Stephanie Lawrence
Encyclopedia
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
musical theatre actress.
Background
Stephanie Lawrence was born in Hayling IslandHayling Island
-Leisure activities:Although largely residential, Hayling is also a holiday, windsurfing and sailing centre, the site where windsurfing was invented....
, Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
, the daughter of a singer and classically trained dancer.She was from an early age close friends with another Famous Islander Peter Chilvers who in 1958 invented the Windsurfer. Having trained at the Arts Educational School, Tring
Tring
Tring is a small market town and also a civil parish in the Chiltern Hills in Hertfordshire, England. Situated north-west of London and linked to London by the old Roman road of Akeman Street, by the modern A41, by the Grand Union Canal and by rail lines to Euston Station, Tring is now largely a...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
(now:Tring Park School for the Performing Arts), she made her debut in The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker
The Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
at the Royal Festival Hall
Royal Festival Hall
The Royal Festival Hall is a 2,900-seat concert, dance and talks venue within Southbank Centre in London. It is situated on the South Bank of the River Thames, not far from Hungerford Bridge. It is a Grade I listed building - the first post-war building to become so protected...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1962. Her West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
debut came at the age of 16, playing the part of a rollerskating tap dancer in Forget Me Not Lane. Her first musical appearance in the West End was in Bubbling Brown Sugar
Bubbling Brown Sugar
Bubbling Brown Sugar is a musical revue written by Loften Mitchell based on a concept by Rosetta LeNoire and featuring the music of numerous African-American artists who were popular during the Harlem Renaissance, 1920–1940, including Duke Ellington, Eubie Blake, Count Basie, Cab Calloway and Fats...
. In 1979 Hal Prince chose Stephanie to take over the role of Eva Peron
Eva Perón
María Eva Duarte de Perón was the second wife of President Juan Perón and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is often referred to as simply Eva Perón, or by the affectionate Spanish language diminutive Evita.She was born in the village of Los Toldos in...
in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita from Marti Webb
Marti Webb
Marti Webb is a musical actress from England, who appeared on stage in Evita, before starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's one woman show Tell Me on a Sunday in 1980...
. The same year she recorded a duet with Johnny Mathis
Johnny Mathis
John Royce "Johnny" Mathis is an American singer of popular music. Starting his career with singles of standards, he became highly popular as an album artist, with several dozen of his albums achieving gold or platinum status, and 73 making the Billboard charts...
called "You Saved My Life" featured on his Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
album "Mathis Magic".
She left Evita to create the title role of Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
in Marilyn! the Musical, which won her outstanding reviews and the Best Actress of the Year Award from the Royal Variety Club of Great Britain as well as a nomination from the Society of West End Theatre Awards (now the Olivier Awards). Marilyn was followed by the part of Pearl in the original London production of Starlight Express
Starlight Express
Starlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Stilgoe and Arlene Phillips , with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek . The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates...
. In 1986 Stephanie took on her first dramatic part as Doris in The Owl and the Pussycat touring with Peter Davison. Soon after this she appeared at Oslo International Cabaret in her one woman show. Stephanie next appeared in a musical version of The Blue Angel at the Bristol Old Vic. She played the character of Lola-Lola, made famous by Marlene Dietrich in the movie of the same name.
In 1987 Stephanie took on the part of Louise in the musical Time written by Dave Clark. During her run in Time Stephanie was chosen to play the part of Frannie in the movie Buster alongside Phil Collins, Julie Walters and Larry Lamb. Directly after her run in Time Stephanie took on the role of Kate/Lili Vanessi in the RSC
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
production of Kiss Me Kate at the Savoy Theatre. Christmas of 1988/1989 saw Stephanie playing the part of Cinderella in the classic pantomime with Lionel Blair as Buttons. In 1990 Stephanie toured once again, this time as The Woman of the World in the musical Blues in the Night.
In 1990, Stephanie Lawrence took the role of Mrs. Johnstone in the revival of Willy Russell's Blood Brothers. She played the role for three years at The Albery Theatre in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
before moving to fill the role at the Music Box Theatre
Music Box Theatre
The Music Box Theater is a Broadway theatre located at 239 West 45th Street in midtown-Manhattan.The once most aptly named theater on Broadway, the intimate Music Box was designed by architect C. Howard Crane and constructed by composer Irving Berlin and producer Sam H. Harris specifically to...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
(1993) where she was nominated for a 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...
and won the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway Debut. Stephanie would play the part of Mrs Johnstone on and off for the next few years. Her last major part in the West End was as Grizabella in Cats
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
. Lawrence's other film credits include The Likely Lads
The Likely Lads (film)
The Likely Lads is a 1976 British comedy film directed by Michael Tuchner, starring James Bolam and Rodney Bewes. It's a spin-off from the popular 1960s British television series The Likely Lads, from which it takes its title, though in fact it's closer in tone to the more recent sequel series...
(1976) and the role of Carlotta in The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera (1986 musical)
The Phantom of the Opera is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l'Opéra by Gaston Leroux.The music was composed by Lloyd Webber, and most lyrics were written by Charles Hart, with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Alan Jay Lerner was an early collaborator,...
(1989).
Recordings
- You Saved My LifeYou Saved My LifeYou Saved My Life is an Australian factual television series that screened on the Nine Network in 2009. It was hosted by Tara Brown.You Saved My Life follows the stories of people who have been rescued in an emergency situation and reunited with their rescuers. It has a similar premise to the...
- Bubbling Brown Sugar (OLC)
- Only He Has the Power to Move MeOnly You (Pearl and Rusty)"Only You" is the love duet from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express. It is performed by the protagonist, Rusty, a young steam locomotive and his true love, the observation car, Pearl.- Overview :...
(single) - Starlight ExpressStarlight ExpressStarlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Stilgoe and Arlene Phillips , with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek . The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates...
(OLC) - U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D.U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D."U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D." is a popular song from the musical Starlight Express, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. It is performed by Dinah the Dining Car, after being dumped by her macho boyfriend, Greaseball. It is a parody of the Tammy Wynette song,...
(from Starlight Express) - Light At The End of The TunnelLight at the End of the Tunnel (musical number)Light at the End of the Tunnel is the gospel-style finale number from the musical Starlight Express. The Company perform the number as a glorification to Steam...
(from Starlight Express, with Carl WayneCarl WayneCarl Wayne was a British singer and actor. He is best remembered as the lead vocalist of Birmingham rock group The Move during the 1960s.-Early days:...
, Fiona HendleyFiona HendleyFiona Hendley is a British actress and latterly Christian speaker, married to the former Manfred Mann singer and actor Paul Jones.-Musical and Acting Career:...
, Jess ConradJess ConradJess Conrad OBE is an actor and singer from England.-Career:Having started his career as a repertory actor and film extra, Jess Conrad was cast in a television play "Bye, Bye Barney" as a pop singer...
and Paul JonesPaul Jones (singer)Paul Jones is an English singer, actor, harmonica player, and radio personality and television presenter.-Career:As P. P...
) - Next Time You Fall in Love (from Starlight Express)
- Am I Asking Too Much (single)
- Blood Brothers, London Revival Cast
- Marilyn the Legend
- FootlightsFootlightsCambridge University Footlights Dramatic Club, commonly referred to simply as the Footlights, is an amateur theatrical club in Cambridge, England, founded in 1883 and run by the students of Cambridge University....
- debut solo album - In The RedIn the RedIn the Red is a 1989 novel by Mark Tavener, a black comedy revolving around murder, finance, and intrigue in the halls of the BBC.Despite this, it is the BBC that successfully adapted it for both radio and television....
- The Andrew Lloyd Webber Songbook
- Special Kind of Hero (World Cup 1986 theme)
- The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, with Paul Nicholas
Theatre
- The NutcrackerThe NutcrackerThe Nutcracker is a two-act ballet, originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The libretto is adapted from E.T.A. Hoffmann's story "The Nutcracker and the Mouse King". It was given its première at the Mariinsky Theatre in St...
(1962) - Forget Me Not Lane
- Bubbling Brown SugarBubbling Brown SugarBubbling Brown Sugar is a musical revue written by Loften Mitchell based on a concept by Rosetta LeNoire and featuring the music of numerous African-American artists who were popular during the Harlem Renaissance, 1920–1940, including Duke Ellington, Eubie Blake, Count Basie, Cab Calloway and Fats...
- Evita... as Eva PeronEva PerónMaría Eva Duarte de Perón was the second wife of President Juan Perón and served as the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her death in 1952. She is often referred to as simply Eva Perón, or by the affectionate Spanish language diminutive Evita.She was born in the village of Los Toldos in...
, following Marti WebbMarti WebbMarti Webb is a musical actress from England, who appeared on stage in Evita, before starring in Andrew Lloyd Webber's one woman show Tell Me on a Sunday in 1980... - Marilyn! the Musical... as Marilyn MonroeMarilyn MonroeMarilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
- Starlight ExpressStarlight ExpressStarlight Express is a rock musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber , Richard Stilgoe and Arlene Phillips , with later revisions by Don Black and David Yazbek . The story follows a child's dream in which his toy train set comes to life; famously the actors perform wearing roller skates...
as Pearl - The Owl and the Pussycat as Doris
- Time as Louise
- The Blue Angel as Lola-Lola
- Kiss Me Kate as Kate/Lili Vanessi
- Blues in the Night as The Woman of the World
- Willy Russell's Blood Brothers... as Mrs Johnstone.
- She made her only BroadwayBroadway theatreBroadway 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...
appearance in this role.- Cats as Grizabella