Dear Readers,

Over a year ago, I saw and heard Leonard Barrett Jr. for the first time. I forgot that I was watching an actor. I thought I was listening to Nat King Cole. The show was Unforgettable: The Songs of Nat King Cole. I watched the life of Cole from the 1940a and 50s play out on stage – his struggles, personal stories and rise to fame. I still remember Leonard Barrett Jr acting in the role of Cole as he practiced his keyboard on his bedroom windowsill as a young man. Even though there wasn’t a windowsill on stage, nor a bedroom – I felt like I was there watching the scene of this young man with his dreams to play the piano. Not only did Leonard perform in the acting role, this man can sing. We heard Cole classics like “Unforgettable” and “Mona Lisa”. I’ve since learned that the aura and personality of Cole was magnified by the charisma of Leonard Barret Jr. Readers, did any of you see that performance? If so, what was a favorite part for you?

Since 1982, Leonard has performed on stages around the country. Locally, he is easily recognized – to name a few – at the Denver Center for Performing Arts, Aurora Fox Theater, Boulder Dinner Theater, and to my good fortune – he performed for a standing room only audience for the Longmont Senior Center.  In addition, he has performed for over 15 years with Physically Handicapped Actors and Musical Artists League (PHAMALy), which is a theater company that is known around the world for its professional actors and actresses who each have a disability. For Leonard, it was multiple sclerosis (MS), a disease that fights the immune system by attacking the protective covering of nerves. Leonard has a cache of awards to honor his work. In Colorado, that list includes -but there really are too many to mention – the Denver Post 2004 Ovation Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and in 2007 Best Actor in a Musical. That same year he won the Westword’s Best Season for an Actor, and again in 2008, Denver Post’s Best Year for an Actor.

 

First, his acting, singing and stage presence were enough to ignite my fan-enthusiasm for Leonard. Yet, what touched me was his humble understanding of communication with me. When we first met- remember, I am in a wheelchair – Leonard lowered himself to one knee so we were at eye-level to each other. It is so much easier on my neck when I am not looking up at folks from my lower angle in the wheelchair. It was such a considerate action, that I knew I wanted to interview Leonard Barret Jr.  Moreover, I have a sweet spot in my heart for the 1934 blues song “Summertime” – composed by George Gershwin for the opera Porgy and Bess.  I purchased one of four of Leonard’s CDs to hear his rendition of the song. Well, my hat’s off to him. It was lovely. After listening to that song first, I went back and started at the beginning of the CD and listened through it twice. Do you have a song, Reader that touches your heart?

Now, 65 years old, Leonard most often can be found performing in the 100-mile radius around Denver, Colorado – typically four or five musicals a year. “It’s like meditating when I am singing. It is why I only choose musicals,” Leonard told me. Occasionally, since 2004, he is invited to venues as an inspirational speaker. He also acts in situational training for police officers and medical students. He explained that in the police trainings, he will act out different people such as a drug addict or a Vietnam vet. “The police officers must learn how to respond in different situations,” he said. Likewise, for the medical students, he may play the part of a person with diabetes or other illnesses and the students must react to the situations. His list of performances also includes singing each month at local nursing homes. Leonard said, “One of my most treasured compliments about singing to seniors was when an adult daughter said “thank you for dignity” when I sang to her family member.”

Leonard was born in Puerto Rico and then grew up in Jamaica, the home country of his father.  When Leonard was three-years-old, his family moved to Reading, Pennsylvania. Then, a few years later, his father, who was a minister, took a position as pastor of a church in Germantown, Philadelphia. Leonard shows some of his spiritual nature when he tells a story of his youth.

“There is a photo of the children’s choir out on the steps. It is a gorgeous picture. I am a young boy of six or seven, very good looking – sorry, but it’s true – I remember looking at the picture, and saying to myself, “what is happening?” I was a part of the shot, but I seemed engrossed in something else.  I was there, but not a part of it. That disconnect is always there, from my childhood, like I’m not supposed to be here” When I ask Leonard to explain a little more, he said “home is something that I experience in meditation. It is awe-filled and wonderful. I grew up with that dilemma even as a kid.”

Leonard’s first show on stage was in high school. Then, before telling me that story, he said with a chuckle, “My father would tell you I was always a performer”. That first stage show was when a fellow high school friend asked Leonard to attend an audition with her for their high school play. “I ended up getting the lead role in the play”, he said.  The play was The Odd Couple and Leonard played Oscar.

After high school, Leonard knew he wanted to attend Carnegie Mellon. “It was the best drama school in the nation at that time” he said. Distinctive of Leonard’s confidence and intuition, he only applied to Carnegie Mellon, and he was accepted. He attended for one year, and studied voice, speech, mime and “I had a good grasp of Shakespeare”, he said of that year’s curriculum.

 Leonard then moved to New York, and finished his college years at Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Photographic Processing and Finishing Management. This means he studied the skill of processing photos before everything was digital. There was a lot of chemistry involved, he explained. “Kodak was huge in New York, but then the whole industry that I studied disappeared.” Leonard explained that this is when the technology changed and everything became digitized. But Leonard said about this revamping of the photo industry, “I was not troubled by it.” How do you handle change, Reader?

Why was Leonard not troubled? Well, the day after his college graduation, Leonard’s brother called and said that Leonard needed to get to Philadelphia.” It was 1982, and Atlantic City was just opening up its casinos”. Immediately, he started performing on stage in Atlantic City. He did impressions of James Brown, Stevie Wonder, Tina Turner, Prince, Tom Jones, and he also did magic in his shows with fire and guillotines. He was in the first band in the 80s in Atlantic City to use electronics in his act, he said. When I asked him about that Nat King Cole performance that I watched, Leonard said, “I felt like I was born to do this” He described Nat King Cole as a black American man who became one of the greatest singers of our time in a very short period of time. He had a unique voice and articulation.” Well readers, like I said earlier, Leonard triumphed in that role. Reader, what is something that you do that is distinctly your talent?

Leonard most recently did a concert about singer, songwriter and actor, Harry Bellefonte. Mr. Bellefonte was the first performer to sell over one million albums.  Leonard’s father is Jamaican and his mother is American. Performing Bellefonte’s island songs connected Leonard to his own father, he said.  Leonard also did a Bing Crosby concert at the end of 2019. “I always loved Bing Crosby. The man just has a tremendous voice.” Now that Leonard is older and a more experienced performer, he said he has reached the stage with his own voice where he can sound like Bing Crosby’s voice. It was something he worked on his whole life, he said.

For those of you that enjoy good theater, Leonard will be performing at the Aurora Fox Arts Center in March. The play is For Peter Pan on Her 70^th Birthday. It is about the whole family going back to Neverland.  “It’s a play about aging,” Leonard said. (More information is available at the end of the blog.)

Leonard had been developing pieces of his inspirational thoughts since the 80s. Then he met a gentleman who cultivated people’s careers. That man told Leonard “you have a message.”  Leonard’s first inspirational speaking event was at the Lincoln Center in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Now, Leonard lives here in Colorado with his wife Angela and their dog Jedi – a cross between a Shih Tzu and a Corgi. Leonard and Angela first met in 2003, and even though, for the first three years, they were just friends, Leonard says he knew that she was the “only woman in my head”. Now married, their love holds strong today, he said.  “I have a beautiful wife who completely understands my walk”.  When I ask Leonard what is important to him he said – “Three letters – G. O. D. That’s everything.” Reader, what is important to you? Do you have a word that describes what you value?

 

Readers, as I expected, Jim Yoshihara’s story from last month’s blog touched our hearts. Some of the comments from our Longmont readers:

Sharron: I read the story of Yoshi and found it very interesting! He went through so much and it just made him a better man. I am glad you put his story out for us all to read.

Hazel: I’m so glad you profiled Yoshi.  He represents to me the best of humanity – forgiving, resilient through years of adverse conditions, able to translate his cultural setting to others, service-oriented and so very kind and generous to others.

Sally: A wonderful story, I really enjoyed reading about a man who touched so many lives.

Richard: A great human story!

LaDonna: Debbie, thank you for writing Yoshi’s story. He is truly a remarkable man.

Reader, Diana, from Pennsylvania wrote: What an amazing story of a life that has gone through some difficult times and still continues to shine. Most of us in this country have lived a pretty easy life because of the terrible war that many of our fathers were in. I thank this man for his service to our country and I very much would like you to tell him I appreciate his spirit and his heart. When we experience very bad circumstances it can make us bitter hard and ugly or I can make us more compassionate and loving and clearly he has chosen the way of forgiveness and love and has brought his wonderful spirit to serve others.

East Coast reader, Jane said: What an awesome blog, but then all of the blogs are awesome! I love to see the old pictures as well as the updated ones; it makes their stories even more personal. I also appreciate the lessons that are intertwined within each blog. It keeps me humble!

One of Jim Yoshihara’s coworkers, Jack: I really enjoyed reading your article about Yoshi. I’ve known for some time he experienced the Japanese American internment camps, but few additional details. What a pleasure to learn more about him and his life.

Machal, from Boulder, said: Thank you for investing in the stories of remarkable senior citizens in our area.  As people age in our society, they can be left behind and their histories forgotten.  I appreciate you bringing these meaningful stories back to the forefront and sharing them with your readers.

Reader LaRita from Colorado shared a book that she had recently read: Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky

Readers, I just finished reading Red Berries, White Clouds, Blue Sky and it is a book worth adding to your book list. In the words of the book’s author, Sandra Dallas: “It is a fictional story of twelve-year-old Tomi Itano, a Japanese girl from California. It tells of one girl’s struggle to understand discrimination and help her family cope with the effects of the uprooting of their lives.” I cried by the ending of this story. Similar to Jim Yoshihara’s story – there were happy tears, sad tears, tears that come from confusion about the truth and understanding, too. I hope that we have learned.

 

Until next month, may peace be at your side,

Debbie Noel

We have several ways to interact with Debbie!

• Email her at DroppingInWithDebbie@gmail.com

• Register at the blog site (very bottom of the page) to have your comments viewed online

• Send your letters to:

Debbie Noel
C/o Longmont Senior Center
910 Longs Peak Avenue
Longmont, Colorado 80501

The play For Peter Pan on Her 70th Birthday can be seen March 13 – April 5. It’s a play about the family going back to Neverland. It will be showing at The Aurora Fox Arts Center, 9900 E Colfax Ave, Aurora, CO 80010. For tickets, call: (303) 739-1970. Website: https://www.aurorafoxartscenter.org/for-peter-pan-on-her-70th-birthday

To find out more about Leonard’s performances with the Physically Handicapped Actors and Musical Artists League (PHAMALy), visit its website: www.PHAMaLy.org

To buy CDs of Leonard Barnett so you can enjoy “Summertime” and other fabulous songs, email len12955bf@gmail.com