Jamie's Journal

Monday, September 20, 2004

 
I can't believe it...I found out at the Broadway Flea Market yesterday, from a young man I haven't seen in 7 years or so...that my dear friend Caitlin is PREGNANT! No email. No phone call. NOTHIN! I find out from this boy who I last saw when he was 12...

Anyway...it's my own damn fault, I've been out of touch, but I am very happy for her and her handsome hubby, Rob (for whom I emceed their wedding...THAT was a treat).

Congrats kids...remember Jamie can be a name for a boy OR a girl...



with love from Jamie at 7:31 PM

Thursday, September 16, 2004

 
Hey there!!!

How's it going...I'm in tech hell for a bunch of different projects right now. The lovely Laura Bell Bundy will be performing in Shameless! at Joe's Pub on October 4th. We've been working very hard all week and I think the show is really going to be fantastic. She's amazing and our Musical Director, John McMahon is truly wonderful...

Was happy to meet Collette Black, who manages Rose's Turn downtown. She's been letting us use the theatre there for rehearsal and happens to be the girlfriend of the very lovely and very talented Eadie Scott, who I was opposite in The Flute Player's Song down in NJ several years ago. As far as I am concerned, the show can rest in peace, but the cast, especially Eadie, was fantastic. The unfortunate show is appearing in this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival (clearly not by my choice as the then-chair of programming), but this is definitely one to steer clear of.

Shows in NYMF NOT to steer clear of- The Woman Upstairs, Meet John Doe, Like You Like It and The Big Voice. All pieces certain to be succesful and have life post-festival.

Anyway...also been working hard on the Parkinson's Resource Organization Benefit on October 2nd in LA. I'm thrilled to announce that Deborah Gibson, Lea Thompson, Susan Egan, Gregg Marx, Malcolm Gets, Alec Mapa, Erin Quill, Pat Boone and several others will all be appearing! This will be at the same time that my very talented and very dear friend Max von Essen will be appearing in Dorian, also in California...I hope to see it while I am there in rehearsal.

Pippin casting is well under-way and an announcement on specifics is forthcoming...

That's about it for now. I hope you are all fantastic!!!

Much Love, Jamie

with love from Jamie at 11:42 PM

Monday, September 06, 2004

 
What a very full weekend...

I spent Friday and Saturday in Dallas, TX as a guest of honor at AnimeFest 2004. What a great anime convention. Hosted by amazingly wonderful people. And with an incredible group of guests...we all remarked at the truly extraordinary chemistry of all the voice actors who attended. Monica Rial, (who is my new best anime voice actor friend) proved to be a great source of entertainment for the weekend...as did Vic Magnana. (sp?) All in all, it was a fantastic time in the beautiful Dallas Hyatt Regency.

On Saturday night, I got to get away to see "Joseph..." at Dallas Summer Musicals. My good friend Mikey Busillo played Benjamin with...Jon Secada as Joseph. It was clear everyone was working very hard, and my favorite parts of that show were 1) Mikey's Go Go Go Joseph Liza shirt (I'm talking long-sleeve, oversize, off-the-shoulder COVERED in sequins) and 2) a little boy named Chance who was part of the children's choir-he danced with no abandon, no shame, and apparently no rhythm...he was SO cute and reminded me far too much of myself when I was that age.

I then took a VERY early flight back to the city on Monday so that I could attend a Democratic fundraiser in the Hamptons. I'd asked my friend Anne Runolfsson to come sing David Friedman's "Help is on the Way." So we shared a car out to a lovely home in Easthampton. The event was hosted by the lovely and talented Scott Nevins and featured famed gay author Andrew Tobias ("The Best Little Boy in the World"). The event was a big success and raised nearly $20,000 for the DNC.

Today I began work on some video that will be shown during Laura Bell Bundy's show at Joe's Pub next month. The gentleman helping us out, Christian, is a very sweet guy and I'm certain will do an incredible job with what we're trying to get accomplished.

Also getting excited for MULLETS OVER BROADWAY on September 19th at Joe's Pub, with the cast of Hairspray singin their hearts out.

Other than that, working hard on Pippin and getting cash in the bank for that, as well as doing a lot more recording nowadays with 4Kids (which premiered "F-Zero" this past Saturday at 9AM. That's about all for now...Hope you are all happy, healthy and well!

Love, Jamie

with love from Jamie at 9:43 PM

 
Here are a couple of photos from Kevin at www.fansview.com Kevin is a great guy who is always there taking great pics of all that goes on at the conventions!



I got kind of political and bought some T-Shirts to wear while at the convention (in Dallas).

Bree and Vic...troublemakers both of them...


Vic, me and Monica at an autograph session.

And ya know what else...here are some pictures I've gotten in the past few months that aren't up on the site...take a gander...


Adam Fleming Jenn Gambatese and friends at the Bare's Back concert in September.


Mike Babel, Jeff Marx, Harris Doran and me at Cast Party some time ago...


Romaine Patterson, Mick Bleyer, me and Max von Essen at a painting unveiling at Tony's DiNapoli on 43rd and 7th.


Thanks to Linda Lenzi for several of these shots.
Enjoy!

with love from Jamie at 9:43 PM

Wednesday, September 01, 2004

 
So I spent Sunday marching in protest of President George W Bush. I was afraid at first with so many people, that I may end up arrested, or caught in a situation where I might get hurt and tonight, watching Bill Maher, I realized why I still went. He said "You can't claim youre for peace unless youre willing to disturb it." So we disturbed it. Contrary to Fox News reports, which said there were just over 100,000 protesters, I saw 50 New York City blocks crammed end to end with people. That's a lot more than 100,000...Many estimated it to be closer to 600,000. It's amazing what a galvanizing experience it was to march together in a civil protest.

Not since 9/11, have I been able to look across a train car, smile at someone and recognize that we were part of a community. It's so sad that the actions of one man can empower a people to rally with such hate, such dissatisfaction. By creating a war that was not motivated by anything but political ties, W has also created an army of dissent. A very vocal and passionate group of people have been demonstrating all week. Whether it be against the war, against his lack of attention on AIDS issues, poverty or the world conscience, this man is hated by many.

His lack of ability to speak publicly aside...his lack of ability to use words that actually appear in a dictionary ("hispanically," "misunderestimate," "strategeries") aside...his lack of ability to find WMD's which he reported was certain aside, this man is NOT a good President. I am ashamed to say someone with his lack of qualifications represents ME throughout The World. I cannot stand for it anymore. So I am pulling with all my might that Kerry becomes President. I don't know that he will be the best President. I don't know that he is not corrupt in his own ways. I don't know that he was in Cambodia on Christmas Eve, or that his first Purple Heart came from a self-inflicted wound, or that he flip-flops on decisions in the Senate. But I do know my hope lis in him to repair the damage that George W Bush has done. Economically, the country goes up and down...I honestly don't feel that a President is going to make a difference. The system of checks and balances insures that no one person is going to destroy or repair our Nation's economy within a 4-8-year term. My most major concern is the Country's reputation throughout the World. On W's watch, we have gone into an unjust war. On W's watch, soldiers committed horrific attrocities in the Abu Ghraib prison. On W's watch, this country has become known as a Nation that is run by a madman, a criminal who allows such things to happen. On W's watch, this country has become known as a bully. On W's watch, we have completely disregarded what it is that we stand for. We are attacking people within and outside this country because of their beliefs. The very reason people came and settled in this country centuries ago.

I am voting for John Kerry and John Edwards in November. I feel comfortable knowing that an administration lead by these men will not try to write discrimination into this Country's most sacred document. I feel comfortable knowing that these men will do their best to repair the worldwide relationships destroyed by the previous administration. I feel comfortable knowing that I will remain a free person, free to make my own decisions, free to speak out and question the government and free to be who I am under an administration lead by these men. And most importantly, I feel comfortable knowing that I won't be ashamed anymore to call myself an American when visiting a different country. I won't be ashamed to be represented around the World, by John Kerry and John Edwards.

Love, Jamie

with love from Jamie at 1:54 AM