Virginia-Highland Resident to Star in Pace Academy Play

A student from Virginia-Highland will play a lead role in Fall Musical, “Curtains.”

Senior Lauren Gold and a cast of Pace students will perform the Tony Award-winning comedy at Pace this week.

"I play Carmen Bernstein, the jaded producer of the musical within the musical," Gold said. "To her, theatre is business, and she knows her business well."

“Curtains,” originally a book written by Rupert Holmes, is a backstage murder mystery set in 1959 Boston written by composer John Kander and lyricist Fred Ebb. Kander and Ebb also wrote “Chicago” and “Cabaret.”

"The rehearsal hours are long and we're on our feet a lot, but I'm still having a great time," Gold said. "This is my last Fall Musical at Pace, so I'm trying to enjoy every moment."

Gold has been involved in theatre at Pace for several years and has performed in "Fiddler on the Roof," "Annie," "Noises Off" and others.

She said she still gets nervous before a performance, but it's "an excited feeling" because she knows she's "well prepared."

"With every show, the weight my role carries increases," she said. "Everyone plays an integral part, but when my roles get bigger, I have a lot more responsibility."

"Curtains" opens Thursday, Nov. 10, and runs through Nov. 13.

Longtime Pace Academy theatre director George Mengert said "the terrific dance numbers and a hilarious script" will certainly "be a treat" for the audience.

"There has never been a national tour of "Curtains," so this is one of the few opportunities Atlanta theatre patrons have to see this fantastic show,” Mengert said.

Gold, a passionate actress, said her involvement with theater at Pace as been an incredible experience and she hopes to major in theater when she goes off to college next year.

"I love musical theatre and plan to take voice lessons, but I'm really interested in acting," she said.

If you go: Performances will take place Nov. 10 at 7 p.m., Nov. 11 and 12 at 7:30 p.m., and Nov. 13 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 for adults and $10 for students and are now available online. Pace Academy is located at 966 W. Paces Ferry Rd. NW