Donna Vivino
Encyclopedia
Donna Vivino is a theatre
actress and singer, who recently starred as Elphaba
on the First National Tour of Wicked
, and is currently the standby for the role on Broadway.
She is the daughter of Jerry Vivino
, a member of the Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band. Vivino was raised in Fair Lawn
, New Jersey, and graduated from Barnard College
of Columbia University in New York City. Danny Vivino is her brother as well as Michael Vivino and sisters Antonia and Natalia.
on the first national tour of hit musical Wicked
. She joined the tour on October 30, 2007, serving as the standby
for Carmen Cusack
. Her first ever performance took place on December 27, 2007, and her first in the lead role on November 5, 2008. She starred alongside Katie Rose Clarke
and later Chandra Lee Schwartz
as Glinda
. Her final performance took place on July 4, 2010. On August 23, 2011, Donna took over the position of Elphaba standby
on Broadway, replacing Jennifer DiNoia after having originally been asked to take over the lead role but deciding to only play the role when there is a need for her to go on due to the high demands of the role . She first covered during the absence of lead Teal Wicks
on the matinee of September 14. Jackie Burns replaced Wicks once her contract ended. Incidentally, Burns was Vivino's replacement on the national tour. Vivino has been re-united with Clarke (who reprises her lead role) while performing as standby.
Donna also originated the role of Enid Hoopes in all of the pre-Broadway workshops of Legally Blonde
but was unable to do the show because of scheduling conflicts with Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
actress and singer, who recently starred as Elphaba
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
on the First National Tour of Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
, and is currently the standby for the role on Broadway.
She is the daughter of Jerry Vivino
Jerry Vivino
Jerry Vivino is an American musician. He is currently a member of the Basic Cable Band, the house band for the TBS late night program Conan...
, a member of the Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band. Vivino was raised in Fair Lawn
Fair Lawn, New Jersey
Fair Lawn is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States and a suburban municipality in the New York City Metropolitan Area. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 32,457. Fair Lawn was incorporated as a borough by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March...
, New Jersey, and graduated from Barnard College
Barnard College
Barnard College is a private women's liberal arts college and a member of the Seven Sisters. Founded in 1889, Barnard has been affiliated with Columbia University since 1900. The campus stretches along Broadway between 116th and 120th Streets in the Morningside Heights neighborhood in the borough...
of Columbia University in New York City. Danny Vivino is her brother as well as Michael Vivino and sisters Antonia and Natalia.
Wicked
Vivino played a 20-month stint as ElphabaElphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
on the first national tour of hit musical Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
. She joined the tour on October 30, 2007, serving as the standby
Understudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
for Carmen Cusack
Carmen Cusack (Actress)
Carmen Cusack is a musical theater actress and singer, best known for playing Elphaba in the Chicago, National Tour and Melbourne productions of the hit musical Wicked.-Early life and Career:...
. Her first ever performance took place on December 27, 2007, and her first in the lead role on November 5, 2008. She starred alongside Katie Rose Clarke
Katie Rose Clarke
Katherine "Katie" Rose Clarke is an American musical theater actress. Originally from Friendswood, Texas, she first came to national attention for her portrayal of Clara Johnson in the Broadway production, the live PBS broadcast, and the national tour of The Light in the Piazza...
and later Chandra Lee Schwartz
Chandra Lee Schwartz
Chandra Lee Schwartz is an American theatre performer, who most recently played Glinda on the first National Tour of Wicked from Friday, 21 August 2009, through Sunday, 17 April 2011. She originally starred alongside Donna Vivino as Elphaba, who was later replaced by Jackie Burns...
as Glinda
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
. Her final performance took place on July 4, 2010. On August 23, 2011, Donna took over the position of Elphaba standby
Understudy
In theater, an understudy is a performer who learns the lines and blocking/choreography of a regular actor or actress in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to appear on stage because of illness or emergencies, the understudy takes over the part...
on Broadway, replacing Jennifer DiNoia after having originally been asked to take over the lead role but deciding to only play the role when there is a need for her to go on due to the high demands of the role . She first covered during the absence of lead Teal Wicks
Teal Wicks
Teal Wicks is an American singer and stage actress, best known for her performance as Elphaba in the Broadway, San Francisco, and Los Angeles productions of the musical Wicked.-Education:...
on the matinee of September 14. Jackie Burns replaced Wicks once her contract ended. Incidentally, Burns was Vivino's replacement on the national tour. Vivino has been re-united with Clarke (who reprises her lead role) while performing as standby.
Broadway
- Wicked as Elphaba standby (2011–present)
- Martin Short: Fame Becomes MeMartin ShortMartin Hayter Short, CM is a Canadian actor, comedian, writer, singer and producer. He is best-known for his comedy work, particularly on the TV programs SCTV and Saturday Night Live...
as Comedy All-Star (2006) - HairsprayHairspray (musical)Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
as Shelley (2006) - Saturday Night FeverSaturday Night Fever (musical)This is an article about the stage musical. For the article on the 1977 film, see Saturday Night FeverSaturday Night Fever is a musical with a book by Nan Knighton and music and lyrics by the Bee Gees.Based on Nik Cohn's 1975 New York Magazine article "Tribal Rites of the New Saturday Night" and...
- Les MisérablesLes Misérables (musical)Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
, Original Broadway Cast, as Little Cosette (1987–88)
Donna also originated the role of Enid Hoopes in all of the pre-Broadway workshops of Legally Blonde
Legally Blonde (musical)
Legally Blonde is a musical with music and lyrics by Laurence O'Keefe and Nell Benjamin and book by Heather Hach. The story is based on the novel Legally Blonde by Amanda Brown and the 2001 film of the same name. It tells the story of Elle Woods, a sorority girl who enrolls at Harvard Law School to...
but was unable to do the show because of scheduling conflicts with Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me.
National Tour
- Wicked, 1st National, as Elphaba (2008–10)
- Wicked, 1st National, as Elphaba standby (2007–08)
- HairsprayHairspray (musical)Hairspray is a musical with music by Marc Shaiman, lyrics by Scott Wittman and Shaiman and a book by Mark O'Donnell and Thomas Meehan, based on the 1988 John Waters film Hairspray. The songs include 1960s-style dance music and "downtown" rhythm and blues...
, First National, as Shelley (2003–04)
Television
- All My ChildrenAll My ChildrenAll My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
- The SopranosThe SopranosThe Sopranos is an American television drama series created by David Chase that revolves around the New Jersey-based Italian-American mobster Tony Soprano and the difficulties he faces as he tries to balance the often conflicting requirements of his home life and the criminal organization he heads...
(Heather Dante final episode) - MTV's MADE—Herself
Filmography
- Married to It
- Everyday PeopleEveryday People (film)Everyday People is a 2004 drama film written and directed by Jim McKay. The storyline revolves around the lives of the employees working at a restaurant in Brooklyn, New York City, which is to be closed down due to economic shortfall.-Plot summary:...
- My Sassy GirlMy Sassy Girl (2008 film)My Sassy Girl is a 2008 American remake of the 2001 Korean romantic-comedy film of the same name. It stars Elisha Cuthbert and Jesse Bradford and was directed by Yann Samuell...