Ken Romero graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 1986. His strongest positive memories of high school were having Barbara Murphy for both homeroom and Spanish, and Bob Nute for music. He has some harsh memories of being bullied. Ken tells me that others saw him differently than he saw himself, as he was still sorting out his sexuality. Having safe places with friends that he could count on was key to surviving high school. Ken attended Westfield State for two years, majoring in music, but withdrew in his junior year due to medical complications, before returning and changing his major to communications.
Ken performed in various summer stock theaters in a range of musicals. Wanting to travel more, he signed on to work on cruise ships. He performed in Germany in “Starlight Express,” “Tommy,” and “Grease.” He later returned to cruise ship life, moving to California as a casting director in Barry Manilow’s production company.
In 2009, Ken returned to Martha’s Vineyard to assist his grandmother after a surgery. This is when he met his future husband, Jeff Caruthers. Ken worked at Martha’s Vineyard Insurance and the Edgartown School until an opportunity presented itself with the Edgartown Police Department, where he works today as the administrative assistant to the chief.
Ken has kept his interests in both music and performance with the Island Community Chorus and the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, and by choreographing a variety of elementary and high school productions. In 2015, he took over as the choreographer for the MVRHS Minnesingers. If you saw “Anything Goes” this year, then you saw amazing tap-dancing by the high school students trained by Ken! We are so lucky that he returned to the Island and is sharing his talents with our community. Kudos to you, Ken, and thank you!
