Jere Shea

[neddyfrank2]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:27am

What happened to him? It seems that after Passion he did an episode of Law and Order and then two other projects and I haven't heard from him since. Anybody know?

[baddadnpa]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:03am

He needed to shave his chest for a role and its been taking the last few years to get it done.

[Joelbeans]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:45am

I have the hugest crush on him. Ever since I saw the Passion video. But I will never meet him.....Oh woe is me....

[musicalkid]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:58am

I beleieve there has been a thread about him before. you might find the infromation there.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 10:04am

It might be old, but today it's good as new! Hope this might help you out more:

https://forum.broadwayworld.com/readmessage.cfm?thread=877983#2039960

[MisterRussell]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 1:22pm

He and JLY are planning on how best to rest on their laurels for the remainder of time.

[Danielm]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 1:42pm

God, what total bitches. There are a lot of people who are very talented but for one reason or another leave the business. At least he DID have the starring role in a Sondheim show--he was nominated for a Tony and he DID set the hearts of many people that I know aflutter.

What have you all done? Other than type bitchy comments on a message board?

[LoringsGuy]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 2:12pm

Passion was one of the first B'way shows I ever saw, and while it's generally not the type of show I would gravitate toward, I feel SO lucky to have seen the original cast. Donna Murphy was spooky and vivid, but the image that stays with me just as much is the sight of Jere's naked butt as he climbed on top of Marin Mazzie in the opening scene. Yowza!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 2:36pm

That sounds quite yummy LoringsGuy.
As I said in the other thread, Jere Shea sounded great in PASSION and his acting in the filmed performance was fantastic as well if a bit overshadowed by the greatness that Ms.Murphy is. Plus, it doesn't hurt that he's probably the best looking Giorgio in any of the major production (Ravinia, West End, Broadway, and 10th Anniversary concert).
Isn't he teaching now?

[friedrichVT]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 2:44pm

Jere Shea is a sweet man, and a hot one to boot. Had the pleasure of seeing him as Riff in West Side and Billy Flynn in Chicago at Boston College. YOu could tell then he had charisma and talent. A great guy.

[sparrman]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 3:46pm

This brings me to a point that no doubt has been hashed around in another thread already, but here goes: Giorgio really NEEDS to be conventionally handsome. Some may find Michael Cerveris "hot" -- to me, he looks like a space alien -- but I think his appearance was the downfall of his Giorgio.

"Passion" is, to my knowledge, the only retelling of the "Beauty and the Beast" story with the genders reversed. And we don't want Belle to "have a nice personality"...we want her to live up to her name and be beautiful! That's sort of the point of the story: The beautiful person looks beneath the surface ugliness of the other and sees the beauty within.
Updated On: 4/10/07 at 03:46 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:01pm

Michael Cerveris is quite sexy but Giorgio, IMO, should be typically handsome in terms of his physicality. I think there needs to be a solid reason why he'd be arrogant enough to be outraged by Fosca's demands. The moment when they embrace together to make love should be romantic and yet it should have a strong contrast between Fosca's ugliness and Giorgio's beauty. Jere Shea was perfect in that aspect, remember the first person cast in the role was Peter Gallagher who is one of the most handsome Broadway stars. Cerveris is a solid performer but he is not Giorgio in terms of his looks.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 4:37pm

sparrman: I completely agree. Giorgio's supposed to be a sexy boy toy. Though I hated Cerveris's vocal performance as well.

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 5:52pm

I heard he retired from acting and was teaching somewhere... or was that Robert Westenberg?

All those sondheim men are the same to me.

[gettinhep]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 6:12pm

His most recent task has been as fundraiser for the arts. But, he has also been involved in teaching.

This is an excerpt from his website bio at Boston College, his alma mater:

"...Mr. Shea, a former Special Advisor to Governor Paul Cellucci, also offers Speech and Presentation Skills Training to individuals in the world of business and politics. He has served on the faculty of Emerson College, and is a frequent guest lecturer at his alma mater, Boston College, the College of the Holy Cross, and St. Paul’s School in Concord, NH."

Updated On: 4/10/07 at 06:12 PM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 7:59pm

Westenberg teaches too as another Sondheim alumnus, but at least we got to see him in 3 of his shows.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 8:06pm

Even Monoel Felciano, hardly a Sondheim veteran like Robert Westenberg, has been teaching classes recently.

[JB Fan]

Posted: 4/10/07 at 9:48pm

MisterRussel wrote:

"He and JLY are planning on how best to rest on their laurels for the remainder of time. "

Not sure what JLY has to do with Jere Shea...and I am confused by this statement.

JLY is an amazing actor and singer, and is still on Broadway in a HIT show. I can think of other actors who left the business who would make more sense in this statement...however, Jere Shea did not win the Tony, and he was in PASSION, which was criticallly successful and also won many awards, it did not however have the outstanding financial success that JERSEY BOYS has.

Jere was a shy guy, who wanted out of the business, it was his choice to leave...not the lack of work (like many I can think of, others include MaryAnn Punkett from ME AND MY GIRL and SUNDAY....GEORGE) people who chose to leave NYC to live a life that did not constantly include theatre or seaking acting work. It was his choice to leave, not the industy's choice.

JLY will do well for as long as he chooses and judging by his constant reaching out to fans, his website and blog where he talks about theatre he sees and admires as well as the good causes he chooses to donate to, he seems to be doing more than JERSEY BOYS. He has high profile representatives and has been appearing in other venues (he sang "Never Will I Marry" at Broadway Unplugged last fall, and showed a wonderful legit voice and a range we never hear in JERSEY BOYS, it proved to me he has much more than Frankie in him).

For whatever reason you choose to assume that JLY will fall into obscurity, I do not and cannot see why you would think that. He is CERTAINLY NOT resting on his laurels (and neither was Jere Shea).

Definition: "Resting on one's laurels-refers to someone relying on their past success to cover up their current shoddy efforts".

I think the main difference to point out is this: Jere Shea did not like the limelight, and chose to lead a quite life, while JLY is out there in public, online, and at many opening nights in the public eye, and also gets out there to promote other things...read his blog. This does not strike me as someone who has any intention of resting on his laurels. Jere Shea also does not, he simply decided to not be an actor anymore. If he were resting on his laurels, he would be coming to Broadway openings, getting photo ops, going to auditions, and would be out in the public eye saying "I am here, remember me from PASSION?" He isn't he left the business.

Neither are resting on their laurels...one left the business and one is still actively in the business.

MisterRussell, have you even seen JERSEY BOYS? One viewing proves how hard that actor works!