Jason Raize

Jason Raize Rothenberg (b. July 20 1975, Oneonta, New York - d. February 3 2004, Yass, New South Wales, Australia) was a former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Environment Program. He was best known for his role as the adult Simba in the Broadway stage musical version of The Lion King (musical), and starring in the animated Disney film, Brother Bear, as "Denahi".

Biography

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Raize as Simba.

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Jason Rothenberg grew up in Oneonta, and started acting when he was a teenager. In the summer of 1994, having changed his surname, Jason Raize performed at the Bucks County Playhouse in La Cage aux Folles, Oklahoma!, The King and I (as "Lun Tha"), The Phantom of the Opera (title role), and The Rocky Horror Picture Show (as "Rocky"). He also appeared in Gypsy: A Musical Fable, West Side Story, Twelfth Night, and in national tours of Jesus Christ Superstar (with Ted Neeley) and Miss Saigon.

Raize appeared on Broadway in The King and I, and originated the role of "Simba" in Julie Taymor's Broadway production of The Lion King (1997). During his time with The Lion King, Raize performed Endless Night and He Lives in You on The Rosie O'Donnell Show, as well as Can You Feel the Love Tonight? on Good Morning America twice.

In September 1998, Raize recorded the Simon & Garfunkel classic The Sounds of Silence for a compilation album called The Paul Simon Album: Broadway Sings the Best of Paul Simon. The album also featured Christiane Noll, Jose Llana, Lauren Kennedy, Jane Krakowski, and Sal Viviano.

In 1999, Raize organized a benefit for refugees from Kosovo at the New Amsterdam Theatre. E! Fashion Emergency covered the event. In October 1999, the United Nations 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."

Raize released two singles under Universal Records (Taste the Tears and You Win Again), both produced by Desmond Child (who is also Ricky Martin's producer.) His debut CD, scheduled to be released by Universal Records, was called NYC, but was not officially released.

In summer 2000, Raize and Jessica Simpson starred in a Disney Channel special called Jessica Simpson and Jason Raize in Concert. The concert was filmed in Disneyland and featured Raize singing You Win Again, I Can Make It Without You, and NYC.

Raize returned to the New York theater scene in January 2001 for a concert performance of Carmen Jones. His made-for-TV-movie The Kitchen aired on PBS the following fall. That same fall, Raize's television series Keeping It Wild debuted on CBS/TV. This show featured Raize on location learning about animals in their natural habitats.

Raize provided the voice of Denahi in the 2003 Disney animated feature Brother Bear.

Raize committed suicide on February 3 2004, in Yass, New South Wales, Australia, where he had been visiting friends. He was 28 years old. Since his death, Raize was replaced by Josh Tower as Adult Simba in the Broadway Musical.

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Posthumous

A memorial service for Raize was held on April 8 2004, at the New Amsterdam Theatre where Raize performed as Simba seven years earlier. 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 Raize's younger days, clips of Raize performing in The Lion King and on television, and a traditional South African celebration of passing into the next world led by cast members of The Lion King.

For young people starting out as actors, Raize gave the following advice: "First off, involve yourself in any project in your immediate area. That will give you a taste for what you like to do, because there are so many different styles of performance art, and you don't want to do something that ultimately you don't like. After that, find supporters and adults around you, and then make the move to a major performing arts community in the world - usually New York, Los Angeles or Chicago. Then involve yourself in a class, to work with teachers and other actors, but also to introduce you to people doing the same thing you are, and will give you good friends."