Remembering Andy Neiman
In earthly terms, Andy Neiman will be remembered as an actor, playwright, educator, activist, and baker of pies, mixer of marvelous cocktails, and a world class Dad. But let’s think in celestial terms, as Andy, with his sense of wonder well might. Andrew Michael Neiman is a comet whose path has taken him beyond the sun. His family, his friends, his students and their descendants will be able to see his dust tail burning warm, shining bright for generations to come. As one of Andy’s Rabbi friends said about him in a Remembrance for him with his alumni friends (Bronfmanim) of the Bronfman Fellowship Program, “Andy moved through life which such velocity, that he packed more into 48 years, than most people pack into a 100.
Andy began his theater career at 8 years old as the leading role in the play, “Pinocchio” at the Jewish Community Center Camp of the Arts. He was “bitten by the bug” then as he sighed when the play was over, “Mom, it’s so hard when the applause stops.” Andy went on to perform in all the high school musicals, and college productions. As an adult his passion grew, as did his dedication to his craft.
He went on to play “Avigdor” in “Yentl”, the columnist, Mitch Albom in “Tuesdays with Morrie”; Joseph Merrick in the “Elephant Man”, Siddhartha in the adaptation of Herman Hesse’s novel for the stage. Equally notable were his appearances in the plays of Shakespeare including the St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. A playwright as well, Andy adapted Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” into “Much A Doo Wop About Nothing”, a 50 minute musical with all original songs and lyrics, which he took on tour to over 100 local junior highs and high schools. He also crafted a hip-hop version of Julius Caesar. In hindsight, you had to wonder if Lin-Manual Miranda was taking notes. (Ironic sidebar: both Andy and Lin Manual Miranda attended Wesleyan College, though Andy graduated 7 years earlier)
Sadly, a month after Andy graduated from Wesleyan University he suffered a psychotic break, and was diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. This changed the course of Andy life, but after a rough year of recovery, he went back to his acting passion and joined the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express, based in Virginia. He traveled with the acting company for a year and enjoyed every moment. What followed were many years of Andy following his bliss, and acted in plays in St. Louis, Chicago and New York. Finally re-connecting with an acting friend from a decade earlier, he married his beloved Louise Edwards Neiman. A year later, his precious, Eliyah (Ellie) Neiman was born and they were immediately smitten with each other. As his Mom, Lainie said, “Imagine having a Dad who is a guitar-strumming combo of Willy Wonka and Kermit, the Frog.
A number of years later, Andy began to have some setbacks, culminating in the tragedy of the Covid pandemic. The losses kept mounting for him. On May 21, 2021, Andy suffered another psychotic break while visiting his sister Emily and her family in the Hudson Valley. He sought help at a nearby hospital, but after waiting 16 hours with no medical attention, Andy walked out. Andy went missing until June 17, when local authorities found his body on the shore of the Hudson River.
As Emily put it in a Facebook post: “He returned to the Source, the brackish waters, the meeting of fresh water and the tidal ocean, the great womb.” David had been with Andy in 1995, for his first psychotic break. Andy had taken a magic marker and written on the wall of his Mother’s condo, “On June 19, Andy was reborn.” “June 19, aka Juneteenth, is also known as Freedom Day that has just become a National holiday”, David wrote in a Facebook post. “Andy’s mind and body had become a virtual torture chamber for him. And the fact that he is no longer in indescribable pain is (some) small solace. I now hold dear that he is reborn and finally free.”
