Christine Andreas (born October 1, 1951) is an American Broadway actress and singer.

Biography

Andreas was born in

Camden, New Jersey Camden is a city in and the county seat of Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. Camden is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan area and is located directly across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the 20 ...

, to James Francis Andreas, a systems analyst, and Teresa Cecilia Genovese Andreas. She graduated from

Suffern High School Suffern High School is a public high school in the Suffern Central School District (formerly known as the Ramapo Central School District) located in Suffern, New York. The school's mascot is a mountain lion (Mountie). Its yearbook is the ''Pano ...

, class of 1969, in

Suffern Suffern is a village that was incorporated in 1796 in the town of Ramapo in Rockland County, New York. Suffern is located 31 miles northwest of Manhattan. As of the 2010 census, Suffern's population was 10,723.NY. She was voted by her fellow Seniors best female actor and best female musician. The yearbook photo for the latter depicts Andreas facetiously playing a tuba. ;Broadway She made her

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut in a 1975 revival of '' Angel Street''."Christine Andreas"
masterworksbroadway.com, retrieved March 16, 2017 In 1976 she was cast as

Eliza Doolittle Eliza Doolittle is a fictional character and the protagonist in George Bernard Shaw's play '' Pygmalion'' (1913) and its 1956 musical adaptation, ''My Fair Lady''. Eliza (from Lisson Grove, London) is a Cockney flower woman, who comes to Prof ...

in the 20th Anniversary production of ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play '' Pygmalion'', with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a Cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons ...

'', for which she received the

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre se ...

. Additional theatre credits include ''

Oklahoma! ''Oklahoma!'' is the first musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs' 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of Claremore, Indian Territory, in 1906, it tell ...

'' as Laurey in 1979 (

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual c ...

nomination for Best Actress in a Musical), '' On Your Toes'' in 1983 (Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical), ''

The Scarlet Pimpernel ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' is the first novel in a series of historical fiction by Baroness Orczy, published in 1905. It was written after her stage play of the same title (co-authored with Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in London, having ...

'' (1997), ''Words & Music with Sammy Cahn'' (standby, 1974), and '' Rags'' (1986). Her role in ''

Legs Diamond Jack "Legs" Diamond (possibly born John Thomas Diamond, though disputed; July 10, 1897 – December 18, 1931), also known as Gentleman Jack, was an Irish American gangster in Philadelphia and New York City during the Prohibition era. A bootleg ...

'' (1988) as "Alice" was removed during previews. She was featured in the musical revue ''Stardust'', which was conceived and written by Albert Harris with costumes and sets designed by

Erté Romain de Tirtoff (23 November 1892 – 21 April 1990) was a Russian-born French artist and designer known by the pseudonym Erté, from the French pronunciation of his initials (, EHR TEH). He was a 20th-century artist and designer in an a ...

. The musical ran at the Stamford Center for the Arts at the Palace Theater and the

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

in 1990 but did not open on Broadway as had been planned. She starred in the US tour as Margaret Johnson in '' The Light in the Piazza'', which began in San Francisco in August 2006. In 2010, she portrayed the role of Jacqueline in the Broadway revival of '' La Cage Aux Folles'', which opened April 18, 2010. The show was a transfer from London's West End. ;Regional She appeared in ''

Tartuffe ''Tartuffe, or The Impostor, or The Hypocrite'' (; french: Tartuffe, ou l'Imposteur, ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical thea ...

'' at the

in 1982, as Mariane and ''

Twelfth Night ''Twelfth Night'', or ''What You Will'' is a romantic comedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written around 1601–1602 as a Twelfth Night's entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Vi ...

'' (Alaska Rep). She appeared in the

Marsha Norman Marsha Norman (born September 21, 1947) is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play '' 'night, Mother''. She wrote the book and lyrics for such Broadway musicals as '' T ...

play ''Sarah and Abraham'' at the George Street Playhouse, New Brunswick, New Jersey in February 1992, and '' Promises, Promises''. Andreas starred as Judy Garland in ''Heartbreaker: Two Months with Judy Garland'', the stage premiere of John Meyer's 1983 book about his time with Garland, which ran at the Adirondack Theatre Festival in June 2013. She collaborated with composer Martin Silvestri in the musical ''

The Fields of Ambrosia ''The Fields of Ambrosia'' is a musical written by Joel Higgins and Martin Silvestri. It was performed in the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1993 and it was directed by Gregory Hurst, choreographed by Lynne Taylor-Corbet ...

''. She appeared in the musical in 1993 at the George Street Playhouse,

New Brunswick, New Jersey New Brunswick is a city in and the seat of government of Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.Aldwych Theatre The Aldwych Theatre is a West End theatre, located in Aldwych in the City of Westminster, central London. It was listed Grade II on 20 July 1971. Its seating capacity is 1,200 on three levels. History Origins The theatre was constructed in th ...

in 1996. She appeared in '' Pal Joey'' at the Prince Music Theater as "Vera" in 2002. She received the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical). ;Television Andreas' television appearances include ''

The Cosby Show ''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom co-created by and starring Bill Cosby, which aired Thursday nights for eight seasons on NBC between September 20, 1984, until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on an upper middle-class Africa ...

'', '' Another World'', Sylvia Fine Kaye's ''Musical Comedy Tonight III'' (1995) and '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit''. She portrayed

Ava Gardner Ava Lavinia Gardner (December 24, 1922 – January 25, 1990) was an American actress. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' attention in 1946 with her perform ...

in the made-for-TV movie ''Mia, Child of Hollywood'' (1995). ;Cabaret She has performed her

cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dinin ...

act in the Café Carlyle, the Algonquin Hotel's Oak Room,

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...

in New York City, in the Catalina Grill in

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world ...

, and the Ballroom in New York City in 1989. She has appeared in concert in London, Paris, Rome and at

The White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 180 ...

. Andreas performed her new show "Bemused" at

54 Below 54 Below is a cabaret and restaurant in the basement of Studio 54 in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Owned by Broadway producers Steve Baruch, Richard Frankel, Marc Routh and Tom Viertel, 54 Below has hosted shows by such performers as Patt ...

in 2013. Stephen Holden, reviewing for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', wrote: "The days are long gone when she starred on Broadway in revivals of “My Fair Lady” and “Oklahoma!,” but her beauty and radiance remain undimmed. Her bright, shiny soprano, with its wheeling vibrato and metallic edge, conveys a high-strung emotionality that is sharpened by her acting skills."Holden, Stephen
"Right Tune, Right Singer: Pure Alchemy"
''The New York Times'', January 29, 2013 She gave a concert at the Kupferberg Center for the Arts at

Queens College Queens College (QC) is a public college in the Queens borough of New York City. It is part of the City University of New York system. Its 80-acre campus is primarily located in Flushing, Queens. It has a student body representing more than 170 ...

, New York City based on her recording ''Love is Good'' in February 2014. ;Awards and nominations *

Theater World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre sea ...

1976, ''

'', recipient;"Andreas Awards"
ibdb.com, retrieved December 4, 2017 *

Best Actress in a Musical 1980, ''

'' (nomination) * Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical 1983, '' On Your Toes'' (nomination); * Barrymore Award 2003, Philadelphia, Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical '' Pal Joey'' (winner) * Helen Hayes Award 2007, Washington D.C., Musical, Outstanding Leading Actress, Non-Resident Production, '' The Light in the Piazza'' (nomination) ;Recordings Solo recordings include * ''Love is Good'' * ''Here's to the Ladies'' * ''The Carlyle Set'' * ''Piaf - no Regrets'' Cast recordings include * ''My Fair Lady - 20th Anniversary - 1976 Revival'' * ''Oklahoma! 1979 Revival'' * ''On Your Toes 1983 Revival'' * ''Fields of Ambrosia 1996 Cast'' * ''The Scarlet Pimpernel 1997 Cast'' * ''The Scarlet Pimpernel-Encore 1998 Cast'' * ''La Cage Aux Folles 2010 Revival''. Other related recordings * ''Beauty and the Beast - 1974 Studio'' * ''Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - 1974 Studio'' * ''Lovesong: A Musical Entertainment - 1980 Cast'' * ''Alec Wilder's Clues to a Life - 1982 Cast'' * ''Lola - 1985 Cast''; * ''Maury Yeston Songbook - Various'' * ''Broadway Unplugged - Various'' * ''Broadway Musicals of 1929 - Various'' * ''Broadway Musicals of 1956 - Various'' * ''Musicality of Rodgers and Hart - Various'' * ''The Singles - Various'' * ''A Cabaret Cocktail - Various'' * ''New York: Destination Music - Various'' * ''Falling in Love Is Wonderful: Broadway's Greatest Love Duets - Various'' * ''Carols for a Cure 2010 Vol.12 - Various''.

Reviews

''Source: Official Site '' *"Right Tune, Right Singer: Pure Alchemy" From:

Stephen Holden Stephen Holden (born July 18, 1941) is an American writer, poet, and music and film critic. Biography Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963. He worked as a photo editor, staff writer, and eventually be ...

, "Christine Andreas, Bemused: Live at 54 Below", ''The New York Times'', January 29, 2013. *"Christine Andreas is everything anyone who loves romantic pop music could want - simply sine qua non." From: Liz Smith, "The Oak Room At The Algonquin Hotel", ''New York Post'', Spring, 1999. *"She finds a blend of lyricism and sweet sensuality that only the finest Broadway voices can conjure." From: Stephen Holden, "Christine Andreas, Oak Room at the Algonquin", ''The New York Times'', March 14, 2000. *"A lyric soprano with a distinctive, gorgeous voice, Andreas illuminates the mood and meaning of each song through her considerable acting skills." From: Christine Dolan, "Treasure of Broadway shines in cabaret show", ''The Miami Herald'', February 1, 2008. *"Andreas' performance made it clear that she has every reason to feel at home in any jazz club she chooses to grace with her mesmerizing musical presence." From: Don Heckman, "She's a Broadway baby at home with jazz: Christine Andreas transforms all types of songs in her West Coast nightclub debut", ''Los Angeles Times'', May 29, 2004. *"Not all sopranos can summon the warmth and intimacy cabaret singing requires." From: Elysa Gardner, "The Carlyle Set", ''USA Today'', undated. *"Christine Andreas has one of the four or five most compelling voices to be heard in the Broadway theater." From: Holden, Stephen, "Love is Good", ''The New York Times'', undated. *"Many singers have lovely voices. Very few interpret lyrics the way they were meant to be sung. Christine Andreas does just that. As a lyricist, I can only applaud." From: Hal David, "Love is Good", undated.

Personal life

She is married to composer and musician Martin Silvestri. Andreas has one son and Silvestri has one daughter.Klein, Alvin
"'Pimpernel' Returns Actress to Broadway"
''The New York Times'', November 9, 1997

References

External links

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Andreas, Christine 1951 births Living people American stage actresses American musical theatre actresses American women singers Musicians from Camden, New Jersey Actresses from New Jersey Actors from Camden, New Jersey 21st-century American women