#1
Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:13pm
I'm so excited - J. Mark McVey is doing a concert in Ridgewood, NJ tomorrow night! I haven't seen him perform in quite a while - I can't wait!!!
#2
Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:22pm
Really?? That is so cool - - is it listed on his site? I'll have to check it out - - Maybe I can re-arrange some things and get there............. 
#3
Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:24pm
Oh, I do like him. He was the first Valjean I ever saw, and he was stunning. Please let us know how it goes!
#4
Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:28pm
You bet! I sure hope he sings Bring Him Home!
#5
Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:37pm
In Ridgewood?? OK - getting on Mapquest now to find it. Looks like its he and his wife doing the concert. Should be fun - if I can make it....
#6
Posted: 7/17/06 at 12:57pm
McVey is really a great singer, nice man... and was a wonderful Valjean. Not to be a sourpuss, but his not closing Les Miz was a disgrace. Won't put a damper on the board with ill feelings, but I'm sure he's risen above it.
I hope his concerting goes well and he get's booked for the next 20 years. Enjoy the concert.
I hope his concerting goes well and he get's booked for the next 20 years. Enjoy the concert.
www.pbentertainmentinc.com
BWW regional writer "Philadelphia/South Jersey"
#7
Posted: 7/17/06 at 1:13pm
PB Ent.: ITA about the unfairness of JMM not closing the show in 2003. I still don't understand the 'why' of it - unless it was just to be able to say that Randall Keith did the show on Broadway. But, I'm sure JMM is way passed that now. Do you know him? Since you said he was a 'nice man' I'm assuming you do - but, I'm told never to assume!
#8
Posted: 7/17/06 at 2:01pm
I have seen/met him and with close friends that know him well.
While it's no secret, as J Mark made a statment to a newspaper. ( But you will have to google his name. look up the article. I honestly don't have it anymore).
He was expecting to have the priviledge to close the show after playing it so long, so well on Broadway. He may well hold the Broadway record. He was committed to concerting right before the announced closing of Les Miz. After re-arranging his previous concert commitments to accomodate the closing and approaching the LM powers, he was denied the priviledge. More than a few people were not pleased with this.
But this is a tough business.
While it's no secret, as J Mark made a statment to a newspaper. ( But you will have to google his name. look up the article. I honestly don't have it anymore).
He was expecting to have the priviledge to close the show after playing it so long, so well on Broadway. He may well hold the Broadway record. He was committed to concerting right before the announced closing of Les Miz. After re-arranging his previous concert commitments to accomodate the closing and approaching the LM powers, he was denied the priviledge. More than a few people were not pleased with this.
But this is a tough business.
www.pbentertainmentinc.com
BWW regional writer "Philadelphia/South Jersey"
Updated On: 7/17/06 at 02:01 PM
#9
Posted: 7/17/06 at 2:57pm
I'm proud to say that I do know Mr. McVey and I can vouch for the fact that he is one very fine gentleman with a kind and generous heart. And of course he's a mighty fine performer, too. As of this moment he has a full schedule with solo concerts and concerts with Marvin Hamlisch (with whom he has worked with for at least 13 years) well into 2007. As far as Les Miz is concerned I think Mark mentioned at the time that the good Lord had other plans for him. See you Tuesday night, Mark. G-d Bless...
#10
Posted: 7/17/06 at 5:44pm
ok, Poppy - - will you wear something special so we know who you are tomorrow night???????
#11
Posted: 7/17/06 at 8:09pm
Just watch the front row of spectators...you'll know. Are you the gal who is webmaster of Mark's fan site?
#12
Posted: 7/17/06 at 9:55pm
He was a great Valjean in LES MIZ 
"TO LOVE ANOTHER PERSON IS TO SEE THE FACE OF GOD"- LES MISERABLES---
"THERE'S A SPECIAL KIND OF PEOPLE KNOWN AS SHOW PEOPLE... WE'RE BORN EVERY NIGHT AT HALF HOUR CALL!"--- CURTAINS
#13
Posted: 7/18/06 at 6:41am
Poppy: I admit it - I am. And a wonderfully rewarding job it is!
And a wonderfully rewarding job it is!
#14
Posted: 7/18/06 at 8:25am
how great is that! I saw him in Les Miz and at one of his concerts and he was very 'approachable' - I can't wait to see him again.
#15
Posted: 7/18/06 at 12:12pm
PBEnt: yes, tough business and not a fair business either - of course I don't know of ANY business that is 'fair'. I googled his name but didn't find the article.. 
#16
FYI, United Press International carried the article/brief interview with McVey on May 16,2002 (?) . ( I found this by doing a quick google search under "J Mark McVey Les Miserables". However the link no longer access the article. The interview did not go into any extensive details as to what happened in private discussions, and rightfully so.
As was mentioned J Mark has happily and successfully teamed up with Mr. Hamlisch and all is well. Continued success to him!
Posted: 7/18/06 at 12:46pm
FYI, United Press International carried the article/brief interview with McVey on May 16,2002 (?) . ( I found this by doing a quick google search under "J Mark McVey Les Miserables". However the link no longer access the article. The interview did not go into any extensive details as to what happened in private discussions, and rightfully so.
As was mentioned J Mark has happily and successfully teamed up with Mr. Hamlisch and all is well. Continued success to him!
www.pbentertainmentinc.com
BWW regional writer "Philadelphia/South Jersey"
#17
Posted: 7/18/06 at 1:23pm
Thanks - - I was just curious (morbid curiousity?) - - But, I do see that he is doing solo concerts - not just with Marvin Hamlisch - which I think is great. Saw he did a private concert with the Boston Pops and a couple days later he was with Hamlisch at the Kennedy Center. Not Bad! He is so great in concert - - but, I'd still like to see him back on Broadway in a role that would showcase his talent (like Les Mis did) - JMO
#18
Posted: 7/18/06 at 11:54pm
Just got back from the concert - - totally awesome! Of course it was cut a little short because of the awful storms in the area - - but, it was fantastic all the same. Mark can do it all - - he did a bunch of jazzy things and Christy of course was marvelous. Their two little girls sang and how cute are they! Mark ended the evening with 'Begin the Beguine' - and let me tell you - he is powerful in that song. Totally enjoyed the night! Now I want MORE!
#19
Posted: 7/19/06 at 2:23am
Wow,
I saw this thread title and I was wondering why that name looked familiar, then i started leafing though my cd's and realized I have his solo album, which I bought at a concert of his back home when I was really young. I remember him being very good (good enough to ask my mom to buy me the cd in the lobby, which I wasn't the type to do). I shall have to listen to it sometime soon now.
Akiva
I saw this thread title and I was wondering why that name looked familiar, then i started leafing though my cd's and realized I have his solo album, which I bought at a concert of his back home when I was really young. I remember him being very good (good enough to ask my mom to buy me the cd in the lobby, which I wasn't the type to do). I shall have to listen to it sometime soon now.
Akiva
#20
Posted: 7/19/06 at 3:27am
Akiva: He actually has 3 CDs - - check out his site for the others!
#21
Posted: 7/19/06 at 8:58am
I, too, was there - - the man keeps getting better and better. No, he didn't get to sing Bring Him Home because they had to cut it short as the lightening was getting quite stupendous. But, yes, Begin the Beguine was awesome as was his rendition of 'Unforgetable'. Christy and another female singer did 'In His Eyes' from J&H - great to hear again. But, it was Mark and his versatility in the range of music he sang and his awesome voice that once again blew me away.
So glad the rains held off as long as they did - it was a night to remember!
So glad the rains held off as long as they did - it was a night to remember!
#22
Posted: 7/20/06 at 11:35am
May I add my 2 cents? Well, I'm gonna anyway. I loved this concert - and - I am once again amazed at the range of material he can do - and do it well. From Jazz/scat to pop/rock to standards to broadway - he did it all and was fantastic. I hope he does more concerts around here so I can catch him again.
He and his wife have a wonderful easy rapport on stage which draws the audience in - - very enjoyable - the entire evening.
I loved this concert - and - I am once again amazed at the range of material he can do - and do it well. From Jazz/scat to pop/rock to standards to broadway - he did it all and was fantastic. I hope he does more concerts around here so I can catch him again. He and his wife have a wonderful easy rapport on stage which draws the audience in - - very enjoyable - the entire evening.
#23
Posted: 7/20/06 at 11:45am
Did he sing anything from CHESS? I saw him play Anatoly many years ago off-off-Broadway. Met him afterwards. He seemed to be a very nice man then, too. He was very pleased that 3 rednecks from Mississippi would trek up to NYC just for that show.
#24
Posted: 7/20/06 at 11:57am
This time, no he didn't. He didn't get to do Bring Him Home either (lightening shortened the show a little) - - but, somehow, the show was so rich in variety and the quality of his performance - I didn't miss it. Amazingly, he didn't do any Marvin Hamlisch either - - it was so totally different than anything I've seen him do - and it was awesome. And he definitely is a nice man and his wife is a sweetie.
#25
Posted: 7/20/06 at 1:04pm
Mark is great and a superbly talented man. I did a concert with him back in 1995 and he is an extremely nice person as well.
"For me, THEATRE is an anticipation, an artistic rush, an emotional banquet, a jubilant appreciation, and an exit hopeful of clearer thought and better worlds."
~ an anonymous traveler with Robert Burns
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