Randy Graff

Last updated
Randy Lynn Graff
Randy Graff.jpg
Graff (center) in 2004
Born (1955-05-23) May 23, 1955 (age 69)
New York City, U.S.
Alma mater Wagner College
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Website Randygraff.com

Randy Lynn Graff (born May 23, 1955) is an American actress and singer.

Contents

Career

Graff was born in Brooklyn, New York City, and is a graduate of Wagner College. She is a cousin of actors Todd Graff [1] and Ilene Graff.

Graff has been in feature films such as Keys to Tulsa and Rent as well as being in television shows such as NBC's Law & Order a number of times. In addition to film and television, Graff has been in several Broadway shows.

She originated the role of Fantine in the musical Les Misérables when the production opened on Broadway in 1987, which included "I Dreamed a Dream", also on the soundtrack released in 1990. [2]

According to Graff, she was the first person to sing "I Dreamed a Dream" in the United States of America, which is not entirely true. Patti LuPone sang it on The Joan Rivers Show shortly before the show opened in New York. [3] She has also appeared in Broadway revivals of the musicals Damn Yankees and Fiddler on the Roof .

Graff teaches at the Manhattan School of Music. [4]

Filmography

Theatre

Broadway
Off-Broadway
Regional

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patti LuPone</span> American actress and singer (born 1949)

Patti Ann LuPone is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. After starting her professional career with The Acting Company in 1972 she soon gained acclaim for her leading performances on the Broadway and West End stage. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, and two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joel Grey</span> American actor, singer, dancer, director, and photographer (born 1932)

Joel Grey is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer, and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical Cabaret on Broadway and in Bob Fosse's 1972 film adaptation. He has won an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Golden Globe Award, and a Tony Award. He earned the Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georgia Engel</span> American actress (1948–2019)

Georgia Bright Engel was an American actress. She is best known for having played Georgette Franklin Baxter in the sitcom The Mary Tyler Moore Show from 1972 to 1977, Pat MacDougall on Everybody Loves Raymond from 2003 to 2005, and Mamie Sue on Hot in Cleveland from 2012 to 2015. She was nominated for five Primetime Emmy Awards and a BAFTA award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judy Kuhn</span> American actress and singer (born 1958)

Judy Kuhn is an American actress, singer and activist, known for her work in musical theatre. A four-time Tony Award nominee, she has released four studio albums and sang the title role in the 1995 film Pocahontas, including her rendition of the song "Colors of the Wind", which won its composers the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carolee Carmello</span> American actress

Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series Remember WENN (1996–1998). She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and a five-time Drama Desk nominee, winning the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her role in Parade.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephanie J. Block</span> American actress and singer (born 1972)

Stephanie Janette Block is an American actress and singer, best known for her work on the Broadway stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nancy Opel</span> American singer and actress (born 1956)

Nancy Carol Opel is an American singer and actress, known primarily for her work on Broadway. She was nominated for the 2002 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for originating the role of Penelope Pennywise in the musical Urinetown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alice Ripley</span> American actress (born 1963)

Alice Ripley is an American actress, singer, songwriter and mixed media artist. She is known, in particular, for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal and Side Show. She most recently played three roles in the short-lived Broadway musical, American Psycho. Alice Ripley has released albums with her band, RIPLEY, including the single, "Beautiful Eyes", released in February 2012. She also performs as a solo artist, while in February 2011 she released Alice Ripley Daily Practice, Volume 1, a stripped-down collection of acoustic rock covers.

Elena Shaddow is an American singer and actress. She is originally from Chagrin Falls, Ohio.

Debbie Shapiro Gravitte is an American actress and singer. She was born in Los Angeles, California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Norm Lewis</span> American actor, singer (born 1963)

Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway, in the West End, film, television, recordings and regional theatre. He’s also noted for his wide vocal range. Lewis was the second African-American actor after Robert Guillaume to perform in the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera and the first one to do so in the Broadway production. In 2023, he reprised the role in the show's sequel, Love Never Dies, in London's West End.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Bolton (actor)</span> American actor and Broadway regular

John Bolton is an American actor and Broadway regular. Bolton is best known for originating the role of "The Old Man" in the Broadway show A Christmas Story: The Musical. He created the role of Vlad Popov in the Broadway musical Anastasia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caissie Levy</span> Canadian actress and singer

Caissie Levy is a Canadian-American actress and singer, mainly known for her work in musical theatre on Broadway and in the West End. Her early Broadway credits included Penny Pingleton in Hairspray and Sheila in Hair, a role she also played in the West End. She originated the role of Molly Jensen in the West End and Broadway productions of Ghost: the Musical, and played Fantine in the 2014 Broadway revival of Les Misérables. Levy also originated the role of Elsa in Frozen on Broadway. For her performance on the cast recording of Caroline, or Change, she was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album in 2023. Levy originated the role of Diana Goodman in the London production of Next to Normal and received a nomination for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Alli Mauzey is an American actress and singer best known for her performance as Glinda in the Broadway and 1st national tour productions of Wicked and for originating the role of Lenora in the musical Cry-Baby, as well as the main character voice acting role of Lioness in the animated series A.T.O.M..

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kate Baldwin</span> American singer

Katherine Baldwin is an American singer and actress known for her work in musical theater. She received a Tony Award nomination for her work in the 2009 Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow. She also co-starred opposite Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, and Gavin Creel in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!, for which she received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle award nominations for her work as the saucy millineress Irene Molloy. Baldwin continued with the production until it closed in August 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carmen Cusack</span> American actress

Carmen Cusack is an American musical theater actress and singer. She is known for playing Elphaba in the Chicago, North American Tour, and Melbourne productions of the musical Wicked and for originating the roles of Alice Murphy and Clare Boothe Luce in the Broadway musicals Bright Star and Flying Over Sunset, respectively.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Montego Glover</span> American actress

Montego Glover is an American stage actress and singer. She has been nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role in the musical Memphis and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nikki M. James</span> American actress and singer

Nikki Michelle James is an American actress and singer. James has performed in the popular stage musicals The Book of Mormon,Les Misérables, and Suffs, earning a Tony Award for The Book of Mormon.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennifer Simard</span> American actress

Jennifer Simard is an American actress known primarily for her work in theater. A Two-time Tony Award nominee, she rose to fame starring on Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in 2000s, such as I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, The Thing About Men and Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit being nominated at the Drama Desk Award and Lucille Lortel Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lea Salonga on screen and stage</span>

Filipina singer and actress Lea Salonga has appeared in international theatre productions, television shows, films, and video games. She made her professional debut on stage in the 1978 Repertory Philippines production of The King and I. She went on to appear and star in productions such as Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1978), Fiddler on the Roof (1978), Annie (1980), The Sound of Music (1980), The Rose Tattoo (1980), and The Bad Seed (1981) in Manila. In 1981, Salonga made her film debut as Lisa in the Filipino comedy Tropang Bulilit. Salonga continued performing in theatre productions in Manila, including The Goodbye Girl (1982), The Paper Moon (1983), a revival of Annie (1984), and The Fantasticks (1988). From 1983 to 1985, Salonga hosted her own television variety show entitled Love, Lea. In 1986, she also appeared as a Thursday group member on the television series That's Entertainment. Throughout the 1980s, she also appeared in the Filipino films Like Father, Like Son (1985), Ninja Kids (1986), Captain Barbell (1986), Pik Pak Boom (1988), and Dear Diary (1989).

References

  1. "Randy Graff Biography (1955-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  2. [ dead link ]
  3. "The Game Changer! Tony Winner Randy Graff Looks Back on Being Broadway's First Fantine". Broadwaybox.com.
  4. Gans, Andrew (April 23, 2020). "Checking in With… Tony Winner Randy Graff, Star of Les Misérables, City of Angels, More". Playbill.com. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
  5. [ dead link ]
  6. Rich, Frank."Theater: 'My Name Is Alice,' At American Place", The New York Times , February 27, 1984
  7. Gans, Andrew."Sixth Sondheim Starts: A Little Night Music Begins Perfs. in D.C. Aug. 2", Playbill.com, August 2, 2002.
  8. Gans, Andrew."L.A. Elegies — with Randy Graff, Liz Callaway and Malcolm Gets — Offered Sept. 11", Playbill.com, September 11, 2006
  9. Gans, Andrew."Well, Hello, Randy: Tony Winner Graff Begins Dolly! Run at the Muny July 9", Playbill.com, July 9, 2007
  10. Gans, Andrew.Graff, Ashmanskas, Brescia, Osnes, von Essen Explore Broadway: Three Generations Oct. 2-5", Playbill.com, October 2, 2008
  11. [ dead link ]
  12. Hetrick, Adam.Graff and Kellerman Added to Motherhood Out Loud at Bay Street", Playbill.com, July 27, 2009