Thank You Jim Jewell For the Use of Your Piano
Thank You Jim Jewell for the Use of Your Piano is a feature length documentary that highlights the life and art of Jim Jewell, as well as the lasting impact he has on the Illinois Valley. We are in the early stages of the project, and have conducted several interviews with family, friends, co-workers, former students, and fellow artists.
Throughout the summer, we plan to continue interviews with Jim’s friends and colleagues. But we hope to take our efforts beyond the Illinois Valley to interview family, high-school classmates, and college professors in Jim’s home state of Indiana. We also have connected with a handful of Jim’s colleagues that left the area after he passed, and plan to meet with them as we cover ground as far as Texas and Arizona. Jim’s legacy is kept alive through stories, and hearing from those who were privileged enough to know him is allowing us to paint a detailed picture of a man whose story deserves to be shared.
Donations to the project will go towards allowing us to collect as many interviews as possible, and getting the most from Jim’s story as possible. We appreciate the support of the community on this project. Most importantly, we would like to thank Jim Jewell for the use of his piano.
A Word From the Director
Director Reid Tomasson sits down to discuss how the documentary project started, and the team’s plan moving forward
About Jim Jewell
James C. Jewell was an Indiana native, and the only adopted son of James and Simone Jewell. He was born and raised near Fort Wayne, where his love for performing developed at the age of 6, and continued into high school. Jim attended high school at North Side High School, where he graduated in the class of 1963. After graduating, he attended Indiana State University, where he continued his participation in the arts. He received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in speech and drama.
In 1968, Jim moved to Illinois and began his career at Illinois Valley Community College, teaching speech. Former students regard him for his energetic and enthusiastic teaching style. He was an officer and newsletter editor for the Illinois Theatre Association and frequently served as a judge at speech contests.
Jim’s relationship with Stage 212, a traveling community theatre organization, began in 1972, where he was cast as the Emcee in Cabaret. His involvement at Stage 212 included performing in 15 productions, directing 11 others, serving on the Management Board, and editing the Stage 212 Newsletter for 17 years.
Writing was another area that Jim excelled in. Broadway and the Tony Awards: The First Three Decades, written by Jewell in 1977, was recommended three years on the Tony Award’s telecast. Jim then went on to write the play Milo Lookingale, a semi-autobiographical work that was Jim’s response to the AIDS crisis, and highlights the title characters ongoing frustrations, as he watches his friends dwindle from the lack of action taken against the virus. Milo Lookingale had its premiere performance at Stage 212, seeing Jim serve as director and take on the title role. He would later travel back to his home-state of Indiana to perform his show for Purdue University.
Jim would go on to contract the AIDS virus, and passed away in his home on October 8th, 1994. He was only 49 years old. A memorial was held for Jim on October 11th, where there was standing room only. Jim was buried in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A significant amount of money was left to Stage 212, which would lead to them finding a permanent building, and honoring him with “The Jim Jewell Auditorium.”
As published in the NewsTribune. The NewsTribune is part of Shaw Local News Network