Good Luck Card Reminder!

Hi there everyone!

This is just a quick reminder that if you would like to send a message in the good luck card to Jessie then they need to be sent to me by the 1st November so I have enough time to sort them out and get the card sent off for the opening night.

Thanks!

Tipperary Mp3's

To complete all the media we received back from the concert in Tipperary, we now have mp3's of all the songs Jessie performed on the night.

All the songs have been put into a zip.file which saves you having to download each song individually. All you need to do is download the folder, open it up or 'unzip' it and you should find all the mp3 files in there!

JESSIE'S SONGS FROM TIPPERARY

Thanks must go to Derrers who stripped the songs from the original video recordings thus producing some very good quality songs indeed. Extremely iPod worthy!

More Tipperary Footage!

This evening brings more good news in the form of the seemingly 'lost' video footage from Tipperary.

I am pleased to be able to bring you filmed recordings of The Man That Got Away as well as All I Ask Of You!

The full length version of The Man That Got Away - really brilliant, in my view.



All I Ask Of You performed with Sean Costello - ditto what I said above!



A big thank you goes to Dawn for recording these. Enjoy them and let us know what you think, perhaps by voting for them in the new poll!

Good Luck Card For Opening Night

Seeing as Jessie has been in rehersals for a week now and opening night will soon be approaching, I've decided it would be a good idea to produce a Good Luck card for Jessie to give her our best wishes as she embarks on her professional theatre career.

If you would like to send your messages in the card to Jessie please email them to me at my address: k_r_cook@hotmail.co.uk. Messages from anyone and everyone are welcome!

As I will be getting the card produced in good time to send it off before the opening night I am setting a deadline of 1st November for all messages to be sent to my email.

If you do want to be involved, think up your message, perhaps make it a little unique and send it to me as soon as possible. I look forward to receiving them!

MP3's Of Songs From Tipperary

We really are being spoilt this weekend with all the goodies the guys have bought back from Tipperary.

Even though at one point we might have thought all was lost when Phantom love song 'All I Ask Of You' and Judy Garland and Jessie classic 'The Man That Got Away' failed to record, we do not need to worry anymore! Derrers was there to save the day and he has produced two great mp3 files and the clarity is brilliant. Just click on the name of the song to download it.

All I Ask Of You

The Man That Got Away

Enjoy!

A Little Round-Up

Hello there everyone!

I hope you're all enjoying a nice, lazy Sunday!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A lot has been happening in the world of Jessie and the Blog recently so I thought I would do a general recao and round-up of all the news and things we've bought to you.

Firstly I, as I'm sure many of you are, am still estatic at the news of Jessie securing a role in Trevor Nunn's production of Sondheim classic, 'A Little Night Music'. Here is the link to the Blog about that: A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC

For those of you who haven't booked tickets yet or would like to find out more about the production as well as the charming venue, click HERE. Tickets are sure to go fast for many reasons, with Jessie being one of the biggest draws and the fact that it is a very small theatre!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Aside from this great news, last weekend saw Jessie give another superb performance at a local concert in Tipperary, Ireland. Fortunately for those of us who could not make it, Roger, Lynne, Derrers and Dawn have been brilliant in giving us all the information, reviews and videos. If you haven't read or seen these yet, you must! It's evidently clear how far Jessie has come since I'd Do Anything and it's certainly great to see.

CLICK HERE FOR THE DIRECT LINK TO THE VIDEOS ON YOUTUBE!

Young Jessie fan Sarah who lives in Ireland also made the trip to Tipperary and here is her write up of the fantastic concert:

"We arrived at the theatre at around 7.30, with 15 minutes before the show started, and we went straight to out seats up in the balcony. I had been scared I would have a bad view of the stage, but I had an excellent view! Soon the compere came out onto the stage and introduced the first act - a group of little boys playing the tin whistle and when they were finished a little choir of girls would do a scene from Oliver with their headteacher. As soon as he said the word Oliver, I knew Jessie would be coming up soon! Sure enough, when "You've got to pick a pocket or two." was over, Jessie emerged from the right of the stage in a fabulous green (what else?) dress, and launched into an amazing performace of "As long as he needs me." If possible, this rendition was better than that of the final of I'd Do Anything, it brought it all back. The song brought tears to my eyes, and I felt angry with the British public again, for not choosing her to be Nancy. The compere shared my anger: when he came to announce the next act he said "She really should have won, shouldn't she?" and the audience expressed their loud agreement. Her next song was "Send in the clowns" which sounded completely different from the version released on this blog a while back: it was much more mature, and much deeper. She also told us of her role in "A Little Night Music" and revealed that rehersals begin on 13/10/08, so she's in there now! After Send in the Clowns was Maybe This Time, from Cabaret. My opinion of the version of this song on I'd Do Anything was that Jessie outperformed the other two, and last night, she was so powerful, the world seemed to stand still, it was captivating. She closed the first half of the show with "Don't rain on my Parade" which ended the act on a light note. She told us that the Drama schools that rejected her, rejected her after singing this song, which was unbelieveable! The compere ended the act with the thoughts of the audience: "I'm sure those Drama Schools are kicking themselves now!"

Jessie performed two duets in the evening, one called "I still believe" from Miss Saigon, in which she was amazing, her suprano side really emerged!! The other duet was with the other special guest of the evening Sean Costello, and the two complimented each other perfectly. Her final solo was her "all time favourite song" by her "all time favourite performer, who inspired her since she was 'yay-high' to follow her dreams, watching the Wizard of Oz." The Man That Got Away was one of the best performances of the night, along with As long as he needs me and Don't Rain on my Parade. Closing the show was a performance from the whole cast: "Theres no business like show business," which was the perfect ending to a perfect night.

I would go again and again if I could, and now, like all the others reading this, am eagerly looking forward to seeing A Little Night Music!

There was only one drawback to the entire night - I didn't get to meet the star herself!!"
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Finally, tomorrow there will be something new and exciting on the Blog for you all to get involved in so please check back then to find out!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
P.S The 16th October marked the Blog's 3rd month birthday, I find it quite unbelievable as it feels like I've been working on this forever, and we've just gained our 27,000 hit and still counting!

Excelling at The Excel – Jessie in Tipperary

Trusty reporter Derrers has written us yet another review and this time it's about Tipperary! Here it is...


The Tipperary Excel Theatre is the latest place to be added to the growing list of venues where the audience can say they were privileged to see a performance by Jessie as she continues onwards and upwards towards stardom. The theatre itself, with its recently refurbished auditorium and its friendly and enthusiastic staff, is a joy to visit. Anyone who ever ventures over to this beautiful part of the world is highly recommended to try and catch a show here.

The show of the night in question was billed as a fundraising concert featuring Jessie and Sean Costello, as well as local operatic favourites. So, when talking my seat, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.

The M.C. for the night was Seamus O’Reilly, and he took to the stage to start off the evening. As previously, I won’t list all the acts due to lack of space here, but should anyone be interested I will make the programme available for download on request. What I will say is that all the acts and soloists were excellent. There was no orchestra, only piano accompaniment being skillfully supplied by Mary Rose McNally, (who was also the M.D.) or pre-recorded backing for a couple of songs. This meant that the soloists could really be heard and appreciated rather than being overpowered by an orchestra, as is sometimes the case.

The first act was a group of small boys from the Monastery C.B.S. Band, followed by some older girls from the St.Joseph’s School Choir. Both groups of children warrant a separate mention as they performed their pieces magnificently and were a credit to their organisations. Indeed, one young girl at the back of the choir appeared to be so happy and confident on the stage, I couldn’t help thinking that I might be witnessing a young Jessie of the future!

A little later in the show, the School Choir reappeared to act out scenes from Oliver! with Kieran Hickey playing a very convincing Fagin. The last scene featured Nancy and that was our first sight of Jessie. She emerged wearing a long dark green gown and, with her hair straight, looked very sophisticated and elegant. She then sang “As Long As He Needs Me”. Because this was the full version, it gave Jessie the opportunity to really live the role and tell the tale rather than just merely sing the song as a lesser performer may do. Jessie portrayed all the indecision and insecurity of Nancy and also her strength and ultimate defiance, to great dramatic effect. It was one of her best and well-rounded performances of ALAHNM that I have seen.

Jessie then left the stage to the other soloists, one of which must get a special mention. That is Emma English who sung “On My Lips”. Emma is a music teacher who has recently been made a Fellow of the London College of Music. She taught Jessie for four years at the Ursuline in Thurles.

A little later Jessie came back briefly to sing a duet with Deirdre O’Connor. They performed “I Still Believe” from Miss Saigon. The two complimented each other perfectly, with Jessie tearing at my heartstrings with the beauty of her voice on some of the more emotionally charged lines.

Jessie reappeared on stage towards the end of the first half of the show and addressed the audience. She said, “I hope you’ve enjoyed the performance so far. No matter how many times I sing, I seem to always get more nervous no matter where I am, whether it’s Hyde Park or the Excel Theatre or the Ursuline I suppose. But the next two songs I’m going to sing is Maybe This Time from Cabaret, and also one of my all-time favourites from a show which I’m actually going into rehearsals for on Monday and it’s called Send in the Clowns from A Little Night Music”.

Jessie opened “Maybe This Time” in a reflective style before progressing to a strong conclusion. Then came her fabulous “Send in the Clowns”. Jessie delivered this employing both power and delicacy, so much so that emotion dripped from every perfect note; simply haunting.

Jessie then briefly handed the stage over to Séan Costello who speaks so softly that it comes as almost a shock – although an extremely pleasant one – when he launches into song with his wonderful and powerful Tenor voice. Séan sang two numbers then brought Jessie back on.

She then introduced what she said was one of her favourite songs, despite failing to get into drama school when performing it at audition. She launched into “Don’t Rain on my Parade”. I had originally thought that she could not match her Tralee performance of this number – how wrong I was! She sung it with such vitality it was breathtaking. One delightful moment came just after the line “one shot, one gun shot and Bam” In the pause Jessie inserted a little, almost cynical laugh. This, to me, made the performance of the song, because it showed in something so small and almost insignificant, what a great sense of acting and attention to detail Jessie has.

Jessie later reappeared in the second half of the show to sing “As if We Never Said Goodbye” from Sunset Boulevard, which she said was her favourite ALW number. Again we saw Jessie step into character and live the song – something she does superbly. Jessie handed the stage back to Séan, who joked “Lovely - and the song!” He turned and asked the audience “Am I allowed to say that? Might as well – some of you are thinking it anyway.”

A little later, Jessie introduced what she said was her last song of the evening saying it was her favourite from IDA. She went on to say, “It was sung by my ultimate idol and I think, thanks to her she encouraged me to fulfill my dreams from when I was yea-high watching the Wizard of Oz. So this is to Judy Garland and it’s The Man That Got Away.” We were then treated to the full version of the song, which we never got on the show, and Jessie did justice to the great lady by singing it impeccably.

Jessie then left the stage to Séan, only to be called back after he had asked the audience if they would like a duet (as if he needed to ask.)

If there is any downside in being a fan of Jessie, I find it’s being distracted when watching any other show, by wondering “How would Jessie do that?” or “Could Jessie hit those notes?”. The last time this happened to me was a couple of weeks ago when watching Phantom of The Opera in the West End during the duet “That’s all I ask of you”. I thought to myself – “Could Jessie play Christine?” Tonight I got the answer – oh yes, most definitely yes!

Séan and Jessie performed this same duet. Jessie hit and sustained notes that I have hitherto not witnessed her perform. It really showed a whole new side to her range and talent. It’s hard to portray in words the pureness of her voice – fellow Jessie fan Roger summed it up as if sound could be seen it would have appeared as perfect crystals of sound glittering in the air around her. At the end of the number the applause and calls for more from the audience were very richly deserved. However, there was sadly no time for an encore, apart from Jessie joining the entire company singing “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”

After the show, Jessie selflessly joined her many fans in the foyer and, despite having a long journey home and having to fly back to London early the next morning, she stayed and chatted, posed for pictures and signed autographs. It had been a great show, and being able to meet Jessie afterwards really rounded off an already fabulous night.

So, thank you Jessie for an unforgettable evening and for just being the special person that you are.

And thanks to your family as well, in having to put up with all us fans and all the extra work it brings them, and especially to Tim for sparing us so much time on what was a very busy night for him.

It was also nice to meet up with and chat in person, rather than just on the blog and Bebo sites, to RogT, Lynne, and Dawn. It’s great to see people showing such commitment to Jessie by being prepared to travel long distances to support her. Special thanks are also due to Roger for his input and help on this review.

See you for the first night in A Little Night Music in London. My ticket is booked…..

Videos Of Jessie Singing In Tipperary

Some very lucky fans got the chance to see Jessie herself perform at a charity concert in Tipperary last weekend. Even though many of us didn't have this opportunity, fortunately those who did go were nice enough to film the songs! These first few are from Roger and Lynne accompanied by a few choice words.

"The first number from Jessie was on stage with the young pupils, some dressed as Oliver urchins. "As Long As He Needs Me" the full theatrical version, it made Lynne cry again!! Superb.



There was a duet with Deirdre O'Connor, "I Still Believe" from Miss Saigon. Bootiful.




Next were two songs "Maybe This Time" Liza in "Cabaret" - wow!! Then "Send in the Clowns", again the theatre version, most definitely not cabaret!!




Jessie then sang "Don't Rain on my Parade", an even better performance than Tralee.




After the Interval (too long, but we're biased) she came out for "We Never Said Goodbye" from "Sunset Boulevard". Lovely.




Sadly before the last two songs my camcorder decided to sulk. It seems the battery had probably been jogged off the contacts.
We have hopes of getting these from Dawn, but not immediately. Derrers is working on MP3 audio versions though.

The Finale was a mix of songs from Jessie and Sean Costello, who was excellent.
Her first number was "The Man That Got Away" - very Judy Garland.


The final number was breathtaking - the Phantom duet "All I Ask of You" with Sean. I've never heard it better, and her high notes at the end were exquisite.

Enjoy the show so far!! We did!!"

I will endeavour to get the other video clips up soon so hang in there and watch this space!

Pound A Poem 2008

As if Jessie wasn't busy enough already with an array of performances on both sides of the Irish Sea, we've just learnt of something else she's packed into her busy schedule.

Jessie is showing her support for the charity competition 'Pound a Poem 2008' which is raising money for worthy charity Rays of Sunshine which grants wishes to terminally and seriously ill children. The Pound a Poem competition is raising money for Rays of Sunshine in a unique way whereby children of primary school age can enter a poem into the competition for £1 with the chance to win a holiday to Barbados. It's beneficial not only as a means of raising money for an important charity but also improves and builds on the childrens literacy skills and awareness of current topics in the news, with the topic this year being healthy eating and more specifically 'fruit and vegetables'.

Jessie is part of the promotion video which can be viewed here on the Pound a Poem site www.poundapoem.co.uk.

Many of us are unfamiliar with what it's like to care for a sick child and fortunate not to know what it's like but Rays of Sunshine is a pillar of strength for many families who do have to deal with the heartbreaking difficulties of having a child with a serious illness. It's simply great to see Jessie giving some her time when she is already as busy as she is to such a worthwhile cause.

If you too wish to support Rays of Sunshine you can make a donation on the website.

Good Luck For Rehersals Jessie!

Evening everyone!

This is just a quick post to announce that Jessie will be starting rehersals for 'A Little Night Music' tomorrow (Monday 13th).

Jessie will have all the luck of the Irish on her side but here on the Blog we wanted to wish her all the best for her rehersals.

Everyone who has supported Jessie along the way is really happy to see that she has secured a good role in a classic musical directed by a well known and respected Theatre Director.



I've also heard back from people who went to the concert in Tipperary last night and as expected it was a brilliant night. Hopefully I'll be getting a review up on it soon so watch this space! Also for those of you who missed the BBC Radio 2 broadcast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's birthday concert in Hyde Park I shall also be trying to publish a downloadable version of that very soon.

A Little Night Music

Ever since I set up the Blog I've had my pen poised, so to speak, to write the article announcing Jessie's first professional theatre role and I can't express enough just how excited and happy I am to be able to do it.

News began circulating last week about a role for Jessie in the Tony award winning Sondheim musical 'A Little Night Music', inspired by an Ingmar Bergman film 'Smiles of a Summer Night'. However, in the light of more articles being posted on the internet plus a good few 'Google Alert' emails - finally I am receiving useful alerts, not just anything internet published containing the words Jessie and Buckley! - the time is nigh to publish the Blog's own article on this fantastic news.

The musical is set in Sweden at the beginning of the 20th century and tells the story of middle aged lawyer Fredrik Egerman who has just recently married a young 18 year old wife Anne. Jessie will be playing Anne and I can't help but wonder if she's having to accquire a Swedish accent - only time will tell and I'll get back to you on that one! Set over two acts the play involves the romantic lives of several couples and prominent character Desiree Armfeldt; an ex-lover of Fredrik. Actress Hannah Waddingham will be playing Desiree and will sing probably the most well known song from the musical, Send In The Clowns.

The show is on from November 22nd until 8th March therefore opening night is fast approaching! Tickets are already on sale and can be purchased online from the Menier Chocolate Factory website or over the phone.
CLICK HERE TO FIND ALL THE DETAILS YOU WILL NEED

Despite the fact that the musical isn't one of the modern day popular shows or in a big West End theatre, I think it will provide the ideal opportunity for Jessie's qualities to shine through. In my opinion it seems like a great way to start what will hopefully be a long and illustrious career for her.

Finally, we may have waited a good few months and at times despaired when others got the news about their role and yet we still heard nothing. However, the fans have stayed supportive and loyal and that wait is now over. Now have the chance to see the fantastically talented Jessie perform in what seems to be a well-suited role in a charming little theatre. I've always gone by the maxim 'good things come to those who wait' and it looks like this could be a prime example.


If you are going to the show, and quite frankly who would decide against it?, let us know when you are going in the form of a comment!

It's A Long Way To Tipperary

Seeing as trying to fend for myself after leaving home for the first time doesn’t leave me with much spare time on my hands, I am very grateful that jb has chipped in to write a good little article about the forthcoming show in Tipperary on the 11th October.


"Here on the blog we are absolutely over the moon that Jessie will be taking to the stage once more, following the immense success and experience of Hyde Park and Dublin. This momentum of appearances is truly fantastic, reiterating Jessie’s vocal strength and abilities each time and reaching wider audiences. Long may it last I hear you cheer.

Racking up the air miles, Jessie is poised to sing, on hallowed home turf on Saturday October 11th at a charity event in Tipperary, with tenor Sean Costello and other local operatic favourites.
See http://www.tipperary-excel.com/Events.php#83 for details

A small venue and sadly, as many are already aware, tickets are scarce. The great news for those who do get to see Jessie perform is that it will be a fitting consolation for many deprived in Ireland of witnessing her gifts - great talent and utter commitment to her craft - whilst on I’d Do Anything.

Jessie undoubtedly will be supported in the audience, by many of her musical society friends and peers; also, most significantly a large ‘posse’ from her old school. It’s also a real treat for those who couldn’t make it to Hyde Park, although…hold on…one solo vs. how many?!

The incredibly helpful organisers commented, astonishingly, that many will be hearing Jessie sing for the first time, as she’s unknown to some. We know what their reponse will be; they’ll only ask to hear more, surely? So, let ’the voice’ reach as many as possible in an amazing forum which shall gather all of Jessie’s local friends and supporters together.

Irish eyes have good reason to smile!
Have fun Jessie, go break a leg…(well not literally please)"

We look forward to hearing all about it!

Tune in on the 10th

This is just a reminder to you all about the broadcast of the Hyde Park concert on BBC Radio 2 on Friday 10th October at 7:30.

I've no details on how long it may be or what or who they will include but I'm hopeful that those at Radio 2 will be astute enough to include the brilliant performance by Jessie.

I know I'm biased but she really did give one of the best performances on that memorable September evening despite the fact that she was sharing the stage with some of Musical Theatres biggest and most acclaimed stars.For those of us who went to Hyde Park this broadcast will be a time to reminisce on a brilliant concert but for those of you who couldn't make it, I hope that you will get a sense of how special and atmospheric it was.