Stephanie J. Block

Stephanie J. Block
Born	Stephanie Janette Block September 19, 1972 (1972-09-19) Brea, California, U.S.
Spouse	Sebastian Arcelus (2007—present)
Website
Official website

Stephanie J. Block (born September 19, 1972 in Brea, California) is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her work on the Broadway stage. She has additionally been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Drama League Award. She released her debut solo album through PS Classics in June 2009. Her vocal range is mezzo-soprano.

Career

Block started her professional musical theater career with regional theater, appearing in many productions including Funny Girl, Crazy for You, Oliver!, The Dead and Bells Are Ringing. Block was additionally the original Belle in the Disneyland production of Beauty and the Beast and did voice work for numerous commercials, including the singing voice of Barbie.

In early 2000 Block read the part of Elphaba in the first reading of the new musical Wicked. After a few months of reading she was replaced by Idina Menzel, a decision that left Block devastated, but accepting of the decision that had been made to cast a more experienced performer in the role. She was Menzel's understudy in the San Francisco world premiere in 2003, but left the show prior to opening on Broadway when she was offered a lead role in a new Broadway musical based on the life of Peter Allen, The Boy From Oz. Block debuted on Broadway in 2003, playing the role of Liza Minnelli opposite Hugh Jackman's Peter Allen in show. The show received mixed reviews, but proved to be a hit with audiences playing on Broadway for close to a year. The musical received several Tony Award nominations, including a nomination for Best Musical.

Stephanie J Block with Stephen Oremus, with whom she worked in Wicked.

In spring 2005, Block originated the role of Elphaba in the first national tour of Wicked. She was awarded both the 2006 Helen Hayes Award and the 2007 Carbonell Award for Best Actress in a Non-Resident Production for this role. Block received great reviews for a show-stopping performance. After performing with the tour for a year Block left the production in March 2006 and was replaced by Julia Murney.

In 2007 Block was seen in the title role of the new Broadway musical The Pirate Queen. The music was written by Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil. Block was praised by critics, such as Ben Brantley from the New York Times, for giving a "truly felt, realistic, performance". She also received a nomination for a Drama League Award for her performance. Plagued by insufficient ticket sales and harsh reviews, the show opened in April and barely played for two months at the Hilton Theatre, closing in June.

Later that year Block reprised the role of Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway beginning October 9, 2007 where she replaced Julia Murney. She left the production after eight months on June 15, 2008 and was succeeded by Kerry Ellis.

Block starred alongside Allison Janney, Megan Hilty, and Marc Kudisch in the new musical adaptation of the 1980 film 9 to 5. The production was directed by Joe Mantello, with music written by Dolly Parton. The show opened on Broadway in April 2009 at the Marquis Theatre and closed in September 2009. Block starred as Judy Bernly, the frazzled divorcée, the role played by Jane Fonda in the film. For this role Block was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

In 2009, Block released her debut album through PS Classics entitled This Place I Know. Although the album failed to chart, it was a hit with critics with some hailing it as the best album that has come out of the Broadway community in some time.

More recently Block has done some concert work in several West End theatres in London. In February 2010 she did a concert at the New Players Theatre in London.

Block was recently seen as Grizabella in the Municipal Opera Production production of Cats, which ran from July 19 – 25, 2010. Block also starred as Sonia Walsk alongside Jason Alexander in the Reprise Theatre Company's production of They're Playing Our Song, which played at the UCLA Freud Playhouse for two weeks from September 28 - October 10, 2010.

Block recently made her Off-Broadway debut as Gloria Mitchell in the play By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage alongside Karen Olivo, and David Garrison. By The Way, Meet Vera Stark played at Second Stage Theatre through June 12, 2011. Entertainment Weekly wrote that Block's performance in the show was, "terrifically over-the-top."

Block most recently starred as Reno Sweeney in the Broadway revival of Anything Goes for three weeks while Sutton Foster was away filming a pilot episode. She also performed with co-star Colin Donnell on the 2011 CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade. As of November 25, Sutton Foster returned to the show. Block will return to the role on March 15, 2012 when Foster permanently leaves the production on March 11.

Personal life

Block was born on September 19, 1972, and has one sister, Renée. She grew up in Brea, California and attended St. Angela Merici School in Brea and an all girls Catholic private school (Rosary High School) in Fullerton, California for her secondary education. She finished up her high school years at Orange County High School of the Arts in Santa Ana, California. Block married actor Sebastian Arcelus on October 25, 2007. Arcelus starred alongside Block in the First National Tour of Wicked as the Fiyero replacement from January to October 2006, and again on Broadway from October to December 2007. They have a dog, a Yorkie/Maltese mix named Macaco.

Credits

Broadway

• Anything Goes as Reno Sweeney (November 4-23, 2011)
• 9 to 5 as Judy Bernly (2009)
• Wicked as Elphaba (2007–2008)
• The Pirate Queen as Grace O'Malley (2007)
• The Boy From Oz as Liza Minnelli (2003–2004)

Off-Broadway

• By the Way, Meet Vera Stark (2011)

Readings

• My American Family (2010)
• 9 to 5 as Judy Bernly (2007)
• Bye Bye Birdie as Rosie Alvarez (2007)
• How the Nurse Feels (2006)
• In This House (2006)
• Wicked as Elphaba (2000)

National Tours

• Wicked as Elphaba (2005–2006)

Regional Theater

• They're Playing Our Song as Sonia Walsk (2010)
• Cats as Grizabella (2010)
• 9 to 5 as Judy Bernly (2008)
• The Pirate Queen as Grace O'Malley (2006)
• Wicked as Elphaba u/s (2003)
• Godspell as Robin (2002)
• Crazy for You as Polly (2002)
• Oliver as Nancy (2001)
• Fiddler on the Roof as Tzeitel (2001)
• Funny Girl as Fanny Brice (2000)
• James Joyce's The Dead as Mary Jane (2000)
• Bells Are Ringing as Gwynne (1999)
• Bye Bye Birdie as Rosie (1999)
• Damn Yankees as Gloria Thorpe (1997)
• Grease as Rizzo
• Haven as Ruth Gruber
• Mary Poppins as Mary Poppins
• Let Me Sing as Molly
• I Love a Piano as Ginger
• The Grass Harp as Baby Love
• Triumph of Love as Corine
• Call Me Madam as Sally Adams (understudy)
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as Narrator
• Pygmalion: the True Story as Aphrodite
• Guys & Dolls as Sarah Brown
• Will Rogers Follies as Betty Blake (understudy)
• South Pacific as Nellie Forbush
• Little Shop of Horrors as Audrey

Concerts

• Do You Hear the People Sing? with Peter Lockyer, Terrence Mann, Lea Salonga, Marie Zamora, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and Symphonic Choir (2011)
• Broadway on the Beach with Doug LaBrecque and the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra (2011)
• Pops on the River: Summer Lovin’ with Doug LaBrecque and the Reno Philharmonic Orchestra (2011)
• Broadway & the American Songbook (Wicked Divas) with Julia Murney and the Boston Pops (2011)
• Broadway Voices solo concert in Garner, NC (2011)
• Wicked Divas with Julia Murney and the Utah Symphony Orchestra (2011)
• Wicked Divas with Julia Murney and the Odgen Symphony Ballet (2011)
• Marvin Hamlisch: Broadway’s Greatest Moments at The Krannert Center (2011)
• Solo concert presented by the Austin Cabaret Theatre (2011)
• Wicked Divas with Erin Mackey and the Cleveland Pops (2010)
• The Best of Broadway with the Ridgefield Symphony Orchestra (2010)
• Wicked Divas with Julia Murney and the Columbus Symphony Orchestra (2010)
• Don't Stop Believing at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre in Atlanta, GA (2010)
• Broadway Comes to Tampa (2010)
• Stephanie J Block In Concert at The New Players Theatre (2010)
• xoxoXMAS at Birdland (2009)
• Scott Alan: Just Me...And Them at the Leicester Square Theatre (2009)
• True Colors Cabaret (2009)
• Nothing Like a Dame at New World Stages (2009)
• Visa Signature Tony Awards Preview Concert at the Hudson Theatre (2009)
• Defying Inequality at the Gershwin Theatre (2009)
• Yellow Brick Road Not Taken at the Gershwin Theatre (2008)
• Mr. Green's Opus at Birdland (2008)
• Block Party at Birdland (2007)
• Billy Stritch and the Girls at Birdland (2007)
• The Broadway Musicals of 1925 (2007)
• An Evening with Andrew Lippa (2006)
• Block Party at Birdland (2006)
• Broadway Comes to Tampa (2006)
• Valentine at Birdland (2005)
• All Smiles at Birdland (2004)

Television and Film

• CBS Thanksgiving Day Parade as Herself (2011) TV special event
• 63rd Tony Awards as Herself (2009) TV special event
• Good Day New York as Herself (2009) 1 episode
• The Visa Signature Tony Awards Season Celebration as Herself (2009) TV special event
• The View as Herself (2009) 1 episode
• CMT Insider as Herself (2008) 1 episode
• Entertainment Tonight as Herself (2008) 1 episode
• James Marshall's Cinderella as Narrator (2006) Voice role
• The Tonight Show with Jay Leno as Herself (2005) 1 episode

Discography

Cast Recordings

• 9 to 5: The Musical - Original Broadway Cast Recording (2009)
• The Pirate Queen - Original Broadway Cast Recording (2007)
• The Boy From Oz - Original Broadway Cast Recording (2003)

Collaborative Projects

• [Sorta] Love Songs (2010)
• Chasing the Day (2010)
• Wicked: 5th Anniversary Cast Recording (2008)
• The Broadway Musicals Cut-Outs (2007)
• Dreaming Wide Awake (2007)
• Broadway Unplugged 2004 (2004)
• A Joyful Christmas (2004)
• Thankful (2004)
• The Broadway Musicals of 1925 (2003)

Solo Albums

• This Place I Know (2009)

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Result
2000	LA Robby Award	Best Actress - Funny Girl	Won
2001	Critics Table Award	Best Actress - Oliver	Won
2002	LA Ovation Award	Best Actress - Crazy for You	Nominated
	LA Robby Award	Best Supporting Actress - Triumph of Love	Won
2006	Helen Hayes Award	Best Actress in a Non-Resident Production - Wicked	Won
2007	Broadway.com Audience Award	Favorite Diva Performance - The Pirate Queen	Nominated
	Carbonell Award	Best Actress in a Non-Resident Production - Wicked	Won
	Drama League Award	Distinguished Performance - The Pirate Queen	Nominated
2008	Broadway.com Audience Award	Favorite Female Replacement - Wicked	Nominated
2009	Broadway.com Audience Award	Favorite Diva Performance - 9 to 5	Nominated
		Favorite Leading Actress in a Broadway Musical - 9 to 5	Nominated
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Actress in a Musical - 9 to 5	Nominated
2011	Kevin Kline Award	Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical - Cats	Nominated
	LA Ovation Award	Best Actress - They're Playing Our Song	Nominated

External links

• Official site
• Interview with Stephanie on MusicalTalk Podcast
• Stephanie J. Block at the Internet Broadway Database
• Stephanie J. Block at the Internet Movie Database
• Star File: Stephanie J. Block
• BroadwayWorld.com interview with Stephanie J. Block, August 21, 2007