Daughters of ‘Northern Exposure’ actress take the stage with Bellevue Youth Theatre

f Liv and Lyla Coron seem very comfortable on stage in the Bellevue Youth Theatre’s production of “Cinderella,” there’s a good reason. Their mother, Cynthia Geary, is a TV and movie actress nominated for an Emmy for her role as tavern owner Shelly Tambo in the hit 1990s television show “Northern Exposure.”

By Gabrielle Nomura • May 3, 2011 3:41 pm

It was Cynthia Geary’s role in the hit TV show “Northern Exposure” that would lead to her Emmy nomination and relocation to Washington – on Seattle’s eastside.

Today, she still gets recognized for her character, Shelly Marie Tambo, a former beauty queen who manages an Alaska tavern with an older man. The show was a fantastic opportunity for the actress.

“I loved every minute of it,” she said.

During filming (which took place in a Redmond warehouse and the Cascade mountains among other sites) the Mississippi native realized she liked the Pacific Northwest a lot. So much, in fact, she decided to settle down, get married to Robert Coron and raise her family in Bellevue.

This area that saw her career take flight is also where she’d pass her flair for acting on to the next generation.

Today, her daughters, Liv and Lyla Coron are carrying on their mother’s talents with Bellevue Youth Theatre (BYT). The two appeared in BYT’s production of “Cinderella” last week on the Meydenbauer stage.

Liv, 5, who made her acting debut, played a school child. Lyla, 10, added the role of fairy to her resume, which already includes parts in “The Music Man,” “The Magical Mrs. Clause,” “Dr. Dolittle” and the lead in “Seussical.”

Geary said her daughters have found an activity they love that also gives them some usable skills.

“It’s great for their self-confidence, learning responsibility, memorizing their lines and how to speak in front of an audience,” she said.

Liv and Lyla like watching their mother too. It’s exciting to see her on the TV, even if “Northern Exposure” is a “boring” show for kids, Lyla said.

Seeing Mom on set of her most recent movie, a film for children called “Ira Finkelstein’s Christmas” (2011) was more exciting.

“She works really hard and it inspired me to do the same,” said Lyla, who hopes to one day be a screen actress, too.

Photos: (Top) Cynthia Geary and husband Robert Coron with their daughters; (Middle) Liv, left, and Lyla, right, Coron. (bottom) Geary, center in green jacket, at a BYT rehearsal with daughters Lyla, far right in pink, and Lyla, second from right in purple. Courtesy of Geary/Coron family and BYT.