Mystery Cafe Company Director Shannon Lane DuPont Prepares to Welcome a Baby
For years now the Mystery Cafe has been like my baby – I love it, I care about its well-being, I want to see it grow and succeed, I make sure it has everything it needs to survive and thrive, and I dedicate an absurd amount of time to it. Well, now that I am having my first real baby I find myself excited to introduce him to the family I have created at the Mystery Cafe.
Shannon at a Murder Most Medieval Rehearsal in September, with Stage Manager Melissa Ehlers in the background
The performers I am privileged to work with every day are more than just my colleagues. They are my brothers and sisters, my chosen family. They are some of my best friends in the world. They were there for my wedding last September, and in fact many of them actually performed at my wedding! Christian Galpin was the ceremony officiate (or as he likes to say, the only man other than my husband to have ever “married” me), Krystal Bly helped me with my wedding gown and sang two songs during the ceremony, and Deric Bender was our reception DJ.
Christian Galpin and Krystal Bly with Shannon at her wedding rehearsal dinner at the Dan’l Webster Inn
Krystal Bly helping Shannon get into her wedding gown
Christian Galpin performing the wedding ceremony for Shannon and Kevin DuPont at the Heritage Museum and Gardens in Sandwich, MA
Deric Bender taking a break from being DJ to get his groove on with the other wedding guests
They have been such a huge part of my life for such a long time that it feels only natural to have them be a part of my son’s life from the beginning. I can’t wait for them all to meet him when he arrives in November, and I can’t wait for him to get to know them too. Without question, my son Jack will have the craziest assortment of characters acting as his surrogate aunts and uncles – I mean, he hasn’t even been born yet and has already been gifted with his own pirate hat!
Sheryl Faye with Shannon at her baby shower
The gift of a hand knit tricorn pirate hat for baby Jack Alton DuPont from Christian Galpin – the perfect present to welcome him to the Mystery Cafe family
So as I enter my final weeks of work before heading out on maternity leave, I feel both excited about the arrival of my first child and sad to say even a temporary goodbye to my Mystery Cafe family. But something tells me they won’t be too far away while I’m welcoming little Jack – after all, they are always in my heart :)
