Lights dim. Curtain Up. Scintillating dialog ensues.

Act One, Scene One February 1992

Princess: "Now what?"

Prince, master of the insightful retort: "Beats me."

FX: biplane flies past.

Princess, a student pilot at the time: "How 'bout biplane rides? Life isn't a dress rehearsal. Let's spend the time we have left together doing something we love."

A man of few words, the prince leaps to his feet, gathers her in his arms, and they ride off into the sunset. They stop short of falling off the cliff into the ocean. (The prince has a passion for the astronomical and a keen sense of the obvious).

Act One, Scene Two Two weeks later

The set is an office near Philadelphia. Computer screens glow with spreadsheets full of numbers. Printers spew reams of reports providing intellectual justification for the emotional decision already made. Off stage a voice exclaims,

"That's it, then, we'll become barnstormers!"

Cash Register Kate and Tailspin Tommy leap to the stage in leather helmet, goggles, white scarf, and flying togs. They kiss passionately.

FX: Music swells

Act Two, Memorial Day 1992.

The set: the company's "new" 1929 open cockpit biplane. The plane has been flown across the country from Sonoma to Philadelphia by our heroes without benefit of radios or navigating equipment. They follow roads, railroads, and rivers. Time passes. Much loving, living, and flying ensues.

After two weather abbreviated seasons battling dragons in the form of thunderstorms and snowstorms, it's apparent a change of scenery is required.

Act Three, February 1994.

The set: our daring duo in the cockpit enroute to San Diego. 16 degree temperatures, 80 mile per hour airspeeds, incalculable windchill. Helped by rare westbound tailwinds they arrive in San Diego eight days later. Building a profitable barnstorming business remains a struggle.

Writing books for publisher John Wiley & Sons in New York helps keep groceries on the table. Finding Money: The Small Business Guide to Financing and The Directory of Venture Capital are released in 1996. A second edition hits the shelves in the Spring of 2000.

The Barnstorming Adventures cast grows to include a big twin-engine WWII C-45H "Expeditor" (an aircraft better know as the "Bugsmasher") and an SNJ-4 "Texan", a second Travel Air biplane, three Varga VG-21s for aerial dogfights, a 1949 Studebaker, a red 1937 hot rod, and a couple of surf boards.

The crew includes the X-31 test pilot, a U-2 spy pilot, a 747-400 captain, an Army helicopter test pilot (we're an equal opportunity employer), Navy ship drivers, Navy test pilot school graduates, Top Gun instructors, the former CEO of the world's largest music publishing company (yes, really), and over the years about 70 other of the best pilots and ground crew in the world.

Act Four, Scene One September 1997

The prince proposes marriage, the princess accepts. They're wed in Homer, Alaska. Bill and Barbara de Creeft preside at the ceremony which takes place on the floats of their 1929 Travel Air 6000 float-plane, a lovely aircraft that once stayed aloft for 13 days without a stop—or a shower for the crew. A honeymoon in Hawaii ensues.

Act Four, Scene Two July 2006.

After 15 years and 47 days, the not-as-handsome-anymore prince and the more-beautiful-than-ever princess sell their company.

Sinatra croons "Fairy Tales Can Come True" as the happy couple do a now traditional 'high five'.

Curtain closes. Lights up.