Michael Cerveris Discusses Gene Anthony Ray

 

last dance

the final episode was a bittersweet one for everyone, and maybe even more so now. It was a big love fest with alumni from the roots of the show mingling with those of us who were carrying it to the finish line. Getting to know

Valerie

,

Cynthia

,

Erica

,

Lee

, and

Carol

was a joy. But saying good bye was hard. And not knowing that we'd too soon be saying good bye forever to some is even harder in hindsight. The loss of Carrie is one that everyone who knew her feels deeply to this day. And not long after, we lost a brother who was the essence of the story the series told.

Gene Anthony Ray's character Leroy embodied the dreams of every kid who the world had given up on or didn't take care of in the first place. He was troubled and he was trouble and he was jaw-droppingly gifted. So it was perfect that Gene Anthony himself had been kicked out of the real life NY High School for the Performing Arts that we were all pretending to still be young enough to attend on the series. He was an innately gifted dancer, singer and actor with boundless energy and trouble figuring out where to put it all. And he was a beautiful, big hearted heartbreak waiting to happen. He could be kind, surly, funny, fierce and FIERCE. I was in awe of him and loved him and was frustrated by him and for him, sometimes all at the same time.

Maybe there are some people whose special light has to consume itself. All we can do is treasure the glow and try to keep the flame lit. Maybe there's more we could each have done for the Leroys in our lives. Maybe there just wasn't. But we shouldn't keep trying any less hard.