Tracie Bennett

Tracie Bennett
Born (1961-06-17) 17 June 1961 (age 63)
Leigh, Lancashire, England
Alma materItalia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts
OccupationActress
Years active1981–present
Notable workCoronation Street (1982–1984, 1999, 2021)

Tracie Bennett (born 17 June 1961) is an English singer and stage and television actress. She trained at the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in Clapham, London. She played the role of Sharon Gaskell in Coronation Street from 1982 to 1984, returning to the role in 1999 and again in 2021.

Best known for her roles in theatre, both dramatic and musical, Bennett has received two Olivier Awards for Best Supporting Role in a Musical for her performances in the musicals She Loves Me and Hairspray with additional nominations for her work in High Society and Follies. Bennett was also nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for Mrs Henderson Presents while her performance as Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow earned her an Olivier nomination for Best Actress in a Play and a Tony Award nomination in the same category when the production transferred to Broadway.

Career

Bennett's first major television role was in Coronation Street between 1982 and 1984 as Sharon Gaskell, the Faircloughs' foster daughter. She returned to the role in 1999. She played dim-witted blonde Tracy Glazebrook in the pilot of Steven Moffat's sitcom Joking Apart (1991),[1] a role which she reprised for the subsequent two full-length series in 1993 and 1995.[2] She played Shirley's rebellious daughter Millandra in the film version of Shirley Valentine (1989).[3] She appeared in She Loves Me at the Savoy Theatre in 1994,[4] for which she won the Laurence Olivier Award as Best Supporting Performance in a Musical.[5] She played Ida in Honk!, which won the 2000 Olivier Award for Best Musical.[6]

In 2003, she was praised[7] for her role in the London production of High Society, for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2004. She appeared in Sex, Chips and Rock 'n' Roll at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester in 2005,[8] for which she won a TMA Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical.[9] In January 2006, Bennett joined the West End production of Les Misérables in the role of Madame Thénardier at the Queen's Theatre, which she continued to play to July 2007.[10] In October 2007, she began her run in the role of Velma Von Tussle in the London premiere of the musical Hairspray at the Shaftesbury Theatre.[11] She mentioned on a televised interview Alan Titchmarsh that it was a "great show" and that she enjoyed doing it, but also said it was exhausting, pointing out that to begin with, the wiring under her wig weighs 10 lbs, making some of the dancing difficult. In spite of this, her efforts were rewarded in March 2008, when she received her second Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for her performance.[12]

In February 2010, Bennett took on the role of Judy Garland in the first London production of Peter Quilter's play End of the Rainbow. The production premiered with at Northampton's Royal Theatre, and subsequently transferred to London's West End. Bennett received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress for her performance.[13] The production transferred to Broadway in March 2012, with Bennett reprising her role.[14] For her performance in the Broadway production, Bennett received a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actress in a Play,[15] and won the Outer Critics Circle Award[16] and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play.[17] In 2013, she joined the cast of detective series Scott & Bailey as Sharon, the estranged mother of DC Bailey.[18] In 2015 and 2016, she played Laura Henderson in the musical Mrs Henderson Presents and received a nomination for the Olivier Awards 2016 in the category Best Actress in a Musical.[19]

Between 2014 and 2017 she played patient Molly Drover in the BBC medical drama, Casualty.[20] In 2017, she played the role of Carlotta in the National Theatre production of Follies by Stephen Sondheim, singing the song "I'm Still Here".[21] In March 2021, it was announced that Bennett would be returning to Coronation Street reprising her role as Sharon Bentley after 22 years away.[22]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1986 Knights & Emeralds Tina
1989 Shirley Valentine Millandra
2002 f2point8 Kika Short film
2004 French Fries on the Golden Front Princess Short film
2017 Gholam Mrs. X
National Theatre Live: Follies Carlotta Campion
2019 Ruthless! The Musical Lita Encore
2021 The Extinction of Fireflies Charlotte

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1981 Going Out Quacky Episode: "Sixth Week"
1982–1984,
1999, 2021 		Coronation Street Sharon Bentley (née Gaskell) Series regular, 145 episodes
1984 Danger: Marmalade at Work Kid from Shame Episode: "Shame"
1985 Relative Strangers Lorraine Episode: "Series 1, Episode 6"
Black Silk Trish Episode: "Open and Shut"
1986 Boon Patsy Episode: "Glasshouse People"
Unnatural Causes Cheryl Episode: "Partners"
1987 The Ritz Angie Recurring role, 3 episodes
Brush Strokes Miss Wilson Episode: "Series 2, Episode 6"
The Bretts Connie Episode: "Forbidden Fruit"
1989–1991 Making Out Norma Series regular, 24 episodes
1990 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Marilyn Thompson Episode: "The Best Man to Die"
1991 Rich Tea and Sympathy Nikki Series regular, 6 episodes
1991–1995 Joking Apart Tracy Glazebrook Series regular, 13 episodes
1992 The Upper Hand Michelle Episode: "To Let or Not to Let"
Casualty Sally Episode: "Rates of Exchange"
1993 The Gingerbread Girl Stella Recurring role, 5 episodes
The Bill Lisa Brooks Episode: "Bare Faced Lies"
1995–1996 Next of Kin Liz Recurring role, 13 episodes
1997 Heartbeat Lieutenant Episode: "Substitute"
1998 Heartburn Hotel Rita Episodes: "Toenails" & "Frustration"
Verdict Sally Taylor Episode: "Be My Valentine"
1999 The Ambassador Annette Episode: "A Matter of Life and Death"
2002 Where the Heart Is Julie Sparke Episode: "No Turning Back"
Merseybeat Jacqui McHale Episode: "Endgame"
2003 The Afternoon Play Yvonne Episode: "Heroes and Villains"
Burn It Bev Recurring role, 5 episodes
The Bill Shirley Fielding Episode: "Rose-Coloured Glasses"
Murder Investigation Team Celia Seagrove Episode: "Daddy's Little Girl"
Keen Eddie Charlotte Episode: "Horse Heir"
2004 The Courtroom Diane Eaton Episode: "Beloved Daughter"
The Long Firm Judy Garland Episode: "Ruby's Story"
Casualty Gina Driscoll Episodes: "I Love You, I Hate You" & "Forget Me Not"
2005 The Royal Sylvia Episode: "Sins of the Father"
Vincent Deborah Finnigan Episode: "Series 1, Episode 3"
Doctors Julie Bolton Episode: "Little Lies"
2006 Northern Lights Maureen Episode: "Series 1, Episode 2"
2007 Doctors Jean Hobbs Episode: "Off the Edge"
Dalziel and Pascoe Grace Beck Episode: "Project Aphrodite"
Casualty Linda Riley Episode: "The Fires Within"
2010 Doctors Laura Wakefield Episode: "Hanging On"
2011 Candy Cabs Barb Episode: "Series 1, Episode 2"
Casualty Seonaidh Lucas Episode: "Mea Culpa"
2013 New Tricks Angela Gold Episode: "Cry Me a River"
Doctors Claire Cheeseman Episode: "Mom"
2013–2014 Scott & Bailey Sharon Bailey Recurring role, 5 episodes
2014–2017 Casualty Molly Drover Recurring role, 4 episodes
2019 The Bay Margaret Foley Series regular, 6 episodes

Theatre

Year Title Role Venue Notes Ref
1984 Merrily We Roll Along Mary Flynn Royal Exchange, Manchester [23]
Carousel Carrie Pipperidge
1994 She Loves Me Ilona Ritter Savoy Theatre, London [24]
1996 Dead Funny Lisa Theatre Royal, Windsor also, UK tour
Cash on Delivery Linda Swan Whitehall Theatre, London [25]
1997 Bedevilled Florence Bravo Crucible Theatre, Sheffield [26]
Saturday Night Celeste Bridewell Theatre, London [27]
Lucky Stiff Rita LaPorta Bridewell Theatre, London [28]
1999 Honk! Ida Royal National Theatre, London [29]
2000 Guys and Dolls Miss Adelaide Crucible Theatre, Sheffield [30]
2001 Last Song of the Nightingale Martha New End Theatre, London [31]
2003 High Society Liz Imbrie Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, London [32]
2004 Billy Liar Mother Churchill Theatre, Bromley also, England tour [33]
2005 Sex, Chips & Rock n' Roll Irma Brookes Royal Exchange, Manchester [34]
2006 Les Misérables Madame Thénardier Queen's Theatre, London [35]
2007 Hairspray Velma Von Tussle Shaftesbury Theatre, London [36]
2008 La Cage aux Folles Jacqueline Playhouse Theatre, London [37]
2010 End of the Rainbow Judy Garland Royal & Derngate, Northampton & Trafalgar Theatre, London [38]
2012 End of the Rainbow Judy Garland Guthrie Theater, Minneapolis & Belasco Theatre, New York City [39]
2014 The Hypochondriac Toinette Theatre Royal, Bath also, UK tour [40]
2015 Mrs Henderson Presents Laura Henderson Theatre Royal – Bath, Noël Coward Theatre – London & Royal Alexandra Theatre – Toronto [41]
2017,
2019 		Follies Carlotta Campion Royal National Theatre, London [42]
2018 Ruthless! Lita Encore Arts Theatre, London [43]
2019 Mame Mame Dennis Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester [44]
2020,
2022 		Hangmen Alice John Golden Theatre, New York City [45]
2023 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying J. B. Biggley Southwark Playhouse, London [46]
Here We Are Woman The Shed, New York City [47]

Awards and nominations

Stage

Year Award Category Work Result Ref
1984 Manchester Evening News Theatre Award Best Actress Carousel and Merrily We Roll Along Won [48]
1995 Laurence Olivier Award Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical She Loves Me Won [49]
2004 Laurence Olivier Award Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical High Society Nominated [50]
2005 TMA Award Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Sex, Chips and Rock 'n' Roll Won [9]
2008 Laurence Olivier Award Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical Hairspray Won [51]
WhatsOnStage Award Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Won [52]
2009 WhatsOnStage Award Best Supporting Actress in a Musical La Cage aux Folles Won [53]
2011 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress End of the Rainbow Nominated [54]
WhatsOnStage Award Best Actress in a Play Nominated [55]
2012 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play Nominated [56]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Play Won [57]
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated [58]
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actress in a Play Won [59]
2016 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical Mrs Henderson Presents Nominated [60]
2018 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical Follies Nominated [61]
WhatsOnStage Award Best Supporting Actress in a Musical Nominated [62]
2020 WhatsOnStage Award Best Actress in a Musical Mame Nominated [63]

References

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  3. ^ James, Caryn. "Review. 'Shirley Valentine'" The New York Times, 30 August 1989
  4. ^ "Programme for 'She Loves Me', Savoy Theatre", kent.ac.uk; accessed 4 April 2012.
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  18. ^ Jeffrey, Morgan (19 November 2012). "'Spooks' star Nicola Walker, Tracie Bennett for 'Scott & Bailey'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 29 January 2013.
  19. ^ Nominations by category 2016 Archived 5 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine, olivierawards.com, Retrieved 28 April 2016.
  20. ^ [1] bbc.co.uk
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