1917

My father, Anthony is born in Ciminna, Sicily and moves to NYC in 1921 with my grandmother Michelena and my Aunt Mary. They first settle on the lower East Side before moving to the Bronx.

1927

Josephine Krotki, my mother is born in the Red Hook section of Brooklyn.

1947

My parents meet at my father’s factory in downtown Brooklyn today known as DUMBO.

1948

My parents are wed in February and I am born November 18th at 2350 Beaumont Avenue in the Arthur Avenue section of the Bronx. Due to the housing shortage of post World War II, we all live in my Italian grandmother’s one bedroom flat.

1952

My parents move to Brooklyn to an apartment over a Irish Bar on the corner of 7th Avenue and 10th Street in Park Slope.

1953

My brother Michael is born.

1954

We move to larger apartment up the block to a brownstone on 10th Street. I attend St. Thomas Aquinas Parochial School on 9th Street and 4th Avenue (grades 1- 4).

1955

My sister Karen is born.

1958

Parents buy a small Cape Cod style house in New Windsor NY – 60 miles north of NYC. Sacred Heart Parochial School in Newburgh NY (grades 4 – 8).

1962

Its only one year at my first public school, South Jr. High (grade 9).

1966

I get my high school diploma from Newburg Free Academy (NFA) Newburgh’s public high school (grades 10-12).

1966

I am happy to be back in Manhattan, studying for the priesthood at Cathedral High School (college freshman – sophomore) and reside at the Bishop Ford Residence on W. 86th Street. My first semester weekends are spent with my Polish grandmother in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

1968

I finish up college and one year at graduate work at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Dunwoodie, Yonkers NY (junior – senior with 1 year of graduate work). I receive a BA in English/Philosophy.

1969

I get my first car, a Fiat 500 that I buy used from my New Windsor neighbor.

1971

I leave the seminary and matriculate at CUNY City University of NY at Brooklyn College to attain a graduate degree in theatre directing. My Aunt Mary lets me live in her finished basement in Woodside Queens NY for 3 years till I graduate.

1973

My grandmother, Michelena buys me a brand new Toyota Corolla. I teach one semester of English to the freshman boys of Holy Cross High School in Bayside, Queens.

1974

I direct my thesis production of an original musical “Domenica” written by my cousin, Michael Vassallo. I am awarded a Master of Fine Arts. Loretta and I meet at the Shakespeare Institute in Bridgeport Connecticut. I bunk up at my friend, Dennis’s place before I share my first apartment with his brother, Robert at 215 Garfield Place over a drugstore in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

1975

Robert is out and Loretta with Fran move from West Virginia to live with me. I found the GAP Theatre Company and continue directing up to 1988.

1976

I direct two productions at St. John’s University in Queens.

1978

Leaving Brooklyn behind, I find a rent stabilized studio apartment at 68 W. 83 St. on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.

1981

I go on a trip to China with my then boyfriend, John Lee.

1982

The fateful year I meet Gary Newman at a play reading.

1985

To pay the rent I become a tour guide and work for Red Carpet Associates.

1986

One of my first jobs in the travel industry is the centennial of the Statue of Liberty followed by a full time job at a DMC, McNabb & Associates.

1988

Gary and I with our dog RuB, move and buy a condo at Towers on the Park, 110th Street and Central Park West.

1989

I quit McNabb and become Director of Operations at Tour de force Events.

1990

My involvement in the SITE International Conference in NYC introduces me to June Briggs.

1991

June Briggs hires me as Director of Operations at Briggs Convention Associates.

2000

Gary and I buy Briggs Red Carpet Associates from June Briggs.

2002

The first June Briggs Awards are held.

2004

After 15 years at Towers on the Park, we sell our condo, and move into an art deco 3 bedroom co-op, 7 W. 96th Street across from Central Park.

2006

We purchase our weekend home, Cheerio Cottage in Stoneridge, NY.

2007

www.tonynapoli.com