Rachel York (born ) is an American actress and singer. Known for stage roles, including award-winning performances in Camelot, Hello, Dolly!, Into the Woods, and Anything Goes, her screen roles include a portrayal of Lucille Ball in the 2003 television film Lucy.
Career At age 19, York approached talent agent Bill Timms. She performed monologues from Nuts and Sophie's Choice and gave him a demo tape with songs from Evita. Timms signed her immediately and described her as being able to "... do anything.""About. Official Site" rachelyork.net. Retrieved November 28, 2013
Theatre York made her Broadway debut as Mallory in the musical City of Angels, and her performance won critical acclaim. Other stage credits include: Fantine in Les Misérables; The Younger Woman in Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together, which earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination; Norma Cassidy in Victor/Victoria, for which she won a Drama Desk Award; Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel; Lili Vanessi/Katharine in Kiss Me, Kate; Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes; Ruth Sutton in Dessa Rose, earning another nomination for a Drama Desk Award; and Christine Colgate in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.
York appeared as Guenevere in the National Tour of Camelot in the 2006–2007 season, for which she earned the Golden Icon Award from Travolta Family Entertainment for Best Actress in a Touring Production as well as the Carbonell Award. In 2008, she played Dixie Wilson in Turn of the Century at the Goodman Theater in Chicago.Turn of the Century directed by Tommy Tune September 19 – November 2, 2008 in Goodman's Albert Theatre In 2009, she played Dolly Levi in the Reagle Music Theatre production of Hello, Dolly! in Waltham, Massachusetts and won an IRNE Award for her performance.Kenny Leon, Maureen McGovern, Diane Paulus, Rachel York et al. Receive IRNE Awards theatermania. Retrieved April 22, 2014
In 2010, York returned to the Reagle Music Theatre in its production of Into the Woods, where her performance as the Witch earned her another IRNE Award.Hetrick, Adam. "Rachel York, Daniel Jenkins, Estelle Parsons and Kenny Leon Win IRNE Awards" playbill.com, April 2011 That same year she played the Lady of the Lake in the Ogunquit Playhouse production of Spamalot.Charles Shaughnessy and Rachel York to Star in Ogunquit Spamalot playbill, July 2010
In 2011, she starred as Billie Burke in the musical Ghostlight Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre. She then played Anna in the 2011 Walnut Street Theatre production of The King and I.Rachel York Will "Whistle a Happy Tune" in Walnut Street's King and I, With Mel Sagrado Maghuyop playbill, October 2011
She starred in the Encores! concert series production of Gentlemen Prefer Blondes as Dorothy Shaw, which earned rave reviews for her and the production, which ran May 9–13, 2012.
York played the role of Reno Sweeney in the national tour of the 2011 Roundabout Theatre Broadway revival of Anything Goes, which began October 2, 2012.Jones, Kenneth. "National Tour of 'Anything Goes' Lays Down Its Gangplank in Cleveland; Rachel York, Fred Applegate, Erich Bergen Star" Playbill, October 2, 2012 For this role, she won the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Visiting Production.A CHORUS LINE, HELLO, DOLLY!, STUPID F**KING BIRD, BOOK OF MORMON, Rachel York and More Top 30th Annual Helen Hayes Awards in D.C. – All the Winners! broadwayworld. Retrieved April 22, 2014 In February 2014, she played Young Belle in the Encores! concert of Little Me.Photo Flash: First Look at Christian Borle, Rachel York & More in Encores! LITTLE ME broadwayworld, February 2014
In May 2015, it was announced that York would appear in the musical Grey Gardens taking the role of Little Edie Bouvier BealeBetty Buckley and Rachel York Will Tend Grey Gardens This Summer Playbill, May 28, 2015 at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, NY. She played the role of Morticia Addams in The Addams Family with 3D Theatricals later that year in Los Angeles.
She returned to Broadway in the musical Disaster!, which played from February to May 2016 at the Nederlander Theatre.Photo Flash: Meet the Cast of Broadway's DISASTER!; Nederlander Theatre Box Office Opens Today Broadway World. Retrieved January 13, 2016 In July 2016, York and her Bay Street Theater co-lead, Betty Buckley, reprised their Grey Gardens performance in a limited run at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles.Grey Gardens with Betty Buckley and Rachel York is LA Bound Playbill. Retrieved July 15, 2016
York originated the role of Gynecia in the Broadway musical, Head Over Heels in 2018.They Got the Beat! Meet the Cast of HEAD OVER HEELS- Now in Previews! Broadway World. Retrieved January 28, 2019 She next appeared as Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent in Ever After The Musical. In October 2021, York once again played Reno Sweeney, this time in the London revival of Anything Goes at the Barbican Theatre.
Film Her film credits include One Fine Day, Billy Bathgate, Dead Center, Second Honeymoon, Terror Tract, Au Pair II, and the television film Lucy in which she played Lucille Ball. Her performance in the London production of Kiss Me, Kate is available on DVD/video. She also played Lori, The Mystery Woman in Sasha Gordon's highly praised film It Had To Be You.
Television She also has many credits in television, including appearances on Reba, Frasier, Arli$$, Spin City, The Naked Truth, Diagnosis: Murder, and also provides the voices of Bitty on Higglytown Heroes and Circe on Justice League Unlimited. In 2008, she also guest starred on an episode of Hannah Montana, playing Isis on the episode Yet Another Side of Me. York filmed for the TV series Power in 2015 and is featured in Episode 7 "You're Not the Man" as Tina Schulman. She was also guest starred in Frasier as Dinah or "Officer Nasty" in the episode "To Thine Old Self Be True" (Season 7, Episode 20). In 2017, she starred in The Mick, The Implant episode as Dr. Goodby.
Recording York released her debut album Let's Fall in Love in early 2005, produced by Tor Hyams under the HyLo Entertainment label and was exclusively distributed by Barnes and Noble. She can also be heard on the cast recordings of City of Angels, Victor/Victoria, The Scarlet Pimpernel: Encore!, Dessa Rose, Putting It Together, Summer of '42, the soundtrack of Billy Bathgate, and recordings of Opal and Celebration of Life.
Personal life She married actor Ayal Miodovnik on July 20, 2010; the couple met while acting together in a stage production in 2003. Their daughter Olivia was born in 2011.
Theater
Broadway City of Angels (1989) – Mallory Kingsley Victor/Victoria (1995) – Norma Cassidy The Scarlet Pimpernel (1998) – Marguerite Les Misérables (2000) – Fantine Sly Fox (2004) – Miss Fancy Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (2006) – Christine Disaster! (2016) – Jackie Head Over Heels (2018) – Gynecia
Off-Broadway Dessa Rose (2005) – Ruth Ghostlight (2011) – Billie Burke
West End/London Kiss Me, Kate (2002) – Lilli Vanessi/Kate"KISS ME KATE"CAST CHANGES Londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved January 28, 2019 Anything Goes (2021) - Reno Sweeney
National tours Kiss Me, Kate (2001) – Lilli Vanessi/KateLefkowitz, David and Jones, Kenneth. "Rex Smith and Rachel York to Tour in Kiss Me, Kate" January 31, 2001 Camelot (2007) – GuenevereJones, Kenneth."Rachel York Will Be Camelot's Guenevere in New North American Tour" playbill.com, November 7, 2006 101 Dalmatians Musical (2009) – Cruella de VilJones, Kenneth."Who Let the Dogs Out? 101 Dalmatians Musical Parks and Barks in Minneapolis" playbill.com, October 13, 2009 Anything Goes (2012) – Reno Sweeney
Regional Theater Credits The Crucifer of Blood – Irene St. Claire Putting It Together – The Younger Woman Ragtime – Mother Hello Dolly! – Mrs. Dolly Gallagher Levi Into the Woods – The Witch Spamalot – The Lady of the Lake The King and I – Anna Leonowens The Addams Family – Morticia Addams Grey Gardens – Little Edie Bouvier Beale & Edith Bouvier Beale Ever After The Musical – Baroness Rodmilla de Ghent
Concerts The Sound of Music – Elsa Schraeder Gentlemen Prefer Blondes – Dorothy Shaw Little Me – Young Belle Anastasia - Countess Lily
Filmography Film YearTitleRoleNotes1991Billy BathgateEmbassy Club Singer1992Mad Dog CollLotte1993Dead CenterMary1996One Fine DayLiza2000Terror TractSarah FreemontSegment: "Nightmare"
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1992Bay City StoryMarci FennerTelevision film1993Taking the HeatSusanTelevision film1997Diagnosis: MurderRandy WolfeEpisode: "A Mime Is a Terrible Thing to Waste" / Unsold Pilot2000FrasierDinahEpisode: "To Thine Old Self Be True"2001Second HoneymoonGloriaTelevision filmAu Pair IICassandra HausenTelevision film2003Great PerformancesLili Vanessi/KatherineEpisode: "Kiss Me, Kate"LucyLucille BallTelevision filmEddie's FatherLisaPilot2004Justice League UnlimitedCirce (voice)Episode: "This Little Piggy" A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.2008Hannah MontanaIsisEpisode: "Yet Another Side of Me"2015, 2019PowerTina Schulman2 episodes 2017ElementaryCarla GiovanniEpisode: "Rekt in Real Life"The MickDr. GoodbyEpisode: "The Implant"Cradle SwappingMrs. BurnettTelevision film2020Filthy RichTina SweetRecurring role2021Prodigal SonBirdie MiltonEpisode: "Face Value"
Video games Neverwinter Nights 2 – Shandra Jerro
Recordings City of Angels – 1990 Original Broadway Cast Recording Putting It Together – 1993 Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording Victor/Victoria – 1995 Original Broadway Cast Recording The Scarlet Pimpernel – 1998 Broadway Revival Cast Recording by Encore! Dessa Rose – 2005 Original Lincoln Center Cast Recording Summer of '42 – 2006 Cast Recording Disaster! – 2016 Original Broadway Cast Recording Opal, Honky Tonk Highway and Other Theatre Songs by Robert Nassif Lindsey Let's Fall in Love – Solo album released under HyLo Entertainment and produced by Tor Hyams Head over Heels - 2018 Original Broadway Cast Recording
Awards Year Role and Production Award Result 1993 The Younger Woman in Putting It Together Drama Desk Award 1995 Norma Cassidy in Victor/Victoria Drama Desk Award 2005 Ruth Sutton in Dessa Rose Drama Desk Award 2007 Guenevere in Camelot Golden Icon Award Carbonell Award 2009 Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly! IRNE Award 2010 The Witch in Into The Woods IRNE Award 2012 Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes Helen Hayes Award
References
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