MS SOUTH CAROLINA SENIOR AMERICA 2017,
LUNDA CORNELIUS

CONGRATULATIONS to LUNDA CORNELIUS, Ms South Carolina Senior America 2017, and Special Thanks to State Administrator Connie Ross-Karl and Co-Administrators Ida Brinkley, Ms South Carolina 2010, and Laura McFayden, Ms South Carolina 2012, for a wonderful State Queen!

Lunda Cornelius enjoys an extensive career in theater, creating 25 major operatic roles and more than 100 lead and secondary leads in musical theater and dramas. She has throughout the south, northeast, western US and Italy. She has studied with coaches for the Rome Opera, Milan Opera, The Metropolitan Opera, and the New York City Opera. Her young career started in the children's theater group "Pixie Playhouse" in Greensboro, NC, and had the great fortune to be coached and directed by Agnes de Mille, Aaron Copeland, and Jean Arthur.

In the late 90's she produced a one-woman show called "Beauties, Witches and Britches", which took 9 scenes from famous operas. Using costumes, wigs and props she created a mezzo soprano collage of characters and drama. She toured this project for 2 years with great success. Versatile Lunda can go easily from the dramatic Norma Desmond in "Sunset Boulevard" to the comic trouser role of Cheribino in "Le Nozze di Figaro".

She has been a teacher and director of children's theater for 20 years in Pennsylvania and South Carolina. She is Executive Director of the CYTAS in Conway, SC as well as being a volunteer actor at the Theater of the Republic in Conway. Her lead roles there have been in "Sunset Boulevard, "August/Osage County", "Christmas on Main", "Best Little Whore House in Texas", and "Ripcord". Lunda holds a Bachelor's Degree in Vocal Performance, a Master's Degree in Vocal Performance with a minor in Drama, and a Bachelor of Music Education Degree K-12.

Lunda lives in the golf capital of America, Myrtle Beach South Carolina. She resides in the North Myrtle Beach area where she organizes the Barefoot Senior Ladies 9 Hole Golf League. She is an athlete, minister and the first ever redhead to represent the beautiful state of South Carolina in the Ms. Senior America Pageant. Sassy, classy Lunda Cornelius lives as if it were the last day of vacation and the first day of marriage every day!