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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Jennifer Westergom - Nine Zenons in Nine Years By: Roy Riedy |
Jennifer Westergom is immediately associated with the word "choreography" by most members of HLT, but to limit her accomplishments to just that is actually selling this talented lady very short, for she is also a gifted actress, dancer and director.
Her name appeared for the first time in the HLT Newsletter in July, 1997 where it was noted that "Another newcomer is Jennifer Westergom, who will choreograph the dance numbers in Forum."
In Tammie Pollard's program notes for A Funny Thing Happen on the Way to the Forum which was directed by Mrs. Pollard in August, 1997, readers were told that Jennifer "graduated from Florida International University in Miami with a Bachelor's degree in mathematics education. She was a dancer and the captain of the FIU "Golden Dazzlers" basketball dance team for two years. She was also a dancer and the captain of the professional NBA Miami Heat Dancers for two years. One year after graduation, she moved to Sebring with her husband, Bill, and two sons, Austen, and Gunnar. In Sebring she has coached the Sebring High School dance team, the Hi-Steppers . . ."
Jennifer received a nomination at the 12th Annual Zenon Awards for her choreography for Forum. Two years later at the 14th Annual Zenon Awards in October, 1999, she received a Production / Technical Zenon for her choreography in Melanie Boulay's record tying production of The Wizard of Oz.
At the end of the Twenty-sixth Season, August, 2000, Jennifer and Melanie joined forces again to present Lionel Bart's popular musical Oliver!, based on Charles Dickens' novel Oliver Twist. Melanie Boulay was Director, and Jennifer Westergom was the Assistant Director and Choreographer. Once again the combination payed off and Jennifer claimed her second Production / Technical Zenon for her work as Assistant Director and Choreographer of the marvelous production of Oliver!
Exactly a year later, August, 2001, Jennifer was listed in the playbill of Tammie Pollard's enterprising West Side Story as its Choreographer and the additional credit of playing Graziella, one of the Jet Girls. Once again Jennifer won a Zenon, her third, at the end of the season for her outstanding choreography in the Bernstein/Sondheim musical update of the story of Romeo and Juliet.
The Twenty-eighth Season at HLT was also a busy one for Jennifer. She worked in Anthony's Lounge during the run of Frank Oberhausen's Guys and Dolls; played the role of Holly Burrell in Peter Pollard's excellent drama Foxfire; was back in Anthony's Lounge during the performances of Joe Willis' extravaganza, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Mike Logsdon's zany Move Over Mrs. Markham; and ended the season as the Choreographer of another Melanie Boulay hit, Peter Pan. True to form, Jennifer received a fourth Zenon for her choreography for the play about a boy who refused to grow up.
Since receiving her Zenon for Peter Pan Jennifer has been associated with five more plays. In January, 2003, she was cast as Shelby Eatenton-Latcherie in Peter Pollard's reprise of Steel Magnolias, a part that nominated her for Best Actress in a Supporting Role at the Eighteenth Annual Zenon Awards in October, 2003, which she Co-Directed with Mark Elliott.
In November, 2003, Jennifer was once again Melanie Boulay's Assistant Director for the Thirtieth Season's opening play, I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. In late March, 2004, Jennifer directed the Best Play of the season, The Scarlet Pimpernel. The musical won seven Zenons at the Nineteenth Zenon Ceremonies in October, 2004, two of which were awarded to Jennifer, one for Best Play and the other for Best Set Design which she shared with Melanie Boulay. Ms. Westergom's Zenon count now stood at six, just about one award for each year she has been associated with HLT.
As implausible as it sounds, Jennifer's participation in the Thirty-first Season at HLT was even more successful then her previous season. Early in November it was announced that she and Melanie Boulay would be Co-directors of their revival of Kander and Ebb's Cabaret. Auditions were held in March for the August production. Despite this project Ms. Westergom found time to work on the Red and White Ball; run for the HLT Board of Directors and win; and be the Sound Technician for Jet Hansen's June musical, I Do! I Do!
The presentation of Cabaret was a huge success. It's success can be measured by the 14 out of a possible 15 Zenons the musical amassed, three of which were won by Jennifer. Cabaret now holds the title of the most celebrated play ever presented at the Lakeside Playhouse, a record that will be almost impossible to surpass.
Congratulations Jennifer on your stellar rise to fame and your many contributions to the vitality of Highlands Little Theater. You deserve every Zenon you have been awarded which now equal the nine years you have been associated with the Lakeside Playhouse.
