Faith Prince
Encyclopedia
Faith Prince is an American
actress and singer known primarily for her work on Broadway
. Prince has won the Tony Award
as Best Actress in a Musical and received three Tony nominations.
, and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia
, where she participated in theater at E.C. Glass High School and then studied theater at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
. She made her Broadway debut as the Gypsy character Tessie Tura in Jerome Robbins' Broadway
(1989) and followed this with a role in the ill-fated Nick & Nora
.
She established herself as a Broadway star with her portrayal of Adelaide in the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls, for which she won both the Tony
and Drama Desk Award
as Best Actress in a Musical. In 2001, Prince was once again nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her portrayal of Ella Peterson in the 2001 revival of Bells Are Ringing
. Prince was featured in the 2008 Broadway musical A Catered Affair
, for which she received Tony and Drama Desk nominations. She appeared in a concert version of Sweeney Todd with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in Orlando
, Florida in March 2009. On April 7, 2009, she took over the role of Ursula from Heidi Blickenstaff
in the Broadway
musical of The Little Mermaid
.
Prince has appeared in the films The Last Dragon
(1985), Dave (1993), Picture Perfect (1997), and Our Very Own
(2005), among others.
Her television credits include the short-lived High Society
(1995) opposite Jean Smart
, recurring roles on Spin City
(1997–2000) and Huff
(2004–2005), in addition to guest appearances on Remington Steele
, Law & Order
, Monk
, House
, Grey's Anatomy
, Drop Dead Diva
, and Ugly Betty
.
A live recording of her 2005 cabaret
debut at Joe's Pub
, at The Public Theater, entitled A Leap of Faith, was released on the DRG Records label. A second recording, titled Total Faith was recorded at the Royal Room, Palm Beach, Florida
. She also participated in studio recordings of the scores from the ill-fated Broadway musical version of Breakfast at Tiffany's
and Jerry Herman
's unproduced musical, Miss Spectacular
.
She performs her cabaret act in various venues, such as the Orange County Performing Arts Center, California, in April 2010 and Caramoor, New York, in May 2010.
Prince appeared in the concert version (and accompanying recording) of the revue Life Begins at 8:40
at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, on March 22, 2010.
Prince will originate the role of Mrs. Wilkinson in the second United States national tour of Billy Elliot the Musical
, which begins performance October 30, 2010.
, California with their son Henry. She also had a brother named Phil who died.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and singer known primarily for her work on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
. Prince has won the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
as Best Actress in a Musical and received three Tony nominations.
Life and career
Prince was born in Augusta, GeorgiaAugusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg, Virginia
Lynchburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 75,568 as of 2010. Located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains along the banks of the James River, Lynchburg is known as the "City of Seven Hills" or "The Hill City." Lynchburg was the only major city in...
, where she participated in theater at E.C. Glass High School and then studied theater at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
Cincinnati Conservatory of Music
The Cincinnati Conservatory of Music was a conservatory, part of a girls' finishing school, founded in 1867 in Cincinnati, Ohio. It merged with the College of Music of Cincinnati in 1955, forming the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, which is now part of the University of Cincinnati.The...
. She made her Broadway debut as the Gypsy character Tessie Tura in Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Jerome Robbins' Broadway is an anthology comprising musical numbers from earlier shows that were either directed or choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Robbins won his fifth Tony Award for direction of the show....
(1989) and followed this with a role in the ill-fated Nick & Nora
Nick & Nora
Nick & Nora is a musical with a book by Arthur Laurents, lyrics by Richard Maltby, Jr., and music by Charles Strouse.The plot involves witty and urbane high society couple Nick and Nora Charles, characters created by Dashiell Hammett in his novel The Thin Man, which inspired six films, a radio...
.
She established herself as a Broadway star with her portrayal of Adelaide in the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls, for which she won both the Tony
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
and Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
as Best Actress in a Musical. In 2001, Prince was once again nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her portrayal of Ella Peterson in the 2001 revival of Bells Are Ringing
Bells Are Ringing (musical)
Bells Are Ringing is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story revolves around Ella, who works at an answering service and the characters that she meets there. The main character was based on Mary Printz, who worked for Green's answering...
. Prince was featured in the 2008 Broadway musical A Catered Affair
A Catered Affair
A Catered Affair is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by John Bucchino. It is based on both the 1956 film The Catered Affair written by Gore Vidal and the original 1955 teleplay by Paddy Chayefsky, set in 1953 in the Bronx...
, for which she received Tony and Drama Desk nominations. She appeared in a concert version of Sweeney Todd with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in Orlando
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
, Florida in March 2009. On April 7, 2009, she took over the role of Ursula from Heidi Blickenstaff
Heidi Blickenstaff
Heidi Blickenstaff is an actress based in New York City best known for playing a version of herself in the musical [title of show] during its Off-Broadway and Broadway runs.-[title of show]:...
in the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
musical of The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid (musical)
The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen...
.
Prince has appeared in the films The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon
The Last Dragon is a 1985 martial arts musical film produced by Rupert Hitzig for Berry Gordy and directed by Michael Schultz. The film was a critical disappointment but a financial success, The Last Dragon is now considered a cult classic. The film stars Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher...
(1985), Dave (1993), Picture Perfect (1997), and Our Very Own
Our Very Own
Our Very Own is a 2005 American drama film written and directed by Cameron Watson. The screenplay focuses on five small town teenagers whose dreams of a better life have been inspired by the Hollywood success of one-time local girl Sondra Locke....
(2005), among others.
Her television credits include the short-lived High Society
High Society (TV series)
High Society is the title of an American television sitcom that aired Monday nights on CBS in 1995 and early 1996; it was entered into the CBS schedule as a replacement for If Not for You, a sitcom starring Elizabeth McGovern, which was quickly canceled by the network...
(1995) opposite Jean Smart
Jean Smart
Jean E. Smart is an American film, television, and stage actress. She is known for her comedic roles, one of the best known being her role as Charlene Frazier Stillfield on the CBS sitcom Designing Women. She later gained critical acclaim for dramatic work, with her portrayal of Martha Logan on 24...
, recurring roles on Spin City
Spin City
Spin City is an American sitcom television series that aired from September 17, 1996 until April 30, 2002 on the ABC network. Created by Gary David Goldberg and Bill Lawrence, the show was based on a fictional local government running New York City, and originally starred Michael J. Fox as Mike...
(1997–2000) and Huff
Huff (TV series)
Huff is an American television dramedy series produced by Sony Pictures Television for Showtime. The series was created by Bob Lowry and features Hank Azaria as Dr. Craig "Huff" Huffstodt, a psychiatrist whose life changes abruptly when a 15-year-old client commits suicide in his office...
(2004–2005), in addition to guest appearances on Remington Steele
Remington Steele
Remington Steele is an American television series, co-created by Robert Butler and Michael Gleason. The series, starring Stephanie Zimbalist and Pierce Brosnan, was produced by MTM Enterprises and first broadcast on the NBC network from 1982 to 1987. The series blended the genres of romantic...
, Law & Order
Law & Order
Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...
, Monk
Monk (TV series)
Monk is an American comedy-drama detective mystery television series created by Andy Breckman and starring Tony Shalhoub as the titular character, Adrian Monk. It originally ran from 2002 to 2009 and is primarily a mystery series, although it has dark and comic touches.The series debuted on July...
, House
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
, Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy
Grey's Anatomy is an American medical drama television series created by Shonda Rhimes. The series premiered on March 27, 2005 on ABC; since then, seven seasons have aired. The series follows the lives of interns, residents and their mentors in the fictional Seattle Grace Mercy West Hospital in...
, Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva
Drop Dead Diva is an American legal comedy-drama/fantasy television series that debuted on Lifetime on July 12, 2009. The hour-long series, which was created by Josh Berman, is produced by Sony Pictures Television...
, and Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty
Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which premiered on ABC on September 28, 2006, and ended on April 14, 2010. The series revolves around the character Betty Suarez and is based on Fernando Gaitán's Colombian telenovela soap opera Yo soy Betty, la fea...
.
A live recording of her 2005 cabaret
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form, or place, of entertainment featuring comedy, song, dance, and theatre, distinguished mainly by the performance venue: a restaurant or nightclub with a stage for performances and the audience sitting at tables watching the performance, as introduced by a master of ceremonies or...
debut at Joe's Pub
Joe's Pub
Joe's Pub at Public Theater is a nightclub that hosts live performances regularly. The venue, which is a non-profit operation, is located at 425 Lafayette Street near Astor Place in Manhattan, New York City...
, at The Public Theater, entitled A Leap of Faith, was released on the DRG Records label. A second recording, titled Total Faith was recorded at the Royal Room, Palm Beach, Florida
Palm Beach, Florida
The Town of Palm Beach is an incorporated town in Palm Beach County, Florida, United States. The Intracoastal Waterway separates it from the neighboring cities of West Palm Beach and Lake Worth...
. She also participated in studio recordings of the scores from the ill-fated Broadway musical version of Breakfast at Tiffany's
Breakfast at Tiffany's (musical)
Breakfast at Tiffany's is a legendary flop in Broadway musical history. The musical is based on the Truman Capote novella and 1961 film of the same name about a free spirit named Holly Golightly...
and Jerry Herman
Jerry Herman
Jerry Herman is an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway musical theater. He composed the scores for the hit Broadway musicals Hello, Dolly!, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles. He has been nominated for the Tony Award five times, and won twice, for Hello, Dolly! and La Cage...
's unproduced musical, Miss Spectacular
Miss Spectacular
Miss Spectacular is an unproduced musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and additional lyrics by Steve Lawrence and Michael Feinstein....
.
She performs her cabaret act in various venues, such as the Orange County Performing Arts Center, California, in April 2010 and Caramoor, New York, in May 2010.
Prince appeared in the concert version (and accompanying recording) of the revue Life Begins at 8:40
Life Begins at 8:40
Life Begins at 8:40 is a musical revue with music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and E.Y. Harburg, and sketches by Gershwin, Harburg, David Freedman, H.I...
at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, on March 22, 2010.
Prince will originate the role of Mrs. Wilkinson in the second United States national tour of Billy Elliot the Musical
Billy Elliot the Musical
Billy Elliot the Musical is a musical based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot. The music is by Sir Elton John, and book and lyrics are by Lee Hall, who wrote the film's screenplay. The plot revolves around motherless Billy, who trades boxing gloves for ballet shoes...
, which begins performance October 30, 2010.
Family
Prince is married to trumpeter Larry Lunetta; the couple resides in SacramentoSacramento
Sacramento is the capital of the state of California, in the United States of America.Sacramento may also refer to:- United States :*Sacramento County, California*Sacramento, Kentucky*Sacramento – San Joaquin River Delta...
, California with their son Henry. She also had a brother named Phil who died.
Stage productions
- Jerome Robbins' BroadwayJerome Robbins' BroadwayJerome Robbins' Broadway is an anthology comprising musical numbers from earlier shows that were either directed or choreographed by Jerome Robbins. Robbins won his fifth Tony Award for direction of the show....
(1989) - FalsettolandFalsettolandFalsettoland is a musical with a book by James Lapine and music and lyrics by William Finn.Following In Trousers and March of the Falsettos, it is the third in a trio of one-act musicals centering on Marvin, his wife Trina, his psychiatrist Mendel, his son Jason, and his gay lover Whizzer Brown...
(1990) - Guys and Dolls (1992 revival)
- What's Wrong with This Picture? (1994)
- The King and IThe King and IThe King and I is a stage musical, the fifth by the team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II. The work is based on the 1944 novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon and derives from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, who became governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in...
(1996 revival) - Little MeLittle MeLittle Me was the parody "confessional" self-indulgent autobiography of "Belle Poitrine" , subtitled The Intimate Memoirs of the Great Star of Stage, Screen and Television, by Patrick Dennis, who had achieved a great success with Auntie Mame...
(1998 revival) - James Joyce's The DeadJames Joyce's The DeadJames Joyce's The Dead is a Broadway musical by Richard Nelson and Shaun Davey based upon James Joyce's short story of the same name.Originally presented Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons with an opening night cast that included Blair Brown, Paddy Croft, Brian Davies, Daisy Eagan, Dashiell...
(2000) - Noises OffNoises OffNoises Off is a 1982 play by English playwright Michael Frayn. The idea for it was born in 1970, when Frayn was standing in the wings watching a performance of Chinamen, a farce that he had written for Lynn Redgrave...
(2001 revival) - Bells Are RingingBells Are Ringing (musical)Bells Are Ringing is a musical with a book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green and music by Jule Styne. The story revolves around Ella, who works at an answering service and the characters that she meets there. The main character was based on Mary Printz, who worked for Green's answering...
(2001 revival) - A Man of No ImportanceA Man of No Importance (musical)A Man of No Importance is a musical with music by Stephen Flaherty, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and a book by Terrence McNally, based on the 1994 Albert Finney film, A Man of No Importance...
(2002) - A Catered AffairA Catered AffairA Catered Affair is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and music and lyrics by John Bucchino. It is based on both the 1956 film The Catered Affair written by Gore Vidal and the original 1955 teleplay by Paddy Chayefsky, set in 1953 in the Bronx...
(2008) - The Little MermaidThe Little Mermaid (musical)The Little Mermaid is a stage musical produced by Disney Theatrical, based on the animated 1989 Disney film of the same name and the classic story of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen...
(2009) - Billy Elliot (2010-2011)