Friday, February 29, 2008

Bravo TV star Jai Rodriguez and Tony Award winner Wilson Jermaine Heredia to attend Column Awards

By John Garcia of The Column

In 1996, Broadway was trapped behind a concrete wall that prevented it to reach new, creative artistic originality in its current crop of new musicals. Nothing that was coming down the great white way showed any artistic merit or a hint of raising the "artistic" bar.

One after another, the new musicals lined up at the Rialto, only to be slaughtered by the critics, and audiences steered clearly away from them. During that dry season, we saw such failures as Big: The Musical, State Fair, Swinging on a Star, Chronicle of a Death Unfold, and Victor/Victoria. Only Bring in Da Noise/ Bring in Da Funk survived the slings and arrows of critical slamming.

While Broadway was claiming victim after victim with its musicals, there was a roar coming from Off-Broadway that concerned a new musical called Rent. And as they say, the rest is history.

Wilson Jermaine Heredia

Every once in a while a musical breaks such new ground in the art of musical theater that it completely sweeps the world. That is just the case with Jonathan Larsen's Rent. Larson's rock/pop opera was loosely based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème.

With a young, unknown cast, no special effects, and no big sets, it opened at the Nederlander in 1996 to uproarious critical praise, sold out houses, crowds lining up for miles to get tickets, making the cover of Newsweek, and creating stars out of its young, hip, and talented cast. Rent was groundbreaking to say the least.

Rent took home an armful of Tony Awards, including Best Musical. However, only one thespian from a stage full of powerful actors would take home a Tony Award for his performance - Wilson Jermaine Heredia.

Heredia created the role of "Angel Dumott Schunard", which earned him the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He was also awarded the 1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical.

Heredia would go on to put his creation of "Angel" on celluloid in 2005 when he reprised his role in the Motion Picture version of Rent, directed by Chris Columbus.

So, it is indeed with immense honor that the Executive Director/Producer of The Column Awards and the Board of Directors announce that Mr. Heredia will be their special guest star at the 9th Annual Column Awards, which are Monday March 3, 2008 at the Courtyard Theater in Plano, Texas.

Serving as co-host for The Column Awards for a second year in row is Michael Urie, one of the major stars of the critically praised television comedy series, Ugly Betty.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, Wilson J. Heredia was always surrounded by music. His mother was a seamstress and his father was a super. But they were both very musical. He studied medicine, and thought about advertising, but he realized he had to express himself, so he got into acting. He worked at a railway station in NY before he auditioned for the musical, Rent. He said he needed the $300 a week. Unbeknownst to him, his stint with the hit-musical would bring him popularity as a singer, dancer and actor, and fans from all over the world.

Heredia's film work includes portraying the role of "Cha-Cha" in Flawless, starring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Robert De Niro; and Descent with Rosario Dawson (his Rent film co-star). He has also done guest star turns in such hit Television shows as Without a Trace, Medium, and Law & Order: SVU.

Wilson Jermaine Heredia

He has two new Motion Pictures coming up as well: iMURDERS (with Gabrielle Anwar & William Forsythe) and The Girl from the Naked Eye (with Jason Yee and Samantha Streets).

Executive Director/Producer and Founder of The Column Awards John Garcia stated, "I had fate on my hands when I was able to secure an orchestra seat to see Rent on Broadway that summer weekend after they had just swept the Tony Awards. I couldn't believe it! The entire original cast was in the musical that day. Almost three hours later, I was an emotional wreck, literally sobbing in my seat. No other musical ever moved me like that. It spoke to all sides of me. I'm an actor, I have to work a day job to pay the bills, thereby not able to only focus on my craft. I have loved and lost love, and I have lost so many friends to AIDS over the years."

Garcia went on, "But those performances in Rent. My god, I had never seen such emotional strength, vocal power, and intensity ever on stage like that. Each lead was magnificent, but especially Wilson. To see a Latin actor in a lead on Broadway-well that never happens. As an actor of color, I was overcome with emotion to see someone of my own race on a Broadway stage-at that time the only other Latin star to hit Broadway that made such a deep, personal impact on my life was the great Chita Rivera."

Fate seem to stay with Garcia, because after the show he and his best friend somehow had luck on their side, for they ended up in the outside green room where the entire original cast was resting, relaxing, eating, chatting, or taking a cigarette break. Garcia would stay in that outside green room and proceeded to have private, personal conversations with all the principals, including Mr. Heredia.

"I had a lump in my throat as I tried to express what his work meant to me" Garcia said, "He had this magnetic personality that just drew you to him. He and I had a wonderful, private chat about being Latin in theater, Rent, Jonathan Larsen, and his Tony win from the weekend before. He was just so kind, considerate, funny, and truly charming. Just a beautiful soul that never once dimmed. A month later I wrote to Wilson to thank him for our afternoon backstage chat, and he sent back a beautiful letter that I still have today".

"To have him accept our invitation to come to The Column Awards, it has left me speechless and in a daze for the last couple of days. This is our second star from the original cast of Rent (Anthony Rapp was their special guest star in 2005). How many awards organizations in the United States can say that? And it happens to be the only actor who took home the Tony! It is mind-blowing to say the least. We are all so, so, so excited and deeply honored that he accepted our invitation!" said Garcia.

Jai Rodriguez

Jai Rodriquez, one of the stars of Bravo's Emmy Award winning hit reality show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and who originated the lead role in the off Broadway hit musical, Zanna Don't! has been added to the growing list of celebrities attending this year's Column Awards.

"We had invited Jai earlier last month, but alas his film schedule prevented him from attending," Garcia stated. "But then last night I was informed that his film schedule has changed and that he could come to The Column Awards. We are thrilled to death he's coming!"

Mr. Rodriguez will also be attending the VIP Reception, serve as a guest presenter and perform at the Gala.

"I was severely addicted to QEFTSG! It is so bizarre how life will have roads connect. Jai portrayed the role of "Angel" on Broadway, then when Wilson was coming back to do Rent again, he watched several performances with Jai in the role. Both are really good friends. And if that's not bizarre enough, Michael Urie (co-host of the Gala) and Jai are also very good friends!"

Mr. Rodriguez stated, "I'm a huge supporter of BC/EFA, so I'm honored to help out in any way. I'm really excited about coming to The Column Awards because Michael (Urie) told me I'd have a real blast, so I can't wait!"

A native of Long Island, New York, Jai Rodriguez started his career in entertainment at a young age. Jai was a double threat with acting and natural musical ability. At the age of 11, he began performing with gospel choirs. Jai spent most of his childhood dedicated to improving his talents. His early childhood experiences prepared him greatly for the phenomenal success he would achieve later in life.

Jai studied musical theatre at the BOCES Cultural Arts Center in Long Island, New York. At age 17, he joined the hit Broadway musical RENT as the character Angel. His next major role was in the off-Broadway musical hit Zanna, Don't! In the whimsical tale, Jai plays the lead role Zanna. Jai also starred in the hit Broadway musical, The Producers.

From Rent to Zanna, his success grew at a tremendous rate. Other acting credits include "All My Children," "One Life to Live," "Number One Single," and "The New Guy." Most recently, Jai was a guest star on FX's hit show Nip/Tuck as Chaz, an LA fashionista with a dirty little secret.

Jai Rodriguez

Jai's television & film success inspired him to create his own cabaret at the XL Lounge in New York City titled, "Monday Night Twisted Cabaret." One night, producers from Queer Eye for the Straight Guy caught the show and discovered a perfect fit for their new project. Thus, Jai Rodriguez better known as the "Culture Vulture" was born.

Bravo's hit show Queer Eye for the Straight Guy reached critical acclaim, garnering Jai an Emmy Award for Outstanding Reality Program in 2004 and 2005. As the expert of popular culture on the program, Jai used his skills and social charisma to coach men on everything from working the room in a social setting to feeling comfortable on the dance floor. Jai also received credit as an author for the New York Times bestseller Queer Eye for the Straight Guy's Guide.

When Queer Eye concluded in 2007, Jai joined Daisy Fuentes as co-host of the Style Network's "Ultimate Style." He and Daisy round up the week's top style stories to keep viewers abreast of what's all the rage on the runway, the red carpet and around town.

As a fixture in pop culture Jai has contributed to several magazines. He acted as a contributing editor for People En Español in 2005 and 2006 and for LATINA magazine in 2006. He is currently in the studio finishing up his debut album and has released the first single "Broken" on iTunes.

Pegasus News content partner - The Column

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