Charlotte d'Amboise

Charlotte d'Amboise
Born (1964-05-11) May 11, 1964 (age 60)
Occupation(s)Actress, dancer
Years active1983–present
Spouse
(m. 1996)
Children2
Parents
RelativesChristopher d'Amboise (brother)

Charlotte Lorraine d'Amboise (born May 11, 1964) is an American actress and dancer. She has played starring roles in musical theatre, and has been nominated for two Tony Awards and won the Los Angeles Ovation Awards for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for Chicago. She has also appeared in films.

Early life

Charlotte d'Amboise was born in New York City, the daughter of Jacques d'Amboise, a ballet dancer and choreographer, and Carolyn George, a ballet dancer and photographer. She has a twin sister, Catherine. Her older brother is ballet dancer and choreographer Christopher d'Amboise.[1]

Career

Musical theatre

D'Amboise made her Broadway debut in the musical Cats in 1984 as Cassandra,[2][3] where she met her future husband, performer Terrence Mann. She also performed in the role of Chris Hargensen in the ill-fated 1988 musical Carrie.[4] She frequently has played the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago, first heading the 1997 national tour and later joining the Broadway revival cast in 1999. She has appeared in productions of the musical every year since 2001.[5][6]

In 2001, she replaced Karen Ziemba in Contact.[7][8]

In early 2005, d'Amboise replaced Christina Applegate in the Boston leg of the pre-Broadway tour of the revival of Sweet Charity, as well as the first few weeks of previews on Broadway, following a foot injury sustained by Applegate that nearly cancelled the production. Once Applegate returned to the role in New York, d'Amboise remained as her standby while simultaneously performing the role of Roxie Hart in Chicago.[9]

She appeared in the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line as Cassie, earning a Tony Award nomination.[10]

She originated the role of Fastrada in the 2013 Broadway revival of Pippin, alongside her husband Terrence Mann, who played Charles.

Film

Her film credits include The In Crowd (1988), American Blue Note (1989), Just Off the Coast (1992) and The Preacher's Wife (1996). She appears as herself in Every Little Step (2008), a documentary about the 2006 Broadway revival of A Chorus Line. In 2012, she appeared in Frances Ha, directed by Noah Baumbach. On television, she has appeared in the Kennedy Center Honors (1989, 1995 and 2002), Law & Order (2001), One Life to Live (2009), and a videotaped performance of the Broadway musical Contact (2002). She has also appeared in several made-for-TV movies, including Alone in the Neon Jungle (1988), Lost in the Bermuda Triangle (1998) and Galyntine (2014).

Stage appearances

Year Title Role Location Notes
1983–84 Cats Cassandra national tour
1984–85 Winter Garden Theatre Broadway (replacement)
1985–86 Song and Dance Woman in Blue Royale Theatre Broadway
1988 Carrie Chris Royal Shakespeare Theatre out-of-town tryout
Virginia Theatre Broadway
1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway
Imperial Theatre Broadway
1994–95 Damn Yankees Lola Marquis Theatre Broadway (replacement)
1995 Company Kathy Criterion Center Stage Right Broadway
1997–1999 Chicago Roxie Hart national tour
1999–2024 Ambassador Theatre Broadway (replacement)
2001–02 Contact Wife Vivian Beaumont Theatre Broadway (replacement)
2004 Can-Can Claudine New York City Center Encores!
2005 Sweet Charity Charity Hope Valentine (standby) Colonial Theatre out-of-town tryout
Al Hirschfeld Theatre Broadway
2006 A Chorus Line Cassie Curran Theatre out-of-town tryout
2006–08 Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Broadway
2009 Parade Mrs. Phagan
Sally Slaton
Mark Taper Forum Los Angeles
2012–13 Pippin Fastrada American Repertory Theater out-of-town tryout
2013–2015 Music Box Theatre Broadway
2015 Carousel Mrs. Mullin Lyric Opera of Chicago Chicago

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work
1989 Tony Award Best Actress in a Musical Jerome Robbins' Broadway Nominated
1995 Fred and Adele Astaire Award Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show Damn Yankees Won
1998 LA Ovation Award[11] Best Lead Actress in a Musical Chicago Won
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award Best Leading Performance Won
San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award Principal Actress in a Musical Won
2005 Fred and Adele Astaire Award Special Award Sweet Charity and Chicago Won
2007 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical A Chorus Line Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
2013 Pippin Nominated
Fred and Adele Astaire Award Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show Won

Personal life

She has been married to Terrence Mann since January 20, 1996. They have two daughters, Josephine (born in 2002) and Shelby (born in 2003).[12][13] Charlotte and Terrence both starred in musicals Cats, Jerome Robbins' Broadway and the 2013 Broadway revival of Pippin.

References

  1. ^ "Jacques d'Amboise biography", the-ballet.com, retrieved April 24, 2010
  2. ^ "Charlotte d'Amboise biography" filmreference.com, retrieved April 25, 2010
  3. ^ "Internet Broadway Database listing, 'Cats', see replacements" Internet Broadway Database, retrieved April 25, 2010
  4. ^ Hetrick, Adam."Foster, Mazzie, Ranson and Damiano Head 'Carrie' Reading in NYC Nov. 20" Archived September 14, 2010, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, November 20, 2009
  5. ^ "Charlotte d'Amboise Headed Back to 'Chicago' on Broadway" broadway.com, October 8, 2008
  6. ^ Internet Broadway Database listing, see 'Chicago' Internet Broadway Database, retrieved April 25, 2010
  7. ^ Simonson, Robert."Ziemba, Gaines and Yates Stop Making 'Contact', Sept. 2" Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, September 2, 2001
  8. ^ Simonson, Robert.Sept. 1 Contact Broadcast to Be "Live from Lincoln Center" Archived 2011-06-05 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, July 29, 2002
  9. ^ Jones, Kenneth and Simonson, Robert.Charlotte d'Amboise Will Star When Sweet Charity Opens on Broadway Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, March 14, 2005
  10. ^ Hetrick, Adam."Charlotte d'Amboise to Exit 'A Chorus Line' Aug. 10" Archived May 23, 2010, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, July 28, 2008
  11. ^ "Ahmanson Theatre-List of Awards, p.22" Archived 2010-03-26 at the Wayback Machine musiccenter.org, retrieved April 25, 2010
  12. ^ "Terrence Mann, Artistic Director, biography" Archived December 10, 2010, at the Wayback Machine carolinaartsfestival.com, retrieved April 24, 2010
  13. ^ "Charlotte d'Amboise, Terrence Mann and their children Josie and Shelby, at 'The Addams Family' Opening broadwayworld.com, April 9, 2010