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Alums Together Off-Off-Broadway

Two Washington and Lee classmates from the Class of 2010, both double majors in English and theater, are working together on the off-off-Broadway stage in New York City this month.

Jenna Worsham is directing “What the Sparrow Said” at Teatro LATEA. Included in the cast is her classmate Kevin Mannering, who plays the role of Blaze. The play is part of the New York International Fringe Festival (FringeNYC), the largest multi-arts festival in North America, with more than 200 companies from all over the world performing for 16 days in more than 20 venues. The final two performances of “What the Sparrow Said” are this Thursday and Friday.

Both Jenna and Kevin get positive nods in a review on the nytheatre.com site. Of Jenna’s directing, reviewer Aimee Todoroff writes that it “never fails to illuminate the action in ways that are clear and inventive.” Of Kevin’s performance, Todoroff thinks that ”as Blaze, Kevin Mannering stays true to his character’s name, tearing across the stage with a frenetic, almost manic openness . . . Mannering deserves extra notice for bearing much of the linguistic burden and for his honest, deliberate pacing when a less confident performer might have rushed.”

Some of Jenna’s recent credits include assistant director of the world premiere of Lucy Thurber’s “The Insurgents” at the Contemporary American Theatre Festival, and director of “Daniel” at Intar Theatre as part of the Irene Fornes New Play Festival.  Kevin most recently appeared in “Dr. Faustus Lights the Lights” at Columbia University’s Schapiro Studio.

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