Jon & Jen for Melbourne

Independent theatre company Pursued By Bear is presenting intimate musical Jon & Jen, by Andrew Lippa (The Wild Party) and Tom Greenwald, at Chapel off Chapel, Friday 18 until Sunday 27 September 2015.

Experience the emotionally chargedJohn & Jen, an original musical that follows the story of a woman torn between the two Johns in her life – the brother that died in the Vietnam War, and his namesake, her son.

John & Jenis an intimate musical about connections, commitments and the healing of the human heart.  It explores the complexities of relationships between brothers and sisters and parents and children, set against the background of a changing America between 1950 and 1990.

With a cellist, pianist and percussionist on stage, John & Jen stars Jaclyn De Vincentis and Brenton Cosier. It is directed by Mark Taylor with musical direction by Tyson Legg.

Six-year-old Jen welcomes her newborn brother John into the world, with a warning about the way things work and a promise to protect him from their Dad. As they grow, Jen does her best to shield John from life's disappointments and they make a pact to always be there for each other.  As the years go by, they both wonder how they drifted apart, and what happened to the children they once were, who vowed to protect each other.

Jaclyn De Vincentis is the recipient of multiple MTGV nominations for Best Performance by a Leading Female and was awarded Best Performance by a Leading Female for her portrayal of Mama Rose in Gypsy from the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria.

Jaclyn has recently taken to the world of Cabaret, working closely with her mentors Melissa Langton and Mark Jones. She made her debut in JB Hi-Life as part of the Cabaret Showcases at Chapel Off Chapel and in 2015 returned to premiere her full length show Jaclyn Nose Best, earning her rave reviews, with The Theatre Room deeming her "a force to be reckoned with.”

Brenton Cosier is a graduate of the Ballarat Arts Academy (Music Theatre). After graduating, Brenton performed in Singapore for two years at Universal Studios. Here, he was a part of The Daddy O's and The Cruisers shows. 

On his return to Australia, Brenton Cosier has appeared in Next Step Productions RENT and The Midsumma Festival show The Big Gay Cruise and is about to make his feature film debut in Mormon Yankees: The Spirit of the Game. He also performs in the 50's and 60's tribute show At The Hop.

What started as a teenage dream in the south-east suburbs of Melbourne become a new independent theatre company, aiming to put on productions with social significance that highlight and share important stories.

Presented by Pursued By Bear, John & Jenat Chapel off Chapel, 12 Little Chapel Street, Prahran from Friday 18 until Sunday 27 September 2015, Thursday to Saturday, 8.00pm, Sunday 5pm; Saturday 19 September, 2pm matinee.  Tickets:  $39.00.0 full, $35.00 concession. 

Bookings:  03 8290 7000 chapeloffchapel.com.au