Friday, July 07, 2006
A TRULY GLORIOUS MOURNING
Jamie's funeral was yesterday at 11am and it truly was a glorious mourning.
On my way over I was listening to Stephanie Mainvilles cd "Family"(which incidently, the first song on it is the one she played for the "fezziwig dance"). I think the cd made me think of my "theatre family" that Jamie was so quick to welcome me into, and so reassuring that I was indeed, a part of it. We did go to high school together and although we didn't know each other very well he was one of my earliest influences to become a performer. He was on stage a couple of times at high school and absolutely cracked me up. I laughed so hard and it made me forget about all the pressures of school and life that a teenager feels at that age and ...to just be entertained. I remember thinking "Wow, to be able to be in front of all those people and make them laugh...so when we reconnected 2 and a half years ago, and he came to see the evening of plays one being "Trout" that I was in with Bob Vienneau. He later shook my hand offered me praise ,asked if I had fun, and encouraged me to audition for some more plays.
We spoke at the "Somerst Pub" at after Workaoke a few times and had told each other how it would be really nice if we could act together in something. We were in a "Christmas Carol" together. I played Mr Fezziwig and Jamie played Old Joe. Now I am not exactly a "dancer" but while I was learning the "fezziwig dance", Jamie and many others were very encouraging, reassuring, helpful, loving and yeah, that is what helps define a "theatre family". My son age 6, was also in that show and he met Jamie. Jamie told him he was doing a fine job and asked him if he was having fun. He was. My son really thought Jamie's scene was funny and exclaimed to me laughing "Look dad Old Joe just ate some of Scrooge's soup...". Jamie and I were in this show together but never got to act together until...
"The Crucible" I played Giles Corey and Jamie played Hopkins and at this point Jamie was having his cancer treatments and was feeling very tired, bet even so he was as ever... encouraging, complimentary and the list goes on. "Are you having fun?"... The scene we were in together was when I was to be removed from the courtroom and Jamie was the one to remove me. We didn't have lines but boy did we connect the eye contact spoke volumes and he removed me from the courthouse. Backstage we patted each other on the back said thanks to each other but the eye contact said even more. We had our moment to act together and it was a great feeling. The next night the scene on stage went well again but this time backstage when I patted his shoulder his eyes revealed to me something different and it was related to his condition which he later spoke to me about in the dressing room. This was our final rehearsal before opening night. Jamie had to pull out of the show.
Kizzy you are an incredibly strong human being and of course, Jamie and it was truly a beautiful thing that you and Jamie were able to share with us your lives during the whole process of the show.
My wife is a Patient Service Worker at the hospital and came home from work one day and told me Jamie was in the hospital and in one of her rooms. She told me that whenever she was tending to her duties in his room that Jamie would always make a point of thanking her. Kizzy too made her feel very good and appreciated, and as weak as Jamie was getting he always thought of those around him and was appreciative.
I told my son that the cancer germs were making Jamie very sick and asked if he and his sister might like to draw him a picture to help him feel better. My son said Who is Jamie? I said remember he was in Christmas Carol with us. He shook his head no he didn't remember. Then I clued in and said "Old Joe". To which he responded immediatley by describing Jamie's entire scene with the two ladies with Scrooges belongings...and did not hesitate to recruit his sister so they could begin drawing as if on a mission. That too is because Jamie had a beautiful way of touching peoples lives in a way that you don't forget and my son wanted to offer his help for Jamie.
I last spoke to Jamie on June 21st I believe. I visited him at the hospital and told him how he was one of my earliest influences to perform, from way back in the days of 1979-1980. He said very nice things regarding my family, as did Kizzy. He spoke again always so encouraging and once again asked, Are you having fun? I told him I was, we shook hands and our eyes spoke a moment longer, I think to say goodbye.
Jamie passed away July 3, early morning. July 3 was opening night for "Much Ado About Nothing" where I play Leonato. I thought of him often throughout the show but in a most positive way, and in knowing he was no longer suffering.
Wednesday my wife and I went to the funeral home for visitation and I can't quite describe it other than,... something felt really good. Maybe it was looking at the old pictures, seeing my theatre brothers and sisters, seeing Kizzy, seeing Jamies family. I walked up to Jamies coffin and there was a beautiful picture of him placed on it, it felt like he was making eye contact with me and I suddenly felt compelled to answer him aloud... "Yes Jamie I am having fun and I thank you" I was thinking about this before our performance of Much Ado, Wednesday night. My family was there and I felt my theatre brother Jamie was there also, once again offering encouragement.
Thursday was closure with a very nice Hawaiian touch. It was very special for me to sit with my theatre family.
Today is the last performance for Much Ado About Nothing.
Lets have some fun.
I am having FUN!!!
These thoughts are just some that have been running through my mind...
This song for some reason is currently stuck in my head.
"The Morning After"
(Song from "The Poseidon Adventure")
(As recorded by Maureen McGovern)
AL KASHA
JOEL HIRSCHHORN
There's got to be a morning after
If we can hold on thru the night
We have a chance to find the sunshine
Let's keep on looking for the light.
Oh can't you see the morning after?
It's waiting right outside the storm
Why don't we cross the bridge together
And find the place that's safe and warm.
It's not too late, we should be giving
Only with love can we climb
It's not too late, not while we're living
Let's put our hands out in time.
There's got to be a morning after
We're moving closer to the shore
I know we'll be there by tomorrow
And we'll escape the darkness
We won't be searching anymore.
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after).
c) Copyright 1972 by 20th Century Music Corp. & Fox Fanfare Music Inc.
International copyright secured. All rights reserved.
- SONG HITS, Summer 1974.
Why don't you visit this great tribute site to have a glimpse of Jamie Williams.
www.jamieshakeywilliams.com
On my way over I was listening to Stephanie Mainvilles cd "Family"(which incidently, the first song on it is the one she played for the "fezziwig dance"). I think the cd made me think of my "theatre family" that Jamie was so quick to welcome me into, and so reassuring that I was indeed, a part of it. We did go to high school together and although we didn't know each other very well he was one of my earliest influences to become a performer. He was on stage a couple of times at high school and absolutely cracked me up. I laughed so hard and it made me forget about all the pressures of school and life that a teenager feels at that age and ...to just be entertained. I remember thinking "Wow, to be able to be in front of all those people and make them laugh...so when we reconnected 2 and a half years ago, and he came to see the evening of plays one being "Trout" that I was in with Bob Vienneau. He later shook my hand offered me praise ,asked if I had fun, and encouraged me to audition for some more plays.
We spoke at the "Somerst Pub" at after Workaoke a few times and had told each other how it would be really nice if we could act together in something. We were in a "Christmas Carol" together. I played Mr Fezziwig and Jamie played Old Joe. Now I am not exactly a "dancer" but while I was learning the "fezziwig dance", Jamie and many others were very encouraging, reassuring, helpful, loving and yeah, that is what helps define a "theatre family". My son age 6, was also in that show and he met Jamie. Jamie told him he was doing a fine job and asked him if he was having fun. He was. My son really thought Jamie's scene was funny and exclaimed to me laughing "Look dad Old Joe just ate some of Scrooge's soup...". Jamie and I were in this show together but never got to act together until...
"The Crucible" I played Giles Corey and Jamie played Hopkins and at this point Jamie was having his cancer treatments and was feeling very tired, bet even so he was as ever... encouraging, complimentary and the list goes on. "Are you having fun?"... The scene we were in together was when I was to be removed from the courtroom and Jamie was the one to remove me. We didn't have lines but boy did we connect the eye contact spoke volumes and he removed me from the courthouse. Backstage we patted each other on the back said thanks to each other but the eye contact said even more. We had our moment to act together and it was a great feeling. The next night the scene on stage went well again but this time backstage when I patted his shoulder his eyes revealed to me something different and it was related to his condition which he later spoke to me about in the dressing room. This was our final rehearsal before opening night. Jamie had to pull out of the show.
Kizzy you are an incredibly strong human being and of course, Jamie and it was truly a beautiful thing that you and Jamie were able to share with us your lives during the whole process of the show.
My wife is a Patient Service Worker at the hospital and came home from work one day and told me Jamie was in the hospital and in one of her rooms. She told me that whenever she was tending to her duties in his room that Jamie would always make a point of thanking her. Kizzy too made her feel very good and appreciated, and as weak as Jamie was getting he always thought of those around him and was appreciative.
I told my son that the cancer germs were making Jamie very sick and asked if he and his sister might like to draw him a picture to help him feel better. My son said Who is Jamie? I said remember he was in Christmas Carol with us. He shook his head no he didn't remember. Then I clued in and said "Old Joe". To which he responded immediatley by describing Jamie's entire scene with the two ladies with Scrooges belongings...and did not hesitate to recruit his sister so they could begin drawing as if on a mission. That too is because Jamie had a beautiful way of touching peoples lives in a way that you don't forget and my son wanted to offer his help for Jamie.
I last spoke to Jamie on June 21st I believe. I visited him at the hospital and told him how he was one of my earliest influences to perform, from way back in the days of 1979-1980. He said very nice things regarding my family, as did Kizzy. He spoke again always so encouraging and once again asked, Are you having fun? I told him I was, we shook hands and our eyes spoke a moment longer, I think to say goodbye.
Jamie passed away July 3, early morning. July 3 was opening night for "Much Ado About Nothing" where I play Leonato. I thought of him often throughout the show but in a most positive way, and in knowing he was no longer suffering.
Wednesday my wife and I went to the funeral home for visitation and I can't quite describe it other than,... something felt really good. Maybe it was looking at the old pictures, seeing my theatre brothers and sisters, seeing Kizzy, seeing Jamies family. I walked up to Jamies coffin and there was a beautiful picture of him placed on it, it felt like he was making eye contact with me and I suddenly felt compelled to answer him aloud... "Yes Jamie I am having fun and I thank you" I was thinking about this before our performance of Much Ado, Wednesday night. My family was there and I felt my theatre brother Jamie was there also, once again offering encouragement.
Thursday was closure with a very nice Hawaiian touch. It was very special for me to sit with my theatre family.
Today is the last performance for Much Ado About Nothing.
Lets have some fun.
I am having FUN!!!
These thoughts are just some that have been running through my mind...
This song for some reason is currently stuck in my head.
"The Morning After"
(Song from "The Poseidon Adventure")
(As recorded by Maureen McGovern)
AL KASHA
JOEL HIRSCHHORN
There's got to be a morning after
If we can hold on thru the night
We have a chance to find the sunshine
Let's keep on looking for the light.
Oh can't you see the morning after?
It's waiting right outside the storm
Why don't we cross the bridge together
And find the place that's safe and warm.
It's not too late, we should be giving
Only with love can we climb
It's not too late, not while we're living
Let's put our hands out in time.
There's got to be a morning after
We're moving closer to the shore
I know we'll be there by tomorrow
And we'll escape the darkness
We won't be searching anymore.
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after)
There's got to be a morning after
(There's got to be a morning after).
c) Copyright 1972 by 20th Century Music Corp. & Fox Fanfare Music Inc.
International copyright secured. All rights reserved.
- SONG HITS, Summer 1974.
Why don't you visit this great tribute site to have a glimpse of Jamie Williams.
www.jamieshakeywilliams.com
# posted by Gilbert : 8:33 AM
Comments:
<< Home
that was beautiful, Gilbert. Thanks for sharing your story. Jamie was a wonderful person and he indeed touched us all!
# posted by 
: Monday, July 10, 2006 9:21:00 AM
: Monday, July 10, 2006 9:21:00 AM
That was a really great story Gilbert.. thank you. I never know what to say or how to say it, but I think you summed up what most of us feel.
Post a Comment
<< Home
