Terry Finn
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Terry Finn | |
|---|---|
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| Born | Teresa Jo Ann Bernadette Finn August 6, 1955 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Spouse | David L. Snyder(m. 1990) |
| Children | 1 |
Teresa Jo Ann Bernadette "Terry" Finn(born August 6, 1955) is an Americanactressbest known for creating the role of Gussie Carnegie in the originalBroadwaycast of theStephen Sondheim/Hal Prince/George Furthmusical comedyMerrily We Roll Alongand its Original Cast Album.
Early life
[edit]Terry was born inLong Island City,New York,the fifth child of Katherine (née Conley), an elementary school teacher, and Peter David Finn, aNew York Cityfireman stationed inBrooklyn.Growing up on the Island, Finn attended St. Pius X Elementary School inPlainview.She made her stage debut at the age of 11 as a member of the Pius Players in the leading role of Flora inThe Innocents.She attended high school at Queen of the Rosary Academy inAmityvillewhere she studied to go on to a teaching career.
Finn began undergrad studies atIona CollegeinNew Rochelleas apsychologymajor. Following an impromptu audition for Professor Roderick Nash, she was persuaded to switch her major to Communication Arts in the Theatre Department. As a member of the Iona Players, Finn appeared in a series of leading roles, from Blanche Du Bois inA Streetcar Named Desire[1]toSally BowlesinCabaret.Following her graduation, she was once again persuaded to return to Iona during post-grad summer session and was cast in the lead as Maria inWest Side Story,this was her third Stephen Sondheimmusical,which included roles as Marta inCompanyand Young Dolly inFollies.
Stage career
[edit]
Finn made her Broadway debut at theMorosco TheatreinHugh Leonard'sA LifeasunderstudytoDana Delany.[2]FollowingA Life,casting directorJoanna Merlinchose Finn to create the role of Gussie Carnegie inMerrily We Roll Along.With music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by George Furth and direction by Hal Prince, this stage production is considered a musical theatre legend in spite of the fact that it closed after 52 previews and 16 performances. Despite a flurry of negative reviews,Clive Barnesraved in theNew York Postthat "A beautifully acrid comic skit is provided by Terry Finn as a producer's wife with even less morals than taste and a turn a phrase that would cause a viper to bite out its tongue in envy," and in the New YorkDaily NewsDouglas Watt wrote "There is also good work byJason Alexanderand his gushingly imperious wife Terry Finn. "Following the brief run at theAlvin Theatre,the cast gathered atRCA RecordsStudio 'A' on November 29, 1981 — the day after the show closed — to record the original cast album. The album's popularity eventually led to a "Merrily We Roll AlongOriginal Broadway Cast Reunion Concert "which was staged at the La Guardia Concert Hall inLincoln Centeron September 30, 2002.[3][4]Following a search outlined in a Broadway.com article entitled "Finding Finn,"MerrilydirectorLonny Pricerecalled, "Terry was dazzling in the role of Gussie... I couldn't imagine doing [the reunion] without her and now I'm glad that I don't have to!"[3]Finn was reunited with her original cast mates in the one-night-only benefit that raised more than $200,000 for Musical Theatre Works.[4]Robert Simonsonand Kenneth Jones ofPlaybill.comnoted that the "inclusion of lesser-known songs considerably beefed up the role of Gussie, played by Terry Finn, who is barely present on the show's famous original cast album."[4]Finn is interviewed inBest Worst Thing That Ever Could Have Happened,a 2016 documentary film recalling the history of the show and the later lives of its actors, directed by Lonny Price.
Off Broadway,Finn appeared as Pearl Gordon inClifford Odets'sParadise Lostat The Mirror Repertory Company under the direction ofJohn Strasberg,as Kate Poplin inBig Maggieat the Douglas Fairbanks Theatre,[5]as Audrey inWilliam Shakespeare'sAs You Like Itwith the New York Acting Unit and in regional theatre starred as Constanze Weber-Mozart inPeter Shaffer's playAmadeusin The Wells Theatre at The Virginia Stage Company.[6]The Navy Newscritic Janet Withers wrote that Finn's Constanze is "beautiful, talented and engagingly saucy."[7]
Television career
[edit]In addition to work in daytimesoap operasinNew York City,Finn has appeared intelevision movies,starring as Margie Moran inSeeds of Tragedy[8]forFox Television Network,The Disappearance of Nora[9]forCBS TelevisionandShadow of Obsession[10]onNBC.In her television series debut, she guest starred as Mrs. Kitty Conley in an episode ofTrial By Juryentitled 'Psychic Vision'. starringRaymond Burr.Produced byDick Clark Productionsand directed by Marty Passeta, Jr., it aired on September 15, 1989.
Film career
[edit]Finn's film debut was inOrion PicturesBill & Ted's Bogus Journey(1991), followed by the 1993Hollywood Pictures/NintendofilmSuper Mario Bros.[11]Super Mario Bros.starBob Hoskinsinvited Finn to co-star in a film project he was planning to star in and direct. This film was the 1995 fantasyRainbow,with Finn in the leading role of Jackie Bailey and Hoskins as Frank Bailey, Jackie's father-in-law.[12][13]BetweenSuper Mario Bros.andRainbow,Finn appeared as the Birthday Mom in Hollywood Pictures'Terminal Velocity(1994). In 2003, she appeared once again with Hoskins inDen of Lions.Finn will next be seen in the 2012 feature filmDays of Wrathas Emily Conley.
Personal life
[edit]Finn married motion picture production designerDavid L. Snyderon August 1, 1990, on Central Park West in New York City. They have a son Finn Henry Snyder who was born inBeverly Hills,California,on October 2, 1997. In 2005, they renewed their vows in the former offices ofGeorge Harrison'sHandmade FilmsinLos Angeles,California, where they first met in January 1989.
References
[edit]- Notes
- ^Coneys, Michael (October 27, 1976). "Nash gracefully masters Williams".The Ionian.p. 4.
Terry Finn's portrayal of Blanche Du Bois, the illusionary princess of a world gone by, marks an impending destiny of distinction in her act. With diligence and the right breaks, she will prove a fine professional actor... Finn adds grace and desperate hope, bringing the portrayal to its zenith.
- ^"A Life".Internet Broadway Database.RetrievedMay 16,2009.
- ^abWontorek, Paul (August 15, 2002)."Headlines: Finding Finn: The Makings of aMerrilyReunion ".Broadway.com.RetrievedFebruary 28,2009.[permanent dead link]
- ^abcSimonson, Robert; Kenneth Jones (October 1, 2002)."PlaybillNews:Merrily We Roll AlongCast Reunites in Emotional Concert ".Playbill.com. Archived fromthe originalon May 25, 2005.RetrievedFebruary 28,2009.
- ^Oliver, Edith (October 10, 1983). "Off Broadway:Mother Love.Big Maggie".The New Yorker.pp. 154–155.
- ^Vincent, Mal (October 14, 1984). "AmericanAmadeusis a Must See ".The Virginian-Pilot/Ledger-Star:B6.
For my money, the most surprising "new" interpretation is Terry Finn as Constanze Weber Mozart. The part has been heretofore been played largely as a bubble-headed libertine. Finn brings to it a fine mixture of earthy humor and eventual poignancy.
- ^Withers, Janet (October 15, 1984). "Amadeus:A Golden Production ".The Navy News.pp. 26A.
Constanza played by Terry Finn, is the wife of Mozart. She is beautiful, talented and engagingly saucy.
- ^Tone (June 17, 1991). "Seeds Of Tragedy".Daily Variety.pp. 13, 16–24.
- ^"Review".Daily Variety.March 5, 1993.
- ^Variety review posted April 7, 1994
- ^Super Mario Bros. Official Motion Picture Sticker Album.Nintendo/Allied Filmmakers N.V. & Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc. 1993. pp. 19 (photograph).
- ^Beecham, Caroline (1996).Rainbow.London: Random House UK, Ltd./Red Fox. pp. 76–77 (photograph).ISBN0-09-971301-2.
- ^Parisi, Paula (March 4, 1996). "Brave New Cinema".The Hollywood Reporter:N–4.
Photograph with caption. Director Bob Hoskins with actress Terry Finn prior to a visual-effects close-up of Finn's eye in the family fantasyRainbow
- Bibliography
- "Merrily We Roll Along".Sondheim.com.RetrievedMarch 6,2009.
- Barnes, Clive (November 17, 1981). "Rolling Alongquite nicely, thank you ".New York Post.
- Watt, Douglas (November 17, 1981). "Merrily We Roll Alonghits every bump on road ".Daily News.
- Zadan, Craig(1974–1986).Sondheim & Co(2nd ed.).Harper & Row.pp.281 (photograph), 379.ISBN0-06-015649-X.
- Tone (June 17, 1991). "Seeds Of Tragedy".Daily Variety.
Norbert Weisser as a German in Columbia, Conor O' Farrell as a bloodless betrayer, Lisa Lord as a would-be heroine, Gloria Hendry as a determined mother and Terry Finn as a victim help create a sense of impending doom.
- Gottfried, Martin (1993).Sondheim.Henry N. Abrams, Inc. pp.150–151 (photographs).ISBN0-8109-3844-8.
- Secrest, Merle (1998).Stephen Sondheim: A Life.Dell Publishing.pp. 314 (photograph).ISBN0-385-33412-5.
- Shifman Katvan, Rivka (2001).Backstage: Broadway Behind the Curtain.Henry N. Abrams, Inc. pp.8 (photograph).ISBN0-8109-5709-4.
- Mordden, Ethan(2002).The Happiest Corpse I've Ever Seen.Palgrave Macmillan.pp.38, 303.ISBN0-312-23954-8.
- SondHeim, Stephen (2010).Finishing The Hat: Collected Lyrics (1954-1981).Alfred A. Knopf. p.388(photograph); 429.ISBN978-0-679-43907-3.
