Pearlman Sisters to Bring DEVOTEDLY, SINCERELY YOURS to the Annenberg Center, 10/18-19

The Pearlman Sisters will present Devotedly, Sincerely Yours: The Story of the USO as part of the By Local series at The Annenberg Center October 18-19. Written by and starring Samantha Joy Pearlman, DSY is a swingin' big band portrait of a courageous female starlet of the United Service Organization (USO) who risked her life to entertain American troops overseas during World War II. The show is directed by Philadelphia native Kate Galvin, with Jamison Foreman serving as musical director. This new musical weaves archival text, patriotic jazz standards, and tap dancing to investigate war as experienced by a 'soldier in greasepaint.'

Performances are: The Harold Prince Theater, at The Annenberg Center, 3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Performances are Friday, October 18 @ 8 PM, Saturday, October 19 @ 2 PM, Saturday, October 19 @ 8 PM. A portion of the box office proceeds will be donated to the United Service Organization.

Devotedly, Sincerely Yours stars Samantha Joy Pearlman as Louise Buckley, a young singer hosting a radio broad.cast for troops overseas backed by the 28th Infantry Division Band. The piece was inspired by a letter Pearlman found in the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts archives written by the real Louise Buckley, who had been performing overseas during WWII.

"When I finished reading it I was so floored by the imagery, and the drama in the letter, and just how moving her experience was that I just knew: I have to find out more about these women and who they were and what they did," says Pearlman. Devotedly, Sincerely Yours first premiered in 2011 at Wesleyan University in Middletown, CT as part of Pearlman's thesis project. At Wesleyan, the show was a tremendous success, receiving rave reviews and an honors accreditation.

Samantha Joy Pearlman is an actress, singer, and playwright, based out of Philadelphia, PA. Samantha starred as "Louise Buckley" in the Philadelphia Fringe last fall and is so thrilled to bring Louise's story back to life. The show originated as Samantha's senior project at her alma mater, Wesleyan University, after she discovered a 25 box archival collection at the New York Public Library for Performing Arts. Samantha came to Philadelphia to complete her acting apprenticeship at the historic Walnut Street Theater for their 2011-2012 season, where she understudied four shows including The King and I (Anna), performed in Miss Nelson is Missing! (Allison) and A Christmas Carol (Belle/Fred's Wife), and toured with the Outreach Company. She was featured as a Cabaret Fellow at the 2011 Cabaret & Performance Conference at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, CT. Favorite Credits include: Spring Awakening (Thea/Theatre Horizon), Into the Woods (Little Red/11th Hour Theatre Company), Richard III (Queen Elizabeth/Prince Edward/Wesleyan University), and Beauty and the Beast (Belle). BA: Wesleyan University. www.samanthajoypearlman.com

Kate Galvin (Director) is thrilled to be back in the USO after last fall's successful Fringe run! Recent projects include Doubt (TriArts Sharon Playhouse), The Odd Couple (Flat Rock Playhouse), Vincent in Brixton (Walnut Street Theatre) Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson (11th Hour Theatre Company), Princess Ida (Univ. of the Arts), and Proof (Walnut/National Tour). Kate was Casting Director at the Walnut for many years and is now a member of 11th Hour Theatre Company in Philadelphia. She is co-creator of the musical Austentatious, which has been produced in London, Philadelphia, New York and Calgary, and is published by Playscripts, Inc. Kate holds degrees in Musical Theatre from NYU and Goldsmiths College - University of London. www.kategalvin.com

Jamison Foreman is an actor, composer, and musical director. He is a proud graduate of the Brind School at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia. His original musical, Realm of the Unreal, was produced by the University of the Arts, and was also in the 2009 Philly Fringe Festival.

The Pearlman Sisters is a theatre company comprised of... well, the Pearlman Sisters: Lindsey Hope and Samantha Joy. We got our start making shows for family holidays in our grandparents' living room. Now, we want to make original, playful theater about our American experience. We work to make a difference in the world around us.

Pictured: A production still from Samantha's original show, Devotedly, Sincerely Yours: The Story of the USO, directed by Kate Galvin, choreographed by Jenn Rose. Philadelphia Fringe 2012.