Jennifer Naimo

that describes my first impression on walking into the bowl. holy cow..it’s gorgeous..a huge shell that shelters us from above , a wide spread stage for sprinting entrances,and the vast ocean of seats,benches and boxes amid a forest of trees and greenery and the starlit sky. It’s quite impressive,and once we got thru Act 1,not menacing at all. We were relieved it wasn’t sweltering in the morning when we arrived.But by the time lunch passed ,there was no shade at all for those lighting the show and taking notes,sans an umbrella here or there.

Curious to see how we feel on Wednesday when we try to do the show with our 7 layers of Parisian rags on us. The sound system is impeccable. I ran near the top of the back of the BOwl and heard every consonant and breath. Breathtaking. TOday we meet back at the Church space for music rehearsals in the day,than tonight we travel to the DIsney COncert Hall for our first sing thru with the Orchestra. Richard Jay told us to really soak in the magic of tonight. Not sure what to expect except glorious sounds from a 55 piece orchestra all under Kevin Stites expert conducting..

For those coming Friday morning, I just heard parking is free..bring your binoculars for those in the back. 4 Days More..

Today we put the show on it’s feet in the rehearsal room, before we head to check out the Hollywood Bowl on Monday. It went really well. This is without the sets, costumes, and dirt mind you. But everyone pulled together and sang beautifully and acted with passion ,zeal and commitment…we were constantly running to our scripts to see what scene we were doing next It moves so fast, and all those times in btwn scenes, are quick changes.. from rags, to more rags, and whores, and little boys on barricades..all in a days work.

Richard ended the day with partnering up with someone ,and closing our eyes, and our partner was lathered up and started massaging our feet, I felt like I was at the Last Supper …I almost cried it felt so good..and also because my feet smelled terribly, were sweating, and my legs were not shaved smoothly, but I blamed it on the point that I was playing both women, and a boy on the barricade..so it was part of my research and character study..

Melora and the Producers invited the cast,crew and all for cocktails and appetizers on them, at a great French Bistro, California Canteen. The cast are incredible hard workers, amazing voices, and I can’t wait to see what everyones’next gig is.In the meantime we go to the Bowl Monday …outside …all day, but we’re psyched.

the minute we did the first couple numbers, especially ‘AT THE END OF THE DAY’ I looked at Daniel Guzman, who I did the show with over 15 years ago and said, isn’t this fun.. It just started clicking, And the thrill, pleasure and honor of singing this score and bringing these souls to life , well that doesn’t come around often. How blessed this is my 2nd helping..

FYI: If you’re in LA August 8th, Friday, 10 AM…you can come to the dress rehearsal for free! Just get there before 10 and we start and you’ll see it for free, before the paying audience that night…yahoo!!!

Isn’t that neat?

LITERALLY!!!!!!! WE WERE IN THE MIDDLE OF REHEARSING ,AT THE END OF THE DAY??? NOW I CAN’T REMEMBER , AND IN THIS HUGE SPACE IN A HUGE CHURCH AND THE GROUND LITERALLY STARTED MOVING UNDER US, LIKE A SUBWAY HAD JUST PASSED UNDERNEATH OUR FEET, OR SOMEONE HAD TAKEN EACH END OF THE STAGE AND DID ‘THE WAVE’ WITH IT. IT TOOK ME A MOMENT TO PROCESS, ‘WAS THAT AN EARTHQUAKE? AM I IN NYC OR LA? OH, LA! OK TIME TO RUN” I WAITED TO SEE IF ANOTHER MVMT WOULD HAPPEN THAN RAN LIKE A BAT OUT OF HELL UNDER THE DOOR FRAMES OF THIS PLACE, AND REALIZED 37 CAST MEMBERS, AND CREW AND STAFF WE’RE BEHIND ME,AND RAN OUT, LOOKED UP AND SAW POWER LINE, AND RAN TO THE HUGE, OPEN SPACE PARKING LOT..WHERE NOTHING COULD FALL ON ME, US. THE WHOLE CAST CAME OUT TOO. AND WE STOOD  THERE FOR A MOMENT AND MAYBE AFTER 2 MINUTES, RICHARD JAY SAID ‘ OK I THINK IT’S SAFE” WE WENT BACK IN. HE TOLD US AN AMAZING STORY OF WHEN THE TOUR WAS OPENING IN SAN FRAN AND THE HUGE QUAKE HAPPENED, AND THEY ACTUALLY PERFORMED THAT NIGHT,A ND IT WAS SOLD OUT, AND IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST PERFORMANCES THEY EVER HAD..CUZ LIFE TOOK ON A WHOLE NEW MEANING, AND EVERYONE ,THE AUDIENCE AND CAST HAD SHARED SOMETHING TOGETHER”

WE THAN WENT ON,BUSINESS AS USUAL…AND I UNDERSTOOD..’THE SHOW REALLY DOES GO ON’

PS TIM WENT INTO WORK A LATER SHIFT, AND SAID HE WAS EATING AND OUR TABLE STARTLED SHAKING ,AND RUMBLING AND MY BROADWAY SIGN AND SOME JERSEY BOYS FRAMED ART FELL OVER…BUT WE ARE ALL SAFE THANK GOD..

ok if you don’t have tickets yet…get them.. it’s going to be amazing. everyone is perfectly cast..sounds gorgeous. we actually learned and sang the entire show a t the end of the day. tomorrow we start staging it. we’ have full on costumes and wigs..and set..and it seats 18.,00000  did i mention.

i  got to reunite with a lot of my friend s from when i did les miz before. it’s quite special to be involved with this. and jly sounds beautiful in the role. rosie won’t be doing it because of a family emergency but ruth williamson will be great. i could go on and on about each cast member ,but than that’s what the audience is for.

RIchard Jay was excited, humbled, gracious, strong ready to go..and Kevin Stites does not miss one wrong note..and we had some.. it’s an incredible ensemble and it’s going to be intense, overwhelming and i’m thankful for every moment. maybe photos soon.

if i dont’ write to some of you ,forgive me, i have no time at the end of the day right now…xo

tomorrow starts 1rst day of rehearsal. we were told bring pencil, pad, recording device so that by the end of the day,we’re rock solid in our music..as we will sing the entire score ,at the end of the day. yahoo ,this is going to be a treat.

As for the play i was up for, the director called me at home, and was very generous with his remarks, but gave it to an actress who’s quite funny and has worked over 12 shows with him on, for little to no pay. So besides the courtesy of calling me and stroking my ego with praise, he is loyal to his company of actors. ANd than I literally ran into Denise at Glendale Galleria mall..which I haven’t been to since being home.. and the moment I was leaving the mall I saw her. Very happy for her.

It would be 9 weeks of work,but you’d have to live in Laguna Beach(not to shabby) an hour and a half away. ANd well, you know, I just got home..LOL ..and just signed with new Commercial agency..so it’s always a good idea to be here and available.. alright .. hopefully i’ll be able to write again soon and let you know how long JLY’s hair is….AT THE END OF THE DAY..XO JEN

hi

i know it seems like a long time since I wrote. We’ve been literally running around. I start Les Miz rehearsals Monday…so I’m listening to the music again as I jog around the ROse BOwl. I havent’ sung it since 1990..and there are subtle changes..for one, I’m not Eponine this time..lol.But I had a nice coffee date with Michelle Maika who is playing Cosette this time. SHe was Eponine on the 2nd Nat’l Tour . SO we were doing it at the same time in different cities. She still looks like a kid ,but is now also a pschotherapist ,among acting,and a mother of a beautiful 5 year old girl.

I have an audition tomorrow for a play, no singing, but they describe her as ‘ferret -like, wiry, mismatched ,ill-fitting clothes, but fastidious in her work as a stage mgr ..for a bway show..(that is sposed to open at the AUgust WIlson” It s a sweet comedy, the only thing..I’m to be British. SO I have to lose my NJersey slang.

Lots of mvmt lately with adoption too so Ill let you know when I know more… signing off

I thought I would add these photos of a production of SUDS i did in 1993?? at ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE. Steve Gunderson, who was one of the creators and performers in the original production, sent them to me. He’s about to start rehearsal in a new musical at La Jolla Playhouse, and had to dance for Sergio!!!!!!!!

Speaking of choreographers…Javier Velasco was our’s for this show. I don’t think I ever worked so hard in my life. He was so patient with me. I was totally retarded and slow at picking up the stylized dances…it was all Bacharach music.. I played the lead..and it was great training for everything that followed.

I loved Louisville, except I had bad allergies.And the Actors theatre Of Louisville is an amazing place to work.

Thank you Steve for reminding me of my youth..and the character Ingenue..yee ha..

OK SO LAST WE SPOKE YOU KNOW WE GOT IN AROUND 1 AM, FRIDAY/SATURDAY ..THE WEDDING WAS AT 4 PM. IT WAS ON THE CAMPUS OF MY NIECE’S COLLEGE ,IN A LITTLE CHAPEL. SHE LOOKED GORGEOUS AND SO HAPPY. AND SEEING ALL MY FAMILY ,AUNTS ,UNCLES ,NIECES ,NEPHEWS ETC..WAS SUCH FUN. THE WEDDING WAS BEAUTIFUL,BUT SHORT,AS IT WASN’T A CATHOLIC WEDDING,WHICH I’VE USUALLY ATTENDED.SO AFTER,THEY RENTED A TROLLEY CAR FOR THE WEDDING FAMILY AND WE HEADED TO THE COUNTRY CLUB TO START THE FESTIVITIES.

UPON ENTERING , THERE WERE APPETIZERS..YEE HA. AS WE WERE FAMISHED..SO EVERY ONE WAS HAPPY AND SATISFIED, WAITING FOR THE COUPLE OF THE EVENING TO ARRIVE. I GOT TO CATCH UP ON EVERYONE’S LIFE…AND TIM GOT TO REACQUAINT HIMSELF WITH FAMILY HE HADN’T SEEN SINCE OUR WEDDING..

I PUT MY GREAT NEPHEW DOMINIC IN TIMS LAP ..AND HE JUST LOOKED UP AT TIM SO TRUSTINGLY..WE TOOK LOTS OF PHOTOS, AS INITIALLY I WAS GOING TO PRETEND, THIS WAS OUR NEW SON..LOL. NO SUCH LUCK…YET..

THE WEDDING PARTY ARRIVED, SPEECHES WERE MADE, FOOD SERVED, DRINKS OVER FLOWED,AND THAN THE DANCING BEGAN.MY DAD AND MOM WERE ALWAYS TO BE FOUND ON THAT DANCING FLOOR. TIM AND I TOO LOVE TO DANCE.. AND ALL THE FAMILY WERE IN THEIR ELEMENT. THE HOURS FLEW BY, AND NO ONE HAD A CLUE THAT OUTSIDE A MAGNIFICENT THUNDERSTORM AND TINY TYPHOON HAD SWEPT THRU..ONLY ON DRIVING HOME ,WHILE AVOIDING TREE BRANCHES AND THINGS ,DID WE NOTICE.

WE HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME THAT NIGHT. SLEPT IN AND WENT TO 11:00 MASS THE NEXT DAY. ACTUALLY THE PRIEST, FROM HUTCHINSON, HAD COME TO SEE ME IN JERSEY BOYS IN NY, AND SO AT MASS, HE INTRODUCED ME, AND TOLD THE PARISH THAT I WAS GOING TO BE ON A SEGMENT OF ‘THE CHOICES WE FACE’ IN THE UPCOMING WEEK. THAT WAS NICE OF HIM…HE LOVES THEATRE AND TRAVELING…AND GIVES GREAT SERMONS.

‘THE CHOICES WE FACE’ IS A CATHOLIC SHOW AIRING ON EWTN, AND I FILMED IT LAST OCTOBER IN ANN ARBOR, MICH, TAKING A DAY OFF FROM JBOYS…SUCH FUN…A HALF HOUR SHOW…THE SUBJECT BEING HOW DO YOU KEEP FAITH IN THE ENTERTAINMENT FIELD…I THINK A LOT HAS TO DO WITH MY PARENTS PRAYERS…ANYWAY

THAT’S MY FIRST SEGMENT …MORE TO COME…

Well we just returned from 8 glorious days in Michigan with my family. Tim and I stayed with my parents.We were supposed to arrive late Friday night ,around 11 but ,of course got in closer to 1 am. Our connecting flight flew out of Dallas..as we waited to board it,I watched as the ‘maintenance worker’ and 2 pilots repeatedly walked over to one of the airplanes wings and than back inside the plane,and than out again to inspect that wing, knock on it, run their hand over a questionable area…this made me feel so secure and eager to fly …NOT…we finally boarded ,taxied to our position,and on the way to that spot,it sounded like we had a flat tire or something,and all of us just nervously looked at each other,we than waited some more and watched as all these other planes took off,mind you ,I hit my head at least 3 times in this plane before sitting down,and I’m 5’3,and in the bathroom the sink was taped up because their was no running water,only those KFC handiwipes…finally the plane started gunning its engine ONLY to do a U turn back to the terminal..”Hello this is Commander …we have a slight problem,you may have heard…our hydraulic automatic steering? is not working,now we don’t always need this,and the warning light is on,but we’re going to have this looked at,and hope to have the problem solved soon.”

I want to get off this tiny little thing and after awhile go up to the one flight attendant to ask if we can de-board..and he re- assures me that he’s worked here over 38 years,and not to worry.,,etc..and than after about 20 minutes the pilot comes back on and tells us ,its showing up on his screen as a problem,but the equipment seems to be working fine…I’m not convinced..Suddenly after more waiting, I see one of the pilots coming to the back of the plane to use the 1 bathroom, when he’s finished ,I stop him and grill him on what s wrong,and how I saw them examining the plane before we got on etc…he proceeds to tell me, he’s not one to take chances..and he could fly it,but it’s more work for him,a nd the flight home was going to be another 3 and a half hours, but now by leaving later (a real blessing in disguise) we’re going to fly towards Oklahoma,and than cut over straight to Michigan,thus avoiding all the thunderstorms and tornado activity…and the flight will not be as long as what they had mapped out for them. And he wants to get home safely too. Needless to say I felt a bit better,and enjoyed his honesty…

When we did take off again, over an hour later, that same noise occurred but we got up safely and we did fly in the middle of two storms. I always pray that we don’t leave if there’s anything wrong..and that our Guardian Angels protect and cover us from all angles..and get us up there, and clear the paths of storms…and by golly they came thru again…and the storms were majestic and beautiful and the lightning all around us was spectacular and awesome and scary…but we rode smoothly thru it,as on angels wings…and safely landed to my dad ( he thankfully told my mom to get some sleep ) and sister Jody there to greet us at the airport… Thank God …

MORE TO COME OF THE ACTUAL VISIT..as reliving this tired me out..lol