Artist Of The Week

KIMBERLY DAVIS Times Leader Correspondent
Thursday, June 29, 2000 Page: 26

Lisa Yvonne Fink of Wilkes-Barre has been called many names.
Call her Golda, Martha, or Eulalie Shinn. Call her Mrs. Peterson, Mrs.
Doyle or Mrs. Bumble. She has answered to them all.

Fink assumes these aliases at the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre where she
began acting in 1985. Her first role in a Little Theatre production was Grace
Farrell, secretary to Daddy Warbucks in “Annie”.

She later played the villainous Mrs. Doyle in “Annie II”.

In “Fiddler on the Roof”, Fink first played Golda, then Yenta the
matchmaker in a later production. She became Martha in “Arsenic and Old Lace”
and Mrs. Bumble in “Oliver”. One of her favorite roles was that of the comedic
Mrs. Peterson in “Bye Bye Birdie”.

Fink estimates that she has taken on at least 20 different roles on the
stage of the Little Theatre. Her latest appearance was as Eulalie Shinn, wife
of the mayor in “The Music Man” last season.

Fink has served as costumer for numerous shows, including “Sound of Music”,
“Inherit the Wind”, “Oklahoma”, “Dracula”, “West Side Story” and “Godspell”.

She most recently costumed the Little Theatre production of “Babes in Arms”
this month.

For the last 11 years, Fink has been involved with the Little Theatre
Children’s Summer Workshop, teaching costumes and properties. In 1998 Fink
directed the first musical ever at the workshop, “The Frog Prince”.

Last spring Fink took on the task of directing the play “Toga! Toga! Toga!”
at Meyers High School in Wilkes-Barre. She says that preparing for the
production was a lot of hard work and a lot of fun, and members of the cast
she directed echo her sentiments.

Fink is employed by Sallie Mae Corp., Hanover Township, and is a member of
the Little Theatre board of directors.

Her son Billie will begin his senior year at Meyers, and a daughter Alice
is entering her senior year at Wilkes University, majoring in early childhood
education and theater.

“I’m afraid my love for singing and theater is definitely in her blood,”
Fink says.

In the future, Fink would like to direct a main season production at Little
Theatre, and she hopes to see the theater program at Meyers take off.

The role that she would most like to play is that of Anna from “The King
and I”, her very favorite musical.

“I have loved Yul Brynner since I was a child.”

She feels fortunate that she got a chance to see him perform in the show
twice on Broadway.

Separate Lisa Fink from her many characters, and you find a nature lover.
The sky and the ocean are two of her favorite scenes.



Photo Courtesy of Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre

Lisa Fink, of Wilkes-Barre, has been active in the Little Theatre of
Wilkes-Barre for 15 years and is trying to get the Meyers drama department
rolling again.