by Len Lear

Anyone who used to attend performances at Allens Lane Arts Center, Sedgwick Theater and the old North by Northwest, all in Mt. Airy, will probably remember Melissa E. Forgione. Anyone who saw her perform could not easily forget her.

An extraordinarily beautiful, charismatic and talented dancer, Melissa danced and costumed for Altoids.com and was seen on NBC-TV's "America's Got Talent." Melissa was a BFA graduate of UArts (1998) and lived in Center City, then South Philly, then Gloucester NJ, then Old City and then Germantown.

As a burlesque and circus performer, Melissa spent many years conceiving, choreographing and costuming for Philadelphia's infamous Peek-A-Boo Revue and had the pleasure to entertain for TV/movie stars Jennifer Tilly and Chris Noth, Cirque de Soleil performers, the cast of "Saturday Night Live" and many Philadelphia Fringe Festivals. Melissa also worked as a graphic designer for Scarlett Alley, a nationally recognized boutique in Old City.

Forgione, 39, who (to quote a cliché one often hears on TV) “lit up a room whenever she walked into one,” died Thursday, Jan. 28, at Geisinger Community Medical Center in Scranton, where she grew up.

According to the Scranton Times obituary on Jan. 30, Melissa “battled Crohn's Disease courageously from the age of 16. She always handled everything with a big smile. You would never know she was ill. Her smile and kindness were her biggest attributes. To Melissa everyone was good and kind. She touched everyone's life.

“Melissa will be deeply missed by her loving family and dear friends. Her favorite saying was ‘Momma, it could be worse!’ But love we must, and so we hold you sweetly in our hearts. I know you’re dancing joyfully among the brightest stars, and oh! How you dance! How you dance!”

“I’m a little lost for words,” said Andrew Repasky McElhinney, Chestnut Hill filmmaker, Rutgers University professor and author of “Second Takes: Remaking Film, Remaking America.” (McElhinney’s most acclaimed film, “A Chronicle of Corpses,” placed in the New York Times top 10 in 2001.)

“She was a brave performer who was always willing to take risks. She was also a gifted photographer and a camera operator on my 2008 movie, ‘Animal Husbandry.’ I first met Melissa at a nightclub where she was a burlesque star on April 20, 2002. I cannot find the words to articulate the meaningfulness of our personal relationship.

“Professionally, we made five movies (and one play) together in 13 years — ‘Georges Batialle's Story of the Eye,’ ‘Animal Husbandry,’ ‘The Things We Do For Love: A Cinemagic,’ ‘Haunted Poe: Poe's Last Train Ride’ and ‘Christmas Dreams.’ Melissa had shot her scenes in my upcoming feature, our sixth and now final collaboration. From 2003 to 2016, Ms. Forgione really was the First Lady of ARM/Cinema25.”

There has been an outpouring of messages on Facebook mourning the passing of Melissa. Her peers in Peek-A-Boo Revue, Brat Productions and other arts organizations in town were touched by her and her performances. One of them said, “Even if you don’t recognize her name, you may have seen her on a number of stages across town.”

Numerous messages of condolence were left for Melissa’s family at the Carlucci Golden DeSantis Funeral Home in Scranton. For example, a Jack O’Brien wrote, “Melissa, the world was lucky enough to have you while it did. You were an amazing person and will be missed always … Melissa's star will continue to shine in this world and the next.”

A message from Gail M. Schlemmer and Carolyn and Mike Sanders said, “I'm so sorry for your loss. I cannot begin to imagine what you’re going through … Melissa was beautiful and a very courageous girl. I know second-hand what she and you went through. My prayers are with you.”

Funeral services for Melissa were held Feb. 1 at St. Anthony of Padua Church in Scranton. She was the daughter of Vita Colangelo Forgione and the late Robert J. Forgione, who died Aug. 4, 2009. To leave the family an online condolence, visit www.DunmoreFuneralHome.com