This is a Villages’ love story that began on a Savannah Center stage.
Two years ago, Dr. Kristin Miller and Mark Steven Schmidt were rehearsing the “Starry Starry Night” benefit show.
Miller is a medical doctor who loves to dance. Schmidt is a classically-trained vocalist who loves to sing. The two Villagers spotted one another on stage and stared into each other’s eyes.
Not a word was spoken, but Miller and Schmidt both knew in that instant, they could make beautiful music together.
“We never spoke,” she said. “Our eyes met and I just knew something special was happening.”
Both had been married before and they have five children – ages 9 to 23 – between them. These two were not anxious to jump into a relationship.
“I connected with Kristin immediately, but I was at a loss for words; I didn’t know what to say to her,” Schmidt said.
Finally, the two reluctant romantics reached out to each other on Facebook. Next thing you know, they fell in love.
“We both came into this with a lot of past experiences,” she said. “But it just felt so right. I know it’s a cliché to say we are soulmates, but that’s what we are.”
Last year, on Dec. 29, the two soulmates became one. Another pair of Villagers cemented their marriage union.
Popular local singer Mary Jo Vitale is married to Jon-Marc MacLean who serves as pastor at Hope Lutheran Church in the Villages.
Rev. MacLean married Miller and Schmidt. Vitale sang “Only Love” at the ceremony.
“That song means so much to us,” Schmidt said. “There’s a lyric that goes, ‘Don’t be afraid/It’s only love.’ Kristin and I have been through some tough times; we’ve had heartaches. We weren’t sure what to do. But Mary Jo singing that song helped us understand what was happening.”
“They’re a wonderful couple and they are great together,” said Vitale, who will appear in concert with Schmidt on April 25 at 7 p.m. in Savannah Center. “They were married at our church and it was a beautiful ceremony.”
Their professional lives have become intertwined.
Kristin acts as Mark’s manager. She helps him book shows, promote records — he has released two CDs “Beyond Boundaries“ and “Live Passion” — and deal with the public.
Schmidt, who teaches voice, has a Bachelor’s Degree in Performance and Music Education from the Eastman School of Music along with a Masters of Music Degree in Performance and Literature from Binghamton University. He is from Buffalo, NY and has performed throughout the world, for nearly three decades.
“We’re a team,” he said. “We feel we can accomplish anything together. Everything we do is for each other.”
Schmidt is becoming a musical force in The Villages.
He has appeared at numerous events, and his musical reputation is growing here. Some call him “The Super Tenor.”
An example came at Friday’s “Showcase of Talent” in La Hacienda Recreation Center. Schmidt gave a rousing performance of “Music of the Night,” from “The Phantom.”
The singer earned a long, standing ovation after a breakout local performance.
“This is the first time I saw him and this guy is something else,” said Sandie Hawthorne, who directs local stage productions and is vice-chairman of The Villages Musical Theater.
“I’m at a loss for words to describe Mark Schmidt’s performance tonight,” she added. “It was outstanding, remarkable, perfect and exciting. He’s got the looks, voice and stage presence of a leading man. Everybody in The Villages is going to want this guy to be in their show.”
And it’s not just Schmidt’s voice that makes him special.
“He’s a likable fellow,” Hawthorne said.
Maestro Bill Doherty, who worked with Schmidt in the Central Florida Lyric Opera, agreed. “I wish Mark all the best and God bless him.”
And let’s not forget his wife.
Dr. Schmidt practices family medicine. Her specialty is anti-aging regenerative functional medicine. She is also known locally for her work in Villages’ dance companies “Evolution Dance” and “Music In Motion.”
“For me, dancing is a stress relief,” she said. “It challenges your body and your mind. And it keeps you mobile.”
Dr. Schmidt, like her husband, feels a positive vibe in front of an audience.
“Performing on stage is a giving experience,” she said. “You’re giving your best and reaching out to each member of the audience. When you’re expressing yourself that way, it’s a very genuine experience.”
The couple lives in The Village of Pinellas.
“We both feel blessed to be in The Villages, where there is so much music, dance, and all the arts,” he said.
They also feel blessed to have found each other.
“We were both a little nervous going into this marriage,” Kristin Schmidt said. “We thought we knew what love was about. But the feeling we have for each other now is a whole other matter. It’s what real love is all about.”
