In the Spring of 2022, James Woodhouse received an offer to be a stage technician aboard Disney Cruise Line’s newest ship, the Disney Wish. In another part of the world, Gretchen McCutcheon simultaneously received a phone call asking her to be a dancer in the inaugural cast aboard the Disney Wish.

Neither James nor Gretchen knew that what started as a career opportunity, would ultimately be the course that led them to their forever shipmates.

Throughout week after week of overnight rehearsals, sea trials, hard hats, & steel-toed boots, James and Gretchen worked side by side on the same project (“The Little Mermaid”) without ever really knowing each other. Unbeknownst to her, every time Gretchen came to stand sidestage for her entrance, James would move his comms headset on his ears, just in case she wanted to talk to him. However, Gretchen refused to talk during rehearsals (if you know her, you know).

One evening at a crew event on Deck 14, the two finally had a brief conversation. James learned that Gretchen loved the show “Outlander,” but alas, did not have the final episode.

The next day, Gretchen was called to the stage manager & tech booth. There, James gave her a USB with the missing, final episode. And thus, was the spark that started it all.

Q + A

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