Alice Ripley

Alice Ripley
self-portrait
Born	(1963-12-14) December 14, 1963
Occupation	actor, singer, songwriter, and mixed media artist
Awards	2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical 2009 Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in a Musical
Website
Official site

Alice Ripley is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and mixed media artist known for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal (2009 Tony Award, Best Actress in a Musical) and Side Show (1998 Tony nomination). Ripley has also done plays off Broadway, most recently Wild Animals You Should Know and A Civil War Christmas. She is currently playing the dual roles of Bev and Kathy in the Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning play, Clybourne Park, at The Long Wharf Theatre (May 8 to June 2, 2013).

Ripley has also written and produced albums with her band, RIPLEY. The single, "Beautiful Eyes", was released in February 2012 and the accompanying music video in April 2012. In February 2011, co-producer Sh-K-Boom Records released Alice Ripley Daily Practice, Volume 1, a stripped-down collection of acoustic rock covers with Ripley accompanying herself on guitar.

Ripley stars opposite Kathleen Chalfant in the feature film, Isn't It Delicious, which will premiere this month at the Rainier Film Festival in Washington. Isn't it Delicious will also be part of the Tupelo Film Festival (Mississippi, this month) and the Manhattan Film Festival (New York, June 23, 2013). Ripley also stars in the short film, Sing Along, which had its premiere on April 28, 2013 in New York City.

Current endeavors

• Ripley has been doing an ongoing series of concerts entitled Alice Ripley's Daily Practice. The concerts began in July 2010 in New York City and have taken her to Chicago, IL, Charleston, SC, and Philadelphia, PA. Her most recent performance was at The Cutting Room in New York City, March 11, 2013.

• From November 15 to December 30, 2012, Ripley portrayed Mary Todd Lincoln (wife of Abraham Lincoln) and other roles in A Civil War Christmas at the New York Theatre Workshop. The play with music is by Paula Vogel and was directed by Tina Landau. Opening night was Dec. 4, 2012.

• "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Education

Ripley went to DePauw University, majoring in Vocal Performance. She then transferred to Kent State University and received a BFA in Musical Theatre.

Career

Early work

While at DePauw University and Kent State University, Ripley performed in numerous stage productions. Her first paid acting job was summer stock at the Red Barn Theatre in Frankfort, IN. Following college, she was active in community theatre in San Diego, CA, and subsequently received her Actor's Equity card at the La Jolla Playhouse through a production of Silent Edward, a musical written by Des McAnuff, who was Artistic Director of the La Jolla Playhouse at the time and who would later direct Ripley in her Broadway debut, The Who's Tommy.

Broadway

In her 1993 debut, Ripley played a Local Lass and the Specialist's Assistant in the original cast of The Who's Tommy; she also understudied the role of Mrs. Walker. Broadway roles that followed were Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard (1994), Bathsheba in King David (1997), Violet Hilton in Side Show (1997), Fantine in Les Misérables (1998), Molly Ivors in James Joyce's The Dead (2000), Janet Weiss in The Rocky Horror Show (2000), one of The Sweethearts in Dreamgirls, the concert (2001), and Diana Goodman in Next to Normal (2009). With the exception of Les Misérables, Ripley was part of the original casts.

Ripley's performance as conjoined twin Violet Hilton in Side Show earned her and her co-star Emily Skinner critical acclaim, a cult following, and a shared 1998 Tony Award nomination, making them the first to be co-nominated in a musical. Ripley was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

From March 27, 2009 to July 18, 2010 at the Booth Theatre, Ripley starred in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Next to Normal, a performance which earned her the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

Off-Broadway

Ripley's 2008 performance in Next to Normal (Second Stage Theatre) earned her Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award nominations. Additional Off-Broadway roles include Nelly Bly in Cather County (1993, Playwrights Horizons), Daisy Mae in Li'l Abner (1998, New York City Center), various characters in The Vagina Monologues (2002, Westside Theatre), Olivia in Five Flights (2004, Rattlestick Theater), Marsha in Wild Animals You Should Know (2011, MCC/Lucille Lortel Theater), and Mary Todd Lincoln and other roles in A Civil War Christmas (2012, NYTW).

Regional theatre

Ripley's regional credits include Clybourne Park, Next to Normal at Arena Stage (Helen Hayes Award, Best Actress in a Musical, non-resident production), Little Shop of Horrors, Tell Me On A Sunday (Helen Hayes nomination), Company (Helen Hayes nomination), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Show Boat, Shakespeare in Hollywood (Helen Hayes nomination), The Baker's Wife, Sweeney Todd, and Carousel.

National tours

On tour, Ripley played Fantine in Les Misérables (1993–94). She reprised her role as Diana in Next to Normal, the U.S. Tour (Nov. 23, 2010 - July 30, 2011).

RIPLEY, the band

Alice Ripley began writing songs in 1991 and her band, RIPLEY, formed in 2003. RIPLEY is a self-produced trio with Ripley on guitar and vocals.

Film

Ripley's films are The Adulterer (2000), Temptation (2004), Sing Along (2013), and Isn't It Delicious (2013).

Television

Ripley was most recently seen in the series finale of the TV comedy, 30 Rock.

Discography

Alice Ripley aka RIPLEYTHEBAND

• "Beautiful Eyes" single (2012, self-produced)
• Alice Ripley Daily Practice, Volume 1 (2011, Sh-K-Boom Records)
• Outtasite (2006, Shellac)
• RIPLEY EP (2003, Shellac)
• Everything's Fine (2001, Ghostlight)

Original Cast Recordings

• Next to Normal (2009, Sh-K-Boom)
• Little Fish (2007, Ghostlight)
• Dreamgirls (2002, Nonesuch)
• The Rocky Horror Show (2000, RCA Victor Broadway)
• Side Show (1997, Sony Classical)
• King David (1997, Walt Disney)
• The Who's Tommy (1992, RCA Victor Broadway)

External links

• Official Twitter: ALICE RIPLEY