Theater Brought Them Together, But a Dead Rat Sealed the Deal

David Brendan Ruttura and Katherine Julia Travis met in October 2014 in New York whereas engaged on the nationwide tour of “The Phantom of the Opera.” Ms. Travis, who goes by Katie, was enjoying the function of Christine Daaé and Mr. Ruttura was the resident director.

They have been mates for greater than a 12 months earlier than they started relationship, however every had an inkling there was one thing extra brewing. For instance, Mr. Ruttura was workshopping the difference of the “College of Rock the Musical,” and gave a personality named Katie her final title. “Kids internationally play Katie Travis,” he stated of the present, which opened on Broadway in 2015.

Their first date occurred after they have been now not touring collectively and Mr. Ruttura, 40, realized that Ms. Travis, 36, was newly single. He requested her out to a now-closed restaurant referred to as BarBacon in Hell’s Kitchen in September 2017.

After bacon-flavored meals and drinks, Mr. Ruttura invited Ms. Travis to his condo to attempt his Ouija board. They “conjured spirits,” Mr. Ruttura stated with amusing.

“Our pinkies touched in a sure manner and this sense flooded by way of my physique,” Ms. Travis stated.

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The timing of this date was a little bit of a now-or-never state of affairs as each events have been leaving the subsequent day — Mr. Ruttura for Rochester, N.Y., for the “College of Rock” tour and Ms. Travis to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. She needed to do it earlier than a surgical procedure she was to have the next month: a preventive double mastectomy after studying she had the BRCA2 gene mutation, which places her at the next threat for breast most cancers.

She did the climb after which traveled to Chicago for the process. The couple was lengthy distance, visiting one another ceaselessly whereas Mr. Ruttura labored and Ms. Travis recovered.

After the pandemic started in March 2020, Ms. Travis moved into Mr. Ruttura’s condo in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, the place they nonetheless dwell in the present day. Whereas theaters have been shuttered, Ms. Travis taught voice and singing on-line and Mr. Ruttura labored as an actual property agent.

Mr. Ruttura was raised in Setauket, N.Y. and has a bachelor’s diploma in theater from Fordham College and a grasp’s diploma in arts administration from Baruch School. He’s at the moment an affiliate director of “Moulin Rouge” on Broadway and the nationwide tour. Ms. Travis is from Bay Metropolis, Mich., and has a bachelor’s diploma in vocal efficiency from Central Michigan College and a grasp’s diploma in theater from Pennsylvania State College. She is an actor and adjunct professor of voice at Penn State.

Ms. Travis foresaw their destiny as a pair throughout a second in the summertime of 2021 whereas they have been in Michigan to assist promote her grandparents’ home. Whereas sorting by way of a field in a storage unit, Mr. Ruttura discovered a shock. “He pulled out a useless rat,” Ms. Travis stated. “He freaked for a second after which he laughed about it, cleaned up the mess and moved on,” Ms. Travis stated. His unflappability impressed her. “It was so stunning that this was what was blowing me away, however watching him with the useless rat, I used to be like, ‘I wish to marry him.’”

In the summertime of 2022, Mr. Ruttura purchased a Nak Armstrong diamond ring that Ms. Travis selected. He proposed on their sofa on Aug. 14 of that 12 months and the couple determined to get a bounce on the subsequent steps. “We now have some sickness in our household in order that was the impetus to say why wait a 12 months, let’s do it now and attempt to begin our household as quickly as we are able to,” Ms. Travis stated.

The marriage was held at 501 Union, an auto store turned occasion area in Brooklyn, on March 5 for about 150 folks. Isaac Oliver, a good friend of Mr. Ruttura who was ordained by the Common Life Church, officiated the ceremony.

Ouija boards have been positioned so friends might conjure their very own spirits throughout dessert. Printed on a card was the query that had seduced Ms. Travis on their first date: “I’m actually good on the Ouija board. Wanna come to my condo and take a look at it?”