Marni Penning

Marni was raised in Arlington, Virginia and was active in the theatre department at Washington-Lee High School (where fellow actors Warren Beatty, Shirley MacLaine, and Sandra Bullock also attended.) She has three younger sisters, all of whom were involved in the theatre at some time. She graduated from James Madison University where she worked with the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express, travelling the US and Great Britain, sharing the works of William Shakespeare. After graduation, she co-founded Fahrenheit Theatre Company in Cincinnati, Ohio which changed its name to Cincinnati Shakespeare Festival in 1997, then to Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in 2006. While she also performs in contemporary plays and comedies, her stage career has included 49 productions of 23 of Shakespeare's plays. Marni continues to travel, performing leading roles in regional theatres across the country, and has earned two Cincinnati Entertainment Awards (of four nominations) and a Helen Hayes Nomination for her stage roles. Marni now resides in the New York City area. Her name - Marni - is a mixture of her parents' names - Nick and Mary Ann.