Mary Fishburne brings musical journey home

The Arts Council of York County’s On Tour performing arts series kicks off with Mary Fishburne’s “Divas in Distress,” 7:30 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Community Performance Center, 249 E. Main St., Rock Hill.

From Barbra Streisand to Britney Spears, Fishburne and her versatile band take you on a musical journey through time, impersonating the iconic divas in history, singing the songs that made them great. From the soulful sound of Billie Holiday to the anguish and beauty of Judy Garland, Fishburne transforms her voice throughout the show and hits all the right notes.

This Rock Hill-raised woman takes 28 voices through seven decades of music, with laughs included, in “Divas in Distress.” Daughter of Shirley and Cody Fishburne of Rock Hill, she is excited to return home doing what she loves most – musical theater.

Fishburne has performed in “Tell Me on a Sunday” and was winner of Theatre Charleston’s Best Actress in a Musical and nominee of Charleston City Paper’s Best Piccolo Show. Other peformances have included “South Pacific” at Dock Street Theatre and, most recently, “Lungs,” a contemporary play that opened Village Repertory’s season.

She has worked with numerous companies in Charleston and in New York, Ohio and Pennsylvania. She is a yearly guest artist at NYU and has taught at Charleston’s School of the Arts, Midtown, Footlight. She is head of education at Woolfe Street Playhouse and teaches voice full-time.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 2:35 PM with the headline "Mary Fishburne brings musical journey home."