Phyllis
Lee Contestable (Phyl, to her friends) is a walking sit-com! Her life story
would easily generate a made for TV mini-series. Her mother insists that
it all began with "patty cake-patty cake".
Raised culturally as a card carrying Catholic kid, she attended Blessed Sacrament Elementary and Our Lady Of Mercy High School for girls. Upon graduation, she entered the Congregation of the Sisters' of Mercy. She took her vows and for six years, served as music teacher, Sister Mary Giovanni, R.S.M. (yep, "the singing nun", guitar and all!!)
A frustrated flower child of the 60' s, she left the convent for the lure of Woodstock, hootenannies, Rock & Roll and show biz. She formed her own rock band and traveled through the 70's with her Janis Joplin sound-alike sister, Andrea.
In 1980, she and friend / teaching associate Alan Jones formed a Cabaret Duo. In 1986 she landed the role of Reverend Mother in the Downstairs Cabaret production of “Nunsense” which she played for three years. The singing nun had become the performing nun and “revmotogo” became a reality.
Presently, Phyl lives in Upstate NY. By night and on weekends, she regularly performs with Alan and travels extensively as the comic and professional actress, Reverend Mother.
By day, she is a General Music Specialist at Churchville Chili Intermediate School. She has a Master's Degree in Interdisciplinary Arts for Children. Phyl received the 2000 Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra Music Teacher of the Year award for her outstanding contribution to the field of Music Education. She was also featured as a Fox TV Teacher of the Week. The Italian American Community Center honored her with the "2003 Women of the Year in the Arts" award.
Commendable kudos include:
Her downtime is rare but she enjoys theatre, sewing, taichi, aerobic water exercise, new age anything and recreational Zen.
Addictions?
Shoes...Harry Potter...green depression glass...anyplace near a large body of water...a sinfully extravagant collection of CD's, tapes, videos and books!
And, oh yes,… chocolate
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