In brief: Renee is a musical director, composer, actor, musician and mom. Her vibrant, harmonic musical direction can be seen and heard in the family show Petite Rouge, a Cajun Red Riding Hood tale told by Synchronicity Theatre through March 25. www.synchrotheatre.com, 404.484.8636.
The “S”: Stands for Sandra.
Hometown: Atlanta. Proud graduate of L.J. Price High School, now a middle school. Lives in the family home in southwest Atlanta.
Suzi’s calling: Renee won Suzi Awards, Atlanta’s theater honors, for her musical direction of Avenue Q at Horizon Theatre (2011) and Big River at Theatrical Outfit (2009). A return engagement of Avenue Q, by the way, runs through April 1 at Horizon.
Then: She studied composition at the esteemed Berklee College of Music in Boston. Toured with a group of musicians to Germany, England and Scotland as part of a Defense Department program. Toured solo in Morocco and Scandinavia. Lived and worked in Norway for six years. Did many of the earliest musicals with Atlanta’s late, great Jomandi Productions and helped start the Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta.
Now: She recently composed the music, played the score and provided the voice of Mama in the Center for Puppetry Arts’ Ruth and the Green Book. Works in the choral department at Tri-Cities High School, fills in at church music programs around the city and continues to book freelance work in all areas.
Next: An acting role, with Bernardine Mitchell in the musical Mahalia! in Sacramento, Calif.
Parting shot: “It’s been a ride!”
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Kathy Janich, Encore Atlanta’s managing editor, has been seeing, covering or working in the performing arts for most of her life. She spent 25 years in daily newspapers and — full disclosure — was most recently on staff at Atlanta’s smart, bold and gutsy Synchronicity Theatre. To suggest someone for this column, please email: [email protected].
You’ve got it going on little neice. Keep up the good work. Music is your “thang”.
To Renee, I love listening to your fantastic music. In my mind you are the best.I cant find anything to substitute when you entertain yourself. Take care. Wish you the Very Best from Birger