Rita Parisi is the creator and performer of I Am Zelda, an original one-woman play that brings Zelda Fitzgerald vividly to life on stage. A seasoned theatre artist with more than three decades of experience, she has appeared in venues across New England, Mid-Atlantic, and Florida, earning praise for her ability to create intimate, compelling characters that captivate audiences. She also has been awarded over 100 grants to support her work, reflecting her deep passion for history, literature, and powerful storytelling.
Charlotte Anne Dore is the director of I Am Zelda. A professional actor, singer, puppeteer, writer, and voice artist, she is a Boston/New England Regional Emmy Award–winner for her ensemble work in WGBH’s children’s program Re-Action. Her screen credits include the acclaimed series We Shall Remain and the feature film Chappaquiddick. She has performed with theatres across New England, toured nationally with Underground Railway Theater, and recorded more than sixty audiobooks.
Linda Zurin is the choreographer of I Am Zelda. A former ballerina, she trained and danced with the National Ballet of Canada, then went on to perform in Toronto and New York in a wide range of work, from classical ballet to summer stock. She later built a long career as a choreographer and served as Production Manager for Terezin: Children of the Holocaust, the award-winning play by Anna Smilowitz.
Mary Ellin Kurtz is the voice of Minnie Sayre, Zelda’s mother, in I Am Zelda. A veteran stage actor and singer with more than five decades of experience, she has performed leading roles in both plays and musicals throughout Long Island regional theatres and Off-Broadway. A retired e-learning instructional designer, she is now a professional voice actor and audiobook narrator, with her work featured on Amazon, Audible, iTunes, and Spotify.