P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525
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P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525 |
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Beverly Padgett - HLTs' Fair Lady By: Roy Riedy |
Beverly Padgett appeared in her first Highlands Little Theatre production in its eleventh presentation, Here's Charlie, in May, 1978. In the First Act of this revue she was billed prophetically as "Beverly, the singer," and in the Second Act she played "young Helen Morgan." Since that debut some twenty-four years ago she has sung twenty roles at HLT that have included a "Premiere Songstress" in Dirty Work at the Crossroads, (1978); Hodel in Fiddler On the Roof I (1979); Ensign Nellie Forbush in South Pacific I (1979); Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady I, (1981); Maria Ranier in The Sound of Music I (1981); Nimue in Camelot I (1982); Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls (1983); Annie Oakley in Annie Get Your Gun I (1984); Agnes in I Do, I Do (1986); Anna Leonowens in The King and I (1989); Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady II (1990); the non-singing role of M'Lynn in Steel Magnolias, (1991); Marian Paroo in The Music Man, (1991); Sister Amnesia in Nunsense (1992); Sister Mary Paul a/k/a Amnesia in Nunsense II (1993); Guenevere in Camelot II (1993); Nellie Forbush in South Pacific II (1994); Rose in Gypsy (1994); Abigail Adams in 1776 (1995); Goldie in Fiddler on the Roof III (1996); Glinda, the Good Witch in The Wizard of Oz (1998) and Anna Leonowens again in the second edition of The King and I in 2001.
Half of these starring roles were sung before the Zenon Award Ceremonies were established at HLT. Of the eleven roles she sang after the Zenons were inaugurated, Beverly made six of them award winners. The first was Anna in The King and I in 1989; it was followed by Eliza in My Fair Lady II in 1990; and Marian in The Music Man in 1991; three years later she played Rose in Gypsy and won her fourth Zenon; which was followed by the part of Goldie in Fiddler on the Roof III in 1996, and a reprise of Anna in The King and I #2 in 2001, which brought her Best Actress awards to six. It surprised no one that in 1994, at the end of Highlands Little Theatre's Twentieth Season, she was awarded the Janelou Buck Significant Achievement Award for her long and happy association with the Little Theatre. This award boosted her Zenon tally to seven. Ms. Padgett is also the seventh recipient of the selective Life Member Award which she received from her grateful peers in the year 2000.
Beverly hasn't limited her contributions at Highlands Little Theatre to being just on the stage, she co-directed Gypsy and was the musical director for two of the Zenon ceremonies. Over half of her 85 involvements with the Little Theatre productions have been concerned with the Gourmet Division and Anthony's Lounge and her name appears in playbills on the stage construction and stage crews over a dozen times. At the time when piano music was part of the entertainment in Anthony's Lounge, she also served as one of the pianists to the delight of everyone who heard her.
Beverly has served on the Board of Directors for two terms in the mid-nineties and again in the early years of 2000. She was the President of Highlands Little Theatre from April, 1999 to March, 2000. During that year she made the importance of volunteering her primary agenda and her campaign enjoyed a gratifying response.
I feel confident that I speak for all the membership when I say that Highlands Little Theatre has been highly fortunate in having Beverly Padgett as one of its long time members. Not only has she contributed generously of her time and talent for almost a quarter of a century in her association with the Highlands Little Theatre, but she has brought much enjoyment and pleasure to everyone who has been fortunate to see and hear her in her many memorable and outstanding roles.
Thank you Beverly for sharing your many gifts with us, you will be remembered by us all at Highlands Little Theatre as Our Fair Lady.
