By Madison Butkus
Hometown Weekly Reporter
Needham Council on Aging (COA) members welcomed Queen Elizabeth II to The Center at the Heights (CATH). She was portrayed by Sheryl Faye, from Sheryl Faye Presents: Historical Women, Making The Past Present. This specific adaptation was titled Queen Elizabeth II - “Her Majesty.”
Despite the heavy rains pouring outside, COA members packed into the CATH, eager to see one of Faye’s amazing performances. Throughout the entirety of the show, Faye acted as Queen Elizabeth II herself, using an array of costumes, props, and videos to further enhance her performance.
She started out with the Queen’s coronation day, then quickly went into her life as a child, working her way through the highlights of her life, ending at her 50th year Jubilee. Faye recollected the Queen’s feelings about becoming a ruler, learning how to become a Queen by her father, the different trips she took, her marriage with Prince Phillip, her son Charles’ marriage to Princess Diane, her grandsons, and more.
Faye additionally added interesting facts and tidbits of each time period within the Queen’s life. She explained how the Queen was the first female member of the Royal Family to join the Army in World War II, how she never had tried her wedding dress on until the day of her wedding, different interactions she had with people either within the grocery store or on the side of the road, and so much more.
Audience members sat in awe throughout the whole show, entranced by Faye’s groundbreaking dedication to her role. Upon the completion of the performance, Faye addressed the crowd, “Queen Elizabeth II is now one of the eleventh ladies that I portray. I also perform as Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Eleanor Roosevelt, Abigail Adams, Anne Frank, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Sally Ride, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This show is dedicated to the loving memory of my mother. August 4th would have been her 89th birthday so I am holding a special, full-length version of this show on that day. The details are on my website. She was not only passionate about the Queen but also very passionate about charities as well, so all of the proceeds are going to the organization Our Neighbors’ Table.”
Faye’s company is based out of Massachusetts but she travels all over the country to perform. She even encouraged audience members to come see her upcoming shows in Florida if they were in the area. For more information, please check out her website at www.sherylfaye.com.
