HEY OLD FRIENDS!
An afternoon featuring the music
& lyrics of Stephen Sondheim
DATE: Sunday, March 8
TIME: 3:00 p.m.
TICKETS: $25. Tickets available online, at the theatre box office, or
by calling 503-436-1242.
Join us for a heartfelt afternoon of song and story as three celebrated performers, Merideth Kaye Clark, Susannah Mars, and Stephanie Lynne Smith return to the Coaster Theatre Playhouse to bring the unforgettable music of Stephen Sondheim to life. From laughter to longing, this evening will be filled with the wit, warmth, and brilliance that made Sondheim a legend. Whether you know every lyric by heart or are discovering his genius for the first time, you’ll experience Sondheim’s work as it should be: intimate, insightful, and full of heart.
Merideth Kaye Clark: Originally from Kansas City, Missouri, Merideth studied Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology at Emory University before earning a master’s in musical Theatre at San Diego State University. It was in California that she began her career as a concert artist and musical theatre performer, and she has since taken on major roles in theatres across the country.
Notable performances include: Elphaba standby in Wicked (First National Tour); Beverley Bass in Come From Away (Seattle Rep); Nancy in Oliver! (Seattle’s 5th Ave); Cathy in The Last Five Years (Portland Center Stage); Alice Murphy in Bright Star (Arvada Center); and Carole King in Beautiful (Broadway Rose). Merideth has participated in numerous developmental readings and originated roles in two off-Broadway musicals.
As a sought-after concert artist, she has been described as “plain astonishing” and “a masterful performer” with “powerhouse pipes.” Merideth co-created the original concerts Winter Song (Portland Center Stage), Joni Mitchell’s BLUE, and Happy Days Are Here Again: The Music of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand (with Susannah Mars), which have toured internationally. A multi-instrumentalist, Merideth plays various string instruments, particularly the guitar, banjo, dulcimer, and viola.
As a dedicated teaching artist, Merideth has conducted masterclasses nationwide. Her television credits include Portlandia and the Emmy-nominated Documentary Now! Original Cast Album: Co-op. She is also half of the acclaimed folk-Americana duo Siren Songs, which released their debut album in spring 2020. As a dedicated teaching artist, Merideth has conducted masterclasses nationwide. Her television credits include Portlandia and the Emmy-nominated Documentary Now! Original Cast Album: Co-op.
Susannah Mars: Susannah is thrilled to return to the stage with Merideth Kaye Clark and Stephanie Lynne Smith in Happy Days Are Here Again, the music of Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand. Most recently you might have seen her in Portland Playhouse’s production of Amélie. She is a Resident Artist at Artists Repertory Theatre and is on the board at Portland Center Stage. Over the past thirty-five years, she’s appeared onstage worldwide. Locally, she’s played iconic roles, Mrs. Lovett in Sweeny Todd, Mother in Ragtime, and Mama Rose in Gypsy. She’s performed her holiday show Mars On Life and played Diana in Next To Normal, among others, at Artists Rep. She appeared on NBC’s Grimm as Drew Wu’s psychiatrist, Dr. Richet. Ms. Mars is the proud recipient of six Portland Drama Critics awards. Lately, she often finds herself in a sound booth at home voicing audiobooks, audio-description, and commercials. She is in the soon-to-be-leased Lionsgate feature film, Cellar Door, with Samuel L. Jackson. Find out more, including updates on her short documentary film about art and grief, Symphony of Grief, by subscribing to her newsletter at susannahmars.com
Stephanie Lynne Smith: Somewhere along the way to becoming a concert pianist, Stephanie fell in love with singers and discovered her passion for promoting composers and new compositions. Stephanie promotes a life of balance that includes the arts, self-care, and stress reduction.
Born and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Music in Piano Performance (1998) from University of Colorado at Boulder and a Master of Music in Chamber Music Performance (2001) from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. In the Bay Area, she served as Artistic Director for Queer Chorus of San Francisco from 2000-2008, commissioning “Halloween in the Castro: A Horror Opera” by Jack Curtis Dubowsky and the musical “Group Therapy” by June Bonacich, along with countless pieces for choir and solo voice. For decades, she was immersed in music direction for churches and worship conferences. In 2014, Stephanie concluded her formal career in worship leadership by serving as worship designer and leader for the Sunday 6pm services at Grace Cathedral. From 2012-2022, Stephanie toured as concert pianist with Broadway veteran Franc D’Ambrosio (The Godfather III/Phantom of the Opera) and had the privilege of witnessing and playing for the ceremony knighting him “Cavaliere” by the Italian government. As a performing artist, she was Artist in Residence for Shari Carlson Studio (San Francisco) and Bergstrasse Evangelical Lutheran Church (Ephrata, Pennsylvania) and currently appears in concert with Merideth Kaye Clark and Susannah Mars. In August 2023, Stephanie was elevated to Artistic Director for the Newport Performing Arts Festival in Newport, Oregon, presenting workshops in performance, music theory and reading, performance anxiety management, and ensemble work. Her production company, Miss Smith Presents, produces a new series that showcases living and local composers. She can be found regularly accompanying her students in livestreams on the Miss Smith Presents YouTube channel.
In October 2021, she accepted a staff teaching position in Portland at Resound NW: A Place to Sing and maintains her performance studios in Salem, Portland and San Francisco. After several decades of touring, conducting and interim work, she returned to her first love of chamber music by joining the Northwest Piano Trio in Fall of 2023.
CAUTIONS: Coaster Theatre – G (General Audience)
Most people will find this show appropriate for all ages. Although this rating does not signify a program designed for children. It contains little or no violence, no strong language and little or no sexual dialogue or situations. Your own judgment is the best guide for your family.
