Jennifer Naimo

One more show to go. And remember tonight the San Francisco cast are serenading the cast of Soprano’s on the Emmys. knock em dead JB!

Well, this weekend the shows were crazy fun. Friday night Des came to the show…and it was just so great seeing him. He was so happy and gracious afterwards. He always makes it a point to come to our dressing room and say hi and stuff…he ‘s now in town rehearsing the upcoming FARNSWORTH INVENTION. I can’t wait to see it.

Heather Ferguson was on all week for Sara Schmidt (Francine) and was so good and I just love when she’s on…her spirit is fun. Then at the matinée, the only original 4 Season on was Bobby Spencer, JLY has matinées off, Daniel had tonsillitis, and Christian had personal days, and our newest member, Graham Fenton, was thrown on as Norm Waxman, because Donnie Kehr was on for Peter Gregus (who was on vacation, as well as Sara) and John Leone was on for Donnie”s roles, and Travis was on as Joe Pesci, since Michael Longoria was on as Frankie…the show flew by.

We also permanently now have welcomed ADAM BEN DAVID as our energetic, amazing and warm conductor, and kudos to MICHELLE BOSCH our fearless and calm psm for guiding Graham and the others through the shows. By the way…Graham was superb. He just got out of Carnegie Mellon and I was so impressed by not only his talent, but his poise and focus. He was dead on ready for anything thrown at him…we hope he gets to stay with our company instead of going to Vegas.

OK, last nights show..and PLEASE FORGIVE ME IF I FORGET OR GET A NAME WRONG…at the show afterwards our wonderful and gorgeous producers Kevin and Tamara Kinsella, and than our biggest fans in this order??? Howard Tucker and friends celebrating their anniversary, Irene, Beverley, Damaris and John, Allesandra (from Toronto and her friend) Kathy and Laura (of Danico’s fame!!!), Gary,and some new friends, and Pat Palambo sent some awesome tiramisu that could have fed the whole audience…if i missed anyone, sorry..thank you for your enthusiasm and support…

And I promise more news on my cabaret to come…

Let’s see what happened this week? Madeleine Albright came to the show, as did the writer of The Bourne Ultimatum who happens to be related to Dominic Nolfi. Tonight is the JB Bway Cares Benefit..I’m not performing but hopefully will be able to be in the audience.

I’ve been rehearsing my cabaret and GUESS WHAT? I HAVE A TIME, A PLACE AND A RING!!!!!

NOVEMBER 11, 2007 9:30 PM SUNDAY NIGHT AT THE LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATRE/WEST BANK CAFE

42ND/9TH AVE..

I’m so excited. I met Laurie Beechman when I was doing the Nat’l Tour of Les Miserables. I was Eponine and she had just become Fantine and we were playing her hometown of Philadelphia. That’s when she found out she was sick. She had to pull out of the show to take care of herself, but when I went to do Eponine on Bway for a month, she was ready to play Fantine…so we reunited.

She was wonderfully warm, energetic, optimistic, loving and her voice!!!!!! I never would have guessed what she was going through, or would have to face in the years to come. So to have the honor of singing in a spot named after her?!?!? I’m very thankful.

I’ll let you know more as we progress. I’m rehearsing and refining material at least 2 to 3 times a week with my wonderful director Andy Gale and genius music director Chris Haber. I hope you all will come…ok gotta do laundry before the show…bye for now.

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 matinée, photos to come.

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.

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

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

Last week was crazy. there was one show where Christian was the only original Season on. It was fun though, and keeps you on your toes.

I’ve been rehearsing for our Journey to Jersey Boys Cabaret which is coming up August 13th and also working on finding songs for my own cabaret which will be ???? or most likely October 28th. I find this harder than the first. In the girls cabaret, I only have to sing three songs in the context of our journey to the show. But a cabaret… I’m so tired. On the day and night I had off, we must have listened to ?? songs…Trying to find the right ones etc…It certainly is a tedious path, but I sure am discovering music I never heard before from the musical director, Chris Haberl and director Andy Gale.. I’m sure our choices will change hourly.

Alright, it’s back to New Jersey land…

I will now carry to my grave the words she spoke to me…I know I sound very dramatic..but Miss Christine Lahti was waiting outside the stage door..I passed her by, not recognizing her with her new blonde hair, lithe, tall frame and with her sweet daughter Emma. She stopped me, and graced me with very specific compliments.. which all I can say made my night and made me feel like even after doing the show for over 2 years, I was on a good path…

I had a voice over audition yesterday morning ..which I love and want more of. Early on I had one, and the director/casting director is in another room speaking into a microphone..and she’s talking , and I’m miming “I can’t hear you” and she mimes back..”put on the headphones” DUH!!!!!!!! What a novice.. I love being in there with another actor, cuz you learn so much from them. Like yesterday, I was with a make believe husband, and this guy had such a cool voice and he improvised away from the script so I just followed. who knows??? All those actors know each other..it’s like a mysterious cool VIP room, that I get invited into every now and than..

I also had my 1st rehearsal for my own cabaret. My director Andy Gale, is much harder on me than any one else I’ve worked with. This is going to be quite the journey searching for songs.. He makes me aim high, and remember to act the lyric and not just sing American Idol riffs ( by the way that’s one of my favorite shows) any hoo..onward and upward..2 shows to go to..