May 2011: SWAMPOODLE
As some of you know from my travel blog, I traveled to Ireland in January to participate in the development of this theater piece, loosely based on a) the Swampoodle neighborhood, which was the first Irish settlement in DC during the 1850s, and b) the history of the Uline Arena, the extraordinary space where we're performing the piece. (The Uline is where the Beatles made their US debut in 1964!) Swampoodle is a co-production of DC's Solas Nua (where I'm a company member) and Performance Corporation, Ireland's premier theatre company for devised work. Please visit the Swampoodle website for photos, video trailers, ticket information, and the official blog. This piece will be unlike anything you've ever seen, DC!
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April 2011: OMG
I was fortunate to receive an "individual artist" development grant through the Mead Theatre Lab Program run by the terrific people at CuDC (Cultural Development Corporation). The proposal was to devise an original theater piece incorporating poetry and interviews with dozens of friends and strangers, and along with a dream-team of creative collaborators we gave four performances of our work-in-progress at Source Theatre in April. I also composed original piano music and will eventually uplaod some of the tracks onto the composition page of this site. Visit the OMG blog for more info and updates on the potential future of this piece!
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December 2010: Kennedy Center Honors
Rarely do we get to use the term "once in a lifetime experience" and MEAN it. I participated in the 2010 Kennedy Center Honors, singing in a gospel choir behind gospel star Mavis Staples and one of my personal musical heroes, James Taylor! We sung "Let It Be" and "Hey Jude" FOR Paul McCartney and President Obama, and the show was broadcaston CBS on Dec. 28. At the after-party I had the chance to meet Smokey Robinson, Norah Jones, Dave Grohl, Angela Lansbury, Nancy Pelosi, Laura Benanti, and Matt Morrison. Only in DC!
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October 2010: Halloween at the White House, DC Shorts Competition & DC Actors Salon!
It was wonderful to be invited back to participate in the annual win-win collaboration between the Obama administration and DC's Helen Hayes Awards, and this year I even got to personally meet the President! Special thanks to Linda Levy Grossman and Victor Shargai for including me again this year. GL Mitchell had a blast entertaining those trick-or-treatin' kids!
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I was very happy to be invited by Jon Gann, founder of DC Shorts Film Festival, to participate as an actor in the prestigious DC Shorts Screenplay Competition. I was pre-cast in the non-competitive script MANCRUSH by Matt Wheeler, and also read a role in Kelly Herod's BREAK UP, BREAK IN, BREAK OUT. This was a great opportunity to read new scripts in front of an audience, and it was great to work with both creative teams!
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I was thrilled for the chance to to make my "debut" as a member of Actors Equity under the auspices of Liz and Beth at the DC Actors Salon, an organization I've been a big fan of for a while. The Actors Salon features professional actors from DC and NYC in staged readings of classic, neglected American comedies from the 1930s and 40s, presented in the historic, fashionable Darlington House at Dupont Circle, and follows the reading with a schwanky cocktail party. I played the lead role of playwright Peter Sloan in Moss Hart's charming LIGHT UP THE SKY.
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September 2010: Jason joins Equity!
After years of working in theater and countless hours spent building my way up through the professional ranks, I'm very proud to finally join Actors' Equity Association! AEA is the labor union dedicated to serving actors and stage managers, and it's a true honor to be accepted.
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August 2010: I was invited to MC a charity fashion show set up by Sisarina of Bethesda, MD, taking place on Aug. 25, 2010 at Relic in Bethesda. Me and a mic and a bunch of models... might've been a recipe for disaster, but we all had tons of fun! Click the logo below to view the live-stream & recap:
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August 2010: I'm featured as "Indie Theatre Actor of the Month" at WMIFF! Click the logo to read an interview about my backgrounds in theatre and music. What an honor!
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July 2010: I ventured out on an incredible, whirlwind, mostly unplanned solo trip through Europe! Please check in at my travel blog to catch a glimpse of what I experienced.
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On June 26, 2010, I participated in a solo, self-directed reading of Anthony Padovano's WINTER RAIN, based on the life of Thomas Merton, at the 2010 CORPUS Conference in Dallas, TX. It was terrific to be asked back to do this again after last year's Martin Luther piece, especially in front of such an wonderfully "soulful" audience!
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May–June 2010: Jason joins the cast of Constellation Theatre's THE RAMAYANA!
I'm thrilled for the chance to collaborate with one of DC's finest young theater companies, and recent winners of the Helen Hayes Award for Oustanding Emerging Theatre Company.
"An entertaining, pocket-size extravaganza!"
Celia Wren, The Washington Post (also named as an Editor's Pick!)"A bold and beautiful rendition of a world treasure!"
Debbie Jackson, DC Theatre Scene
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Spring 2010: LOOK FOR JASON ON YOUR TELEVISION SETS!
I filmed two commercials for the Virginia Lottery, dressed as a giant Powerball. Got a chance to show off my ping pong skills – the only game that I am genuinely, obnoxiously competitive at!
Click here to see a version taped off the TV.
The spots ran throughout the DC/VA/MD (and apparently, are now running in California as well!) region after February 1. Why do I have a nagging feeling these images are going to haunt my career for quite some time? ;)
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JANUARY 2010: Jason appears in staged reading of new musical!
Irrational exuberance is back! Charlie Fink presents "Dot Comet!," a new musical comedy by Craig Pospisil and Michael Ogborn. Idealistic geeks, cunning journalists, and singing venture capitalists conspire to change the world, get rich and party like it's 1996!
Featuring Matthew Anderson, Kurt Boehm, Skip Bromley, Tracie Higgins, Jason McCool, Joshua Morgan, Gillian Shelley, and Rachel Wallace. Directed by Shirley Serotsky. Michael Ogborn has won several (Philadelphia) Barrymore Awards, including Best Musical for "Baby Case." Craig Pospisil is the award-winning author of "Months on End," "Somewhere in Between," and "Life is Short."
Monday, January 18, 2010, 4PM, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, Washington, DC
http://newmusicalfund.org
(Jason with "Dot Comet" book writer Craig Pospisil)
("Dot Comet" cast)
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December, 2009: Peter Marks of The Washington Post names Solas Nua's Scenes From the Big Picture as "One of the Top 10 Shows of the Decade!" A few years have passed, but the riches keep coming for Scenes. I feel so fortunate to have been a part of this exceptional show. Pint, anyone?
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December, 2009: Jason becomes a company member with Solas Nua!
I'm so excited to "make it official" with Solas Nua, one of my favorite companies in DC! Though I've worked with Solas primarily in the realm of theater (acting in Scenes From the Big Picture, co-producing Woman & Scarecrow, as well as directing and appearing in staged readings), Solas Nua's mission is much broader; they are the only organization in the U.S. dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. Of which there is a plethora of riches to be explored, and I'm so happy to help expose these vital, passionate works to audiences on this side of the pond. Please check out the Solas website, take a spin on their new blog (where I plan on contributing), follow them on Twitter, and become a fan on Facebook!
(click image for link to video of Declan O'Rourke)
I'm humbled to eat Chinese food with such talent! Terrific DC-based jazz singer Lena Seikaly, Platinum-winning Irish music star Declan O'Rourke, and Jason McCool, after Declan's concert for Solas Nua, November 30, 2009.
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(click image for link to video of Jimmy Scott)
I was so thrilled to hear and hang out with legendary jazz singer Jimmy Scott, courtesy of my good friend Tim Kiah and his drummer friend Duane. Still singing with great passion at 84, Jimmy was Billie Holiday's favorite singer!
Iridium Jazz Club, NYC, November 29, 2009.
"Jimmy Scott is perhaps the most unjustly ignored American singer of the 20th century." – New York Times Magazine
"Jimmy Scott is the only singer who can make me cry." – Madonna
"The most extraordinary voice I've ever heard in my life." – Lou Reed
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Halloween 2009 @ The White House!
On October 31, 2009, Jason was part of a group of DC actors invited to entertain over 2,500 kids stopping by to meet President Barack Obama! Thanks to Linda Murray of Solas Nua, and also to Linda Levy Grossman and Victor Shargai of the Helen Hayes Awards for collaborating with the staff of the president to coordinate this very special collaboration.
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the ash fire
by Gavin Kostick
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Monday, September 21, 2009, at 7pm at Flashpoint, Washington, DC
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an American premiere staged reading
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presented by Solas Nua
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directed by Jason McCool
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with special guest Jim Culleton, Artistic Director, Fishamble Theatre, Dublin (original director)
The stellar cast (L to R): Cristina Blanco, Jesse Terrill, Kristen Egermeier, Ian Armstrong, Mark Krawcyzk, director Jason McCool, Leigh Jameson, & Gia Mora.
THE ASH FIRE was the inaugural reading in The Fishamble Play Reading Series, spotlighting 11 of the best plays from Fishamble Theatre Company, Ireland's leading company for new plays, and produced by Solas Nua. The plays were selected by Jim Culleton, Artistic Director of Fishamble. Mr. Culleton co-led a discussion after the reading with Linda Murray, Artistic Director of Solas Nua. Solas Nua is the only organization in the United States dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts.
director Jason McCool with Jim Culleton, Artistic Director of Dublin's Fishamble Theatre
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this other city
by Daragh Carville
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Monday, September 21, 2009, at 7pm at Playbill Cafe, Washington, DC
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an American premiere staged reading
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presented by Solas Nua
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directed by Jason McCool
The terrific cast (L to R): Kirstin McCarthy, Joe Palka, Eliza Bell, director Jason McCool, John Tweel, Adam Segaller, Gracie Terzian, and Katie Molinaro.
THIS OTHER CITY was presented as part of a commissioned series from Tinderbox Theatre Company in Belfast. Formed in 1988, Tinderbox is one of Northern Ireland’s longest established and most respected independent theatre companies.
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From July 10–July 25, 2009, Jason produced and acted in the DC premiere of August Schulenburg's
RIDING THE BULL as part of the Capital Fringe Festival, which featured 124 works mounted by local and national artists.
Of Jason's performance as GL Mitchell in RIDING THE BULL, DC reviewer Bob Anthony said:
"Jason McCool gave the best male acting of the Fringe."
RIDING THE BULL was also selected as an Editors' Pick of the Washington Post.
(click photo for complete press)
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On June 27, 2009, Jason participated in a solo, self-directed reading of Anthony Padovano's SUMMER LIGHTNING, based on the life of Martin Luther, at the 2009 CORPUS Conference in Dallas, TX.
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From June 17–July 19, 2009, Jason appeared in Ari Roth's THE SEAGULL ON 16th STREET, an adaptation of Carol Rocamora's translation of Anton Chekhov's classic play THE SEAGULL, at Theatre J in Washington, DC... with an incredible cast!
