I recently photographed singing sensation, Stephanie Umoh, outside the Neil Simon Theatre on 52nd Street in NYC.

Umoh is a Lewisville High School graduate who, just two years out of the Boston Conservatory, is cast as Sarah in the current revival of “Ragtime.” Watch for the upcoming story and profile of Umoh at www.theaterjones.com.

Cuban-born composer and librettist, Jorge Martin, will debut his adaptation of Reinaldo Arenas’ “Before Night Falls” with the Fort Worth Opera this May. Stay tuned to www.theaterjones.com for the upcoming interview and profile.

I met and photographed Jorge at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth in mid-November. It was critical, to me, that Jorge’s portrait be associated with Fort Worth. The Modern’s three pavilions provided the perfect iconic background for the shot.

Me and the lovely Jocelyn were making our way to Kasia’s Restaurant for brunch when we were overtaken by hundreds of Santas moving north down Driggs Ave. Like lemmings marching toward the sea, these Santas were on a mission, they had a destination and we fell in with them.

We learned that this was a gathering point for the 2009 NYC Santacon, Brooklyn edition. There are five gathering points for Gotham Santas and they’ll converge at one location later today, but it’s secret.

We continued along Driggs where we were met by converging Santas approaching from east and west. We passed McCarren Park and ended up at the Warsaw Polish National Home in Greenpoint at 261 Driggs Ave., where the Santas filed inside to get their secret marching/crawling orders. Since we weren’t Santas, we weren’t allowed inside.

We departed for Kasia’s only to learn that it’s closed on Saturdays??? So, down the block to Bagelsmith for fresh, custom-made bagels and hot coffee.