Saffron Walden actress Tamara Lee Smart to star as Marilyn Monroe for one night in rehearsed play reading
The cast of the rehearsed reading of One Night With Marilyn at Harlow Playhouse on October 7. - Credit: Supplied by Tamara Lee Smart
An actress from Saffron Walden will play Marilyn Monroe in a 'revealing' play.
Tamara Lee Smart is to play the 'blonde bombshell' in an exclusive, free-to-attend rehearsed reading of One Night With Marilyn by PT Rose on Thursday, October 7 at the Harlow Playhouse from 7pm.
As well as performing the iconic role of Miss Monroe, Tamara is the executive producer.
Tamara went to Saffron Walden County High over 20 years ago and now runs local theatre school, Sting Performing Arts, along with fellow cast member Lisa Cureton.
Keeping it local, Ed Parry, from Newport, and a former pupil of Tamara's, is also playing Marilyn Monroe as his alter-ego and Drag Queen character, Snow White Trash.
Asking Ed to play Marilyn was a no brainer for Tamara. Not only is he incredibly talented but represents the LGBT community.
The cast also includes former EastEnders star Peter Dean, who played Pete Beale in the BBC One soap.
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Tamara said: "I've got an amazing group of actors together for this, including original EastEnders cast member and legend Peter Dean.
"Peter is playing Stanley, Norma Jeane's father, and is bringing some true grit to the reading.
"I grew up a huge EastEnders fan and always looked forward to seeing Peter every Tuesday and Thursday as Pete 'ello Treacle' Beale.
"PT Rose's script is emotive, powerful and very moving. The cast have learned so much about Marilyn's early life in this very revealing play and so will you."
Following the reading, audience members will be asked for feedback and initial reactions.
This rehearsed reading is part of a series of worldwide 'Marilyn 60' celebrations of the star's life.
The script centres on the night in February 1961 when, unknown to many of her fans, Marilyn Monroe was sectioned to the Payne Whitney Clinic, the psychiatric division of Cornell University in New York.
Marilyn was under the impression she was being sent for some rest and recuperation by her trusted doctor.
She had set alarm bells ringing among her friends and psychiatrist by talking of "ending it all".
This play is about what may have happened on that night.
For more, visit http://harlowplayhouse.co.uk/ and http://onenightwithmarilyn.com