Archive for August, 2007

Richie Sambora and Jeff Goldblum Visit Jersey Boys !!!

A REAL JERSEY BOY AND A TALL, DARK AND HANDSOME ACTOR

YES LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, we had not one but two celebrities last night. Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi, a real Jersey Boy came with his mother, beautiful daughter Ava, and his best friend from high school in New Jersey. He was a riot. He loved !!!!!! the show. When he met me, he said “Where you from? ” I said “Grand Rapids, Michigan” He said “Yeah, but you LIE ON STAGE GIRL, YOU LIE!!!!!!!!!!!” He was fierce and enthusiastic and tan…and pure rock and roll.

And then JEFF GOLDBLUM was also there..and he couldn’t have been kinder, warm and specific. He is very tall too. But he was so patient waiting for photos to be completed with Richie..and so humble..The girls dresser and actress Kelly Kinsella, had dressed Jeff when he did a play here a few years ago..and she even plays him in her One Woman Show…he is also good friends with our writer Marshall Brickman..So both Marshall and Rick were there.

The wonderful Bruce Glickas (photographer extraordinaire from Broadway.com) was trapped in a traffic jam somewhere, so these photos our from my camera…I’m hoping he was alright and maybe showed up later…alright off to the matinĂ©e, photos to come.

Journey To Jersey Boys at Ars Nova Photos

JOURNEY TO JERSEY BOYS SOLD OUT!!!!!!!

Alright, I still don’t know how to capture the night and rehearsals leading up to it. I’m trying to write a little something in between shows right now. It was scary, magical, overwhelming, exhausting, exhilarating and perfect. Of course it helped that I saw Tim sitting out there and remembered why I’m telling this story. The girls looked gorgeous, each of their outfits perfectly capturing their essence and what they were trying to say…and Travis, the only guy, looked sharp too. Tim brought my dress from home that I wore on our honeymoon…only apropos.

Ok, just a short summary. Jim Abbott our musical director…AWESOME…he took our songs and elevated them to a level of brilliance and encouraged us all way The musicians he and Holly assembled were incredible. Come on, we had drums, guitars, standing bass, horns, piano all on this tiny stage at Ars Nova with us five performers. We had trouble hearing ourselves, so I know I pushed some, especially on my first song…but than it felt like HOME. The audience was a delightful assortment of friends, family and fans. How humbling and exhilarating…the hour flew by..and Erica said “Did we really just do it?”

It was completely sold out and people were turned down to come in so hopefully we can do it again. Holly Anne did a beautiful job of marrying our lives and stories into an interesting piece and created this moving montage of photos we gave her of us in the show and with family set to Jersey Boys girls medley that was cut from La Jolla. I felt so blessed again to be part of this whole family.

Bob Gaudio and Judy, Rick Elice, Jerry Saviola and his sweet wife Mary (Jerry is VP of Grey Advertising and has opened so many doors for me), his friend and producer Rich Aronstein, JLY(come on stay with me John LLoyd), Michael Longoria, Michelle Bosch and Rachelle(our stage mgrs extraordinaire), our dresser Michelle, my friends Rosemarie Himes and Tim Jolley, JB fans, Audrey, Lulu, Pat and her friend (who stayed overnight from Daniels show the night before!), Norene and John from West Point (he was getting over 104 fever and didn’t want to miss it), Christina and Alicia who gave my a beautiful sand dollar from Cape May…Jack who saw our very first preview, Howard, I know I’m forgetting and didn’t see and say hello to you all. THANK YOU FOR COMING. AND OF COURSE my favorite VIP, my husband TIM.

I learned alot in prep for my upcoming Cabaret… more to come and photos too..I’m still trying to come down from the clouds.

THE BOSS WAS HERE!

YES M’AM, AND I DON’T MEAN DES MCANUFF…MR BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN WAS IN THE HOUSE. I JUST GOT MY WIG ON FOR THE START OF THE SHOW AND I WAS CLIMBING UP THE 3 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS TO MY DRESSING ROOM, WHEN THESE CUTE TEENAGERS WERE PASSING ME AND I SAID “WHO ARE YOU?” AND THE FIRST BOY STARTED INTRODUCING HIMSELF,AND THAN A FATHER’S VOICE, STARTED INTRODUCING THE NEXT 2 AND EVENTUALLY DAD GOT TO ME, AND PRESENTED HIS HAND AND SAID “HI, I’M BRUCE AND THIS IS MATEO.” I WAS LIKE ‘DUH’ I KNOW WHO YOU ARE..YOU HANDSOME, MEGA TALENTED ROCK N ROLL GENIUS…but instead I said something really clever like “Well, I hope it’s cooler in the house than outside” (Thank God my lines are witty in the show).

At intermission he came downstairs and Bruce the fantastic photographer, who must me bi-local, took tons of photos for Broadway.com and another photographer from? was there too. He was so gracious and talked about the influence the 4 Seasons and Frankie had on his youth growing up in NJ. His kids were spitting images of him, and his assistant Mateo made sure the girls got to be photographed too…Bruce looks so good.

BUT EVEN BETTER, YESTERDAY WAS TIM AND MY 4TH ANNIVERSARY…HE WROTE ME THE MOST BEAUTIFUL POST WHICH I’M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PRINT HERE, OR MAYBE NOT…He makes everything that’s happened these 2 years here worthwhile…knowing he supports me.

TODAY THE 3 GIRLS AND TRAVIS AND I REHEARSE WITH THE BAND FOR 4 HOURS. HOPE TO SEE YOU ALL AT ARS NOVA 8 PM MONDAY NIGHT..IT WILL BE FUN..MAKE SURE YOU SAY HI…XO JENNIFER

a day off…Kinda

Hi all.

Another week came and went. We had our GRAMMY Photo taken on stage which was fun seeing Bob Gaudio and Marhsall Brickman there and all the musicians we met on that amazing day of recording the CD. We had only been in rehearsal for 2 weeks when we recorded it. I think that’s why there’s not any photos from the show…that has always bothered me…I like looking at photos that correspond with the songs we’re singing…call me old fashioned but that’s what I did growing up memorizing show songs.

Over the weekend the fabulous JERSEY BOYS BLOG CREATORS came to the show and also interviewed us…Dale and Susie Skarl..They have boundless energy and enthusiasm for us and the show and they are a cute couple to behold. Dale is about 6-4 and Susie is 4-10…anyway I”m forever grateful to them for creating my website too.

I also met a wonderful actor who has literally come back to life from a horrible car accident over 5 months ago…I’m sure you know him…Evan Pappas. He was wonderfully gracious and had I not been told what he’s gone through, I never would have known…he sparkled…maybe from the joy of being alive!!!

Alright…countdown to JOURNEY TO JERSEY BOYS..I have rehearsal tonight for my cabaret and Tues, Thurs, and next Monday for our GIG at Ars Nova…Hope you can come…xo me