Natalie Venetia Belcon
Encyclopedia
Natalie Venetia Belcon (born April 5, 1969) is a Trinidad
-born American
actress and singer. She is best known for originating the role of former child television star Gary Coleman
in the Tony Award
-winning Broadway
musical Avenue Q
. Her other Broadway credits include the role of Joanne Jefferson in Rent
and Erzulie
in Once on This Island
.
She appeared as Columbina in the world premiere of the musical The Glorious Ones (based on the novel of the same name by Francine Prose
) at the Pittsburgh Public Theater
in
April 2007. She appeared off Broadway in the same role later in 2007, in which a reviewer commented that her "seductive presence is matched by her smoky voice."
Currently, Belcon is involved with The Last Smoker in America
, an original 4 character musical by Bill Russell and Peter Melnick
, which received its world premiere at CATCO
in Columbus, OH. A workshop production was previously presented in the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival
. "The Last Smoker in America" is expected to open in New York in 2011.
. Before this she was seen in Johnny and the Sprites
until its end with her Avenue Q co-star, John Tartaglia
. She plays Gwen, the neighbor of Tartaglia's character, Johnny T.
She has also had recurring roles on the television shows The Education of Max Bickford
, Beverly Hills, 90210
and Roc
, and appeared as a guest star on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Martin and The Cosby Show
.
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an archipelagic state in the southern Caribbean, lying just off the coast of northeastern Venezuela and south of Grenada in the Lesser Antilles...
-born American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and singer. She is best known for originating the role of former child television star Gary Coleman
Gary Coleman
Gary Wayne Coleman was an American actor, known for his childhood role as Arnold Jackson in the American sitcom Diff'rent Strokes and for his small stature as an adult. He was described in the 1980s as "one of television's most promising stars". After a successful childhood acting career, Coleman...
in 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...
-winning 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 Avenue Q
Avenue Q
Avenue Q is a musical in two acts, conceived by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx, who wrote the music and lyrics. The book was written by Jeff Whitty and the show was directed by Jason Moore and produced by Kevin McCollum, Robyn Goodman, and Jeffrey Seller...
. Her other Broadway credits include the role of Joanne Jefferson in Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
and Erzulie
Erzulie
In Haitian Vodou or Vodou, Erzulie is a family of lwa, or spirits.-Maîtresse Mambo Erzulie Fréda Dahomey:Erzulie Fréda Dahomey, the Rada aspect of Erzulie, is the spirit of love, beauty, jewelry, dancing, luxury, and flowers. Gay men are considered to be under her particular patronage...
in Once on This Island
Once On This Island
Once on This Island is a one-act musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. Based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, set in the French Antilles in the Caribbean Sea...
.
Theater
Belcon performs on the original cast recordings of Avenue Q and The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin.She appeared as Columbina in the world premiere of the musical The Glorious Ones (based on the novel of the same name by Francine Prose
Francine Prose
Francine Prose is an American writer. Since March 2007 she has been the president of PEN American Center. She graduated from Radcliffe College in 1968 and received a Guggenheim fellowship in 1991....
) at the Pittsburgh Public Theater
Pittsburgh Public Theater
Pittsburgh Public Theater is a professional theater company based in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's Cultural District.Established in 1974, it was housed in the Hazlett Theatre at the Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall on Pittsburgh’s North Side...
in
April 2007. She appeared off Broadway in the same role later in 2007, in which a reviewer commented that her "seductive presence is matched by her smoky voice."
Currently, Belcon is involved with The Last Smoker in America
The Last Smoker in America
The Last Smoker in America is a four-character, one-act musical comedy featuring book and lyrics by Bill Russell and music by Peter Melnick. The musical had its world premiere at Contemporary American Theatre Company in Columbus, Ohio in the fall of 2010 in anticipation of an Off-Broadway opening.-...
, an original 4 character musical by Bill Russell and Peter Melnick
Peter Rodgers Melnick
Peter Rodgers Melnick is a composer for film, television and musical theatre.-Biography:Melnick is the son of Daniel Melnick and Linda Rodgers, and grandson of Richard Rodgers.Melnick grew up in New York City...
, which received its world premiere at CATCO
Contemporary American Theatre Company
CATCO is a regional professional theatre company in Columbus, Ohio. Operating under an Actors' Equity SPT 6+ contract, it produces a five- to six-show season that commonly runs from October through June and consists of contemporary, classic, and new works.In January 1985, founding artistic...
in Columbus, OH. A workshop production was previously presented in the 2009 New York Musical Theatre Festival
New York Musical Theatre Festival
The New York Musical Theatre Festival is an annual three-week fall Festival which presents more than thirty new musicals at venues in New York City's midtown theater district...
. "The Last Smoker in America" is expected to open in New York in 2011.
Television
Belcon was last seen in 2007 as an HR Rep in Damages (TV series)Damages (TV series)
Damages is an American television drama series created by the writing and production trio of Daniel Zelman and brothers Glenn and Todd A. Kessler . It is broadcast in the United States on the DirecTV channel Audience Network after originally airing on FX and is produced by the creators' own...
. Before this she was seen in Johnny and the Sprites
Johnny and the Sprites
Johnny and the Sprites is a musical television show aimed for preschoolers that airs every weekend on the "Playhouse Disney" program of The Disney Channel. The show was created for, is produced by, and stars John Tartaglia . The show's theme song was written by Stephen Schwartz...
until its end with her Avenue Q co-star, John Tartaglia
John Tartaglia
John Nicholas Tartaglia is an American singer, actor, dancer, puppeteer.Tartaglia was born in Maple Shade, New Jersey, U.S.. He joined Sesame Street's puppetry team at the age of 16 part-time, performing as a right hand and many minor characters, including Phoebe and being the backup for Kevin...
. She plays Gwen, the neighbor of Tartaglia's character, Johnny T.
She has also had recurring roles on the television shows The Education of Max Bickford
The Education of Max Bickford
The Education of Max Bickford is a television drama that aired from 2001 to 2002 on CBS. It starred Richard Dreyfuss as the title character, a college professor of American Studies at Chadwick College, an all-women's school in New Jersey. Also starring was child actor Eric Ian Goldberg, who...
, Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210
Beverly Hills, 90210 is an American drama series that originally aired from October 4, 1990 to May 17, 2000 on Fox and was produced by Spelling Television in the United States, and subsequently on various networks around the world. It is the first series in the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise...
and Roc
Roc (TV series)
Roc is an American comedy-drama television series which ran on Fox from August 1991 to May 1994. The series stars Charles S. Dutton as Baltimore garbage collector Roc Emerson and Ella Joyce as his wife Eleanor.-Early episodes:...
, and appeared as a guest star on The Fresh Prince of Bel Air, Martin and The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show
The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992...
.
External links
- Biography from the Avenue Q Web site.
- The Glorious Ones information from the Pittsburgh Public Theater.