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

Early life and education

Andreas was born on October 1, 1951, in

Camden, New Jersey Camden is a City (New Jersey), city in Camden County, New Jersey, Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the Delaware Valley metropolitan region. The city was incorporated on February 13, 1828.Snyder, John P''The Story of ...

, to James Francis Andreas, a systems analyst, and Teresa Cecilia Genovese Andreas. She grew up in Suffern, New York, and is an alumnus of Suffern High School.

Career

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 Stre ...

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 seller, who comes to Prof ...

in the 20th Anniversary production of ''

My Fair Lady ''My Fair Lady'' is a musical theatre, musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. The story, based on George Bernard Shaw's 1913 play ''Pygmalion (play), Pygmalion'' and on the Pygmalion (1938 film), 1938 film ...

'', 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 theater, musical written by the duo of Rodgers and Hammerstein. The musical is based on Lynn Riggs's 1931 play, ''Green Grow the Lilacs (play), Green Grow the Lilacs''. Set in farm country outside the town of ...

'' as Laurey in 1979 (

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

nomination for Best Actress in a Musical), ''

On Your Toes ''On Your Toes'' (1936) is a musical with a book by Richard Rodgers, George Abbott, and Lorenz Hart, music by Rodgers, and lyrics by Hart. It was adapted into a film in 1939. While teaching music at Knickerbocker University, Phil "Junior" Dol ...

'' 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 her husband Montague Barstow) enjoyed a long run in Lo ...

'' (1997), ''Words & Music with Sammy Cahn'' (standby, 1974), and ''

Rags Rag, rags, RAG or The Rag may refer to: Common uses * Rag, a piece of old cloth * Rags, tattered clothes * Wash rag, a small cloth used for bathing * Rag (newspaper), a publication engaging in tabloid journalism * Rag paper, or cotton paper Arts ...

'' (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 John Nolan and Gentleman Jack, was an Irish Americans, Irish-American gangster in Philadelphia and New York City during ...

'' (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), known by the pseudonym Erté (from the French pronunciation of his initials: ), was a Russian-born French people, French artist and designer. He worked in several fields, including fashi ...

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

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, commonly known as the Kennedy Center, is the national cultural center of the United States, located on the eastern bank of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. Opened on September 8, ...

in 1990 but did not open on Broadway as had been planned. She starred in the U.S, 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'' (; , ), first performed in 1664, is a theatrical comedy (or more specifically, a farce) by Molière. The characters of Tartuffe, Elmire, and Orgon are considered among the greatest classical theat ...

'' 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 entertainment for the close of the Christmas season. The play centres on the twins Viola an ...

'' (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 ''The S ...

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''. She appeared in the musical in 1993 at the

George Street Playhouse George Street Playhouse is a theater company in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in the city's Civic Square, New Brunswick, Civic Square government and theater district and resident at the newly built New Brunswick Performing Arts Center. The GSP is o ...

New Brunswick, New Jersey New Brunswick is a city (New Jersey), city in and the county seat of Middlesex County, New Jersey, 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 The Prince Theater is a non-profit theatrical producing organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and specializing in music theatre, including opera, music drama, musical comedy and experimental forms. Founded in 1984 as the American ...

as "Vera" in 2002. She received the

Barrymore Award The Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre is an annual, nationally-recognized award program that is sponsored by Theatre Philadelphia for professional theater productions in the Greater Philadelphia area. Each season culminates with an awards ...

for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical).

Television

Andreas' television appearances include ''

The Cosby Show ''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom created by (along with Ed. Weinberger and Michael J. Leeson) and starring Bill Cosby that originally aired on NBC from September 20, 1984, to April 30, 1992, with a total of 201 half-hour e ...

'', '' 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 during the Golden Age of Hollywood. She first signed a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in 1941 and appeared mainly in small roles until she drew critics' att ...

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, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

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

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhattan), 57t ...

in New York City, in the Catalina Grill in

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

, 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. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800 whe ...

. Andreas performed her new show "Bemused" at 54 Below in 2013. Stephen Holden, reviewing for ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', 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 New York City borough of Queens. Part of the City University of New York system, Queens College occupies an campus primarily located in Flushing. Queens College was established in 1937 and offe ...

, New York City based on her recording ''Love is Good'' in February 2014.

Awards and nominations

* Theater World Award 1976, ''

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

Best Actress in a Musical 1980, ''

'' (nomination) * Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical 1983, ''

'' (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 She was previously married to creative director Kevin Hunter.

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 Camden, New Jersey 21st-century American actresses