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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Martile Blackman - Actress and Singer
By: Roy Riedy |
Martile Blackman appeared on the Lakeside Playhouse stage for the first time in Marian Dunham's November, 1986, production of Stephen Sondheim's Roman musical, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, as Philia, the girl next door. Her next role, the following November, was Sally Bowles in Marian Dunham's next musical, Kander and Ebb's Cabaret, this time Martile played the girl in the next room. At the Third Annual Zenon Awards, Martile received the Best Actress in a Leading Role Award, for her stellar performance as Sally Bowles, a star had been born.
In June, 1989, of the Fifteenth Season, Peter Pollard directed Martile as Charity Hope Valentine, the girl in the same room, in Cy Coleman and Dorothy Field's musical, Sweet Charity, a role that nominated her for a Best Actress in a Leading Role for her outstanding performance as Charity Hope Valentine.
In November, 1994, the first play of the Twenty-first Season was the Jule Styne and Stephen Sondheim musical, Gypsy, which starred two of Martile's daughters, Brittany Blackman and Brooke Blackman. Martile is credited in the program as being on the Set Construction Team. The following month, December, 1994, Roy Riedy presented an "Extra" play, the musical review by Kander and Ebb, And the World Goes 'Round in which Martile sang as an understudy for Lynda Fulcher for one performance.
A reprise of the musical Annie was directed by Frank Oberhausen in April, 1998, and Martile appeared in the production as the gum chewing, nail filing, seam straightening, Lily St Regis, the consort of Rooster, the con-man. The role nominated Martile for a Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
The last time Mrs. Blackman's name was seen in a HLT program was in a letter of thanks to Martile and her husband Tim, by the current President, Goldie Garnich, for their generous donation to Highlands Little Theatre. The panegyric appeared in the program of Jet Hansen's On Golden Pond, which Jet directed in November, 2000.
Almost five years later, in August, 2005, Martile Blackman's name was again in lights at Highlands Little Theatre. She had been cast by Melanie Boulay and Jennifer Westergom to replay the crucial role of Sally Bowles in their reprise of Kander and Ebb's Cabaret, a role that brought Martile her first Zenon eighteen years earlier. The directors' choice proved to be a flawless decision, for Martile's Sally was even better, if possible, the second time around. Her perfectness in her role had an inspiring influence on the other actors which contributed to the musical making HLT history by shattering all of the previous Zenon records.
Martile and her husband, Jim and their children received another honor the previous June. By unanimous vote Tim and Martile Blackman and family were proclaimed Life Members of Highlands Little Theatre. This high honor has only been given fourteen times and is considered the highest and most exclusive accolade in the theater's repertoire of awards. Congratulations to you Martile on your well deserved Zenon and all the Blackmans who have been true friends of Highlands Little Theatre.
