The Play
3 Divas 3
Lauren
Lark~Jones
Suzanne Burgess ( Symona Known) can be seen in and around the Philadelphia, Delaware, DC. areas. She has acted and sang with Sister Circle Productions and other small productions in the tri-state area. Vocally, she has opened, or peformed, on the same venue with many great artists such as Carol Riddick, Jeff Bradshaw, Denise King, Tony Terry, Levert and Maysa just to name a few.
Lauren’s vocal ability stems from her love and passion that she carries for her native Philadelphia influences. She is a scat singer at heart but does not dare to sing in many styles. She received her BA In music performance at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts. Reginald Pindell, mentored and trained her in the artistry of classical, Broadway and many other techniques of the vocal culture.
Lauren has created The Outback Jazz Festival in 2006 and is in the works for her second go as festival leader for 2014. As a band-leader and front woman for The Lauren Lark Quartet and Big Band she has is ready to graduate to composer and songwriter with her upcoming sophomore album. This album pays homage to her Philly roots by diversifying the sound of jazz once again. She includes not only a new perspective on scat singing and jazz, but uses percussionist Doc Gibbs and production influences of music minds James Solomon and Alfred Politte. She is also expecting a new album release as a guest with “the world’s most recoded drummer” Bernard “Pretty” Purdie. Lauren has had the opportunity to perform in her native city of Philadelphia with such accomplished artists and groups as The Philly Pops, Gerald Veasley, Tyrone Brown and Christian McBride.
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Felicia L. Wilkins, born and raised in Philadelphia, PA. She has been singing and performing for family and friends since the age of four. As a teenager, Felicia attended the prestigious Freedom Theatre (Philadelphia, PA). She performed in several musicals and plays, Wonzapana Land, Dream Woman – Dream On, Real Women Pray, Smokey Joe’s Café, Hair Spray, Church Girl and 3 Divas 3. Musical performances include Pennsylvania Convention Center, Wachovia Center, Kimmel Center, Robin Hood Dell East, Unity Day and the Black Family Reunion, Grand Opera House and she also won Showtime at the Apollo Amateur Night on tour. And she was featured in a B101 (FM), 106.1 (FM) and Chica Show commercial. In 2012 she toured in Morocco (North Africa) for several months.
Felicia Wilkins
Meet the Cast...
Khadijah Renee
Khadijah “Renee,” who Plays Evelyn Simpkins is a Jazz Songstress in the vein of the Great Ladies of Jazz. Her deep and sweet resonant contralto tones remind you of the first ladies of Be-Bop & and Classical Jazz.
Khadijah has been performing Jazz since the late 80’s in and around the Tri-State area accompanied by the best musicians the area has to offer. She been recorded live at the East Coast Jazz Festival now called the Mid-Atlantic Jazz Festival in Maryland and heard on WRTI 90.1 Jazz Radio. A former member of the Delaware Council of Jazz Advocates, she recently graced the stage of their tribute to Clifford Brown at the Delaware School of Music.
Renee is also an actress graduating from Philadelphia’s Freedom Theater; she completed acting courses at Philadelphia’s Bushfire Theater and film courses with Mike Lemon Casting Agency, Philadelphia. In 2014, she travelled to Hollywood, CA to perform at the historic Saban Theater for the African Oscars (NAFCA) event. In September of 2015 she joined our cast.
Khadijah holds a BSW from Temple U., and a MSW from the University of Pennsylvania.
She loves helping people and she hopes to make your “ears tear” with her historic renditions of popular jazz/blues/gospel standards…enjoy!!!
Suzanne Burgess
