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Jason Raize

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This article is about the American actor and singer. For the creator and screenwriter of The 100, see Jason Rothenberg.

Jason Raize
Born
Jason Raize Rothenberg

(1975-07-20)July 20, 1975
Oneonta, New York, U.S
DiedFebruary 3, 2004(2004-02-03) (aged 28)
Yass, New South Wales, Australia
Resting placeMount Calvary Cemetery in Emmons, Otsego County, New York
Occupation(s)Actor, singer and activist
Years active1994–2004

Jason Raize Rothenberg (July 20, 1975 – February 3, 2004), known professionally as Jason Raize, was an American actor, singer, and former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme.[1] He was best known for his roles as the adult Simba in the Broadway stage musical version of The Lion King[2] and the voice of Denahi in the animated Disney film Brother Bear.[3]

Early life

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Born Jason Raize Rothenberg in Oneonta, New York,[4] he grew up in the Catskills in upstate New York and started acting as a teenager, when his stepmother enrolled him in a summer Shakespeare workshop.[5] After moving with his father to Oneonta in high school, Raize performed in high school plays and with Oneonta's Orpheus Theatre.[5] He moved to New York City and briefly attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.[5]

Career

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In 1994, he dropped his given surname, "Rothenberg", and began using his middle name, "Raize," as his professional surname.

He performed at the Bucks County Playhouse in Oklahoma! (as Jess/Dream Curly),[6] The King and I (as Lun Tha),[7] Phantom (in the title role),[5] and The Rocky Horror Show (as Rocky).[8] His other regional credits include Gypsy: A Musical Fable,[5] The Sound of Music[5] and West Side Story.[9]

At the age of 19, Raize succeeded Dennis DeYoung of Styx in the national tour of Jesus Christ Superstar, starring Ted Neeley and Carl Anderson.[10] Next, he toured with Miss Saigon, and had been cast as a swing in a national tour of The King and I starring Hayley Mills when he decided to audition for Julie Taymor's upcoming Broadway production of The Lion King (1997).[5]

Winning the role of "Simba" in The Lion King's original Broadway cast, Raize became part of one of the biggest Broadway hits of the 1990s. During his three years with The Lion King, Raize performed "Endless Night" and "He Lives in You" on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" on Good Morning America.[11] He was also featured twice on the cover of InTheater magazine.[5][12]

In September 1998, Raize appeared on The Paul Simon Album: Broadway Sings the Best of Paul Simon singing Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence". The album also featured Christiane Noll, Jose Llana, Lauren Kennedy, Jane Krakowski, and Sal Viviano.[13]

In May 1999, Raize co-produced a benefit for refugees from Kosovo at the Kit Kat Klub.[14] In October 1999, the United Nations Environment Programme appointed Raize a Goodwill Ambassador "for his commitment and dedication to furthering the cause of the environment through the use of his creative talents to inspire respect for our natural heritage and to promote the conservation and sustainable use of the earth's resources."[15] In November 1999, he narrated the National Geographic nature documentary series Wild Africa: The Land of the Lion.

Raize signed a deal with Universal Records[16] and released two singles ("Taste the Tears"[10] and "You Win Again"[17]), both produced by Desmond Child who had recently produced Ricky Martin's hit "Livin' la Vida Loca."[18] In mid-2000, Raize and Jessica Simpson starred in a Disney Channel special called Jessica Simpson and Jason Raize in Concert.[19] The concert was filmed in Disneyland and featured Raize's songs "I Can Make it Without You," "You Win Again," "Lovin' You Lovin' Me," "Run Away Girl," and "NYC."[11] His debut CD on Universal was titled NYC,[20] but it was not officially released.

Raize returned to the New York theater scene in January 2001 for a concert performance of Carmen Jones.[21] He starred in the made-for-TV-movie The Kitchen which premiered on PBS in June 2001.[22][23] Later, he starred in Keeping it Wild with Jason Raize, premiered as a nationally syndicated program in which he visited exotic locations, such as Africa, Costa Rica and Australia to learn about animals in their natural habitats.[24] The show was produced by Sue Ann Taylor of Blue Heron Films.[25]

He also voiced Denahi in the 2003 Disney animated feature Brother Bear before his death.[3][26]

Death

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In 2003, Raize moved to Australia without his family's knowledge to rethink his career path. Sarah MacArthur, his mother, said "[Jason] needed to step back and catch his breath. I don't think he had figured it out yet [what to do next]". He worked as a general hand at a stud farm in Yass, New South Wales called Hardwicke Stud, owned by Olympic gold medalist Lawrence Morgan. This was also a place where he had friends whom he met while filming there in 2001.[27]

Raize was last seen alive at 10:30 am on February 2, 2004. A missing person's report was filed the following day, as his absence made his friends increasingly concerned. Raize's body was found at 11:15 am on February 7. He had hanged himself in a shed on the property.[27]

Memorial and legacy

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A public memorial service for Raize was held on April 8, 2004, at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre, where Raize had performed as Simba for almost three years. The service included speeches by Raize's sister, Lisa, and Disney Theatrical's Thomas Schumacher, a performance by Raize's former The Lion King co-star Heather Headley, a slide show and home movies from his younger days, clips of Raize performing in The Lion King, and a montage from his Keeping it Wild television series. The service ended with a traditional South African celebration of passing into the next world led by cast members of The Lion King.[28] The Orpheus Theatre in Oneonta issued two annual Jason Rothenberg Raize Scholarships which underwrite tuition to the theater's summer music theater workshops for youths with financial need.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Press Conference by UN Environment Programme" (Press release). United Nations. October 26, 1999. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  2. ^ "The Lion King". Internet Broadway Database. The Broadway League. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  3. ^ a b "Brother Bear DVD site". Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  4. ^ Jones, Kenneth (February 9, 2004). "Jason Raize, Broadway's Original Simba in The Lion King, Dead at 28". Playbill. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Pacheco, Patrick (January 23, 1998). "Raize of Light". InTheater. pp. 16–19.
  6. ^ "1994". Bucks County Playhouse website. Archived from the original on October 30, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  7. ^ Flautz, John (July 30, 1994). "'King And I' Rules Beautifully At Bucks County Playhouse". The Morning Call. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  8. ^ TalkCity.com chat with Jason Raize, June 1, 1998.[full citation needed]
  9. ^ a b "Workshops". Orpheus Theatre. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  10. ^ a b Stagebill for The Lion King, 1997, and program for Jesus Christ Superstar, 1995-1996.
  11. ^ a b "raizeresource". YouTube. Retrieved September 17, 2011.
  12. ^ Henderson, Kathy (February 8, 1999). "Long Live the Kings". InTheater. pp. 18–21.
  13. ^ Lefkowitz, David (July 15, 1998). "Broadway Sings a Song of (Paul) Simon, Via Varese, Sept. 8". Playbill. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  14. ^ Williams, Jeannie (May 5, 1999). "Stars Stand Up to be Counted for Kosovo". USA Today.
  15. ^ "Companies to be Honored with Inaugural WILD Awards for Responsible Use of Wildlife in Advertising / UNEP to Name Lion King's Simba, Actor/Recording Artist Jason Raize, as Goodwill Ambassador" (Press release). United Nations Environment Programme. October 22, 1999.
  16. ^ Guzman, Rafer (October 14, 1998). "New Record Label Aims to Put Miami On the Pop Charts". The Wall Street Journal.
  17. ^ Taylor, Chuck (August 5, 2000). "New & Noteworthy: Jason Raize: You Win Again". Billboard.
  18. ^ Hay, Carla (October 24, 1998). "Desmond Pacts with Universal". Billboard.
  19. ^ "Close-up: Music: Jessica Simpson and Jason Raize in Concert". TV Guide. June 24, 2000.
  20. ^ ZoogDisney chat with Jason Raize, July 10, 2000.[full citation needed]
  21. ^ "Bizet and Hammerstein's Carmen Jones Seduces at NYC's York Jan. 26-28". Playbill. January 26, 2001. Retrieved November 9, 2021.
  22. ^ "The Kitchen". Independent Television Service. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  23. ^ Leonard, John (June 18, 2001). "Urban Legends". New York. Retrieved September 8, 2011.
  24. ^ "'Keeping It Wild With Jason Raize' episode guide". AOL Television. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |url= (help)
  25. ^ Harris, Donna (March 26, 2004). "Making Movie Magic: Local Filmmakers Produce Package as Part of PAX TV Programming Block". Cherokee Tribune.
  26. ^ Norman-Culp, Sheila (October 30, 2003). "Disney Scores with the Entire Family in latest animation, 'Brother Bear'". Southern Illinoisan. Associated Press.
  27. ^ a b Sutton, Candace; Sutton Sams, Chris (February 15, 2004). "Mystery over stage star's death in bush". The Sun-Herald.
  28. ^ "In Tribute: Jason Raize," memorial program, April 8, 2004.
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