How They Met: Matilda star Dan Chameroy met his wife while performing in another T.O. musical

Dan Chameroy is no stranger to villainous female characters. 

The actor, who currently stars as Miss Trunchbull in the Mirvish production of Matilda, running at the Ed Mirvish Theatre until Nov. 27, annually dons a frock for Ross Petty’s holiday production. 

He was once one of the ugly stepsisters in Petty’s version of Cinderella, and became accustomed to the boos from the little ones. 

But he’s now graduated to the legendary role of Plumbum von Botox, one of the good gals. 

Here he tells us about the not-so villainous leading lady in his life: his wife and fellow performer, Christine Donato.  

How they met
We met in the spring of 1991. We were both hired to do Les Misérables

The first date 
Our first date was a very casual afternoon matinee of Doc Hollywood. 

The courtship 
My hope was to charm Christine into falling in love with me. I used all of my skills — i.e., impersonations, jokes, the story of a lost boy (me) in a big city. How else could one so average earn someone so perfect? It worked. 

Our favourite early memories include the humid summer nights after our evening show of Les Misérables. We would walk to the St. Andrew subway station, perch ourselves on the edge of a nearby flower bed and spend hours laughing and talking the night away as the Toronto city lights glowed around us. 

The proposal
After several years together, I felt it was time to take the next step in our relationship. 

My career had been a primary focus, and I realized I had the best thing in my life waiting for me at home.

So while working in Vancouver, I bought the ring and kept it for what felt like an eternity. Six months later we took a well-deserved vacation to Barbados. 

After a delectable French-inspired meal we sat poolside in the moonlight sharing our hopes and dreams. We later retreated to the balcony of our suite where, on one knee, I asked her to marry me. 

The wedding
We were married in Christine’s hometown of Hamilton and our reception was in Oakville. We had an intimate gathering of family and friends.

The offspring 
We have one daughter. Olivia is our pride and joy. Our raison d’etre. 

Balancing work and marriage 
After 18 years of marriage, we are still trying to figure this out. The most challenging time is when I’m in rehearsals, on tour or when Christine and I are both working. We stay connected through late night conversations, date nights, texting, FaceTime and daily phone calls.

Shared hobbies  
We both like exercising, gardening, going for walks, renovating the house and keeping our daughter entertained. 

Secret of success 
It comes down to three main things: communication, patience and understanding. 

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