Debbie Gravitte is an American actress and singer.
Career Gravitte made her Broadway debut in the chorus of They're Playing Our Song in 1979."'They're Playing Our Song' Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015. She performed on Broadway in Blues in the Night in 1982;"'Blues in the Night' Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015 Zorba in 1983;'"Zorba' Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015 Les Misérables as Fantine replacement, 1994;"'Les Misérables' Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015 and Chicago as Matron "Mama" Morton replacement in 2003."'Chicago' Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015gans, Andrew. "Debbie Gravitte Returns to Broadway in 'Chicago'" Playbill, December 1, 2003
In 1989 she appeared in Jerome Robbins' Broadway, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She was nominated for the Drama Desk Award."'Jerome Robbins' Broadway' Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015 She was nominated for the 1981 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical, for the Frank Loesser revue Perfectly Frank (1990)."'Perfectly Frank' Broadway" playbillvault.com. Retrieved December 24, 2015
She has appeared in several Encores! staged concerts at New York City Center, including Carnival (2002), The Boys from Syracuse (1997) and Tenderloin (2000).Simonson, Robert and Jones, Kenneth. "Gravitte and Stiers Star in Encores!' 'Tenderloin', March 23–27" Playbill, March 10, 2000Simonson, Robert. "Stokes, Sills, Gravitte Star in Encores! 'Carnival', Feb. 7" Playbill, February 7, 2002Gans, Andrew. "Luker & Gravitte Star in 'Encores!' Syracuse May 1–4" Playbill, April 30, 1997
Her solo album Part of Your World celebrates the songs of Alan Menken, and she is featured on the recording Unsung Sondheim."Unsung Sondheim" AllMusic. Retrieved December 24, 2015
She was a member of the regular cast of the short-lived 1988 television situation comedy Trial and Error. Her only other screen credit is the 2000 Jacqueline Susann biopic Isn't She Great, in which she portrayed singer Eydie Gormé.Mitchell, Elvis. Review The New York Times, January 28, 2000
On October 27, 2012, Gravitte starred in the Broadway-style musical Loving the Silent Tears, which premiered in Los Angeles, California.
On November 11, 2019, Gravitte starred as the narrator in the Off-Broadway revival of Over Here! at The Triad Theatre in New York City with direction by Will Nunziata and music direction by Blake Allen. The production also starred Haley Swindal as Pauline, Jessica Hendy as Paulette, and Nikka Graff Lanzarone as Mitzi the Nazi.
In April 2026, Gravitte started a run as Polly in the Broadway musical Just in Time, replacing Michele Pawk.
She performs in concerts, including with the National Symphony with Marvin Hamlisch, the Boston Pops, the Atlanta Symphony, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony, the Utah Symphony, St. Lous, Houston, and San Diego Symphonies."Debbie Gravitte Bio" orsymphony.org, 2012
Personal life She is married to actor/singer Beau Gravitte; the couple has three children."Beau Gravitte is New Chair of Drama Department at Wooster School" hamlethub.com, March 12, 2011Gans, Andrew. "DIVA TALK: Chatting with Big Time's Debbie Gravitte, Your Evita Thoughts and News of Peters and Menzel" Playbill, September 9, 2005 The Bay Area Reporter noted: "Being at home to rear her three children with actor husband Beau Gravitte was a big reason she turned to the life of a traveling concert performer, with big at-home gaps built into the schedule."Dodds, Richard. "Debbie Gravitte defies gravity" ebar.com, November 6, 2008Fox, Sandra Diamond. "A Sunday chat with Beau Gravitte" newstimes.com, August 14, 2010
References
External links
TonyAwards.com Interview with Debbie Shapiro