Victoria Clark
Victoria Clark | |
---|---|
Born | Dallas, Texas, U.S. | October 10, 1959
Education | Yale University (BA) New York University (MFA) |
Occupation(s) | Actress, singer, director |
Years active | 1975–present |
Spouse |
Thomas Reidy (m. 2015) |
Children | 1[1] |
Website | VictoriaClark.me |
Victoria Clark (born October 10, 1959) is an American actress, musical theatre singer and director. Clark has performed in numerous Broadway musicals and in other theatre, film and television works. Her soprano voice can also be heard on innumerable cast albums and several animated films. In 2008, she released her first solo album titled Fifteen Seconds of Grace. In 2005, she won a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in The Light in the Piazza. She also won the Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award, and the Joseph Jefferson Award for her performances in the same show.
Life and career
Clark was born and raised in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of Lorraine and Banks Clark.[2] She studied the piano and attended the Hockaday School, an all-girls school in Dallas. She attended the Interlochen Arts Academy before going to Yale University, graduating in 1982. At Yale, at the age of eighteen, she sang the role of Mabel in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera The Pirates of Penzance. She also sang the title role in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience, and directed a production of Ruddigore for the Yale Gilbert & Sullivan Society. After college, Clark studied at New York University's Musical Theatre Master's Program[3]as a stage director and began to direct operas and musicals professionally. Although she continues to direct, she has primarily focused on singing and acting.
Clark's stage work includes roles in the Broadway musicals Guys and Dolls (1992–93), A Grand Night for Singing (1993–94), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (1995–96, as Smitty), Titanic (1997–99, creating the role of Alice Beane), Cabaret (1999–2000, as Fraulein Kost) and Urinetown (2003, as Penelope Pennywise),[4] as well as numerous roles Off-Broadway, in national tours and in regional theatre. She played Doris MacAfee in the City Center Encores! production of Bye, Bye Birdie in 2004.[5]
In 2005, Clark won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical, a Drama Desk Award, an Outer Critics Circle Award, and the Joseph Jefferson Award for her performance in the musical The Light in the Piazza (2005–06). Broadway.com commented on Clark's performance, "What is indisputable is that Victoria Clark has created a character for the ages. Lucas has done a superb job in fleshing out Margaret within the confines of a musical-theater libretto, and Clark responds with consummate precision and grace. Calling hers the musical performance of the year would be accurate. It would also be a drastic understatement."[6] She appeared as former showgirl Sally Durant Plummer in the Encores! staged concert presentation of Follies in February 2007 at City Center. She next created the role of Margaret Brennan in The Marriage of Bette and Boo Off-Broadway in 2008 for the Roundabout Theatre Company.[7]
Clark appeared in Prayer for My Enemy, a new play by Craig Lucas Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons from November 14, 2008 through December 21, 2008. The play concerned the consequences that the Iraq war has had on an American family, co-starred Michele Pawk and Jonathan Groff, and was directed by Bartlett Sher.[8]
Clark has also appeared in movies, sung in several animated feature films, and appeared in roles in television episodes. She can be heard on a number of Broadway cast albums and other recordings. In 2008 she released her first solo album, Fifteen Seconds of Grace, produced by PS Classics. Clark teaches voice and studies acting at the Michael Howard Studios and voice with Edward Sayegh. Clark received the 2006 Distinguished Artist Award from the New York Singing Teachers' Association.
Clark played the Mother Superior in the Broadway production of Sister Act, which opened on April 20, 2011.[9] For this role she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[10] Clark portrayed Sally in the Kennedy Center/Broadway production of Follies, running at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, from May 3, 2012 through June 9.[11][12]
In 2013, Clark starred in the Manhattan Theatre Club's production of The Snow Geese by Sharr White alongside Mary Louise Parker and Danny Burstein.[13] Previously, she starred as the Fairy Godmother in the Broadway production of Cinderella.[14] For this role, she received her second Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[15] She returned to the Broadway production of Cinderella for a run lasting from January 2014 to September 2014.[16][17] In December 2014 Clark appeared as Carrie Mathison's mother on the Season 4 finale of Showtime's series Homeland.[18] Clark played Mamita in the Broadway revival of Gigi, which opened in April 2015.[19] For this performance, Clark received another nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[20]
In 2017, Clark appeared in "Sousatska" in Toronto. It was intended to be a Pre-Broadway Tryout for scorned producer Garth Drabinsky. Clark portrayed the title role.[21]
Personal life
Clark married Thomas Reidy on August 1, 2015 in North Carolina. Her son, T.L., is from her previous marriage.[1]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1996 | The Hunchback of Notre Dame | Chorus (singing voice) | |
1997 | Beauty and the Beast: The Enchanted Christmas | Chorus (singing voice) | Direct-to-video |
1997 | Anastasia | Ensemble and Character Vocals (voice) | |
1999 | Cradle Will Rock | Dulce Fox | |
2008 | The Happening | Nursery Owner's Wife | |
2009 | Tickling Leo | Madeline Pikler | |
2010 | Harvest | Anna Monopoli | |
2010 | Main Street | Miriam | |
2011 | Dirty Movie | Teacher | |
2012 | Archaeology of a Woman[22] | Kate |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1975 | My Father's House | Zozo | TV film |
1998 | Law & Order | Detective | Episode: "Bait" |
2003 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Margaret Melia | Episode: "Choice" |
2006 | Live from Lincoln Center | Margaret Johnson / Herself | Episode: "The Light in the Piazza" |
2009 | Mercy | Mrs. Simanski | Episode: "You Lost Me with the Cinderblock" |
2001 | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street in Concert | Beggar Woman | TV film |
2013 | Late Show with David Letterman | Fairy Godmother | Season 20, Episode 125 |
2014 | Homeland | Ellen Mathison | Episode: "Long Time Coming" |
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Les Misérables | Madame Thénardier | First US National Tour |
1988 | Splendora | Performer | New York |
1992 | Guys and Dolls | Martha | Broadway |
1993 | A Grand Night for Singing | Performer | Broadway |
1995 | How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Smitty | Broadway |
1997 | Titanic | Alice Beane | Broadway |
1999 | Cabaret | Fräulein Kost; Fritzie | Broadway |
2003 | Urinetown | Penelope Pennywise | Broadway |
2003 | Baby | Arlene McNally | New York |
2004 | Bye Bye Birdie | Doris MacAfee | Encores! Concert |
2004 | The Light in the Piazza | Margaret Johnson | Chicago; Broadway |
2007 | Follies | Sally | Encores! Concert |
2008 | The Marriage of Bette and Boo | Margaret Brennan | Off-Broadway |
2008 | Prayer for My Enemy | Dolores | Off-Broadway |
2009 | Love, Loss, and What I Wore | Performer | Off-Broadway |
2010 | When the Rain Stops Falling | Gabrielle York | Off-Broadway |
2011 | Sister Act | Mother Superior | Broadway |
2012 | Follies | Sally | Ahmanson Theatre |
2013 | Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella | Marie | Broadway |
2013 | The Snow Geese | Clarissa Hohmann | Broadway |
2015 | Gigi | Inez Alvarez | Kennedy Center; Broadway |
2017 | Sousatska | Madame Sousatska | Toronto |
References
- ^ a b "Victoria Clark and Thomas Reidy: An eHarmony, and Musical, Match".
- ^ [1][permanent dead link ] Playbill.com
- ^ Gioia, Michael. "Victoria Clark's Full-Circle Moment Directing Light in the Piazza at Pace University" playbill.com, October 31, 2014
- ^ "Victoria Clark Broadway" playbillvault.com, accessed April 8, 2015
- ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Put on a Happy Face: 'Bye Bye Birdie' Gets Starry Encores! Concert With Ziemba, Roberts and Jenkins May 6-10" playbill.com, May 6, 2004
- ^ Grode, Eric. Broadway.com review in "Broadway Watch: The Light in the Piazza" Archived 2011-07-06 at the Wayback Machine, reprinted at the TheatreAustralia website, April 19, 2005.
- ^ "Entrances and Exits: Tony Award Winner Victoria Clark", Archived 2009-10-03 at the Wayback Machine The 8th Avenue Observer, September 28, 2008
- ^ Playwrights Horizon Current Season, playwrightshorizons.org, accessed November 18, 2008
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Victoria Clark, Fred Applegate, Chester Gregory Will Be Part of Broadway's 'Sister Act' " Archived 2011-02-04 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, February 1, 2011
- ^ 2011 "Tony Nominations Announced; 'Book of Mormon' Earns 14 Nominations" Archived 2011-09-14 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com; accessed March 5, 2014.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (January 11, 2012). "Victoria Clark Will Be Sally in L.A. Follies with Elaine Paige, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, Ron Raines". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved January 11, 2012.
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "DIVA TALK: Catching Up With Follies Star and Tony Award Winner Victoria Clark" Archived 2012-05-23 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, May 18, 2012
- ^ Staff. "The Verdict: Critics Review 'The Snow Geese' on Broadway Starring Mary-Louise Parker" Archived 2013-10-31 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, October 25, 2013.
- ^ Geselowitz, Gabriela. "Full Broadway Cast Announced for Cinderella, Starring Laura Osnes", Broadway.com, November 21, 2012.
- ^ "Nominations Announced for 67th Annual Tony Awards; 'Kinky Boots' Earns 13 Nominations" Archived 2013-05-03 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com; retrieved April 30, 2013
- ^ "Wish Granted! Victoria Clark Returns to Cinderella as the Fairy Godmother", broadway.com; retrieved February 9, 2014.
- ^ "It's Possible! Judy Kaye Will Join Cinderella Cast as 'Fairy Godmother'", August 11, 2014, accessed September 20, 2014
- ^ "Victoria Clark Lands Role On "Homeland", Playbill.com; retrieved December 22, 2014.
- ^ "Broadway-Bound Gigi, Starring Vanessa Hudgens, Begins Kennedy Center Run Tonight", Playbill.com; retrieved January 17, 2015.
- ^ "An American in Paris & Fun Home Top 2015 Tony Nominations". Broadway.com. Broadway.com. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
- ^ [2]
- ^ Catsoulis, Jeannette (September 11, 2014). "A Weakness for Cops, a Crime to Solve 'Archaeology of a Woman,' Starring Sally Kirkland". The New York Times.
External links
- Victoria Clark at IMDb
- Victoria Clark at the Internet Broadway Database
- Victoria Clark at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Broadway World's profile of Clark
- Excerpts from reviews by the major NYC newspapers
- Curtainup review of Clark's performance
- Victoria Clark – Downstage Center interview at American Theatre Wing.org
- TonyAwards.com Interview with Victoria Clark
- Time Out New York Interview with Victoria Clark
- 1959 births
- American female singers
- American musical theatre actresses
- Drama Desk Award winners
- Living people
- Tony Award winners
- Traditional pop music singers
- 20th-century American actresses
- 21st-century American actresses
- Actresses from Dallas
- Yale University alumni
- Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development alumni
- American film actresses
- American television actresses
- Hockaday School alumni