I was the only person with tears in my eyes at the Red Carpet arrival last week to the premier of Michael Rosenbaum’s movie, “Back in the Day” — and they didn’t last long as the mood of the guests invited to Showplace Cinemas Newburgh certainly was celebratory. As friends and supporters lined up for pictures with Michael in front of the cool “Step and Repeat” screen (designed by Tucker Publishing Group), I dabbed my eyes. I was happy for Michael and his brother, Eric, part of the team, along with a veteran Hollywood producer Kim Waltrip. Michael wrote “Back in the Day” 10 years ago; he also stars in it.
The Rosenbaums lived a few houses down from my family in South Broadview, the Newburgh subdivision where I grew up. Michael and Eric are more than a few years younger than me. My sisters and I hung out with the older Rosenbaum children. Their mother, Julie, was my first yoga teacher, and Julie has written for Evansville Living. When I see her — I did at the premier — she always says something kind about my mother.
Inside the theater, Michael and Kim enthusiastically welcomed their guests, chided Julie not to videotape the premier, the reel ran, and the raucous laughter began.
That 275 adults laughed uproariously should be no surprise. Earlier that week, Michael was introduced at halftime of the University of Evansville men’s basketball game. “He’s hilarious,” my son Jackson reported. “Funny Guy” was the title of the story I wrote on Michael in 2007.
Michael made a movie in Newburgh about growing up. You’ll see familiar scenes — like the Knob Hill. The movie is comic fiction, not about “growing up in Newburgh” as a misplaced clause might suggest. “Back in the Day” is rated R and is playing at Showplace Cinema East and Newburgh.
