Under the inspired leadership of Steve Maler, BabsonARTS pulled off a major coup in bringing Broadway, film and TV star, Jeremy Jordan to the Babson Wellesly campus for a night of his solo concert entitled "Breaking Character." I reviewed an earlier version of this concert when Jeremy premiered it at 54 Below in NYC I suggest that you take a moment to read the comments that I made after that inaugural concert.
Blog Review of Jeremy Jordan at 54 Below
All of the comments that I made about the 54 Below concert apply to the rendition he gave to Boston area audiences last weekend in Wellesley. Much of the material was the same, but there were several significant differences. Mr. Jordan has been presenting this concert around the country since last November. As the months and the miles have accumulated, it is clear that Mr. Jordan has become much more comfortable and confident in being himself on stage. In his interactions with his wife, Ashley Spencer, who joined him for several numbers, he was playful. It was clearly that they enjoy performing together and playing off of one another's remarkable vocal gifts.
Another difference is that he was now willing to talk about his experience in playing the lead role of J. M. Barrie in the A.R.T. version of "Finding Neverland." He alluded to the drama surrounding the decision to replace him in that role with Matthew Morrison when the show moved to Broadway. He talked about his summer spent in Cambridge as a time of real growth for him as an artist and as a person. He mentioned the irony of the fact that while playing the role of a man who never really grew up, Jeremy himself did some significant maturing. He talked of his love of playing before Cambridge and Boston audiences, and then he delighted the audience sitting before him with the signature song from that show. His rendition of "Neverland" was the most poignant moment of the evening for me. The song speaks of going to a place where one can escape from pain. Clearly the "Finding Neverland" experience for Jeremy Jordan was one of both triumph and pain, and those conflicting emotions came through loud and clear in his moving rendition of this gorgeous song written by Gary Barlow and Elliott Kennedy.
The audience response was what it should have been - enthusiastic clapping and cheering. It was a special moment in the growing love affair that exists between Mr. Jordan and Boston area audiences. He will be putting together a new concert to be first presented this summer at 54 Below. We all look forward to continuing to watch him grow as an artist as new challenges will await him on Broadway, film and TV projects.
Al
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