Rachel York

Rachel York (born August 7, 1971) is an American actress and singer. She is known for stage roles in '' City of Angels'', ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'', ''Les Misérables'', ''Victor/Victoria'', ''Kiss Me, Kate'', ''Sly Fox'', '' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'' and ''Anything Goes''. She also has many film and television credits, including her portrayal of Lucille Ball in the CBS biographical film ''Lucy''.

Career

At age 19, York approached talent agent Bill Timms. She performed monologues from '' Nuts'' and '' Sophie's Choice'' and gave him a demo tape with songs from '' Evita''. Timms signed her immediately and described her as being able to "... do anything."

Theatre

York made her Broadway debut as Mallory in the musical '' City of Angels'', and her performance won critical acclaim. After ''City of Angels'', she has been in many performances on stage, including Fantine in ''Les Misérables'', Irene St. Claire in ''Crucifer of Blood'', The Younger Woman in Stephen Sondheim's '' Putting It Together'' (with Julie Andrews), which earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination, Norma Cassidy in ''Victor/Victoria'' (for which she won a Drama Desk Award), Marguerite in ''The Scarlet Pimpernel'', Lili Vanessi/Katharine in ''Kiss Me, Kate'', Reno Sweeney in ''Anything Goes'', Dorothy in ''Summer of '42'', Miss Fancy in ''Sly Fox'', Ruth Sutton in ''Dessa Rose'', earning her another nomination for a Drama Desk Award, Mother in ''Ragtime'', Christine Colgate in '' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'', and in ''The Sound of Music'' as Elsa Shraeder at the Hollywood Bowl.
She appeared as Guenevere in the National Tour of ''Camelot'' in the 2006–2007 season, for which she earned the Golden Icon Award from Travolta Family Entertainment for Best Actress in a Touring Production as well as the Carbonell Award.
In 2008, she played Dixie Wilson in Turn of the Century directed by Tommy Tune at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.
In 2009, she played Dolly Levi in the Reagle Music Theatre production of '' Hello, Dolly!'' in Waltham, Massachusetts and won an IRNE Award for her performance.

In 2010, York returned to the Reagle Music Theatre in its production of ''Into the Woods'' where she played the Witch and won another IRNE Award for the role. That same year she played the Lady of the Lake in the Ogunquit Playhouse production of ''Spamalot''.

In 2011, she starred as Billie Burke in the musical ''Ghostlight'' Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre. She then played Anna in the 2011 Walnut Street Theatre production of ''The King and I''.

She starred in Encores! concert series production of '' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' as Dorothy Shaw, which earned her and the production rave reviews. The live concert lasted May 9–13, 2012 and was a New York Times Critic's Pick.

York played the role of Reno Sweeney in the national tour of the 2011 Roundabout Theatre Broadway revival of ''Anything Goes'', which began October 2, 2012. For this role, she won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Visiting Production. In February 2014, she played Young Belle in the Encores! concert of '' Little Me''.

In May 2015, it was announced that York would appear in the musical ''Grey Gardens'' taking the role of Little Edie Bouvier Beale at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY. She played the role of Morticia Addams in ''The Addams Family'' with 3D Theatricals later that year in Los Angeles.

She returned to Broadway in the musical ''Disaster!'', which played from February to May 2016 at the Nederlander Theatre. York appeared alongside Seth Rudetsky, Adam Pascal, Kerry Butler, and Tony-nominated Jennifer Simard.

In July 2016, York and Betty Buckley, with whom she previously starred in ''Grey Gardens'' in New York, began a limited run of the production at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles, CA. York went on to originate the role of Gynecia in the Broadway musical, '' Head Over Heels''. She next appeared as Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent in '' Ever After The Musical''. In October 2021, York once again played Reno Sweeney, this time in the London revival of ''Anything Goes'' at the Barbican Theatre, where she succeeded Sutton Foster in the role.

Film

Her film credits include '' One Fine Day'', ''Billy Bathgate'', ''Dead Center'', ''Second Honeymoon'', ''Terror Tract'', ''Au Pair II'', and the TV movie ''Lucy'' in which she played Lucille Ball. Her performance in the London production of ''Kiss Me, Kate'' is available on DVD/video. She also played Lori, The Mystery Woman in Sasha Gordon's highly praised film ''It Had To Be You''.

Television

She also has many credits in television, including appearances on '' Reba'', ''Frasier'', '' Arli$$'', ''Spin City'', ''The Naked Truth'', '' Diagnosis: Murder'', and also provides the voices of Bitty on ''Higglytown Heroes'' and Circe on ''Justice League Unlimited''. In 2008, she also guest starred on an episode of ''Hannah Montana'', playing Isis on the episode Yet Another Side of Me. York filmed for the TV series ''Power'' in 2015 and is featured in Episode 7 "You're Not the Man" as Tina Schulman. She was also guest starred in ''Frasier'' as Dinah or "Officer Nasty" in the episode "To Thine Old Self Be True" (Season 7, Episode 20).

Singing

York released her debut album ''Let's Fall in Love'' in early 2005, produced by Tor Hyams under the HyLo Entertainment label and was exclusively distributed by Barnes and Noble. She can also be heard on the Cast recordings of '' City of Angels'', ''Victor/Victoria'', ''The Scarlet Pimpernel: Encore!'', ''Dessa Rose'', '' Putting It Together'', ''Summer of '42'', the soundtrack of ''Billy Bathgate'', and recordings of ''Opal and Celebration of Life''.

Personal life

She married actor Ayal Miodovnik on July 29, 2009. They have a daughter, Olivia.

Theater

;Broadway
*'' City of Angels'' (1989) – Mallory Kingsley
*''Les Misérables'' – Fantine
*''Victor/Victoria'' (1995) – Norma Cassidy
*''The Scarlet Pimpernel'' (1998) – Marguerite
*''Sly Fox'' (2004) – Miss Fancy
*'' Dirty Rotten Scoundrels'' (2006) – Christine
*''Disaster!'' (2016) – Jackie
*'' Head Over Heels'' (2018) – Gynecia

;Off-Broadway
*''Dessa Rose'' (2005) – Ruth
*''Ghostlight'' (2011) – Billie Burke

;West End/London
*''Kiss Me, Kate'' (2002) – Lilli Vanessi/Kate
*''Anything Goes'' (2021) - Reno Sweeney

;National tours
*''Kiss Me, Kate'' (2001) – Lilli Vanessi/Kate
*''Camelot'' (2007) – Guenevere
*''101 Dalmatians Musical'' (2009) – Cruella de VilJones, Kennet
"Who Let the Dogs Out? 101 Dalmatians Musical Parks and Barks in Minneapolis"
playbill.com, October 13, 2009
*''Anything Goes'' (2012) – Reno Sweeney

;Regional Theater Credits
*''The Crucifer of Blood'' – Irene St. Claire
*'' Putting It Together'' – The Younger Woman
*''Ragtime'' – Mother
*'' Hello Dolly!'' – Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi
*''Into the Woods'' – The Witch
*''Spamalot'' – The Lady of the Lake
*''The King and I'' – Anna Leonowens
*''The Addams Family'' – Morticia Addams
*''Grey Gardens'' – Little Edie Bouvier Beale & Edith Bouvier Beale
*'' Ever After The Musical'' – Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent

;Concerts
*''The Sound of Music'' – Elsa Schraeder
*'' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' – Dorothy Shaw
*'' Little Me'' – Young Belle

Filmography

Film

*''Billy Bathgate'' – Embassy Club Singer
*''Mad Dog Coll'' (aka Killer Instinct) – Lotte
* ''Taking the Heat'' – Susan
*''Deadline'' – Marci Fenner
*''Dead Center'' – Mary
*''Second Honeymoon'' – Gloria
*'' One Fine Day'' – Liza
*''Terror Tract'' – Sarah Freemont
*''Au Pair II'' – Cassandra Hausen
*''Cradle Swapping'' – Mrs. Burnett

Television

*''Kiss Me, Kate'' – Lili Vanessi/Katherine
*'' Lucy: The Lucille Ball Story'' – Lucille Ball
*''The Courtship of Eddie's Father'' – Lisa
*''Justice League Unlimited'' – Circe
*'' Diagnosis: Murder No. 96. (A Mime is a Terrible Thing to Waste)'' – Randy Wolfe
*''Hannah Montana'' – Isis
*''Frasier'' ("To Thine Old Self Be True" - Season 7, Episode 20) - Dinah aka Officer Nasty
*''Power'' – Tina Schulman
*''Elementary'' – Carla Giovanni
*'' The Mick'' – Dr. Goodby

Video games

*''Neverwinter Nights 2'' – Shandra Jerro

Recordings

* City of Angels – 1990 Original Broadway Cast Recording
* Putting It Together – 1993 Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording
* Victor/Victoria – 1995 Original Broadway Cast Recording
* The Scarlet Pimpernel: Encore! – 1998 Broadway Revival Cast Recording
* Dessa Rose – 2005 Original Lincoln Center Cast Recording
* Summer of '42 – Sept 2006, Original Cast Recording
* ''Disaster!'' – 2016 Original Broadway Cast Recording
* Opal, Honky Tonk Highway and Other Theatre Songs by Robert Nassif Lindsey
* Let's Fall in Love – Solo album released under HyLo Entertainment and produced by Tor Hyams

Awards

References

External links

*
*
''BroadwayWorld.com'' interview with Rachel York, September 4, 2007

{{DEFAULTSORT:York, Rachel
1971 births
Living people
American film actresses
American musical theatre actresses
American television actresses
American voice actresses
Drama Desk Award winners
Actresses from Orlando, Florida
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses