Jere Shea — Page 3

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#51

Jere Shea

Posted: 3/28/06 at 11:14pm

Sorry roninjoey, I know the love-fest that surrounds LuPone and Cervis, but Passion is probably my favorite Sondheim score, I couldn't bear more than 15 minutes of that concert - even Clara (sorry, her name escapes me right now) seemed awful to me...

#52

Jere Shea

Posted: 3/28/06 at 11:17pm

If anything, Audra was I think the best part of the concert!

#53

Jere Shea

Posted: 3/28/06 at 11:21pm

Audra? You couldn't bear Audra??

I liked her better than Marin, though I do think for that particular threesome, Clara was too likeable. That was really my only gripe with Audra's performance. I thought she sounded lovely though.

"This ocean runs more dark and deep than you may think you know...I'll be the fear of the fire at sea." -Marie Christine

#54

Jere Shea

Posted: 3/29/06 at 12:12am

Audra is a great performer, but the role of Clara belongs to Marin Mazzie, in my opinion. I haven't seen anyone bring what Mazzie brought to the character with so little dialogue, she was just seamless.
Of the four major actresses that I know have played Fosca, I believe no one has come close to match Donna Murphy's performance (I only know Friedman's from the recording). Donna WAS Fosca, there is no way around it, what she did on that stage was indescribable, and everyone was just mesmerized by her. LuPone is a fantastic performer but she was not Fosca. However, I believe the worst Fosca (at least on recording) has to be Maria Friedman who seemed to be misdirected and provided a rather laughable performance.
Jere Shea in my opinion beats both Michael Cerveris and Michael Ball.

Updated On: 3/29/06 at 12:12 AM

#55

Jere Shea

Posted: 3/29/06 at 12:21am

FoscasBohemianDream: I totally agree with you...

I saw Passion the day before the Tony Awards. I'm a huge ALW fan and was never too enamored with Sondheim. Seeing that performance though with Donna Murphy and Jere Shea - it truly haunted me, stayed in my subconcious for months. The intensity and raw emotion of that piece, didn't initially engage me, it was that it in a sense stayed with me for so long that really made me love this piece and is why I'm thrilled they preserved it on DVD

As for Friedman, like I said earlier - I loved her in WIW - her "All for Laura" was so incredibly intense. But listening to her recording of Passion, she just seems to misdirecting her intensity and over-acting. The dialogue with Giorgio seems so overblown. Murphy's subtleties are still impressed in my mind and are still heartbreaking to remember...

LuPone, well, I know there are fans of her's here, so I'll just leave it that she ranks third among these three ladies in my book...

#56

Jere Shea

Posted: 3/29/06 at 12:24am

I think Clara is supposed to be beautiful but dull, and I think Marin fit that to a tee, so I think she is better for the role. Audra was too interesting.

I'm not saying that MARIN is dull, but her Clara was.

"This ocean runs more dark and deep than you may think you know...I'll be the fear of the fire at sea." -Marie Christine

#57

Jere Shea

Posted: 3/29/06 at 3:11am

I wouldn't say Clara is dull as much as she is a woman who has ties and is more pragmatic than someone as passionate as Fosca. Marin Mazzie was able to show a woman who was very sexual and happy at times, yet very frustrated by her situation in life (aging, unhappy marriage, long distance illicit relationship). I would argue (and this is only my opinion as we each get a personal impression on the characters) that it is not Clara who is dull but that it is her and Giorgio's relationship that is dull. There is a sexual passion between them, but Giorgio and Fosca reach a much intense climax in their fights than Giorgio and Clara reach in their sexual encounters. Audra's performance didn't allow me to get all the layers of Clara like Mazzie did.
I admire Friedman, she was the only reason why I returned to the second act of Woman in White, but her Fosca is just unbelievable to a point that you just have to laugh at her. Even her scream after "I Wish I Could Forget You" (a scream that Donna Murphy mastered and turned into the most haunting sound)loses all sense of torment.

#58

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 3/29/06 at 3:21am

PASSION is a unique show that always seems to divide audiences.

There is no single correct way to play Fosca or Giorgio or Clara.
I thought the original cast were superb. I also liked the cast at Kennedy Centre (Cerveris, Judy Kuhn and Rebecca Luker) and I thought Audra McDonald really made Clara come to life in the concert. In time there will be more PASSIONS and perhaps in 10 or 20 years a new set of performers will put a new spin on it.

It may never be anyone's favourite Sondheim musical, but it is still being discused and argued about 12 years after its premiere.

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

I host a weekly one-hour radio program featuring cast album selections as well as songs by cabaret, jazz and theatre artists. The program, FRONT ROW CENTRE is heard Sundays 9 to 10 am and also Saturdays from 8 to 9 am (eastern times) on www.proudfm.com

#59

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 3/29/06 at 6:57pm

I agree that there's not a specific way to play the characters in Passion. I believe I am biased in my judgment of other productions after the original since I was so impacted by the original cast (I was young too so that created a romanticized version of the experience in my mind). I do stand by my statement that Donna Murphy is the ultimate Fosca simply because I believe Fosca was inside her skin, it was just such a divine performance. Also, I'm gonna add that while Jere Shea's performance in the DVD is good, (predictably, given a recording never truly captures the power of a live show) his performance during the run of the show seemed more nuanced and more powerful.

#60

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 3/29/06 at 9:36pm

i don't really feel like giving in a whole detailed opinion so i'll just but an abbreviated version of my 2 cents :)

original cast = MUCH better than concert version.

Audra = enjoyable
Michael = enjoyable
Patti = not very enjoyable...

Did I mention that Patti Lupone is my hero? I'M SORRY PATTI!

#61

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 3/29/06 at 9:41pm

I enjoyed Patti's version of Fosca. That said, it PALES PALES PALES in comparison to Donna Murphy's. Patti's Fosca just wasn't vulnerable enough for me. She left me a bit cold.

It's a tough role though, especially when Donna Murphy's is avalible on video for everyone to see. How does one even attempt to perform the role as sucessfully without thinking back to her portrayal?

"This ocean runs more dark and deep than you may think you know...I'll be the fear of the fire at sea." -Marie Christine

#62

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:26pm

Ohhh, if someone should know it's you, buffyactsing.
I believe for the actress playing Fosca it must be so tough not to imitate Fosca and still provide an effective performance. That's why I'm not sure a revival of the show should be done unless there is a new directing concept that changes the way the role has been done.
Are there any actors you guys feel are ready to tackle the three major roles of this show?

#63

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 3/29/06 at 10:40pm

"Enchanted, while most of the time I don't agree with you, I am still fascinated by you."

I have that effect on people. It's my cross to bear.

Tootie 'The Most Horrible' Smith
St. Louis, MO

#64

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 4/10/06 at 9:58pm

Ahh, the genius that is the search option...

So, I too was wondering about Jere Shea and why he just seemed to fall off the face of the earth after "Passion". I love this show and the more I review the DVD, the more I realize how incredibly talented (and hot) he was, and it's such a bummer that he's not really around anymore!

The PBS concert version isn't available for purchase, is it?

#65

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 6/30/06 at 2:24pm

Hmm seems he ended up like Robert W. who is yet another sondheim alumni, more of a regular being in Into the woods and Sunday in the park with george.

Someone else stated he was in the tour of The Full Monty and now he teaches theatre at Drury University in Springfield, Missouri.

#66

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 6/30/06 at 2:26pm

"The PBS concert version isn't available for purchase, is it?"

To the best of my knowledge, it is not.

"Of course there is the castle - the ruined castle. I find it lovely. Probably because it's ruined, I suppose." - Passion

#67

Jere Shea - PASSION

Posted: 6/30/06 at 3:12pm

No, it's not available on DVD. I happened to have a friend who taped it, and I absolutley loved it.

I love Audra McDonald, but in my opinion, the role is Marin Mazzie's. However, I adored Patti as Fosca as much as I enjoyed Donna Murphy and I liked Cerveris even better than Jere Shea.

Bottom line - it's one of my favorite shows ever. I wish I could get my hands on a copy of the 10 year anniversary concert now!!!

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