Dear friends,
Our autumn fundraiser has ended, but Jonah’s friends have asked to continue writing about him. So we’ll keep sharing those writings here. Enjoy!
Billy
Sarah Stein remembers …
After graduating from Wesleyan University in May of 2012, Sarah moved to Buenos Aires, Argentina, where she has lived for almost a year and a half. She works as a corporate social responsibility coordinator for a logistics company called Plaza Logística, specializing in education-based projects to fight poverty and unemployment in local communities.
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Jonah was hilarious. I don’t remember him doing anything halfway. Whether he was acting in a scene or carrying out some elaborate joke, I always imagine him at 100% full energy. That was what made Jonah such an incredible actor. Many of us needed weeks of rehearsal to come out of our shells and to find the courage to approach a new role without fear. Jonah wasn’t afraid to make a mistake. He was so confident and just went for it every time. He was so fun to be around because of that, and was such a natural actor.
Jonah also cared deeply about others, but showed this side of himself in a different way. He was never over the top about it, but he demonstrated his thoughtfulness in little ways that would surprise you. On the closing night of Hair, Jonah gave us all commemorative pins he had made for the occasion. He got our attention casually during the pre-show ritual and handed one out to each of us. The pin idea came from a scene that I was in, where my character Jeanie is showing off her “Psychedelicize South Korea” pin to her crush, Claude (played by Ross Baum). Throughout the process I had been using a prop pin with no words on it. I remember how cool it was to proudly wear Jonah’s gift on closing night during that scene. And I know it meant so much to all of us to be able to take that gift home, and to have something tangible to look at and remember all the wonderful times we had together during Hair.
When I look at the pin now, those memories come flooding back. But most of all, there’s the memory of Jonah – his wild smile, his fearlessness, his unbeatable energy, and all those little things that let you know that he was really listening, and that he truly cared.
Sarah
P.S. Your donation at jonahmac.org is always welcome! We are ever grateful for your friendship and support.
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