Karen Olivo (born August 7, 1976) is an American stage and television actor, theater educator, and singer. In 2008, Olivo originated the role of Vanessa in ''

In the Heights ''In the Heights'' is a musical with concept, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda and a book by Quiara Alegría Hudes. The story is set over the course of three days, involving characters in the largely Dominican American neighborhood of ...

'' on Broadway. The following year, they won the 2009

Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical has been presented since 1950. The award was not given at the first three Tony Award ceremonies. Nominees were not announced publicly until 1956. Winners and nominees 1950 ...

for their performance as Anita in a revival of ''

West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...

''. Olivo is the first and only actor to win a

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 ...

for a performance in ''West Side Story''. From 2016 to 2017, Olivo portrayed the role of

Angelica Schuyler Angelica Church (née Schuyler ; February 20, 1756 – March 6, 1814) was an American socialite. She was the eldest daughter of Continental Army General Philip Schuyler, and a sister of Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton and sister-in-law of Alexande ...

in the

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = List of sovereign states, Count ...

production of ''

Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilto ...

''. In 2019, Olivo originated the leading role of Satine in the Broadway adaptation of ''

Moulin Rouge! ''Moulin Rouge!'' (, ) is a 2001 jukebox musical romantic drama film directed, co-produced, and co-written by Baz Luhrmann. It follows a young English poet, Christian, who falls in love with the star of the Moulin Rouge, cabaret actress and co ...

'' and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Early life

Olivo was born on August 7, 1976, in the

South Bronx The South Bronx is an area of the New York City borough of the Bronx. The area comprises neighborhoods in the southern part of the Bronx, such as Concourse, Mott Haven, Melrose, and Port Morris. In the early 1900s, the South Bronx was orig ...

, New York City. Olivo's father is of Puerto Rican and Native American descent, and their mother is of Dominican and Chinese descent. They were raised in

Bartow, Florida Bartow ( ) is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow, the first brigade commander of the Confederate Army to die in combat during the America ...

. They attended the

Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts The Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts (also called Harrison School for the Arts) is a high school in Lakeland, Florida, United States. The school was founded in 1989 and named after community member and art patron L ...

in nearby

Lakeland, Florida Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay area, Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa, Florida, Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,6 ...

, and later the

University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music The University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM) is a performing and media arts college of the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio. Initially established as the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in 1867, CCM is one of the ...

. They left school before their final year to join the original Broadway production of ''

Rent Rent may refer to: Economics *Renting, an agreement where a payment is made for the temporary use of a good, service or property *Economic rent, any payment in excess of the cost of production *Rent-seeking, attempting to increase one's share of e ...

''.

Career

1997–2006: Early career and Broadway debut

Olivo began their professional career in 1997 when they joined the original Broadway production of ''

''. They joined as a replacement swing, also understudying the roles of Mimi and Maureen. The following year they joined the first national tour of ''Rent,'' dubbed the "Angel Tour", as a replacement swing once again. In late 1998, Olivo began playing Mimi on the tour, and they continued in the role until leaving the show in January 1999. They moved back to New York City in 1999 but did not receive any roles outside of a small part in ''

As the World Turns ''As the World Turns'' (often abbreviated as ''ATWT'') is an American television soap opera that aired on CBS for 54 years from April 2, 1956, to September 17, 2010. Irna Phillips created ''As the World Turns'' as a sister show to her other s ...

'' before joining the regional try-out of the musical ''

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

'' in 2003. Before ''Brooklyn'' transferred to Broadway the following Fall, Olivo took part of a regional staging of '' Children of Eden'' and filmed guest roles for ''

All My Children ''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and ...

'' and ''

Law & Order ''Law & Order'' is an American police procedural and legal drama television series created by Dick Wolf and produced by Wolf Entertainment, launching the '' Law & Order'' franchise. ''Law & Order'' aired its entire run on NBC, premiering ...

''. The musical ''Brooklyn'' open on Broadway in October 2004 and closed in June 2005. Following its closure, Olivo joined the cast of the Brazilian-themed off-Broadway musical ''Miracle Brothers'', which closed in October 2005. The following year they had small roles in NBC's '' Conviction'' and the independent film '' Adrift in Manhattan'', which premiered at the

Sundance Film Festival The Sundance Film Festival (formerly Utah/US Film Festival, then US Film and Video Festival) is an annual film festival organized by the Sundance Institute. It is the largest independent film festival in the United States, with more than 46,6 ...

in 2007.

2007–2012: Prominence on Broadway

''In the Heights''

In 2008, ''

'' opened on Broadway. Olivo starred as Vanessa, opposite

Lin-Manuel Miranda Lin-Manuel Miranda (; born January 16, 1980) is an American songwriter, actor, playwright and filmmaker. He is known for creating the Broadway musicals ''Hamilton'' (2015) and '' In the Heights'' (2005), and the soundtracks for the Disney animat ...

''West Side Story''

In 2009, Olivo won a

for their performance as Anita in the

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 ...

revival of ''

''. They were also nominated for both a Drama Desk and an Outer Critic's Circle Award for their critically acclaimed performance as Anita. They earned their second

Astaire Award The Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography (previously titled the Fred and Adele Astaire Awards) celebrate outstanding dance and choreography in theatre, both on Broadway and Off-Broadway and in film at an annual ceremony in New York City ...

nomination for Best Female Dancer for their performance in ''

'', after previously winning the same award in 2008 for their performance in ''

''. They were contracted with ''West Side Story'' at the Palace through 2010. During the May 8, 2010, matinee performance of ''West Side Story'', Olivo broke their foot. Anita standby Natalie Cortez performed the role until the show's closure. Olivo then took part in the world premiere of ''

By the Way, Meet Vera Stark ''By the Way, Meet Vera Stark'' is a play by Lynn Nottage. The play concerns an African-American maid in the 1930s who becomes a film star. Background Nottage received the 2010 Edgerton Foundation New American Play Award for this play. Producti ...

'' at off-Broadway's Second Stage Theater. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright

Lynn Nottage Lynn Nottage (born November 2, 1964) is an American playwright whose work often focuses on the experience of working-class people, particularly working-class people who are Black. She has received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice: in 2009 for h ...

, the play "draws upon the screwball films of the 1930s to take a funny and irreverent look at racial stereotypes in Hollywood."

Film and television

Olivo had a recurring role in '' The Good Wife'' on CBS. They played wealthy law student Giada Cabrini, a potential love interest of firm partner Will Gardner (

Josh Charles Joshua Aaron Charles (born September 15, 1971) is an American actor. He is best known for the roles of Dan Rydell on '' Sports Night; '' Will Gardner on '' The Good Wife'', which earned him two Primetime Emmy Award nominations; and his early wo ...

). Olivo was a series regular in the second season of NBC's '' Harry's Law'', playing "hot shot lawyer" Cassie Reynolds hired by Kathy Bates' character. Olivo also appeared as Isabelle Perez, a woman who was unknowingly sterilized in the ''

'' episode "Birthright". They also appear in the

spin-off Spin-off may refer to: *Spin-off (media), a media work derived from an existing work *Corporate spin-off, a type of corporate action that forms a new company or entity * Government spin-off, civilian goods which are the result of military or gov ...

series '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' as Jennifer Benitez in an episode titled "Loophole". They later appeared in '' Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' as Yelina Muñoz in an episode titled "October Sunrise". Olivo has had several roles in movies, including ''Make Yourself at Home'', ''The New Twenty'', ''Shanghai Hotel'', and '' The Orphan Killer''.

2013–present: Break from acting and return to theater

On March 18, 2013, Olivo announced on their website that they were taking a break from acting, saying "with this knowledge I start a new chapter. I leave behind the actor and I start learning how to be me." During this period, they moved to

Madison, Wisconsin Madison is the county seat of Dane County and the capital city of the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of the 2020 census the population was 269,840, making it the second-largest city in Wisconsin by population, after Milwaukee, and the 80th ...

, where they taught classes for the UW–Madison theater department and became involved in the local theater scene, which included opening a private studio to coach young performers. They returned to professional acting the following year with New York City Center's

Encores! Encores! is a Tony-honored concert series dedicated to performing rarely heard American musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, Encores! has revived shows by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & ...

production of the Jonathan Larson musical '' tick, tick... BOOM!'' alongside fellow

alumni

and Leslie Odom Jr. in June 2014 off-Broadway. On July 13, 2016, it was announced that Olivo would star as Angelica Schuyler in the Chicago production of ''

''. They were part of the cast from October 19, 2016, until August 6, 2017. They stated they intended to pursue teaching after leaving the production, stating that "I'm leaving the spotlight to make sure others find theirs". In February 2018, Olivo played Florence Vassy in the Kennedy Center's revival of the musical ''

Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

''.

''Moulin Rouge!''

On July 25, 2019, Olivo starred in the premiere of the Broadway production of the jukebox musical ''

'' in New York City. They continued to perform their role in the show at the

Al Hirschfeld Theatre The Al Hirschfeld Theatre, originally the Martin Beck Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 302 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1924, it was designed by G. Albert Lansburgh in a Moorish and ...

for an open-ended run. On October 15, 2020, Olivo was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. On April 14, 2021, Olivo announced they wouldn't return to the show once it reopens as a protest of the industry's silence on the allegations against producer Scott Rudin. In an Instagram video, Olivo stated, "Social justice is more important than being the sparkling diamond." In December 2021, Olivo joined ''We Won't Sleep'', a bio-musical based on the life of

Jeannette Rankin Jeannette Pickering Rankin (June 11, 1880 – May 18, 1973) was an American politician and women's rights advocate who became the first woman to hold federal office in the United States in 1917. She was elected to the U.S. House of Represent ...

. Industry readings of the production took place on December 17 and 18, 2021 in New York City. The world premiere was set to open in May 2022 at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, but was cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...

. Podcasts On July 18, 2021, Olivo appeared on a podcast entitled ''Noah's Corner'', previously ''Rye's Little Corner'', on episode 19, titled "Dreams Come True Bitches". On the episode, Karen was interviewed by co hosts Noah Grace and Nellie. They spoke about their time in ''In the Heights'' and ''Moulin Rouge!'' as well as their album, ''Leave''. Northwestern University In 2022, Olivo relocated to Evanston, IL to work as an associate professor at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

, where they serve as the head of music theatre.

Personal life

Olivo is married to Jim Uphoff, with whom they have two step-children. Olivo and Uphoff, a marketing manager and former New York theater sound technician, married in September 2014. Until 2012, Olivo was married to Broadway actor

Matt Caplan Matt Caplan is an American actor and musician in the theatre. Career Matt Caplan has released two studio albums and a single. Caplan has appeared on Broadway in '' Rent'' as Mark Cohen, in the revival of ''South Pacific'' and in ''High Fid ...

. In 2013, while taking a break from acting, Olivo moved to

, where they and Uphoff share a home they call their "home base". Both Olivo and their husband have family in Madison. Olivo has previously lived in

Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan Hell's Kitchen, also known as Clinton, is a neighborhood on the West Side of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is considered to be bordered by 34th Street (or 41st Street) to the south, 59th Street to the north, Eighth Avenue to the ea ...

, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles. In 2021, Olivo announced via Instagram that they are

non-binary Non-binary and genderqueer are umbrella terms for gender identities that are not solely male or femaleidentities that are outside the gender binary. Non-binary identities fall under the transgender umbrella, since non-binary people typically ...

and use

they/them Singular ''they'', along with its inflected or derivative forms, ''them'', ''their'', ''theirs'' and ''themselves'' (or ''themself''), is a gender-neutral third-person pronoun. It typically occurs with an unspecified antecedent, in sentence ...

pronouns.

Theatre credits

Awards and nominations

References

External links

Karen on "The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales"

Karen on "And the Tony Goes To...." Podcast

Broadway.com Star Profile

Broadwayworld.com Profile
* *

{{DEFAULTSORT:Olivo, Karen 20th-century American actors 21st-century American actors 1976 births American stage actors American television actors Living people Tony Award winners American people of Dominican Republic descent American people of Puerto Rican descent American people of Chinese descent People from Bartow, Florida People from Manhattan 21st-century LGBT people American LGBT actors LGBT people from New York (state) American non-binary actors