Highlands Little Theatre - Christine Smith

P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525

Christine Smith - Blessed with a Wonderful Voice and Three Zenons
By: Roy Riedy

Chris Smith has been with Highlands Little Theatre since its Seventeenth Season in June, 1991, when Tena Conyer, the director of Little Shop of Horrors, selected her to play Ronnette, one third of a singing trio that served as a Do-wop-ing Greek chorus for the zany goings on in an innocent looking flower shop in a bad neighborhood. The play was a sensation and at the Sixth Annual Awards Ceremony, at which Chris delighted the audience with "Zing went the Strings of my Heart," the "Little Shop" won seven Zenons which included the award of being the Best Play of the season.

HLT's Eighteenth Season was even busier for Chris. She worked on the set construction and sang in the chorus of Jet Hansen's Mame in November; in January she was heard as one of the "Voices" of Vernon Gersch in Peter Pollard's production of the musical They're Playing Our Song. Frank Oberhausen directed the musical Funny Girl in April with Chris in the role of Emma, and in June, Ms. Smith appeared in Janelou Buck's production of Inherit The Wind as Esther. Marian Dunham revived The Teahouse of the August Moon in August to commemorate the tenth year of HLT's residency at The Lakeside Playhouse and Chris helped the audience celebrate the occasion by working with the staff of Anthony's Lounge. At the Seventh Zenon Awards in October, 1992, Chris received a nomination for Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in Inherit The Wind and also regaled the audience by singing "No Man Left for Me" from the musical Will Rogers Follies.

The Nineteenth Season opened with Dan Goggin's light-hearted musical Nunsense, a singing salute to the remnants of the Little Sisters of Hoboken. The play was directed by Tena Conyer and Chris Smith was cast in the role of Sr. Mary Hubert. During Walt Zelenenki's Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, Chris rejoined her friends on the Staff of Anthony's Lounge and continued her job there through the third show of the season, Frank Oberhausen's reprise of Camelot; and the fourth, Marian Dunham's comedy The Philadelphia Story. The final play of the season was the August presentation of the musical milestone, Show Boat. It was directed by Jet Hansen in which Chris appeared as Queenie.

At the October Zenon Awards, Nunsense won six Zenons which included a Best Actress Award for Chris, and a Best Show of the Season for Nunsense. Chris was also nominated for a Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her portrayal of Queenie in Show Boat.

The Twentieth Season of the Highlands Little Theatre opened with a second edition of its successful opener of 1992, Nunsense II, The second coming . . . The play was directed once again by Tena Conyer and the cast of actresses remained the same, with Chris as Sr. Mary Hubert. The spoof remained a great success and won a second Best Actress Zenon for Chris Smith. During the remaining four plays of the season Chris worked again with the staff in Anthony's Lounge.

Chris acted and sang in two of the six shows offered the Twenty-first Season and worked in Anthony's Lounge during the other four. She appeared in the weekend musical revue And The World Goes 'Round, a pre-Christmas "Extra Show," directed by Roy Riedy that featured the music of Kander and Ebb and four solos by Chris. The music of "Fats" Waller provided the material for the January show Ain't Misbehavin' which was directed by Peter Pollard and nominated Chris for a Best Actress of the Season for her powerful renditions and wonderful voice.

During four of the shows of the Twenty-second Season Chris devoted her time working as a member of the Staff of Anthony's Lounge. At the end of the Twenty-third Season Chris and Pat McConnell were the presenters of the Best Stage Manager Award at the Twelfth Zenon Awards. At the Thirteenth Zenon Awards Entr'act, Chris, Stephanie Sandelier, and the Awards Chorus entertained the audience with a medley of songs from the musical Hair.

In January of the Twenty-fifth Season Ms. Smith appeared as Viney in Peter Pollard's powerful production of The Miracle Worker, a drama about the childhood of Helen Keller. In April she was the co-producer with Gloria Coffey for the Children's Academy of Theatre, Inc (CAT) first production, The Available Left-footed Princess.

HLT's Twenty-sixth Season opened in November at the Lakeside Playhouse with the play based on Ken Kesey's novel, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, directed by John Lovelette with Chris in the role of Nurse Ratched, another role that nominated her for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Fifteenth Annual Zenon Awards the following October. In July CAT produced its fifth production, Rumplestiltskin, for which Chris received Special Thanks in its playbill.

Finally, Chris was responsible for the playbill of CAT's 6th show, Alice in Wonderland, presented in August, 2001, at the newly built Restoration Center. Besides the 28 production she was involved with at HLT, Chris worked on 3 CAT shows, participated in 8 Zenon Ceremonies. She has won two Zenons for her acting and was nominated for four others. Ms. Smith has been named in 24 HLT Newsletter and 35 local news articles for a total of 98 Citations. Congratulations on your many successes Chris and especially for bringing your great voice to HLT.

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