Alumna Turned Broadway Star Performs on Chadwick Campus
Thursday, November 09, 2006
On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Broadway star Laura Griffith '94
performed at Chadwick in the Laverty Center as part of the school’s
Alumni Return Engagement series. She performed for 9th- through
12th-grade students from 12:30 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., and for 7th- and
8th-grade students from 1:15 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Griffith currently is appearing as Franca Naccarelli in a road tour of The Tony Award-winning
musical “Light in the Piazza” at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles. Griffith was a member of
the Broadway cast in “Light in the Piazza”; other Broadway credits
include “Sweet Smell of Success” with John Lithgow and “Oklahoma!”
During her appearance at Chadwick, Griffith took part in an on-stage
interview, performed several musical numbers including “Tonight” from
“West Side Story,” “Ain’t Misbehavin’” by Fats Waller and “Can’t Help
Lovin’ Dat Man” from “Show Boat,” and answered questions from the
student audience. During her performance for Middle School students,
Griffith sang a duet of “The Lady is a Tramp” from “Babes in Arms” with
Chadwick 8th-grader Alexandra Van Deuren '11.
Griffith’s performance is part of the school’s Alumni Return Engagement
series, which brings distinguished Chadwick alumni to the campus to
share their experience at the school, and in their
chosen profession, with current students.
“The Alumni Return Engagement series is a great way for current
students to learn first-hand how they can benefit from the kind of
education we provide here at Chadwick,” said Alex Jones, Chadwick’s
director of alumni programs. “They see that people really can follow
their dreams when they have a strong academic foundation. And, of
course, our alums enjoy connecting with their present counterparts”
Past series guests include Michael Saltzman, executive producer of the Emmy Award-winning CBS television series “Murphy Brown,” Superior Court Justice Sheila Prell Sonenshine and Brigg Reilley
of Doctors Without Borders. The school plans to make the series — which
was introduced in 2005 — a permanent fixture, bringing at least one
distinguished alum to the campus each year.
Griffith was highly active in Chadwick’s drama department during her
time at the school, performing in musicals such as “Babes in Arms” and
“Into the Woods” and as a member of the Chadwick’s community-service
vocal ensemble, The Rainbow Connection. “I knew she was talented from
the moment I met her and that she was destined for Broadway,” said Mary
Ellen Agnew-Place, director of Chadwick’s performing arts department.
Please scroll down to view photos of Griffith's visit!
 
 
 
 
|
|
Print Page
Email to a Friend
RSS