By Krystle J Bailey
This weekend’s THRIV Expo coming to the Atlantic City Convention Center will feature guest speakers including Michael Clinton, Bob Sumner, Kelsey Grammer, and New Jersey’s own Renée Marino.
THRIV is a lifestyle event that aims to provide resources for people looking to truly flourish through the next phases of their lives. The inaugural event is described as “full of fun and inspiration for baby boomers and Gen Xers.”
Guest speaker, Renée Marino, may be best known for her role as Frankie Valli’s wife, Mary Delgado, in the 2014 Clint Eastwood film, Jersey Boys. It’s how she got that role that took her on a different journey and led her to become a best-selling author, TEDx speaker, and professional communication coach.
“This all had to do with communication and the power of speaking up,” Marino shared with Shore Local. “Which brings me to where I’m at today.”
When Renée couldn’t seem to land an audition for the role of Mary Delgado, even though she had been playing the character for months on Broadway, she didn’t let the word “no” stand in her way.
Managing to snag an audition for a smaller part in the film, Marino leaped at the opportunity to use her voice to ask for what she really wanted. When the casting director asked her to begin her audition, Marino requested an opportunity to audition for the role of Delgado. As it turned out, when Clint Eastwood saw the show on Broadway, he thought Marino was perfect for the role of Valli’s wife too.
“The role was beyond anything I dreamed of,” shared Marino. “To play a role about this woman who is from where I’m from and I listened to Frankie Valli’s music growing up, it was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Following filming, Marino stayed in Los Angeles for some time while working her one-woman show and starring in commercials and TV appearances. Missing the East Coast, Marino returned to New Jersey and went back to Broadway, which is where she began writing her book, “Becoming a Master Commentator.” When the world shut down in 2020, Marino got to work online. She became a communication coach and created an online course that teaches individuals how to connect on camera. In 2021, Yahoo Finance named her one of the “Top 10 Communication Coaches to Follow.” “Becoming a Master Communicator,” Marino’s first published book was released in 2022 and has led her to speak on stages all over the world about the power of communication.
“The THRIV event is all about thriving and making the next chapter, the best chapter,” explains Marino in reference to her upcoming speech this Sunday. “You can’t do that if you don’t prioritize authentic communication, which starts with checking in with yourself and then surrounding yourself with a community of people who build you up and remind you of your power.”
Tickets for THRIV can be purchased at Thriv.Live. Use promo code: Renee23 for 20 percent off tickets. Follow Renee @iamreneemarino on Instagram and look for her book at www.becomingamastercommunicator.com.
Krystle J Bailey is a published author, multimedia journalist, copywriter, and content creator. She is a regular Shore Local columnist and digital contributor as well as the booking agent and co-host of the radio show Joe’s Table for Two on WOND. Krystle can be reached at KrystleJBailey@gmail.com
