In 2011, Melanie Vero introduced her not-yet husband, Tony, to the Renaissance Theatre. He’d lived in Mansfield but had never been inside. She had season tickets and a hunch they might enjoy an evening together.
“It was literally on Valentine’s Day,” Melanie said. “There was an event called Romance at the Ren with dinner. At that point in time the NEOs Dance Theatre was performing. It was this lovely Valentine’s time at the Renaissance.”
As a live theater fan, for decades she has had season tickets to the theater. She and her father have historically gone to as many shows as they possibly can. It’s a tradition.
“There is something for almost anyone offered at the Renaissance at some point or time during the year,” Melanie said. “Anything from comedy to country music to live theater — there’s just such a breadth of things that happen there.”
After meeting through work, Tony and Melanie went for a simple lunch at Wendy’s. This first conversation was, as Melanie put it, “under the guise of business,” but something clicked. When she learned Tony had never experienced the Renaissance, she made a move and invited him to the show.
“I was like, ‘Hey, you’ve never been to the Renaissance, we’ve kind of enjoyed talking. I have tickets, and would you like to go?'” Melanie said.
“It’s important to note, she asked me first, as I told our daughter,” Tony said.
After a “yes” to that date was secured, that first date during Romance at the Ren became an important memory as their relationship continued. Specifically, when Tony knocked on Melanie’s door, he was greeted by her senior golden retriever with graying goggles around her eyes, Molly.
“For a while, we were Melanie, Tony, and Molly,” Tony said.
When it came time to plan their wedding, it made sense that the Renaissance would host the reception. The ceremony was held at St. Peter’s Catholic Church.
“That was more solemn, there we were exchanging vows,” Tony said.
“But then the Renaissance reception was like a party we just attended.”
The Renaissance lobby, with its architectural details and the warmth of the historic building, gave the reception a sense of occasion without requiring them to manufacture it. The space did the work. They just showed up and celebrated.
Tony even surprised Melanie by having her father bring their dog Molly to the reception.
The two kept the reception low-key, the approach matching how they see the theater itself — a community space.
“We didn’t have a cake. We had cupcakes and apple donuts,” Tony said. “We just went and got in the same line at the same time as everyone else. It was just about celebrating our friends and family with us.”
Now they’re bringing their daughter into the fold, the theater becoming part of her childhood, too. They’re building the same kind of traditions Melanie had with her own father.
“Now that we have a daughter, it’s like we’re starting traditions with her with the Renaissance,” Melanie said. “We had our first date there, our wedding reception there, and now we’re making memories with her.”
It’s a different kind of continuity than they might have expected on that first Valentine’s Day in 2011. Three chapters of their life, all in the same building. For Tony and Melanie, the theater has become a throughline in their story, a place that adapted to what they needed at each stage.
Still need plans for Valentine’s Day? Check out available tickets on the website or in will-call!
