Award-Winning ‘Marilyn: Forever Blonde’ Play Opens at MOCA

Joanna Norris, Assistant Director

(904) 620-2102

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a cultural resource of the University of North Florida, presents the award-winning, one-woman play “Marilyn: Forever Blonde,” starring actress Sunny Thompson as Marilyn Monroe.

“Marilyn: Forever Blonde” tells the actress’ story in her own words and music, running every weekend starting Thursday, Feb. 11, through Sunday, March 7. Tickets are $29 for members; $34 for non-members; and $24 for students and military. Make it a complete night out with a pre-theater dinner at MOCA’s Café Nola on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, starting Thursday, Feb. 11, through Saturday, March 6, from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. For reservations, call (904) 366-6911, ext. 231.

The play, directed by Stephanie Shine, premiered in 2007 in Hollywood, where Thompson won the prestigious “Lee Hartgrave Fame Award” for Best Acting. “Marilyn: Forever Blonde” has won a dozen major awards, including “Best Special Theatrical Event of the Year” and “One of the Year’s Top Ten Productions.” The play has had rave revues throughout the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and most recently London’s West End.

“This is Marilyn’s story in her own words and music, not studio press agent hype and not the words of hundreds of authors who have attempted to tell her story from their own personal point of view,” said Greg Thompson, writer and producer of the play. “This story line has been painstakingly researched from hundreds of quotes from Marilyn herself and the lavish production is a recreation of what might have been Marilyn’s last chance to tell her story in her own words.”

The play features 17 songs by some of the greatest songwriters in the business, from Irving Berlin to Harold Arlen to Johnny Mercer. All of the play’s songs were performed by Monroe during her film career and are used to explain her story as she recounts a life of dreams and make believe that catapulted her to the stars and ultimately found her crashing down to Earth to remain in our memory forever.

“Marilyn: Forever Blonde” is set in 1962 during what would be Monroe’s last photo shoot. At 36, she is still beautiful, yet has lost the girlish charm that made her Hollywood’s biggest star in her early 20s. Divorced for the third time and living alone, Monroe is tired of the sex symbol label, and longs to be respected for her talent rather than the character she has created on the silver screen. She wonders what it would be like to do it all over again.

Sunny grew up Minnesota, where she studied opera at Concordia College in Moorhead, earning her tuition by singing at every venue that housed a piano. Upon graduation, she traveled the world performing in musical revues and in off-Broadway musical productions before winding up in Spain. There Sunny became a music video star, recording a hit album featuring her gold record “Te Necesito” recorded with Latin American guitar legend Gustavo Pacheco.

The actress has performed regularly at the famous Old Log Theatre in the Twin-cities, headlined her own 800-seat theater for three years in Branson as well as hosted a nationally syndicated radio show on the Branson Music Network. Sunny has recorded eight albums, starred in the upcoming film version of “Marilyn: Forever Blonde,” headlined “Showgirls” at the Rio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas as seen on HBO as well as starred in her own shows along with her band, back-up singers and dancers at Harrah’s in the legendary Sammy’s Showroom in Reno and at the celebrated Southshore Room in Lake Tahoe.

Greg, who is married to Sunny, has been one of the world’s top producers of musical revues for more than 35 years. He has won numerous awards for his productions throughout the U.S. and abroad, producing over 500 productions for both the stage and television. His clients include the leading casinos of the world as well as major Fortune 500 companies.

He has worked on the script “Marilyn: Forever Blonde” over the last 20 years as a labor of love. When he married Sunny 10 years ago, he spent six more years convincing her she should take time off from her own performing career to take on the demanding role. “I’m glad she finally agreed,” said Greg. “If I’d had to wait another 16 years to see it come to life on stage, I’m afraid I wouldn’t remember what it was about Marilyn that excited me in the first place.”

Shine is the artistic director of Seattle Shakespeare Company, the premier classical theatre in Washington State. In the midst of her 10th season, she has produced more than 30 main stage productions and 17 late night cabarets. Recent directorial credits include “Taming of the Shrew,” “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Measure for Measure,” “As You like It,” “Richard II” and this past January, “The Comedy ofErrors,” which became the highest grossing show in the company’s 16-year history. Shine is a faculty member of the Seattle Film Institute and has also been a guest instructor at the American University in Cairo, Cornish College of the Arts and Pacific Lutheran University.

Tickets for “Marilyn: Forever Blonde,” sponsored by the Hilton Garden Inn, can be purchased at MOCA at (904) 366-6911, ext. 209, or on their Web site at www.mocajacksonville.org.  

The Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, a non-profit, visual arts educational institution, is a cultural resource of the University of North Florida and serves the community through exhibitions, collections, educational programs, outreach and publications designed to enhance an understanding and appreciation of modern and contemporary art with particular emphasis on works created after 1960. One of the largest institutions of its kind in the Southeast, MOCA Jacksonville is funded in part by the University of North Florida; the City of Jacksonville; Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville; the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Cultural Affairs and through the generous support of our members. For more information about MOCA including programs, hours and ticket pricing, please visit on-line at www.mocajacksonville.org or call (904) 366-6911, ext. 209.

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