Madame Director
At long last, New Stage Theatre has named Francine Thomas as its new artistic director. Bravo!
I first saw Thomas, who has worked as a professional actress and director for more than 18 years, in a production of The Glass Menagerie. She was heartbreaking as Laura. More recent work includes roles in Noises Off and The Skin of our Teeth at New Stage, in addition to a slew of recent directing projects. (I thought she did a great job working with what she had - me- when she directed I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change this past fall. Bless her.) Thomas served as the President of the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education from 1995 to 1997. She was the Drama Director at Jackson Preparatory School from 1996-2005 and was awarded the Best Director Award at the North Mississippi High School Drama Festival in 1998 and 2000. For a while there, she also ran her own casting company, Connections, in the Jackson area, serving as the locations casting director on several films shot in Mississippi.
At any rate, she is more than qualified in addition to knowing the Jackson market extremely well. I look forward to seeing what she'll do, now that she is at the helm of the only Equity theatre in Mississippi.
Most immediately, the next production at New Stage is Moonlight and Magnolias, a behind-the-scenes comedy about the making of Gone with the Wind. The show runs April 17-29, and tickets may be had by calling the box office at 601-948-3531. Sounds like a good time to me!
I first saw Thomas, who has worked as a professional actress and director for more than 18 years, in a production of The Glass Menagerie. She was heartbreaking as Laura. More recent work includes roles in Noises Off and The Skin of our Teeth at New Stage, in addition to a slew of recent directing projects. (I thought she did a great job working with what she had - me- when she directed I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change this past fall. Bless her.) Thomas served as the President of the Mississippi Alliance for Arts Education from 1995 to 1997. She was the Drama Director at Jackson Preparatory School from 1996-2005 and was awarded the Best Director Award at the North Mississippi High School Drama Festival in 1998 and 2000. For a while there, she also ran her own casting company, Connections, in the Jackson area, serving as the locations casting director on several films shot in Mississippi.
At any rate, she is more than qualified in addition to knowing the Jackson market extremely well. I look forward to seeing what she'll do, now that she is at the helm of the only Equity theatre in Mississippi.
Most immediately, the next production at New Stage is Moonlight and Magnolias, a behind-the-scenes comedy about the making of Gone with the Wind. The show runs April 17-29, and tickets may be had by calling the box office at 601-948-3531. Sounds like a good time to me!
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