Glorious! - Ross Valley Players

Glorious! The True Story of Florence Foster Jenkins, the Worst Singer in the World

Written by Peter Quilter
Directed by Billie Cox
Production Manager Bobby Cook

The First Lady of the Sliding Scale, Florence Foster Jenkins is the hottest ticket in town, and not for the reasons you’d think. An enthusiastic soprano with less than perfect pitch, she warbles and screeches her way through arias by Mozart and Strauss, accompanied by her trusty pianist. But this delusional and joyously happy woman pays little attention to her critics, and instead surrounds herself with devoted friends and fans nearly as eccentric as herself.

Based upon a true story, the play follows plucky Florence through charity recitals, balls, bizarre recording sessions, and ultimately to her triumphant performance at Carnegie Hall. Take a journey with Florence and her pianist Cosme McMoon to rediscover the definition of passion! Directed by Billie Cox.

“Delightful and often blissfully funny…this is a cult hit if I ever saw one.” – Daily Telegraph

Buy Tickets

Glorious! at Ross Valley Players from Gregg Le Blanc

Cast and Crew

Florence Foster Jenkins – Ellen Brooks
Dorothy – Eileen Fisher
St. Clair – Mitchell Field
Mrs. Verrinder-Gedge – Jackie Blue
Cosme McMoon – Daniel Morgan
Maria – Maureen O’Donoghue

Director – Billie Cox
Producer – Malcolm Rodgers
Stage Manager – Maia Stevenson
Set Designer – Ron Krempetz
Costume Designer – Michael A. Berg
Property Master – Dhyanis
Muse – Ellen Brooks
Construction – Ian Swift
Lighting Designer – David Lam
Sound Designer – Billie Cox
Asst. Stage Manager – Jeff Stump
Poster Design – ChromaKit
Graphic Design – Mark Shepard
Photographer – Gregg LeBlanc and Robin Jackson
Volunteer Coordinator – Eleanor Prugh
Publicist – Hamilton Ink
Webmaster – Jayme Catalano

Note from the Director

First learning about Florence Foster Jenkins about 20 years ago, I frankly didn’t know what to make of her. How did she get recorded? What was her history? I knew many people like this: actors, singers, artists and musicians who were simply not very good but who loved what they did with a transcendent passion. Did no one ever tell them…or did they simply not let that get in their way? I rather envied their self confidence if not their sense of reality. How I wish that I could throw caution to the wind and just DO without the nasty inner critic holding me back. When all is said and done, I think we regret, not what we have done in life, but what we didn’t do out of fear or propriety. Florence did it, bless her.

Billie Cox (Director) has been a director, playwright, composer, lyricist and designer for many years. In addition to Ross Valley Players, she has worked with SF Playhouse, Custom Made Theater, NCTC, Novato Players, College of Marin, Marin Shakespeare, Masquers and many others. Her work has brought her seven BATCC nominations, a Falstaff award and a Dean Goodman Award. Her production of Twentieth Century at RVP garnered 5 BATCC nominations for her actors and designers. Her original play A Bearded Lady awarded Best Play of the 2009 SF Fringe.