Diana Wortham Theatre welcomes actress, comedian and singer–songwriter Jackie Tohn to the stage on Friday, November 11, at 8 p.m. Tohn’s performances include a combination of comedy and music that is unique, insightful and hysterical, bringing together a deceptively sweet stage persona, clever jokes and musical prowess showcased by satirical songs.
“Jackie is an engaging performer with a personality and style all her own,” says Kate Justus, marketing assistant for Diana Wortham Theatre. “Her combination of humor, vocals and witty dialogue makes the audience fall in love with her. It’s an engaging evening of comedy, music and theatre all in one performance.”
Tohn’s multi-faceted career includes a recent portrayal of Gilda Radner in director David Wain’s National Lampoon origin story on Netflix, A Futile and Stupid Gesture. She starred in the play Jewtopia at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood in Los Angeles, which ran from May 2003 to August 2004, setting a record for the longest running comedy in LA. She then began doing solo acoustic guitar shows and in November 2005 released an EP called The Golden Girl, recorded in Tarrytown, New York.
Tohn has performed with Jason Mraz, Sara Bareilles, Katy Perry and Sarah Silverman and has written songs for Christina Aguilera, Katharine McPhee and Allen Stone. She has three albums of her own, all of which have received critical acclaim, and she has guest starred on hit TV shows such as It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Rules of Engagement, The Sopranos, House of Lies and Castle. This fall, Tohn guest stars on NBC’s newest sitcom, The Good Place, starring Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. Recent movies that she has been involved with include CHiPs, Bad Roomies and Sisters starring Tina Fey and Amy Poehler.
Despite her busy schedule, Tohn finds time to tour frequently, performing standup comedy and playing original music at venues throughout the country. “Live performance is so exciting because you get immediate feedback,” she says. “You can tell if a joke worked right away. You can tell which songs the crowd was especially feeling and which ones they loved maybe a little less.”
Diana Wortham Theatre, built in 1991, offers live performances of music, theatre and dance throughout the year by nationally touring artists as well as a variety of performances and events by more than 35 professional and avocational regional arts groups.
“Diana Wortham Theatre boasts exceptional acoustics and sightlines,” says Justus, “and because it has just over 500 seats, it is always an intimate experience to attend performances there.”
Diana Wortham Theatre is located at 2 South Pack Square, Asheville. Tickets are $32; $27 for students. Purchase at dwtheatre.com or by calling 828.257.4530.
