We received the following Holiday Letter from Stephen Nakamie and thought we'd pass it on....

To all my wonderful friends... and some I have lost touch with.. I wanted to send a Holiday letter:

Sit Down Children, It's Been Quite a Year- let's start off from where I left off last year---

My year began unseasonably cold, and way too full of Marilu Henner. Somewhere around then my frog began kissing other frogs and I realized that I was far from having a Prince on my hands. So I moved from the pursuit of royalty to find a Nobleman,… I learned that we all should LISTEN TO OUR FRIENDS… Especially if they've been around for a while, they know what's best… Thanks guys, I love you!

Anyway…I became a fixture at 72nd Street Studios, chasing my assistant Loren Stolarsky and her ever-ready cell phone around studio after studio trying to find the perfect steps for a show. After running into walls and suffering minor contusions and other partnering mishaps - we had our pas de deux! We began to audition AND THE WORLD GOES 'ROUND. Here I picked up a guardian angel named Coffey. And the journey was on. A cast of wonderful crazies assembled and thanks to Skates off the internet, Filene's Junior Miss Prom Sale, a few tears shed in the name of a bargain, and the Mecca of Cardboard Coffee Cups known as CITGO- the show opened and was on a successful and adventurous four month run all over Connecticut- ending in the beautiful Polka Dot Playhouse in Bridgeport.

As one show began so did another. Yes, Chino returned to WEST SIDE STORY- without a gun… I returned to 72nd Street this time with another assistant Lori Leshner. And thanks to much help from Peter Gregus, Nick Garr and Loren Stolarsky- WEST SIDE STORY began… Two short feisty Jews ran with scissors and chased each other with switchblades around a studio until we found out "what Jerry wanted"!!! WEST SIDE was a huge hit for Gateway Playhouse, SRO! Everyone worked their asses off and no one lost an eye! Thanks to Gateway I was able to reopen WORLD GOES 'ROUND at Polka Dot simultaneously with WEST SIDE.

In my two weeks breathing time I directed SPIT IT OUT! By Valerie Smaldone and Amy Coleman for the HBO New Plays series… It was a great time of bonding and strength with these wonderful women.

I learned also never to say never. We all have to eat too. In July at Cherry County Playhouse in beautiful downtown Muskegon, MI I returned to "the Line" as Paul San Marco in A CHORUS LINE. (Hey, it was NEAR a Paper Mill!!) This Production starred the wonderful Mr. Peter Scolari as Zach. This theatre not only gave me good times, and my insurance- but also the opportunity to break my ten-year reign of playing the "Anguished Latins of Musical Theatre" - by playing the Japanese barfly with the spy cam watch in PRIVATE BENJAMIN, The Musical (starring Julie Graves)… Someone had apparently misinformed the theatre and the Director and said it was called SOUTH PACIFIC. I am here to set you straight. From Muskegon I made it to Olympia, WA for a lovely week of Rum, hot tubs and the casting of my upcoming CHICAGO. Everyone came out for the occasion, including a 16-year-old contortionist, and a 22-year-old boy who strips and lives in a tree.

In September… I searched high and low, until I found a roommate situation on 98th Street. Back to the mainland!  On September 11, the world changed forever, as the towers that this 3 1&Mac218;2 Year old boy saw open- came down. The city came together in ways I could never imagine. I saw humanity in ways I never dreamed during these weeks and the Candlelight vigil. People were quiet and respectful on the subways. NYC really pulled together. By October, New York hit a stride of "almost normal" again.

Also In October I rounded 29, for the first time. Then was whisked away to lovely Hilton Head, SC (to bring A CHORUS LINE to the less fortunate). Aside from restaging, and remounting this masterwork and my second to last farewell appearance as Paul… (for a short yet ignunt tour)- I was surprised to find myself designing the Lighting (thanks Tharon!), and getting a surprise Equity Production Stage Manager credit!!! I was reunited with many wonderful ACL people. It was rumored that I spent my nights down on the beach weaving Jill Slyter a Cassie Skirt out of the Palmetto branches. All lies!!! She brought her own! And I was so thankful… I barely had time to weave my own sweatshirt.

Once more in a fit of Dramatic Irony… I found myself playing Paul again NEAR a Paper Mill… But this time in Savannah, GA in a command performance for the lady Chablis!

Now I am back in NY, teaching some theatre dance master classes and bringing hors d'oerves to the masses. Now I am back getting resituated, learning how to manage my down time. Anyone who knows of a fabulous company that needs a Director, let me know!!! And as for a Nobleman, I found out that I may be one. Who the hell wants to keep frogs anyway? Love and light into the New Year!!

Love, STEPHEN