P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525
|
P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525 |
 |
Denise Miriani - Enterprising, Persevering, and Successful By: Roy Riedy |
Exactly a year ago in June, 2005 Denise Miriani qualified for a Newletter profile by becoming the recepient of a fifth Zenon which she received for her Costume Design of Jennifer Westergom's lavish musical, The Scarlet Pimpernel. This year she qualified for a second profile for her directing, and being completely and competently in charge of all of the facets that direction requires.
Denise's first venture in directing was ten years ago in January, 1996 when she was my Assistant Director in presenting the off-Broadway prize winning comedy, The Foreigner. Exactly ten years later, in January, 2006, Ms. Miriani, who in no way had been idle, directed the mystery thriller Wait Until Dark with first-rate results. With this play, Denise's involvement with HLT plays had reached a total of 70, just two plays shy of the 144 plays that have been given during the Little Theatre's 32 years of existence.
Denise had paid her dues and was well prepared for her solo turn at direction. Her apprenticeship included valuable experience obtained by producing for Janelou Buck (Inherit the Wind), Andy Conyer (Same Time Next Year), Unity in the Community (The Sounds of the Season), Roy Riedy (And the World Goes 'Round), and also Jet Hansen's (I Do!, I Do!).
She worked on set construction for Sue McCollum (The Fantasticks); and was a member of the stage crews of Tammie Pollard (Lend Me a Tenor) and Pete Pollard's (Ain't Misbehavin').
Her acting has included nine roles at HLT, the first was that of the Dr Pepper addicted Agnes Gooch in Jet Hansen's Eighteenth Season production of Mame, a role that captured her a Best Supporting Actress award and her first Zenon. Two seasons later she played Florence Unger in Pete Pollard's presentation of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple (Female Version).
Denise played two roles in the Twenty-first Season: the seismographic stripper, Tessie Tura in Jim Lanier's Styne/Sondheim musical Gypsy, and Martha Jefferson in Frank Oberhausen's stunning production of 1776. During the next season she played Catherine Simms in Roy Riedy's offering of the off-Broadway comedy, The Foreigner, as well as being the play's Assistant Director.
Two years later Denise played the part of Elizabeth Woodling, a bartered bride, in Beverly Brando Gillilan's Lerner and Loewe's Paint Your Wagon. In 2000 she played the wife of a cheating taxi driver, Mary Smith, in Mike Logsdon's deft producion of Run For Your Wife. This role was followed by appearing in another Ray Cooney farce, Move Over Mrs. Markham, also directed by Mike Logsdon in June, 2002, as the paradoxical Linda Lodge, her last role to date at HLT.
Most of Denise's non-acting time at HLT has been involved with costuming in one form or another and usually in association with Helen Curcio, a twosome that started in November, 1998 when Denise and Helen worked on the costume design for Melanie Boulay's brilliant Wizard of Oz. In April, 1999, the pair worked together again on Frank Oberhausen's reprise of The Sound of Music, and again in June for Beverly Brando Gillilan's revival of Arsenic and Old Lace.
Since 1999, Denise's costuming has included John Lovelette's One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and Frank Oberhausen's revival of Annie Get Your Gun, for which she worked as a seanstress. Denise won her third Zenon for her wardrobe design with Helen Curcio for Frank Oberhausen's spectaular 2001 revival of The King and I. Later in that season she served as a wardrobe assistant for Jim McCollum's musical, Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.
In the Twenty-eighth season she took on a pyramid of a project as the costume designer for Joe Willis' extravagant production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a project that awarded her with her fourth Zenon. She preformed more magic in the costuming department with Helen Curcio for Melanie Boulay's soaring hit Peter Pan at the end of that season.
Denise worked on three costuming projects during the Twenty-ninth Season. She was a seamstress for Frank Oberhausen's awsome revival of The Man of La Mancha; assisted in costuming Allen Branch's thriller The Hound of the Baskervilles, and was a wardrobe assistant for Tammie Pollard's outstanding Jesus Christ, Superstar.
Since her June, 2005 Newletter profile, Ms. Miriani collaborated with Helen Curcio on Melanie Boulay and Jennifer Westergom's runaway success Cabaret which brought the pair another Zenon, and most recently worked as one of the wardrobe assistants for Joe Willis' blithesome musical Seven Birides for Seven Brothers.
It's no wonder that Wait Until Dark was so well received, Ms. Miriani has much to offer and does. Congratulations Denise on your ongoing career at Highlands Little Theatre and the energy, imagination, and initiative you continue to pour into your many successes.
