Randy Graff
{{short description|American actress}}
{{Infobox person
|name = Randy Graff
|image = Randy Graff (cropped).jpg
|caption = Graff in 2004
|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1955|5|23}}
|birth_place = New York City, U.S.
|alma_mater = Wagner College
|awards = Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical
Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical
|death_date =
|death_place =
|othername =
|occupation = Actress, singer
|relatives =
|yearsactive =
|spouse =
|domesticpartner =
|website = [http://www.randygraff.com Randygraff.com]
}}
Randy Graff (born May 23, 1955) is an American actress and singer.
Early years
Born in Brooklyn, New York on May 23, 1955,Benjamin, Ruth (2006). [https://archive.org/details/whosangwhatonbro0000benj/page/306/mode/2up?q=%22may+23+1955%22+%22randy+graff%22 Who Sang What on Broadway, 1866-1996]. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 307. {{ISBN|0-7864-2189-4}}. "3735. Randy Graff (May 23, 1955- ) B: Brooklyn, NY. Les Miserables (Broadway, “Fantine,” Mar. 12, 1987)" Graff was part of a musically oriented family. Her grandmother "was the lead soprano in temple", and her uncle sang with, and arranged for, vocal groups of the swing era. She graduated from Port Richmond High School and Wagner College.{{cite news |last1=Seaberg |first1=Maureen |title=Living the actors' nightmare |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-randy-graff/169217806/ |access-date=March 30, 2025 |work=Staten Island Advance |date=December 17, 1995 |page=E 1|via = Newspapers.com }}
Career
Graff's professional debut occurred at the Village Dinner Theater in Raleigh, North Carolina,{{cite news |last1=Morrison |first1=Bill |title=From Raleigh to the Great White Way |url=http://newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-randy-graff/169220001/ |work=The News and Observer |date=June 3, 1990 |location=North Carolina, Raleigh |pages=[http://newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-randy-graff/169220001/ H 1], [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer-randy-graff/169219953/ H 5] |accessdate=March 30, 2025 |via=Newspapers.com}} in 1976.{{cite news |last1=Morrison |first1=Bill |title=They come to praise Caesar |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-and-observer/169219267/ |access-date=March 30, 2025 |work=The News and Observer |date=October 13, 1993 |location=North Carolina, Raleigh |page=D 1|via = Newspapers.com }} She has been in feature films such as Keys to Tulsa and Rent as well as being in television shows such as NBC's Law & Order a number of times. In addition to film and television, Graff has been in several Broadway shows.
In 1990 Graff won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for her work in City of Angels,{{cite news |last1=Seaberg |first1=Maureen |title=Randy Graff is settling in on the '23rd Floor' |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/staten-island-advance-randy-graff/169216977/ |access-date=March 30, 2025 |work=Staten Island Advance |date=December 10, 1993 |page=C 3|via = Newspapers.com }} and in 2001 she was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in A Class Act.{{cite news |title=The Nominees for Best New Musical |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-suffolk-edition/169218624/ |access-date=March 30, 2025 |work=Newsday (Suffolk Edition) |date=June 3, 2001 |location=New York, Melville |page=D 12|via = Newspapers.com }}
She originated the role of Fantine in the musical Les Misérables when the production opened on Broadway in 1987, which included "I Dreamed a Dream", also on the soundtrack released in 1990.[https://archive.today/20130215192551/http://www.deccabroadway.com/product/default.aspx?pid=57931&aid=1616]
According to Graff, she was the first person to sing "I Dreamed a Dream" in the U.S., which is not entirely true. Patti LuPone sang it on The Joan Rivers Show shortly before the show opened in New York.{{Cite web |last=Ferri |first=Josh |date=February 4, 2014 |title=The Game Changer! Tony Winner Randy Graff Looks Back on Being Broadway's First Fantine |url=https://www.broadwaybox.com/daily-scoop/the-game-changer-tony-winner-randy-graff-looks-back-on-being-broadways-first-fantine/ |website=BroadwayBox}} She has also appeared in Broadway revivals of the musicals Damn Yankees and Fiddler on the Roof.
Graff teaches at the Manhattan School of Music.{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/checking-in-with-tony-winner-randy-graff-star-of-les-miserables-city-of-angels-more|title=Checking in With… Tony Winner Randy Graff, Star of Les Misérables, City of Angels, More|last=Gans|first=Andrew|date=April 23, 2020|website=Playbill.com|access-date=2020-04-28}}
Filmography
- Working It Out: "Pilot" (1990) TV Episode – Andy #1
- Law & Order
- "Sonata for Solo Organ" (1991) TV Episode – Dr. Martha Kershan
- "Attorney Client" (2002) TV Episode – Hillary Morton
- "Publish and Perish" (2005) TV Episode – Helen DeVries
- Drexell's Class (1991) TV Series – Principal Francine E. Itkin
- Mad About You: "Bedfellows" (1993) TV Episode – Sharon, Paul's older sister
- Bless This House: "Pilot" (1995) TV Episode – Marion
- Keys to Tulsa (1997) – Louise Brinkman
- Ed: "The Stars Align" (2001) TV Episode – Attorney
- Rent (2005) - Mrs. Cohen
- Learning to Drive (2014) – Attorney
Theatre
;Broadway
- Grease (1972)
- Saravá (1979)
- Les Misérables (1987) – Original Broadway cast
- City of Angels (1989) – Original Broadway cast, Tony Award winner for Best Featured Actress in a Musical
- Falsettos (1992)
- Laughter on the 23rd Floor (1993)
- Moon Over Buffalo (1995)
- High Society (1998)
- A Class Act (2001) – Original Broadway cast, Tony Awards nominee for Best Actress in a Musical
- Fiddler on the Roof (2004) – Revival
- Mr. Saturday Night (2022)
;Off-Broadway
- A... My Name Is Alice (1983 and 1984)[https://web.archive.org/web/20070915160534/http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=1725] Rich, Frank.[https://www.nytimes.com/1984/02/27/theater/theater-my-name-is-alice-at-american-place.html "Theater: 'My Name Is Alice,' At American Place"], The New York Times, February 27, 1984
- Do Re Mi (1999) Encores!, New York City – Kay Cram
- Hotel Suite (2000) – Millie
- A Class Act (2000) – Sophie
- Damn Yankees (2008) – Revival
- The Babylon Line (2016–2017) Lincoln Center Newhouse Theater – Frieda Cohen; Lucille Lortel Award for Featured Actress
;Regional
- A Little Night Music (2002) – "Charlotte", Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DCGans, Andrew.[http://www.playbill.com/article/sixth-sondheim-starts-a-little-night-music-begins-perfs-in-dc-aug-2-com-107436 "Sixth Sondheim Starts: A Little Night Music Begins Perfs. in D.C. Aug. 2"], Playbill.com, August 2, 2002.
- Elegies: A Song Cycle (2006) – "Reprise! Broadway's Best "Marvelous Musical Mondays", Los Angeles, CaliforniaGans, Andrew.[http://www.playbill.com/article/la-elegies-with-randy-graff-liz-callaway-and-malcolm-gets-offered-sept-11-com-134788 "L.A. Elegies — with Randy Graff, Liz Callaway and Malcolm Gets — Offered Sept. 11"], Playbill.com, September 11, 2006
- Hello, Dolly! (2007) – "Dolly", The Muny, St. Louis, MissouriGans, Andrew.[http://www.playbill.com/article/well-hello-randy-tony-winner-graff-begins-dolly-run-at-the-muny-july-9-com-142051 "Well, Hello, Randy: Tony Winner Graff Begins Dolly! Run at the Muny July 9"], Playbill.com, July 9, 2007
- Broadway: Three Generations (2008) – Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, DCGans, Andrew.[http://www.playbill.com/article/graff-ashmanskas-brescia-osnes-von-essen-explore-broadway-three-generations-oct-2-5-com-153838 Graff, Ashmanskas, Brescia, Osnes, von Essen Explore Broadway: Three Generations Oct. 2-5"], Playbill.com, October 2, 2008
- Damn Yankees (2008) – The New York City Center[https://archive.today/20130222081914/http://www.theaterscene.net/ts%5Carticles.nsf/(AlphaD)/450606507F3120F885257495004E5810]
- Motherhood Out Loud (2009) – Bay Street Theatre, Sag Harbor, New YorkHetrick, Adam.[http://www.playbill.com/article/graff-and-kellerman-added-to-motherhood-out-loud-at-bay-street-com-163112 Graff and Kellerman Added to Motherhood Out Loud at Bay Street"], Playbill.com, July 27, 2009
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- [http://randygraff.com The Official Website for Randy Graff]
- {{IBDB name|42744}}
- {{iobdb name|1971}}
- {{IMDb name|333797}}
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070423055643/http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/interactive/video/index.html#g TonyAwards.com Interview with Randy Graff]
{{Navboxes
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{{DramaDesk MusicalOutstandingFeaturedActress 1975-1999}}
{{TonyAward MusicalFeaturedActress 1976-2000}}
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{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Graff, Randy}}
Category:American television actresses
Category:Drama Desk Award winners
Category:Wagner College alumni
Category:American stage actresses
Category:American film actresses
Category:American musical theatre actresses
Category:Actresses from Brooklyn
Category:Musicians from Brooklyn
Category:20th-century American actresses