VIEW THE TRAILER FOR THE PLAYERS RING PRODUCTION HERE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=al1vak_oPUI
A few months agoI went to see Ernest Thompson (who is of course the author of On Golden Pond) perform his superb one-man show, Archie Parish’s Parting Words. After the show, I went backstage to congratulate him. He looked down at me — and when I say “down,” I mean Ernest stands about a foot taller than I do — and said:
“When are you going to do yours?”
Well. When Ernest Thompson throws down a challenge like that, you’d better pay attention.
So here we are.
The show is called Almost Almost Famous: A Life on the Verge of the Verge. I’ll be taking the stage, not alone, but accompanied by the brilliantly talented pianist and performer Jon Abrams. Together, we’ll attempt to make some sense, in story and song, of whatever the hell it is I’ve been doing since the 1970s.
I am a director, a producer, and a playwright. I’ve written more than thirty full-length plays, countless shorter works, and scripts for kids and families that have found stages across North America, Europe, and even Australia. Now, with friendly impetus from Ernest, I step onstage myself and hope I remember what life was like when I was an actor and a singer. Hey, it’s showbiz. Whatever pays the bills.
The evening features songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, Johnny Mercer, Hoagy Carmichael, Frank Loesser, Barry Manilow, and a young upstart named Sondheim. I briefly considered adding rap or hip-hop, but I don’t think my blood pressure medication could handle it…
As for Jon Abrams: He teaches music in the Lowell area to private students, and serves as Music Director at Messiah Lutheran Church in Amherst, NH. He also performs throughout New England as a pianist and music director for theatre productions, wedding and event bands, and dueling piano shows. His repertoire spans Broadway, jazz, classical, classic rock, and the Great American Songbook — with a particular affection for Billy Joel and Elton John.
TO BOOK THE SHOW, PLEASE CONTACT ME AT jacknearysplays@gmail.com OR CALL 978-853-9620
SOME TESTIMONIALS FROM THE AUDIENCE
Tommy Carnes
Jack Neary's Almost Almost Famous is a hilarious, heartfelt, and utterly disarming look into his unconventional life. With the ease of a veteran storyteller and the raw honesty of someone who's paid his dues one laugh at a time, Neary takes the audience on a victory lap of his life. It is nothing short of a privilege to be along for the ride. The show moves effortlessly from gut-busting comedy to moments of genuine, aching tenderness, sometimes within the same breath. This is the kind of performance that stays with you long after the lights come up.
Ashley Risteen
"I've had the joy of working with Jack Neary many times over the years; but seeing him take the stage in ALMOST ALMOST FAMOUS was truly like getting to meet the whole bright, beating heart behind the plays. The show is part memoir, part concert, part comedy set, part love letter to a lifetime in the theatre- and somehow, all of it is unmistakably Jack. The show lets us spend an evening with him at his most present and generous as he takes us through a life spent writing, acting, directing, collaborating, remembering, and loving this strange, impossible art form. ALMOST ALMOST FAMOUS is the Jack-Neary-est show imaginable, in the best possible way. It's a celebration of theatre, friendship, love, and the stubborn, joyful devotion it takes to spend a life making things. I was delighted and grateful I got to be in the room."
Cheryl McMahon-Fraser
So much heart and history in Jack’s show - the self-deprecating humor, a Jack Neary trademark- wrapped up with Jon Abram’s skill at the piano, and Jack’s top-notch crooning. See this if you want to laugh and cry.
Christine Petrucci
Thank you, Jack for yet another fine performance! We laughed, cried, and empathized. Your vocal selections were just the right medicine. Kudos to Jon for his piano playing and musicianship!