Billy Elliot the Forum

Jake has announced that he has been cast in the title role of a new off-Broadway play called I Battled Lenny Ross at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, May 13 to June 6, 2015.

https://www.facebook.com/JakeKitchin/po ... 2778159353

Jake has posted a picture of himself and fellow cast members in rehearsal for I Battled Lenny Ross at the Ensemble Studio Theater, NYC:

https://www.facebook.com/JakeKitchin/ph ... permPage=1

Along with a link to buy tickets:

https://m.ovationtix.com/pr/945551

Here's a nice interview with Jake as he prepares for the opening of his Lenny Ross show. Check out what Jake considers the best line he has ever had to say on stage.

http://ensemblestudiotheatre.org/marath ... ke-kitchin

Here's a positive review of Jake's show, "I Battled Lenny Ross":

http://www.lightingandsoundamerica.com/ ... ID=-5BXOB1

That is a good review, and it prompted me to look up Lenny Ross, whose name I hadn't heard before. It turns out that his life gradually spun out of control after a series of very high level jobs in academia and political research, and he took his own life at the age of 40. Perhaps his mind worked too fast?

Here is an interesting Youtube video of an interview Mike Wallace held with Lenny, when the latter was 12, shortly after winning several quiz show jackpots. (The opening minutes of MW advertising the virtues of smoking are interesting, too). I can imagine Jake portraying this character with great realism and depth. The quotes Wallace presents from Lenny's mother at the 14.00 mark are alarmingly prescient. I could never imagine such probing personal questions being asked of a celebrity of any age these days, let alone a 12 year old. The probing standards of the questions, and the sophistication of the answers (from a 12 year old) in this interview, exceed any I have seen in Meet the Press in recent years.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1UvkjLohGi8

Jake and his co-star Aaron Serotsky are called 'mesmerizing' in this review:

http://www.berkshirefinearts.com/05-22- ... e-acts.htm

I guess, then, that the recreated Mike Wallace/Lenny Ross interview in the play is the same as the real interview two posts above.

Watch for Jake and his sister, Kate, tonight on Saturday Night Live in a skit with Amy Schumer.

https://www.facebook.com/JakeKitchin/po ... 0499041580

Jake has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical in the 30th Anniversary Robby Awards, for his portrayal of Michael in BETM at La Mirada. Congratulations, Jake!

http://www.haineshisway.com/2015/12/30t ... b-stevens/

Here is Jake singing Letter From The Refuge from Newsies at Stage 72, New York City - 1/31/2016. Well done, Jake!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKGsWMmfGu8