American actress and singer
Jacquelyn Piro Donovan
is an American actress and singer known for her work in broadway musicals and on the concert stage. She is perhaps best known for the distinction of being the only actress to portray both the young innocent
Cosette
and the tragic heroine
Fantine
in the original Broadway production of
Les Miserables
.
[1]
Early life
[
edit
]
Donovan was born in
Boston
[2]
and raised in
Wellesley, Massachusetts
. She is the youngest daughter of Anthony J. Piro, an accomplished Medical and Radiation Oncologist
[3]
and Marian Piro, a special needs teacher. She graduated from
Lynnfield High School
in
Lynnfield, Massachusetts
and received her BFA in acting from
Boston University
. In 2004, Donovan married broadway stagehand Peter Donovan, who most recently worked on the broadway company of
Billy Elliot
and is presently preparing
Nice Work If You Can Get It
.
[4]
Stage career
[
edit
]
Donovan's career started before she graduated from college. During her senior year, she received her Equity Card standing by for
Carolee Carmello
in the Boston Company of
Nite Club Confidential
starring
Scott Bakula
.
[5]
Shortly after graduation, she auditioned for the National Tour of
Les Miserables
through an "open call" and was cast as Cosette. She went on to originate that role in the Third National and San Francisco Companies and in 1990 reprised the role for her Broadway debut. In 1996 and most recently 2002, she returned to Broadway as Cosette's mother Fantine.
[6]
Starting in 1992, and for the next decade, she starred in the National Touring Companies of
Sunset Boulevard
(as Betty Schaefer opposite
Petula Clark
),
Big
(originating Susan Lawrence),
The Secret Garden
(as Lily),
Miss Saigon
(as Ellen, a role she later played on Broadway in 2000), and in 2008, she played Mama Who for the seasonal Broadway Production of
How the Grinch Stole Christmas!
, playing her hometown of Boston.
[7]
[8]
During her year with
Miss Saigon
, Donovan was granted a leave of absence to perform as Nellie in Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein's
Sweet Adeline
at the nationally celebrated City Center Encores! concert series on Broadway.
[9]
She created the world premiere roles of Madame Calcet in the Zipper Theatre's production of
Kathie Lee Gifford
's
Under The Bridge
,
[10]
Sariah in 37 Art's production of
The Ark
,
[11]
Alison in the Emmy Award winning writer
David Javerbaum
's original production of
Suburb, a New Musical Comedy
at The York Theatre,
[12]
Jackie in New World Stage's
New York Musical Theatre Festival
production of
Have a NIce Life
, winning the 2006 Outstanding Ensemble NYMF Excellence Award,
[13]
and most recently, the title role in The York Theatre's production of
I Remember Mama
, as part of their Musicals in Mufti Series 2010.
[14]
In 2004, Donovan won the
Helen Hayes Award
for Best Actress for her portrayal of Lizzie Curry in
110 in the Shade
at the
Signature Theatre
in Washington, D.C., where she also originated the role of Elmira in the world premiere of the musical
Nevermore
. She won a Connecticut Critics Circle Award in 2005 for her portrayal of Milly in
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
at the
Goodspeed Opera House
.
On May 2, 2011, it was announced that Donovan would take over the title role in
Hello, Dolly!
, produced by North Carolina Theatre, late in rehearsals.
Cybill Shepherd
had withdrawn from the production after sustaining injuries in a mishap on stairs at her apartment complex.
[15]
Almost exactly one year later, on May 11, 2012, history repeated itself when it was announced she would replace an injured
Lorna Luft
as Dolly in the North Shore Musical Theater's production of the same show.
[16]
From 2013 to 2014, she played Miss Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West in the North American tour of
The Wizard of Oz
.
[17]
Stage credits
[
edit
]
- Gypsy (Louise) Westchester Broadway Theatre 1991
References
[
edit
]
- ^
"IBDB Website"
. Retrieved
March 10,
2012
.
- ^
http://broadwayworld.com/people/?page=Jacquelyn_Piro%20Donovan
Broadway World website. Retrieved August 1, 2009
- ^
http://www.healthgrades.com/physician/dr-anthony-piro-2b6tp
Health Grades Website. Retrieved March 10. 2012
- ^
"The Wall Street Journal website"
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
"Carolee Carmello Website"
. Archived from
the original
on December 24, 2011
. Retrieved
March 9,
2012
.
- ^
"The Washington Post"
. Archived from
the original
on June 10, 2014
. Retrieved
March 10,
2012
.
- ^
"The Cape Playhouse"
. Archived from
the original
on January 18, 2013
. Retrieved
March 9,
2012
.
- ^
"Grinch Musical Website"
(PDF)
. Archived from
the original
(PDF)
on August 2, 2012
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
"New York Times Website"
.
The New York Times
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
"Curtain Up Website"
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
"Broadway.com Website"
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
"Suburb The Musical Website"
. Archived from
the original
on February 21, 2009
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
"NYMF Website"
. Archived from
the original
on February 16, 2012
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
"Playbill.com Website"
. Retrieved
March 12,
2012
.
- ^
Gans, Andrew (May 2, 2011).
"Jacquelyn Piro Donovan Will Step in for Injured Cybill Shepherd in North Carolina Hello, Dolly!"
.
Playbill
. Playbill, Inc
. Retrieved
May 4,
2011
.
- ^
Gans, Andrew (May 11, 2012).
"Jacquelyn Piro Donovan Will Step in for Injured Lorna Luft in North Shore Dolly!; Complete Cast Announced"
. Playbill, Inc. Archived from
the original
on May 13, 2012
. Retrieved
May 11,
2012
.
- ^
"Jacquelyn Piro Donovan, Mike Jackson, Lee MacDougall and More Join Danielle Wade in North American
Wizard of Oz
Tour"
, Playbill, 7 August 2013