Jamie's Journal

Friday, July 29, 2005

 

What a week...

So...some tough family situations occuring, but praying for the best there...not much more i can do than that.

Ended up having three days of Jury Duty...pissed me off a little bit, as I had not been selected at the end of the 2nd day but still had to come back just to get called up and say "I'm sorry, I can't be fair and impartial in this case." But because I went over two days, they now can't call me for 6 years to serve again, instead of just 2 years. YAY!

Then I went to record my first few hours of my first video game. (I can't tell you the title, as it's apparently top secret until it comes out) It's so much fun. I love doing voice work so much. The director, at the end of the session today was really sweet and complmentary. He told me that I was "one of the great ones." Being a Leo, that is still resonating in my head.

Following the voice session, I headed to City Center for a special presentation by Rosie's Broadway Kids. Rosie has put together a special program for inner-city school children to have this amazing outlet. An outlet I never really had growing up.

I decided I want to be Rosie O'Donnell...not the lesbian part and not necessarily the talk show part or the fame part, but the part that has a lot of money and does amazingly brilliant things with it. She is the type of person who TRULY deserves the wealth that she has. So I want to someday be the humanitarian that Rosie is. I got to chat with Kelli a little bit tonight too. She also amazes me. What truly lovely human beings they are...as much as I love them both and all that they do for the world that they live in, I am most looking forward to seeing who their children become. I mean of course they'll be fucked up...we all are...but what an amazing understanding they will have of how to treat the world around them.

Anyway, that's about it for now...hopefully we will have some more secret garden news in the near future.

Hope all is well!

Much love, Jamie

with love from Jamie at 11:54 PM

Thursday, July 28, 2005

 

Jury Duty...

serving my time in the big house...

So I woke up at 8:09, damned alarm clock didn't go off...have to be at the courthouse at 8:45. I live roughly 45 -60 minutes away from said courthouse.

I shower, don't shave, don't brush my teeth, and I hail a gypsy cab. I was assuming if I was late, I'd be put in prison...I don't know how this shit works...

So I get there about 5 after 9, assuming I'd be meeting a police escort to take me away. I meet a lady in the elevator...turns out we're both late. The whole room is just sitting there watching Diane Sawyer host a video on the magic of serving on a jury. So I sit and catch the end...So after taking roll call, I head to the lunch room and get a snack and some caffeine. The same young lady from the elevator is snacking as well. So we start to chat...an actress...go figure. Someone with personality in this room...and she's an actress. So we start trying to figure out the 6 degrees thing...we're still working on that. We found one degree for certain. So we get called back in for a case.

They announce if anyone has a problem with the English Language, they are excused...the stunning tattooed muscular latino man I saw when I first walked in, gets up and leaves...swell...there goes my only potential eye candy for the day.

Most of the room is called down to a court room by lottery. Another lottery. 5 hours later, they've chosen 13. And we are dismissed. WOOHOO! Back today at 10AM. BOO!

Made 2 friends though, this lovely actress, and the boyfriend of one of the dancers in Sweet Charity. Leave it to me.

Love, J

with love from Jamie at 12:31 AM

Tuesday, July 26, 2005

 

I just had one of the most beautiful days of my life. My dearest friend, Laura was married today. I didn't know I was going to attend until last night. It was a private ceremony with just her and Chris' family there, but since I've become close with her Mom and Dad, they asked me to be part of it. It was such a huge honor. She was stunning. And the ceremony was perfect. Big weddings just aren't for everybody, and knowing her, she would have lost her MIND trying to put something like that together. But I love her and I am so thrilled to have been a part of today. I want to wish her, Chris and their daughter Sam a long life filled with laughter, tears and love. All three of them deserve it, as we all do. I am so grateful to have such amazing friends.

Which reminds me, I had drinks with my friend Joe this week too. He is amazing also...just one of those people that brings you to exactly where you need to be. I'm enthralled by my friends-they are all so different but all so beautiful in so many ways. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks to them for being such real people.

Here's a parting shot of the gorgeous bride in the elevator on the way to the car before the wedding...I'm rather impressed with my little camera phone!!!

with love from Jamie at 12:11 AM

Thursday, July 21, 2005

 

Hey there,

So things are pretty damn crazy right now. The Secret Garden is making me VERY busy right now-it's a full time job. We have secured the rights (good to know) and started putting in requests for some of the performers we are looking for.\\And on the voice acting front, got some fun stuff happening.

I recorded an episode of Pokemon today, playing Hal, this cute scientist dude who is in love with Elisa. It's a sweet episode, so that's exciting.

And as I was leaving the studio, I got a call from another studio telling me I booked my very first video game!!! Woohoo! So I'll be playing the lead in a new video game that I'm not allowed to give the title of. Not sure of much more information than that, but I'll let you know!

Hope everyone is great!

Love, Jamie

with love from Jamie at 4:37 PM

Monday, July 18, 2005

 

My Big Gay Summer Family Vacation <----- Click Here!!!

with love from Jamie at 5:07 PM

Saturday, July 09, 2005

 

So...

I was home a few weeks ago, and my father surprised me and my brothers with photo albums full of our childhoods. Dozens of pictures that I'd never seen of myself. I mean, I had vague recollections of some of these moments, but this was solid evidence. I'm not sure why this was hidden on us until now when our guts are showing and our receding hairlines have reached the middle of our scalp. It just seems to be cruel and unusual punishment to see what adorable kids we were. I mean...not to brag, but I was CUTE. I clearly knew how to work a camera and a few of the poses even make me question why my parents didn't join PFLAG when I was 3.

As some of you may know my teenage years (and some may even argue my adult years) were rather awkward. I liked King Richard's Faire (note the "e" in Faire to make it Ole Englishe Soundinge) which was a medieval freakshow where people jousted and addressed you as "Milord." For me, it was an opportunity to purchase large purple banners with pretty pictures of unicorns...and to ogle Smee and Blog...the royal (shirtless) executioners who had a song and dance show. I wore a beret with a little white feather on it and thought I could get away with it when the magic wore off and I was back in 7th grade on Monday. To my surprise, my fellow 7th graders failed to realize or acknowledge the fact that I had been knighted the weekend before.

Ahhh...youth. So I wanted to share these new childhood memories drudged up by this awful book of photos that make me miss being so damned cute.

here's a fun one...shows you how coordinated at sports I was...

please note that my foot has passed the ball and the ball is clearly NOT in motion...not to mention there is no aerodynamic way I could have regained my balance to stand up after that which means the only thing in motion in this photo was my ass falling to the ground.



And a few more..enjoy!

Love, Jamie

with love from Jamie at 11:11 PM

 

So the news is out...

After nearly deciding not to do a concert this year because of all the stress it created last year...here we go.

Robb Sapp and I had lunch a few months ago and I told him I was thinking of not doing the World AIDS Day Concert...he replied simply "but you have to." Apparently I'm a pushover.

So I've assembled a kind of large production team-Brad Bauner, Ryan Hill, Adam Caldwell and Josh Fiedler are all going to be taking on Producing roles with the event. Which will (Godwilling) make my life a whole lot easier.

Since I like sending out 30 different press releases for a show, I'm creating lots of reasons this year to send them out. But it should be an extremely exciting event that Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman will be working on with us as well.

As for casting...no offers have been made...however, we do have a number of people in mind for the roles. And some roles will be filled by audition. :)

Also want to plug the upcoming FLOPZ Concert at Joe's Pub on August 7th (Incidentally the day after my 30th Birthday). It will be followed by a big party right there at Joe's for anyone who'd like to stop on over after 11...come and drink and a portion of the bar tab will go towards the Secret Garden Concert!

BROADWAY’S THE SECRET GARDEN IN CONCERT
WILL COMMEMORATE WORLD AIDS DAY

On December 5th, 2004, to commemorate World AIDS Day, the same team that brought last year’s acclaimed PIPPIN Concert, is proud to present a concert presentation of Marsha Norman and Lucy Simon’s The Secret Garden.

The Secret Garden opened on Broadway in April of 1991 and quickly became one of the most beloved family musicals of all time. Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Marsha Norman was responsible for the Tony-Award winning book and lyrics (based on the novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett) and renowned singer/songwriter Lucy Simon wrote the score. The musical also earned a Tony Award for Heidi Landesman’s stunning scenic design and for the youngest actress ever to earn a Tony Award, Daisy Eagan.

The concert is being presented by Artistic Producer Jamie McGonnigal, who (along with Kate Shindle), was responsible for the World AIDS Day Pippin and Children of Eden Concerts, in addition to benefit concerts for organizations including The Matthew Shepard Foundation, National AIDS Fund, God’s Love We Deliver and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This year’s production team will also include producers Brad Bauner, Adam Caldwell, Josh Fiedler and Ryan Hill.

Last year’s sold-out PIPPIN Concert featured a cast of more than 130, including Rosie O’Donnell, Michael Arden, Charles Busch, Laura Benanti, All My Children’s Cameron Mathison, Billy Porter, Darius DeHaas, Terrence Mann and a retun to his Tony-Award Winning role by Ben Vereen.

This year, the proceeds will be benefiting The Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation and Camp TLC (Teens Living with a Challenge), a residential summer camp program for teens living with HIV/AIDS. JDAF was created in 1996 by Carol DiPaolo and her son Joey, when Joey was four (1984) he was infected with the HIV virus from a blood transfusion during open-heart surgery. At age ten Joey and family attended Camp Sunburst in California. Empowered and motivated by the camp experience both mother and son began public speaking in 1990 bringing AIDS education to parents, faculty, and students throughout the country. After becoming national AIDS spokespersons for several AIDS organizations, Carol and Joey decided to establish The Joey DiPaolo AIDS Foundation (JDAF). This foundation is motivated by compassion and hope for young people who are living with HIV/AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control reports that 51% of all new HIV infections in the U.S. occur in young people under 25, with that statistic in mind, Joey and Carol have provided over 500 AIDS prevention and education programs nationwide. With AIDS a serious global issue, JDAF is extending their Camp TLC program to positive teens living outside the US, in countries devastated by the AIDS pandemic. For more information about JDAF/Camp TLC visit www.jdaf.org.

The co-benefactor and co-presenter of the event is The Storm Theatre. Founded in 1997 as a non-profit theatre company, The Storm has been producing new and classic works that offer audiences compelling documentation of what it means to be human. While struggling after the effects of 9/11, they are just beginning to re-emerge as one of New York’s most exciting success stories.

Tickets for The Secret Garden will go on sale in mid-October and sponsorship opportunities are available by emailing SecretGardenInfo@aol.com. Currently seeking Private, Corporate and Media sponsorships.

with love from Jamie at 9:21 AM