Tessa Kosta
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
December 12, 1890
Tessa Kosta | |
|---|---|
 Kosta in The Theatre Magazine, 1922 | |
| Born | Tessa Kay Kosta December 12, 1890 Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. |
| Died | August 23, 1981 (aged 90) New York City, U.S.A. |
| Occupation | Musical Actress |
| Spouse | Richard J. Madden |
Tessa Kay Kosta (December 12, 1890[1] – August 23, 1981) was an American actress who starred in Broadway musicals and operettas during the early decades of the twentieth century.
Kosta was born in Chicago, Illinois, the daughter of Edward and Emma Kosta. Her parents came to America from Hungary the year of her birth, settling first in Chicago and then San Francisco where her father worked as a confectioner.[2] Sometime after the turn of the twentieth century Kosta’s family moved to Ely, Nevada, where she graduated from Ely High School in 1907. Prior to entering college at Salt Lake City, she studied music at the Holy Rosary Academy in San Bernardino, California.[3][4][5]
Kosta’s break came in February 1911 when producer George W. Lederer plucked her from the chorus to play the title role Yvonne Sherry in road productions of his hit Broadway musical, Madame Sherry.[4][6] She stayed with Madame Sherry for over a year to positive reviews before touring in late 1912 as Claudine with the musical comedy The Pink Lady opposite Olga De Baugh and Harry Depp.[7][8][9][10]
