glad not to be in the public school system anymore. I would have been in the toilet cleaning class.

Over the next four years, my life changed in a way I could never imagine. I met the most amazing people in that class, and it was an experience I greatly cherish. We were a fantastic group of kids who all molded into one and a Drama teacher, the late Mr. Gutta, told me years later he never had another class like ours. For the past 40-plus years, whenever I return to Buffalo, my high school friends from Performing Arts ensure that we get together. I literally have pictures from all the different years I came back to Buffalo and we hung out.

Performing Arts was the first place I “fit in,” and it is my most cherished memory of Buffalo, a city I left in 1983. I’ve been incredibly blessed to work in the music industry for almost 40 years and I’ve been everything from a radio DJ, to my current position as an entrepreneur in the industry all of which were inspired as a result of my experience at Performing Arts. I’m eternally grateful

During a recent visit, we got together again. And, as always, it was/is great to see them. I also got to see Doris Moody. Thanks for another great and memorable experience.