Donna Murphy
| Donna Murphy | |
|---|---|
 Murphy in 2010 | |
| Born |
March 7, 1959 Corona, Queens, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1979–present |
| Notable work |
Fosca in Passion (musical) (1994) Voice of Mother Gothel from Disney's Tangled (2010) |
| Spouse(s) | Shawn Elliott (1990-2016;his death) |
| Children | Darmia Hope Elliott |
Donna Murphy (born March 7, 1959) is an American actress and singer, known for her work in musical theater. A five-time Tony Award nominee, she has twice won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical; for her role as Fosca in Passion (1994–95) and as Anna Leonowens in The King and I (1996–97). She was also nominated for her roles as Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town (2003), Lotte Lenya in LoveMusik (2007) and Bubbie/Raisel in The People in the Picture (2011).
Murphy made her Broadway debut as a replacement in the 1979 musical They're Playing Our Song. Her other stage credits include the original Off-Broadway productions of Song of Singapore (1991) and Hello Again (1993). In 1997, she won a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Special for her role in Someone Had to be Benny, an episode of the HBO series Lifestories: Families in Crisis. Her film roles include Anij in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998); Rosalie Octavius in Spider-Man 2 (2004); Mother Gothel in the animated film Tangled (2010), and as one of the government secretaries in The Bourne Legacy (2012).
Personal life
Murphy, the eldest of seven children, was born in Corona, Queens, New York, the daughter of Jeanne (née Fink) and Robert Murphy, an aerospace engineer.[1][2] Murphy is of Irish, French, German, and Czech ancestry.[3][4] Her family moved to Hauppauge, Long Island, New York. At age three, she asked for voice lessons, and she put on shows as a child in Hauppauge.[2] She later moved to Topsfield, Massachusetts and graduated from Masconomet Regional High School in 1977.
Murphy was married to actor and singer Shawn Elliott from 1990 until his death in March 2016.[5] She is the stepmother of Elliott's two daughters. In 2005, they adopted a daughter from Guatemala, Darmia Hope.[6]
Career
Murphy dropped out of the New York University drama program in her sophomore year when she was cast to understudy the three backup singers in the 1979 Broadway musical They're Playing Our Song. In a 2007 interview, Murphy explained, "At the end of my sophomore year, I took a leave of absence. I needed to audition without cutting classes."[2][7][8] She also studied at the Lee Strasberg Theatre Institute.[9]
She has appeared in many Off-Broadway productions, including the musical Francis in 1981 at the York Theatre at St. Peter's, The Mystery of Edwin Drood in 1985 at the Public Theater's Delacorte Theatre, Birds of Paradise in 1987 (Promenade Theatre), Privates on Parade (Roundabout Theatre) in 1989, the musical Song of Singapore in 1991, the Michael John LaChiusa musical Hello Again at the Lincoln Center Mitzi Newhouse Theater in 1993, Twelve Dreams at the Mitzi Newhouse Theater in 1995, and Helen at the Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival in 2002. In 2012, she appeared in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods at The Public Theater's Delacorte Theatre as the Witch.[10]
On Broadway, after They're Playing Our Song (1979), she was an understudy in the musical/opera The Human Comedy in April 1984 and played various roles in The Mystery of Edwin Drood from 1985 to 1987. She also played Audrey in Howard Ashman and Alan Menken's Little Shop of Horrors. In 1994, she played the role of Fosca in Stephen Sondheim's and James Lapine's Passion, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. A year later she appeared in Lapine's revival, Twelve Dreams. In 1996, she played Anna Leonowens in the revival of The King and I alongside Lou Diamond Phillips. The role earned her a second Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She appeared as Ruth Sherwood in a revival of Wonderful Town from 2003 to 2005 (having previously performed in the New York City Center Encores! 2000 staged concert of that musical), and was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Actress in a Musical and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. In 2007, she appeared in LoveMusik as Lotte Lenya, opposite Michael Cerveris as Kurt Weill, receiving nominations for Tony and Drama Desk Awards. She appeared in the 2007 New York City Center Encores! staged concert of Follies as Phyllis.[11] She appeared in the Roundabout Theatre production of a new musical, The People in the Picture, which opened on April 28, 2011 and closed on June 19, 2011.[12] She was nominated for a 2011 Tony Award for Leading Actress in a Musical for her role in the production.[13]
Murphy's film roles include, Anij, Captain Jean-Luc Picard's love interest, in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), in the film Center Stage, as a ballet teacher (2000), as Rosalie Octavius, wife of Dr. Otto Octavius, the film's villain in Spider-Man 2 (2004), as Betty, a surgical research assistant in Darren Aronofsky's film The Fountain (2006), Scarlett Johansson's mother in The Nanny Diaries (2007), Mother Gothel in the animated musical film Tangled (2010) and sang the song "Mother Knows Best",[14] Kathleen, Vera Farmiga's mother in Higher Ground (2011) and Marie in Dark Horse (2011). In 2012, she appeared as government secretary Dita Mandy, in The Bourne Legacy.
On television, Murphy appeared in the NBC soap opera Another World from 1989 through 1991 as District Attorney Morgan Graves. She won an Emmy in 1997, for playing Armando Agrelo in Someone Had to be Benny (1996), an episode of the HBO series Lifestories: Families in Crisis. Other television series roles include, a recurring role as Abigail Adams in Liberty! The American Revolution (1997), Murder One (1995–1996), Law & Order as Carla Tyrell in a recurring role (2000), Hack (2002–2003) and Trust Me (2009). Her voice-over work in TV commercials, includes the Le Vian chocolate diamonds series for Jared Jewelry.
Broadway theatre
| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | They're Playing Our Song | Swing/Sonia Walsk (voice) | Imperial Theatre February 11, 1979 – September 6, 1981 |
| 1984 | The Human Comedy | Bess Macauley & Mary Arena (understudy) | Royale Theatre April 5, 1984 – April 15, 1984 |
| 1985 | The Mystery of Edwin Drood | Various Characters | Imperial Theatre December 2, 1985 – May 16, 1987 |
| 1994 | Passion | Fosca | Plymouth Theatre May 9, 1994 – January 7, 1995 |
| 1996 | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | Neil Simon Theatre April 11, 1996 – March 1997[15] |
| 2003 | Wonderful Town | Ruth Sherwood | Al Hirschfeld Theatre November 23, 2003 – September 26, 2004[16] |
| 2007 | LoveMusik | Lotte Lenya | Biltmore Theatre May 3, 2007 – June 24, 2007 |
| 2011 | The People in the Picture | Bubbie/Raisel | Studio 54 April 28, 2011 – June 19, 2011 |
| 2017 | Hello, Dolly! | Dolly Gallagher Levi (alternate to Bette Midler) |
Shubert Theatre June 13, 2017 – TBD |
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | Tales from the Holywood Hills: A Table at Ciro's | June the Vocalist | Television film |
| 1995 | Jade | Karen Heller | |
| 1996 | Passion | Fosca | Television film |
| 1998 | The Day Lincoln Was Shot | Mary Todd Lincoln | Television film |
| 1998 | October 22 | Carole | |
| 1998 | Star Trek: Insurrection | Anij | |
| 1999 | The Astronaut's Wife | Natalie Streck | |
| 2000 | Center Stage | Juliette | |
| 2000 | The Last Debate | Joan Naylor | Television film |
| 2004 | The Door in the Floor | Frame Shop Owner | |
| 2004 | Spider-Man 2 | Rosalie Octavius | |
| 2006 | Ira & Abby | Dr. Betsy Goldman | |
| 2006 | World Trade Center | Judy Jonas | |
| 2006 | The Fountain | Betty | |
| 2007 | The Nanny Diaries | Judy Braddock | |
| 2008 | Sherman's Way | Evelyn Black | |
| 2010 | Sondheim! The Birthday Concert | Herself | Television film |
| 2010 | Tangled | Mother Gothel | Voice role |
| 2011 | Higher Ground | Kathleen Walker | |
| 2011 | Dark Horse | Marie | |
| 2012 | The Bourne Legacy | Dita | |
| 2013 | House of Versace | Maria | Television film |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Another World | D.A. Morgan Graves | |
| 1993 | Law & Order | Karen Unger | |
| 1996 | Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Armanda Agrelo | |
| 1995-1996 | Murder One | Francesca Cross | |
| 1996 | Remember WENN | Ruth Geddy | |
| 1997 | Nothing Sacred | Camille | |
| 1997-2000 | Law & Order | Carla Tyrell | |
| 1997 | Liberty! The American Revolution | Abigail Adams | Miniseries |
| 1998 | The Practice | Marie Hanson | |
| 1998 | Ally McBeal | Maries Hanson | |
| 2000-2001 | What About Joan? | Dr. Ruby Stern | |
| 2002 | The Education of Max Bickford | Esther Webber | |
| 2002-2003 | Hack | Heather Olshansky | |
| 2005 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Captain Annie Krame, LAPD | |
| 2006 | Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip | Blair | |
| 2007 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Maureen Pagolis | |
| 2007 | Damages | Nancy | |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Dr. Raye Massey | |
| 2009 | Trust Me | Denise Goodman | |
| 2010 | Ugly Betty | Eve | |
| 2012 | Made in Jersey | Darlene Garetti | |
| 2013 | The Mentalist | Diandra Sunderland | |
| 2014 | The Good Wife | Judge Alice Adelson | |
| 2014 | Royal Pains | Berta | |
| 2014 | Resurrection | Angela Forrester | |
| 2015 | Hindsight | Georgie Brady |
Awards and nominations
References
- ↑ Donna Murphy - Rotten Tomatoes www.rottentomatoes.com
- 1 2 3 Pogrebin, Robin (December 15, 2003). "A Perfectionist Is at Home in a Role Funny and Loose". New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
- ↑ "Twentyquestions: Donna Murphy currently leads a screwball conga-line of Brazilian sailors in the Broadway revival of Wonderful Town". American Theatre. 2004-04-01. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
- ↑ Kilian, Michael (1998-12-17). "Making the Break". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 2009-08-05.
- ↑ "Actor Shawn Elliott, Husband of Donna Murphy, Dies at 79" Playbill, March 18, 2016
- ↑ Robertson, Campbell."No Ill Feelings: Producers Bet on a ‘Superwoman’", discussing her adopted daughterThe New York Times, April 30, 2007
- ↑ Nassour, Ellis. "Donna Murphy: Singing in a Different Key in LoveMusik", broadwaystars.com, May 7, 2007
- ↑ IMDB shows that she earned a B.F.A. in 1980.
- ↑ "Donna Murphy". The New York Times. Retrieved 2009-04-08.
- ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Once Upon a Time, Later": 'Into the Woods' Casts Spell in Central Park Starting July 24". Playbill.com, July 24, 2012
- ↑ Brantley, Ben. "Oh, Those Sharp Stones in a Dance Down Memory Lane", The New York Times, February 10, 2007
- ↑ BWW News Desk. "Donna Murphy to Return to Broadway in 'The People In The Picture'" broadwayworld.com, October 31, 2010
- ↑ "Tony Nominations Announced" broadwayworld.com, May 3, 2011
- ↑ "Alan Menken Interview" broadwayworld.com
- ↑ "Kevin Gray to replace Lou Diamond Phillips in King & I". Playbill. 27 May 1997. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
- ↑ "Donna Murphy's Final Week in Wonderful Town". Playbill. 21 September 2004. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
External links
 |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Donna Murphy. |
- Official Donna Murphy Facebook Page
- Donna Murphy at the Internet Movie Database
- Donna Murphy at the Internet Broadway Database
- Donna Murphy at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Donna Murphy at the TCM Movie Database
- Donna Murphy official website (currently under construction)
- The Donna Murphy Database - Unofficial Fan Website
- Donna Murphy at AllMovie
- 2007 Interview with Donna Murphy at The Sondheim Review