Playwright, musician, and actress Freyda Thomas will bring her unique voice and knowledge of the roots of the American musical to the East Tennessee State University stage for The Golden Age of Broadway – An Evening of Song and Dialogue on Wednesday, March 3, and Thursday, March 4. Both performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Bud Frank Theatre, located on the lower level of Gilbreath Hall.An accomplished classical pianist at age 8 and a big band jazz vocalist as a teenager, Thomas turned to theater while in college. Her work has been seen on Broadway, off-Broadway and at well known regional theaters across the country, including the Alabama Shakespeare Theatre, Northlight Theatre and A.C.T. in San Francisco. In addition to her work in the genre of the American musical, Thomas has become widely known for her innovative adaptations of classic plays, including the works of Moliere, Goldini and Regnard. She is known for her ability to “infuse otherwise archaic classical works into living, breathing and entertaining entities.”

Thomas is completing a month-long residency at ETSU with the Division of Theatre and Dance, Department of Foreign Language and the Department of English. She holds a B.A. and an M.A. in French from Penn State University, as well as an M.F.A. degree in writing from the California Institute of the Arts.

Tickets are available by calling (423) 439-6511 or by visiting www.etsu.edu/theatre.

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