Marilyn Chris - Nanny Doss
Marilyn Chris is Nanny Doss in the premiere run of "The Giggling Granny," a solo show written for her by Marsha Lee Sheiness based on a true story.
Marilyn Chris has appeared on Broadway; “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” “Lenny” and “Birthday Party.”
Off Broadway, she was an original member of the famed Living Theatre, “Jungle of Cities,” “Tonight We Improvise,” “Good Soldier Scheweik,” “Many Loves,” etc. and participated in two European tours.
Marilyn was a member of the Chelsea Theatre Center- under the direction of Robert Kalfin- where she created the role of Naomi Ginsberg in the famed multimedia production of Allen Ginsberg’s “Kaddish” (recipient of Obie, Outer Critics Circle, Drama Desk, and Variety Critics Poll Awards) and appeared in “The Screens,” “Junebug Graduates Tonight,” among others.
She appeared with the Jewish Repertory Theatre in “Elephants,” “Yard Sale,” “God of Vengeance,” and many others.
Her television credits include: “OZ,” “Third Watch,” many episodes of “Law and Order,” “Blessings,” “Kaddish,” and “One Life To Live” (as Wanda Webb Wollek) for which she received the TV Magazine Writers and Editors Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Marilyn is so pleased to be here at Theater For the New City and to be doing the late Marsha Lee Sheiness’ Nanny Doss. She is returning after a hiatus during which she mourned the loss of her beloved husband, Lee Walace, and hopes he is looking down at the production with affection and pride. She is grateful to Crystal Field, everyone here at TNC, Roseanne Kirk, James Semmelman, and last but surely not least, her son Paul and his wonderful family.
Here’s to peace on earth!
Jim Semmelman - Director
Jim Semmelman (Actors’ Equity, Directors’ Guild, Dramatists’ Guild) is a director, producer, choreographer, writer, lyricists, and stage manager with more than 30 years experience in theater, television and film. Recently, he conceived and co-produced 30 Years of Stephen, a tribute to broadway composer Stephen Flaherty at Carnegie Hall and also at Carnegie Hall, he stage directed the NY Pops tribute to Clive Davis with guests including Barry Mannilow, Dionne Warwick, Melissa Manchester and Santana. His three-character musical dramedy Brush Strokes premiered in New York this past October and his children’s Christmas “moosical” Mooseltoe toured during the holiday season for almost 20 years can now be streamed at Mooseltoe.com. Jim lives in Garrison, NY with his husband, Ray Disco.
Marsha Lee Sheiness - Playwright
Marsha Lee Sheiness wrote “The Giggling Granny” especially for Marilyn Chris.
Marsha Lee was an original playwright-in-residence at Playwrights Horizons in NYC where nine productions of her work were presented. Her plays “Professor George” and “The Spelling Bee” were presented by the O’Neill Playwrights Conference. Her play “Monkey, Monkey bottle of Beer” was seen on PBS “Theater in America” following it’s World Premier at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. Other work includes musical adaptation of “Great Expectations” with Robert Bendorff (a finalist for the Richard Rodgers award) and “Becoming Eleanor” about the early life of Eleanor of Aquitaine, directed by Robert Kalfin.
Sadly Marsha Lee passed away in 2022 , but her work lives on in the talented writers that she encouraged and mentored.
Roseanne Kirk - Supervising Producer
From Broadway to major theaters in Europe, Roseanne Kirk has conceived, written, and produced more than 30 major productions during the last 20 years.
Shows developed by Roseanne have played the Sistina in Milan, the Mogador in Paris, the Alte Opera in Frankfurt and Saddler Wells in London, the Vatican, and others.
In the early stages of her career she was a well-known talent agent representing many respected artists including Ruth Brown, Savion Glover, Abby Lincoln, Jasmine Guy and directors David H. Bell, Robert Kalfin, and Edward Stone.
She has given theater seminars and workshops at Vassar, Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, and American Academy. She developed music programs for PBS and the Gospel Music Television Channel. Roseanne was thrilled to be a founder and creative director of The Harlem Gospel Singers Show joining with Michael Brenner and Queen Esther Marrow.
She confides, “My very memorable moment was at The Vatican…when I noticed the Pope tapping his foot to music that I had selected!”
Roseanne would like to pay tribute to her friend, the late Marsha Lee Sheiness and thank her for giving voice to Nanny Doss in the person of the wonderful Marilyn Chris.