Emmy Award-winning actress Elaine Bromka, a veteran of film, television and the stage, is on campus this week for a performance and master classes.
She will present “Lady Bird, Pat & Betty: Tea for Three,” a one-woman show about First Ladies Lady Bird Johnson, Pat Nixon and Betty Ford, Thursday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Nott Memorial. The event is open to the public.
The show is sponsored by the Department of Theater and Dance with support from the Office of the President and the Department of Political Science.
Taking place amid the dizzying change and political dissent of the 1960s and ’70s, “Tea for Three” depicts three women of uncommon valor who stood by their husbands, bringing wit and compassion to the country in what Pat Nixon called “the hardest unpaid job in the world.”
In her more than 30 years in the acting business, Bromka has tackled an array of challenging roles. She starred opposite Rich Little in the PBS show “The Presidents” and impersonated the last eight First Ladies. Intrigued by their stories, she went on to collaborate with playwright Eric H. Weinberger for “Tea for Three.”
Bromka conducted an “Acting on Camera” workshop for students Tuesday and Wednesday night. The workshop offered individualized coaching and detailed analysis of voice, facial and body habits, as well as overall onscreen image.
“We’re delighted to have this award-winning actress and gifted teacher share her expertise with our students,” said Patricia Culbert, senior artist-in-residence, Department of Theater and Dance. “Our department serves students from across the academic spectrum, and a professional technique workshop such as this provides far more than the individualized coaching of the actor’s craft.”
Biz Deeb and Elite Williams
The heart of the workshop, Culbert noted, is the heightened self-esteem that comes with increased awareness of one’s strengths and challenges.With this foundation, “students sharpen skills to perform well in a wide range of situations – from job interviews to social interaction to group presentations.”
A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Smith College who has conducted workshops at schools across the country, Bromka is currently on the faculty of the National Theatre Institute. She played the mother in “Uncle Buck” opposite John Candy and Tchaikowska with Vanessa Redgrave in “Playing for Time.” She won an Emmy for her work in “Catch a Rainbow.”
Free tickets for “Tea for Three” are available in the Yulman Box Office and at the door. Seating is limited. For more information, call ext. 6545, or visit www.teaforthree.com.