Fresh from her Emmy Award-winning portrayal of Sue Sylvester on “Glee” and her 2013 Broadway debut as Miss Hannigan in “Annie,” Jane Lynch will bring her comedic skills and musical talent to the University of Arizona’s Centennial Hall on Sunday, March 8 at 7 p.m. The evening, “See Jane Sing” is a fundraiser for the UA Hillel Foundation.
With “Glee” in its final season, Lynch told the AJP, “I’m ready for anything.” Along with her Emmy, she also won a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for “Glee.”
Lynch has accumulated a host of accolades for her role as Sue Sylvester, the high school coach turned principal and one-liner powerhouse, but in Tucson she’ll be taking the stage in a cabaret show. “There will be songs and patter in between,” she says, adding that entertainer Kate Flannery, from the TV show “The Office,” will perform with her.
You might say that Lynch’s show business career began when she played “a tall candle” in a third-grade school play. The now 54-year-old performer was hooked. Lynch sang in her high school choir in the Chicago area, went on to attend Illinois State University and continued to hone her craft at Cornell University’s graduate program for acting. After studying at Cornell, Lynch spent some time in New York City before moving back to Chicago and immersing herself in the theatre scene there, including the renowned Steppenwolf Theatre Company and Second City Touring Company.
Known for her astute comedic timing, Lynch hosted the 63rd Annual Primetime Emmy Awards. She has appeared on such TV shows as “Arrested Development,” “Desperate Housewives” and “Weeds.” Lynch has acted in numerous TV shows and films, including portraying a raunchy store manager in “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” with Steve Carrell and showing her wicked wit in Christopher Guest’s offbeat improvisational comedies “A Mighty Wind” and “Best in Show.” Her memoir “Happy Accidents” was published in 2011, with a foreword written by Carol Burnett.
When performing, says Lynch, “I don’t have any agenda. I love it when people say, ‘I had a wonderful time.’ I have to start by doing what I love and hope that others will join in.” For tickets, call 621-3341 or visit www.centhall.org and use the code JANE.
