Hitting all the wrong notes for a few laughs

BOYLSTON — Grace Leslie, of West Boylston, longtime physical education and preschool teacher in the West Boylston schools, received an appropriately theatrical gift for Christmas: The lead role in JEMS Theater’s production of “Souvenir: A Fantasia on the Life of Florence Foster Jenkins,” by Stephen Temperly.

“He gave me the role and the script,” Grace said of son, John Leslie, who plays Jenkins’ accompanist, Cosme McMoon, in “Souvenir.”

There will be three performances this Labor Day weekend: 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 31; 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 1; and 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 3. All will take place at Calliope Theater, 150 Main St. (Route 70), Boylston.

Grace turns 90 this year, but she shows no signs of slowing down. At a recent rehearsal, she was gracious and energetic, popping into her opening act costume and patiently posing for photographs.

“I’ve always loved physical movement,” she said. “For me, it’s a release to be physical.”

She put that love to good use for many years, teaching phys ed and coaching field hockey, taking to the stage occasionally. She still teaches exercise classes twice a week at the West Boylston Senior Center for the West Boylston Council on Aging.

So how does theater fit in?

“I suppose it’s working with the people, the ones busy all around, building, costumes and such,” she said.

She came to theater at an early age. She grew up in Montclair, N.J., where a friend’s family was involved in community theater. A group of her peers formed the Studio Players of Essex County, which still exists.

In college, she auditioned for a production of “The Hasty Heart,” which was being put on at Rutgers University, “the boys college.” She got the only female role in the play, Sister Parker, the nurse in a World War II military hospital. Actress Patricia Neal played the role in the 1949 movie production.

She took a few years “off” from work and acting, as she and her husband, Ernie, raised six children: Stephen, Karyl, John, Bruce, Glenn and David. But theater proved to be in her genes, and she passed it on to her offspring. Several have pursued careers in the performing arts.

She’s performed in many community theater productions over the years, and even traveled to Monaco to perform for Princess Grace. She’s lived in West Boylston for several decades now, and says she enjoys Calliope’s stage.

“It’s a nice venue, with the raked seating, comfortable chairs, and intimate feel,” she said.

“Calliope was gracious to allow us to use it for this production,” John added.

Of her upcoming performance as Florence Foster Jenkins, the “soprano” famous for her off-key performances, Grace is not worried.

“People will be laughing so hard at the costumes I come out in for the final ‘concert’ that they won’t even hear me sing,” she said with a laugh. “They’re outlandish. It will be great fun.”

Tickets are $15, and may be reserved at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/profile/615420. For information about the production, call John Leslie at (774) 261-0977.