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Penelope Thomas: headshot and bio
Headshot &
detailed bio

Penelope is a Performer and Arts Manager who has worked in dance, theatre, film, and music.

Acting credits include playing Carol Mortimer, the corpse-duty actress in HBO Women in Comedy festival-nominated mockumentary "Pretty | Dead," Gilli Glatt's 1960s thriller "Stalled," and Kelly Dunlap’s film “Sins of the Mother.” Theatre includes Cecilia Copeland's March Madness piece at the Ensemble Studio Theatre, Sharon Talbot's True Love at the Estrogenius Festival. She has read for poet Anne Carson at the Whitney Museum, 92nd Street Y, Princeton University, Dixon Place and the Skirball Center, and recorded a podcast of Carson's material for ArtAngel London. Commercials include spots for Disney XD, Bergen County Democrats, and Red Envelope. She wrote an original piece, Certain Days: 1955 Was Betty-Ann's Prettiest Year, that was shown at Public Energy's 20th Anniversary performance at the Market Hall, Peterborough. Her acting training was at the Deena Levy Theater Studio.

Penelope recorded lead vocals for the FauveMuseum albums Lost Hallway and Blacklight, performed live in their concerts at Symphony Space and TheaterLab NYC. She performed as a soloist with Rupert Wates’ Joe’s Café at the Indianapolis Fringe Festival. She toured North America and Europe as a singer with Mikel Rouse in The End of Cinematics and was in the cast of the re-staging of Dennis Cleveland; she also has a backing vocalist credit on Rouse’s 2008 release Gravity Radio. She has sung backing vocals for cabaret director Shellen Lubin for Steve Chera & The Bob Kaye Quintet at the Metropolitan Room and on Chera’s album recorded at Shelter Island Sound, and opened for chanteuse Floanne Ankah at Flute Lounge. She worked with the vintage harmony group, The Johnettes, backing members of original do-wop groups The Chaperones, Vito and the Salutations, and The Flamingos. She performed in Legros Cultural Arts ‘Women in Music’ SWAN day event in New York at Cub Groove with pianist Veronica Garcia-Melendez. Penelope studied voice with Norma Garbo, and music theory with bassist Mark Wade.

Penelope’s first incarnation as a performer was as a dancer, completing the International Program Certificate at the Merce Cunningham Studio after training at The School of the Toronto Dance Theatre, RAD ballet, and in modern dance teacher’s professional development at The National Ballet School of Canada. She has appeared in work by Limon alumni and Julliard Faculty member Laura Glenn, Hiske Dooper, Brian Hayes, Himiko Minato, and Gabriel Zaragoza. Choreographic credits include several contemporary dance pieces produced through Peterborough New Dance. She has taught contemporary dance, theatre dance, and ballet in public schools and conservatories; and provided dance and movement coaching for figure skaters, gymnasts, and actors.
Photo Credits
Photographer Emily Lambert
Makeup + Hair Brad Laskey