Amber Iman

Last updated
Amber Iman
Born
Atlanta, Georgia
United States
Occupation(s)Actress, singer

Amber Iman is an American actress and singer.

Life and career

Iman graduated from North Springs Charter High School located in Sandy Springs, a suburb of Atlanta. She participated in theatre from a young age, and studied at the Cap21 Summer Intensive at NYU. Iman is an only child and the daughter of actress Margo Moorer. [1]

Contents

After graduating from Howard University in 2008 with a BFA in musical theatre, she began her career in regional theatre in her hometown of Atlanta. After touring with Lauryn Hill as a back-up singer, Iman moved to New York City. She made her Off-Broadway debut in 2012 in the New World Stages production of Rent as Joanne and appeared in the show A Civil War Christmas at the New York Theatre Workshop. [2]

She made her Broadway debut in 2013 portraying Nina Simone in the musical Soul Doctor . She followed this in 2016 playing dual roles in the musical Shuffle Along , which was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical. [3]

Her regional credits include Sleeping Beauty in the Alliance Theatre production of Into the Woods and Cheryl in Stick Fly with the Huntington Theatre Company, for which she was nominated for an IRNE Award. She also appeared in Oo-Bla-Dee and Radio Golf with the Two River Theater. [4] In 2018, she appeared as Crystal in the Kennedy Center production of Little Shop of Horrors . [5] She portrayed Woman #1 in The Colored Museum , produced by Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company. [6]

In 2013, she was a finalist for the Clive Barnes Award for Young Theatre Professionals. [7] In 2016, she was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical for her performance as Aldonza in Man of La Mancha with the Shakespeare Theatre Company. For this performance, she was also awarded the Emery Battis Award for Acting Excellence. [8] [9]

In 2017, she was in the first national tour of Hamilton in the role of Peggy Schuyler / Maria Reynolds.

In 2022, she performed her one-woman show An Evening with Amber Iman at the Minetta Lane Theatre, which was recorded by Audible for streaming. [10] In 2024, Iman returned to Broadway, originating the role of Rafaela in the musical Lempicka . For her performance she was recognized by the Drama League for Distinguished Performance and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Iman is a founding member of the Broadway Advocacy Coalition, an organization that aims to "use arts and storytelling to build a more equitable society". [11] She is also a founding member of Black Women on Broadway, an organization that aims to amplify and celebrate black women in theatre. [12]

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References

  1. ↑ "Soul Doctor's Amber Iman on Following Her Mom Into Show Business and Feeling the Power of Nina Simone". Broadway.com.
  2. ↑ "4 Tips From 'Soul Doctor' Star Amber Iman On Following Your Dreams".
  3. ↑ "Arts Chat: Amber iman". UGA Calendar of Events.
  4. ↑ Gans, Andrew (2010-02-19). "Huntington's Stick Fly, with Benton, Dirden, Jones, Iman, Salter, Wright, Begins Feb. 19". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  5. ↑ Marks, Peter (2018-10-26). "It took 36 years for 'Little Shop' to play the Kennedy Center. It was worth the wait". Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-05-04.
  6. ↑ Denette, Kelsey. "True Colors Theatre Company Announces THE COLORED MUSEUM 3/25-4/17". BroadwayWorld.com.
  7. ↑ "About 5". The Clive and Valerie Barnes Foundation.
  8. ↑ Johnson, Nicole "Blackberri" (October 17, 2015). "Amber Iman Honored with Emery Battis Award for Acting Excellence".
  9. ↑ "Nominees & Recipients Database". TheatreWashington.
  10. ↑ "Amber Iman to Perform Live at the Minetta Lane Theater this Spring | About Audible". www.audible.com.
  11. ↑ "ABOUT". Broadway Advocacy Coalition.
  12. ↑ Tran, Diep (6 March 2024). "Amber Iman on Readying Lempicka While Advocating for Black Women on Broadway". Playbill.
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