The following article was submitted by a young cast member appearing in J*Company’s production of Funny Girl. For the 2012-2013 Season, J*Company is proud to present a tribute to Barbra Streisand featuring productions of FUNNY GIRL, a role that won Streisand her first Oscar for her portrayal of Fanny Brice; YENTL, based on Isaac Bashevis Singer’s tale of a young woman desperate to study the Torah; GYPSY, soon to be revived in a film featuring Ms. Streisand herself; and HELLO, DOLLY!, the story of a modern matchmaker, Dolly Levi, who merrily arranges all sorts of things. All productions take place at the David & Dorothea Garfield Theatre.
By Adira Rosen
LA JOLLA, California — I am happily involved in J*Company’s production of Funny Girl (running October 19th-28th at the Lawrence Family JCC). Funny Girl is the touching story of Fanny Brice, her road to stardom and her relationship with Mr. Nick Arnstein. I started J*Company in 2010 by crewing South Pacific and soon after decided to audition for Fiddler on the Roof in which my mother, Myla Wingard, played the title role of The Fiddler.
Once again, I am in the show with my mother, who is one of the musicians in the live, 14-piece orchestra. In Funny Girl I play the roles of Maude, Dance Ensemble, and Tap Core. This show is extra exciting for me because Maude is my first named role in all the shows I’ve done here at J*Company.
The coolest thing about J*Company is that in addition to it being an amazing theatre company, J*Company also strives to teach all the kids they work with educational lessons about acting and becoming kind, caring leaders in the community. On one of the last shows of the run we vote for the “F.W.A.P.E.R.S” leadership awards which are then awarded at the cast party on closing night. “F.W.A.P.E.R.S” is an acronym that stands for “focus,” “willingness,” “adult appreciation,” “professionalism,” “example,” “respect,” and “support.”
J*Company kids are supposed to embody these traits within the show and in their daily life. This is one of the many lessons that J*Company has taught me and many other kids over its 20 years in the community. My favorite part about performing with J*Company is how professional it is. J*Company in general holds its performers to a very professional level and many of J*Company’s kids are already exploring the world of professional theatre in venues such as the Old Globe and Starlight Theatre in Balboa Park. For me and for a handful of people at J*Company the arts don’t just stop once a J*Co show is done.
I have been so lucky to attended The Creative Performing Media Arts (CPMA) Middle School for the past two years and am currently in my eighth grade year there. CPMA has been another wonderful outlet for me to grow and learn as a performer. All the teachers there have given me so much to take with me and skills that I can put into action at J*Company too!
For this article I was asked to list my favorite musical, but hey, I’m a theatre kid; I don’t just have one favorite musical! But if had to chose my top few, I would probably have to say: Nice Work If You Can Get It, Children of Eden, Shrek The Musical, Hair (haven’t seen the show, but love the music!), Little Shop of Horrors, and of course the big Broadway names: RENT, Wicked, etc. Also my two favorite Broadway stars are Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara. I think both of them are just so talented and people to look up to.
Speaking of people to look up to, our director at J*Company, Joey Landwehr, is a truly amazing person! He is the driving force of J*Company and he honestly works so hard to make us all look incredible on stage and shape us into well-rounded actors and people in our world. Joey has wanted to do a Barbra Streisand season, and specifically Funny Girl, since the day he started working at J*Company. Thanks to our amazing choreographer David Brannen, our wonderful music directors Angie Serrano and Tim McKnight, our costumer Lisa Forrest, all the parents who helped out, and our unbelievable director Joey Landwehr, Funny Girl has been and will continue to be a spectacular show!
Funny Girl runs through October 28 at the Lawrence Family JCC.
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Rosen is an 8th grade student at Creative Performing Arts Middle School
Hi Adira–way to go –so proud of you and the work of J*Company! Wish I could be there to see you and the company performing. I loved reading your article too. Your warm and outgoing personality comes right through in your writing.
Keep on acting and loving what you do!
Much love and hugs always,
Aunt Alexa