Today we’d like to introduce you to Mel & Emir Yonzon.
Mel & Emir, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Emir: Mel and I became a couple in such a cliche Chicago Actor way. In 2006, the people we were dating at the time were on an improv team together, so Mel and I attended all of their shows together. Spending so much time there and at work – we became fast friends. It was purely platonic for just over a year. Then one day, Mel admitted that she had feelings for me. A few weeks later, we knew that we had found our person, our lobster, our partner.
Mel: Then we were married less than a year later, packed up all of our belongings, and drove on Route 66 with our two cats to sunny Los Angeles to pursue our dreams.
Emir: 2008 was a terrible time to move across the country without a job, but we made ends meet by working multiple jobs. I worked for Mad Science, visiting schools and demonstrating fun science experiments for kids. When I wasn’t encouraging kids to nerd out about magnets or how velcro was invented (a Swiss engineer named George De Mestral found burrs stuck to his pants and his dog’s fur after a walk), I also worked at Universal Studios in the cash vault. Mel was busy working as a VIP Tour Guide at Six Flags Magic Mountain.
Mel: In Chicago, I worked for the Ronald McDonald Program and was a Production Assistant to the man in the big red shoes himself. So, when we received a call that the Ronald Program had an opening in San Diego, it was an opportunity that we could not pass up.
Emir: I can neither confirm or deny that I wore big red shoes for a few years.
Mel: We felt great about our careers and what we’d accomplished up to this point. By then, I was “friends with Elmo” (if you know, you know). Emir was doing children’s theatre. I did a commercial with a dog! Emir had been in “Witless Protection” with Larry the Cable Guy. I booked a series of silly local commercials. Emir had toured with the first national Broadway tour of “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
We were storytellers, artists and brought smiles to people. Specifically, to kids!
This was when we realized it was time for a family of our own. So, we packed up again and journeyed back to our hometown of Chicago to start a family where people know what real pizza is.
Emir: Being back in Chicago was great until we dealt with our first winter back. It ended up being the coldest winter on record since 1872. There was literally a day that was -40 degrees. I started working for Apple and led training classes for folks who wanted to learn more about technology. Mel shifted from being on the stage to managing the front of the house. She worked as a House Manager at multiple venues in Chicago, primarily, The Goodman Theatre. To make some extra cash, because starting a family isn’t cheap, we became walking tour guides for Free Tours By Foot. It was a perfect combination of the things we loved: storytelling, nerdy facts, and travel!
Mel: So we are back in Chicago working full-time, grown-up jobs with benefits. We bought a 3-bedroom condo planning to turn one of the bedrooms into a nursery. After a year of trying for a baby, it turns out we were challenged reproductively.
Emir: And when we say we, we really mean both of us. We were told that without a lot of science, there was no way we could naturally conceive a child.
Emir: In 2018, 10 years after we first moved out west, we decided we needed to get back to Los Angeles and make our careers our “baby.” So, once again we packed up and headed back to L.A. as a family of three: Myself, Mel and Reebok, our cat.
Mel: I was hired as the Front of House Manager at the Geffen Playhouse (can you say dream job?!). It’s been an absolute joy to work alongside amazing artists and provide theatre goers a welcoming front of house experience. Thankfully, I still get to work alongside this amazing team – via Zoom – because the Geffen innovated and produced live, interactive, virtual theatre through the entire pandemic. I continue to virtually House Manage theatre, but in this new role, I also get to draw from my wheelhouse as an actor/host, welcoming patrons to the show.
Emir: I am living that self-tape life and am represented theatrically by Reign Agency. A project I recently worked on called “Buds” written and directed by Annie C. Wright, won multiple awards at The 42nd Annual Telly Awards, including A People’s Telly Gold. I still work as a tour guide – in many ways! As a Studio Tour Guide for Universal Studios and our company: Free Tours by Foot – Los Angeles
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Mel & Emir: Struggling through infertility was our biggest challenge as a couple. We tried for six years, exploring different options and ultimately, the losses kept piling up and it became too much. So now we are navigating life as a childless couple. Living without kids was not our decision but it is our reality and doesn’t mean our lives are over. It is just a new path.
Here’s the thing: IVF is not a guarantee. Not everyone brings home a baby. That includes us. The losses we experienced were heartbreaking and will stick with us. This is something no one talks about. So, we are putting it out there because infertility is lonely and disenfranchised grief is terrible. And look, we know that this article isn’t meant to be about this- but it is a part of our story and we are storytellers, after all.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
We offer tours of Downtown L.A., Hollywood, and more to come, of course. Tours are on hold right now – we look forward to ramping back up once it is safe to do so. We can’t wait to get back to roaming the historic streets of L.A. pointing out our favorite buildings and donut shops. And for the people who say L.A. doesn’t have beautiful architecture – lookup.
Emir and I make a great team. We are that power couple that always seems to be working on a project or at a gig together. We tend to come as a package deal. You can currently find us at the Geffen Playhouse – inviting patrons into “Someone Else’s House” to experience a live, spooky show or entertaining kids during “The Door You Never Saw Before.” When we aren’t working as actors or house managers, we play the role of tourist! We love traveling internationally, finding new spots the locals visit or even exploring our own city, gathering up fun facts and food recommendations for our tour guests.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Perseverance Humor. Flexibility. And a good pair of walking shoes.
Contact Info:
- Email: freetoursbyfootla@gmail.com
- Website: https://freetoursbyfoot.com/los-angeles-tours/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freetoursbyfoot_la/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/freetoursbyfootLA
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUU6urKNgPDGq5ptZ-HqqHw
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/free-tours-by-foot-los-angeles
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/stuffwevedone/
Image Credits:
wedding photo in front of Chicago Theatre courtesy of: Lukasz Drogowski/Avante Garde Photography
