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[RobertArmin] Good evening and welcome to the Fynsworth Alley chat room. [RobertArmin] Tonight my guest is a popular Broadway favorite, character actor Jonathan Freeman. [RobertArmin] You may have seen him in the recent revivals of 42nd Street or On the Town or She Loves Me (for which he was nominated for a Tony Award) [RobertArmin] Also How To Succeed in Business, A Class Act (at Manhattan Theatre Club only) and Platinum! [RobertArmin] Platinum with Alexis Smith... [RobertArmin] That's enough to get started. [RobertArmin] Good evening, Jonathan. [JonathanFreeman] Hi, Robert [JonathanFreeman] This is weird... [RobertArmin] It's a bit weird because Jonathan doesn't type. And at the moment I am typing for both of us... [JonathanFreeman] My secretary didn't show up! [JonathanFreeman] Yet [RobertArmin] Jonathan, one thing that keeps you busy a lot is your voice over work. [RobertArmin] You have been the voice of Jafar in both the movie and the TV series of Aladdin and many other shows. [RobertArmin] What is the experience like doing voice only for cartoons? [JonathanFreeman] It's pretty much the same as preparing for any other project. [JonathanFreeman] Except with animated stuff, in the best of circumstances, you have an image to begin with of the character, so it's a bit like having a springboard -- you just fill in the blanks [JonathanFreeman] In the case of Jafar, you have only to look at his opiated, drug-addicted eyes, heavy lids, curling lips, long sunken face [RobertArmin] Opiated eyes in a DISNEY FILM!!! [RobertArmin] Hmmmm [JonathanFreeman] and it's pretty easy to come us with something. [JonathanFreeman] Well, yes, they didn't tell me that, but if you look at the original sketches, it was all there [JonathanFreeman] And then there's a brief moment in Jafar's rooms when the camera is tracking across the room and you see a hookah burning next to his stack of cushions where he has been reclining [JonathanFreeman] and you see the smoke from the hookah wafting across the room... [JonathanFreeman] so what do you think, Robert? [RobertArmin] I am reminded of when they censored a Mighty Mouse cartoon because he sniffed a flower and some people claimed it was drug related! [JonathanFreeman] Oh come on! [RobertArmin] It's true. [RobertArmin] But let's get to Broadway. If any one has any questions feel free to jump in. [RobertArmin] What was your first Broadway or New York show? [JonathanFreeman] My first New York show was a production of The Miser off Broadway in 1972. [RobertArmin] Where was that? [JonathanFreeman] At the Greenwich Mews, which no longer exists. [RobertArmin] And your first Broadway show? [JonathanFreeman] That was Sherlock Holmes with the RSC Company. I took over when the Americans came in. I was doing it with Clive Revill, John Neville and then, finally, Robert Stephens at the end... who I thought was sensational. I really loved working with him. [JonathanFreeman] And unfortunately, I can't remember who was playing Moriarty. His name has gone out of my head. [RobertArmin] evebarbaraella asks: Jonathan, have you played Captain Hook again since you graduated from OU? (My favorite that you performed there.) [JonathanFreeman] Who are you? [JonathanFreeman] Reveal yourself. Oh, my mysterious lady? [RobertArmin] Of course, you did play Hook on the Peter Pan album available from Fynsworth... [JonathanFreeman] And I did it in 1997 at the Austin Musical Theatre [RobertArmin] Who was your Peter Pan? [JonathanFreeman] Kristi Lyons. [JonathanFreeman] We had just finished doing How To Succeed together. [JonathanFreeman] She stood by for Megan Mullalley and Sarah Jessica Parker. [RobertArmin] That's a great role for you. Have you been in contact with Cathy Rigby's company. I know they are planning one last tour. [JonathanFreeman] I went in and met them the last time they went into production but I'm not sure that they liked me. [JonathanFreeman] The first thing I wanted to know was why they weren't doing “Mysterious Lady”... [JonathanFreeman] and they said that kids hated it. [RobertArmin] And of course, Cathy probably couldn't sing it. [JonathanFreeman] I'm sure she could sing it. It's a joke. It's a fake coloratura and that's part of the fun of it [RobertArmin] Of course, it made more sense with Mary Martin though, because Jule Styne was purposely taking advantage of Mary's high voice that she seldom got to use. [RobertArmin] It is a bit silly having a boy sing in an operatic moment [JonathanFreeman] True, but even a real boy would be great at it [JonathanFreeman] And the thing is, it's the only time the two have a number together and THAT'S why kids love it. [RobertArmin] It is amazing that that IS the only song they have together. [RobertArmin] In answer to your earlier question, evebarbaraella says: A former classmate of yours. We did a scene from "Liliom" for acting class. [JonathanFreeman] Are you sure? [JonathanFreeman] Liliom? [JonathanFreeman] A former classmate? Hmmmm [JonathanFreeman] I guess I'm too old, I'm drawing a blank. She probably hates me now. [RobertArmin] Ah, who could hate you? [RobertArmin] Well, welcome, Eve. [RobertArmin] You've got Jonathan thinking... [JonathanFreeman] I'm stumped. [RobertArmin] evebarbaraella adds: Actually it's Barbe. [JonathanFreeman] Like the doll? [RobertArmin] a living one, I'm sure [RobertArmin] FranklinShepardInc asks: Mr. Freeman, I love you on the Collette Collage CD - did you ever get a chance to do that on stage? [JonathanFreeman] No, but I loved working on it. [JonathanFreeman] And I loved working with Schmidt and Jones. They were unbelievably nice to me. And I got to sing a duet with Judy Blazer, so that was thrilling for me. [RobertArmin] Both Judy and Tom Jones have been chat guests here. They're both terrific people. [RobertArmin] I'm still hoping to get Harvey Schmidt... I should get around to asking him (that might help) [RobertArmin] evebarbaraella adds: Sort of. Actually I was in "The Mirrorman" at OU and played the doll. [JonathanFreeman] I have no clue what The Mirrorman is. Are you sure you don't have me mixed up with someone else? What the hell is The Mirrorman? [RobertArmin] Well, you made a career out of many hit Broadway revivals, but what are your favorite shows that you got to create from scratch? [RobertArmin] You were in A Class Act at Manhattan Theatre Club where you played Lehman Engel. [RobertArmin] When the show went to Broadway, unfortunately, you went to 42nd Street. [RobertArmin] Unfortunate for A Class Act, but not for 42nd Street. [JonathanFreeman] That's very kind of you. [RobertArmin] Think nothing of it. [JonathanFreeman] It was really a financial consideration at the time. [JonathanFreeman] I had had a couple years of making "art" and I needed to be sure I could make some money [JonathanFreeman] and that's really all it was... [JonathanFreeman] I was really fond of playing Lehman Engel. [JonathanFreeman] And was sorry not to go on with it. [RobertArmin] Fortunately, the cast album was made of the off-Broadway cast, so you are preserved in wax (?). [JonathanFreeman] The other show that didn't work out in the end, but I am still convinced was a very good play... [JonathanFreeman] was An Empty Plate at the Cafe Du Grand Boeuf with George Wendt and directed by John Rando at Primary Stages [JonathanFreeman] I had done it originally two years before at the Berkshire Theatre Festival [JonathanFreeman] I loved that character of Claude [JonathanFreeman] It seems that a lot of the new stuff I've done kind of flounders and evaporates [JonathanFreeman] I did a play in 1989 by Eric Overmeyer called In A Pig's Valise [JonathanFreeman] directed by Graciela Daniele [RobertArmin] flyinghand adds: How about Zoot Alor [RobertArmin] Which was Jonathan's character in In A Pig's Valise. [JonathanFreeman] I loved that character. That was a crazy character. He taught fake French accents [JonathanFreeman] That was what he did. He didn't teach French, he taught French accents [JonathanFreeman] It was with Nathan Lane, Reg Cathay [RobertArmin] flyinghand adds: You were magnifique [JonathanFreeman] I can't believe that anyone even remembers that character. It was so bizarre. He was really around the twist. [JonathanFreeman] In fact, Nathan used to say he was going to call the ozone police on me. [JonathanFreeman] Because of the amount of hairspray used to get all my hair up to do this play [JonathanFreeman] We have to get off this play, it was so long ago. [RobertArmin] I'm having a bit of trouble adding some of your questions [RobertArmin] A bit of trouble with the keyboard but I'll have it in a moment. [RobertArmin] Several people have asked what you are working on now. [JonathanFreeman] I just started a new character for a Disney series called "AMERICAN DRAGON". [JonathanFreeman] My character's name is Eli Pandarus. [JonathanFreeman] And, I'm in development with a project I am very excited about. [JonathanFreeman] Not just for me and my partners but for New York City as well [JonathanFreeman] It's called the Flexitoon Puppet Theatre [JonathanFreeman] If you think about it, NYC is the cultural capital of the world, I think, and it has everything [JonathanFreeman] sometimes 1,000 of everything [JonathanFreeman] except it doesn't have a puppet theatre [RobertArmin] There used to be a nice puppet theatre in Central Park... [JonathanFreeman] That is to say, a permanent professional repertory puppet theatre, like Salzburg, Prague, the Bunraku, [JonathanFreeman] etc. [RobertArmin] I see what you mean [RobertArmin] So is this on TV or live? [JonathanFreeman] No, this is a live theatre [JonathanFreeman] I've been working with Flexitoon puppets for over twenty years [JonathanFreeman] on award winning television shows, like Shining Time Station, and the Flexitoon Puppet Theatre is basically something we have been waiting to do most of our lives [RobertArmin] Do you perform live or is your voice pre-recorded? [JonathanFreeman] We perform live. [RobertArmin] Are you a puppeteer, too? [JonathanFreeman] Yes [JonathanFreeman] Yes, when I first moved to NY in the early 70's I was in residence at the Bil Baird Marionette Theatre [RobertArmin] Oh, that's so great. [JonathanFreeman] and that is where I first met one of my partners for Flexitoon [JonathanFreeman] Her name is Olga Felgamacher [JonathanFreeman] probably the best marionette puppeteer in the United States, at least. [RobertArmin] This was something I didn't know about you. That's how I first got interested in show biz -- as a puppeteer [JonathanFreeman] I think a lot of people get into show business the same way. [RobertArmin] I started with marionettes and moved into ventriloquism when I was 11. [JonathanFreeman] One of our other partners, Craig Marin, also started as a kid with puppets [RobertArmin] And then into acting. [JonathanFreeman] Craig is a great ventriloquist and puppeteer and is really the creative "HEAD" of Flexitoon. [RobertArmin] carmel writes: i read somewhere you guys did Shining time station [JonathanFreeman] I just mentioned that [JonathanFreeman] We did it for six seasons [RobertArmin] Sorry, that question was posted before you said that, but I was slow in transferring it... my bad. [JonathanFreeman] In addition to Shining Time Stations Specials and several other specials and pilot projects for various networks [JonathanFreeman] but we kind of burned out on TVLand [JonathanFreeman] And have been dying to get back to live puppet theatre [JonathanFreeman] Flexitoon Puppet Theater will be a brand known for it's quality and content. [RobertArmin] Now that sound like a promotional announcement if I ever heard one! [JonathanFreeman] We're planning on our season having shows for families, kids, and I want to do an adult puppet show like at midnight on Friday and Saturdays [RobertArmin] evebarbaraella asks: Will we ever see you in "Remember WENN" on video? I was so disappointed when that show went off the air. [JonathanFreeman] I don’t know [RobertArmin] There's talk about Rupert Holmes creating a stage musical version of the show. [RobertArmin] But he's got so many projects going at once. [JonathanFreeman] Tell him to hurry, will someone please tell him to hurry [JonathanFreeman] I'd love to work with him again [RobertArmin] He is one of the true Renaissance men of theatre and TV and music, etc. [RobertArmin] Amazing talent [JonathanFreeman] What he said! [RobertArmin] sopbroadway: i just got to this chat, has someone asked how you got started in voice over work? [JonathanFreeman] Ummm! I guess the first stuff that I did was for commercials [JonathanFreeman] I did some animated voice overs for an early pilot in 1972. [JonathanFreeman] Called unfortunately the DIPSY DOODLE SHOW [JonathanFreeman] And I did a lot of puppet voices of course at Bil Baird's Theatre [JonathanFreeman] and he always had TV stuff and film stuff going on too [JonathanFreeman] So, puppet stuff is sort of like doing a voice over though you're also activating the character. [RobertArmin] I guess we should talk a bit about some of your recordings... self serving message here. [RobertArmin] There's a new recording with Nathan Lane of the score of Sherry, a flop musical version of the The Who Came to Dinner, written by James Lipton of Actors Studio fame. [RobertArmin] However, the definitive recording of the title song, Sherry, was actually performed by YOU and Christine Baranski here on our Unsung Musicals recording [JonathanFreeman] In 1993 [RobertArmin] Yes. And it is probably one of my ten most favorite recordings of a lost Broadway song! [RobertArmin] That one track is probably what inspired the new recording. [JonathanFreeman] You're very kind. [JonathanFreeman] I loved working on it. And, [JonathanFreeman] at the time, his daughter, George Kaufman’s daughter, Ann Kaufman Schneider, asked me if I would like to do a production some time [JonathanFreeman] Actually, it was at Bobby Lewis's 80th Birthday party [JonathanFreeman] And, I said, I'd love to. Why isn't it ever done? [JonathanFreeman] And she gave me a very complicated history about Clive Revill having a lot of problems out of town [RobertArmin] And, of course, George Sanders before that. [JonathanFreeman] That's right, he replaced George [RobertArmin] When I was at BMG I discovered that they still had the artwork for both the George Sanders cast album and the Clive Revill cast album, but of course neither ever got made. [JonathanFreeman] I know, it is a shame because I think it is such a great play [JonathanFreeman] I can't imagine that an adaptation couldn't be made successful. [RobertArmin] Let's take a moment to give away a free CD. [RobertArmin] We have a special Broadway Valentine album that we'll give away first. [RobertArmin] So, Jonathan, have you a trivia question we can ask? [JonathanFreeman] Ok, ok this is fun [JonathanFreeman] Ok, since it is for valentine's day [JonathanFreeman] Does anyone know, who played the part that I played in She Loves Me originally, that is to say the original head waiter at the Cafe Imperiale? [RobertArmin] That's a toughy, but I think I know [JonathanFreeman] It's a man that I met years earlier in 1981 when I was playing Hubert, the valet, to the valet of the Student Prince, played by Jack Gilford. [JonathanFreeman] And, this guy was also in The Student Prince and one of Jack Gilford's best friends. [RobertArmin] We've had two wrong answers. [RobertArmin] Ah hah! [RobertArmin] FranklinShepardInc comes through again! [RobertArmin] Woody Romoff [RobertArmin] We'll send you the Broadway Valentine album. [JonathanFreeman] Franklin, do you know who Woody's brother is? [RobertArmin] sopbroadway mentioned Jack Cassidy, but Cassidy played Kodaly. [RobertArmin] Yes, I met him when I was directing Say, Darling. [JonathanFreeman] Colin Romoff, a well known conductor, musical director and great friend to the Loesser family [RobertArmin] I posted my answer before you posted your statement. I meant I met Colin Romoff -- [RobertArmin] who appeared in Say, Darling with Peter Howard as a backup musician for Vivian Blaine. [JonathanFreeman] He is a character, too. And Woody has a nephew who is a bass player who was in the orchestra of On The Town, the Broadway revival I did. [JonathanFreeman] I hope I'm not wrong about that. [RobertArmin] Franklin adds: I never heard of Colin Romoff! You learn something everyday. [RobertArmin] flyinghand writes: Please ask Jon if he ever worked at the Mutual Media Broadcasting System when he was a kid. [JonathanFreeman] LOL [RobertArmin] He's still laughing [JonathanFreeman] What was the question? [JonathanFreeman] No, but I spent many happy hours watching the Captain Kevin Show that was produced by the Mutual Media Broadcasting System [JonathanFreeman] Who are these people? [RobertArmin] We have many mysterious people from your past... [RobertArmin] Jonathan Freeman, this is your life! [RobertArmin] flyinghand says his name is Howard Bacaaazeo [JonathanFreeman] Howard Bacaazeo is a very important film archivist. [JonathanFreeman] This is crazy. [RobertArmin] You are a popular guy, Jonathan [RobertArmin] sopbroadway writes: do you study voice, as in singing lessons? [JonathanFreeman] Yes, [JonathanFreeman] I'm always studying with someone, always coaching material. [JonathanFreeman] trying to find things that no one has ever sung before for auditions. [RobertArmin] evebarbaraella asks: Do you still keep in touch with Helene Leonard and her family? [JonathanFreeman] Yes [JonathanFreeman] I'm on the board of directors for STAGES since 1994 which is a not-for-profit children's theatre on LI [RobertArmin] Long Island [RobertArmin] Why don't we give away another CD [JonathanFreeman] Let's give away PETER PAN, yeah [RobertArmin] Yeah, you play Captain Hook on that one. [RobertArmin] Why don't we ask a simple one this time. [JonathanFreeman] Who played the lead in the 1999 concert version of SAIL AWAY? [RobertArmin] Now that should be pretty easy. [RobertArmin] She was the only person to ever play the role, I think. [RobertArmin] carmel has the answer. [RobertArmin] Elaine Stritch [RobertArmin] And the London cast recording is, of course, available right here. [RobertArmin] carmel, send your name and address to Fynsworth@showmusic.com and we'll send you the Peter Pan compilation. [RobertArmin] Before we wrap this, are there any roles that you would to play in the future? Or any particular roles you haven't mentioned from the past? [JonathanFreeman] I am dying to play something brand new, as always. [JonathanFreeman] I would love to do Claudius in FORTINBRAS again [RobertArmin] You were in the original world premiere production. [JonathanFreeman] I'd love to play Hook again before I get too old. [RobertArmin] Well, you're a young man. [RobertArmin] With a loooooong career ahead of you. [RobertArmin] Thank you so much for joining us tonight. I'm not sure who my guest next week will be... But stop by and visit. [RobertArmin] Jonathan, let's keep in touch, you're doing some very interesting projects. [JonathanFreeman] Thanks, Robert, thanks for having me. It's been a pleasure. [RobertArmin] Good night everyone. See you soon. [JonathanFreeman] Wait, let me give you my website address: it's www.jonathan-freeman.com | |
