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Jennifer Holliday

Birth Place: Houston, TX, USA

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BIO

From her early days as a girl singing solos with the choir at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Houston,TX to her years on the Broadway stage and beyond, the inimitable voice of Jennifer Holliday has riveted the hearts of audiences from around the world. She is a Broadway Legend in every sense of the term: her iconic portrayal of Effie “Melody” White in the 1981 smash hit Dreamgirls will forever be a template for delivering gut-wrenching, timeless performances, evidenced in Ms. Holliday garnering a Grammy® Award for her performance of the show- stopping torch ballad “And I am Telling You, I’m Not Going” and a coveted Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Effie.





Her second album, “Say You Love Me,” won her a second GRAMMY® for her rendition of Duke Ellington’s classic, “Come Sunday.” From 1985 to 1992, she had five Top 10 singles on the R&B and Dance Charts and her star continued to shine brightly with collaborations and appearances with other megastars: Barbra Streisand, Luther Vandross, David Foster, Paul Simon, Michael Jackson, Maurice White and Foreigner, with whom she performed on a special version of “I Want To Know What Love Is.”



In 2014, Ms. Holliday released her first album in two decades. “This Song Is You” stirred long-time fans and garnered a new generation of enthusiastic listeners landing Ms. Holliday back in the Top 20 R&B charts with rave reviews.



Standout television appearances include David E. Kelley’s Ally McBeal, American Idol, and So You Think You Can Dance. In 2016, Ms. Holliday returned to the stage starring alongside Cynthia Erivo in the Broadway revival of The Color Purple as sultry singer Shug Avery. She is a long-standing, dedicated supporter of the LGBTQ+ community and an advocate for mental health and suicide prevention.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival Production, 2015
Shug Avery [Replacement]

[Los Angeles]
World Premiere, 2003
Featured Performer

[Broadway]
Angela Lansbury Tribute Benefit, 1996
Performer

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1996
Matron "Mama" Morton [Replacement]

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1994
Teen Angel [Replacement]

[Broadway]
Closed on the road, 1985
Mahalia Jackson

[US Tour]
1st National Tour, 1983
Effie Melody White

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1981
Effie Melody White

Effie Melody White [Replacement]

Effie Melody White


Movies

Below the Belt
[ 1980 ] performer
The Rising Place
[ 2001 ] Sadie
Change in the Wind
[ 2010 ] Hattie McDaniel
The Road to Galena
[ 2022 ] Florrie

TV Shows

Ally McBeal
Lisa Knowles

Awards and Nominations


winner
Drama Desk Awards - 1982 - Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Jennifer Holliday, Dreamgirls


winner
Theatre World Awards - 1982 - Performance

Jennifer Holliday, Dreamgirls


winner
Tony Awards - 1982 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical

Jennifer Holliday , Dreamgirls

Drama Desk Awards - 1981 - Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Jennifer Yvette Holliday, Your Arms Too Short to Box With God

Videos

News


Kevin Chamberlin to Perform at The Green Room 42 in November

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present the New York City solo cabaret debut of  three-time Tony nominated actor and singer Kevin Chamberlin in 'Finding the Joy,' for two performances. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
Feature: October Monthly Musical Birthday Tribute " It's a Quiz!

What star turned down CABARET? What two cabaret stars were born on Halloween? What cabaret club was named for a character in a musical? What Broadway lyricist turns 100 this month? Take the multiple-choice quiz and see what you know (or might guess correctly) about so many talented folks ALL born in October.
Natalie Joy Johnson to Return to The Green Room 42 in October

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present Natalie Joy Johnson in October. Learn more about the show and see how to purchase tickets.
Jennifer Holliday, J'Nai Bridges & Rema Webb to Perform at AMPLIFY 2024 Gala

Broadway legend and Tony and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Holliday, and two-time Grammy Award winner J’Nai Bridges, will perform at Houses on the Moon's AMPLIFY 2024 Gala Celebration. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Broadway's Norm Lewis Will Kick Off MPAC's 30th Anniversary

Three decades in the making, Mayo Performing Arts Center’s 30th anniversary season will officially kick off on Friday, September 20 at 8 pm with a performance by Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and SAG Award nominee Norm Lewis.
See Norm Lewis with Seth Rudetsky at the White Plains Performing Arts Center

The White Plains Performing Arts Center will present Tony and Grammy Nominee Norm Lewis with Sirius XM Radio Star Seth Rudetsky in concert and conversation. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Photos: An Intimate Evening with Jennifer Holliday at Red Eye NY

An Intimate Evening with Jennifer Holliday took place at Red Eye NY on July 26. Check out photos from the event here!
See Jennifer Holliday Live In NYC And Fire Island Next Weekend

Jennifer Holliday will perform live in NYC and Fire Island on July 26th and 27th at 8pm, presented by Daniel Nardicio and the Red Eye Guys. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Are We In a Sondheim Renaissance?

This time, the reader question was: Have there been a lot of Sondheim productions in New York City since the legendary composer and lyricist passed away?
Boyz II Men Joins the San Francisco Symphony For Two Holiday Performances

Legendary Grammy Award-winning group Boyz II Men will join conductor Edwin Outwater and the San Francisco Symphony for two special holiday performances, December 17 and 18, 2024, as part of the San Francisco Symphony’s 2024 Holidays with the Symphony season.
Review: DREAMGIRLS at The Muny

Tiffany Mann is magnificent in The Muny's DREAMGIRLS as Effie White. She is a powerhouse performer with riveting stage presence and gigantic voice. Her heartbroken, resentful, and bitter portrayal painted a determined Effie who would not be pushed aside.
Photos: Norm Lewis, Kate Baldwin & More Perform FOLLIES Concert at Carnegie Hall

See photos of Norm Lewis, Kate Baldwin and more performing Follies in concert at Carnegie Hall!
Shanna Sharp to Perform at The Green Room 42 in July

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will present singer/songwriter and recording artist Shanna Sharp, in her final New York City performance before she embarks on her new journey to Europe. Learn how to purchase tickets.
SLEEP NO MORE to Play Final Performance in September

Sleep No More will play its final performance on Sunday, September 29. Learn how to purchase tickets.
Drama Book Shop Will Host Signing and Talkback Event For 'The Tony Awards: A Celebration of Excellence in Theatre'

The Drama Book Shop will host an event in conjunction with the release of the book, 'The Tony Awards: A Celebration of Excellence in Theatre'. The event will feature Eila Mell and Heather A. Hitchens, and will include a talkback, signing, and live podcast recording.
Kate Baldwin, Beth Leavel, and More Join FOLLIES Concert at Carnegie Hall

The complete cast has now been announced for Transport Group's concert production of Follies. The sold-out event will play one night only—Thursday, June 20, at 8:00 p.m. at Carnegie Hall.
Review: Seth Rudetsky presents Tony Winner Lillias White at OC's Segerstrom Center

To close out their 2023-2024 Series, Segerstrom Center welcomed theater aficionado Seth Rudetsky to serve as an interviewer/pianist for Tony Award winner Lillias White for three shows May 16-18, 2024 in one of the most incredibly wonderful, fan-favoring shows that the OC arts campus has ever hosted at the intimate Samueli Theater in Costa Mesa, CA.
Review: Luke Islam LIVE IN CONCERT at The Cutting Room

For his age, Luke Islam has incredible vocal control, range, and awareness of what he wants. Islam’s solo show at the Cutting Room on Sunday April 28th at 7 pm featured a mix of the Broadway classics he grew up on, and R&B classics.
Tiffany Mann, Aisha Jackson, and More Will Lead DREAMGIRLS at The Muny

Tiffany Mann, Aisha Jackson, Courtnee Carter, Charl Brown, Nick Rashad Burroughs, Ron Himes, Aramie Payton, Robby Clater and Natalie Kaye Clater will star in the Muny production of Dreamgirls.
Holliday, Lewis, Benko, Billings & More to Star in FOLLIES at Carnegie Hall

Follies, featuring an all-star cast of Tony Award winners and nominees, will be the tenth presentation in the Transport Group's Anne L. Bernstein Concert Series—for one night only—at Carnegie Hall. Learn how to purchase tickets.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Jennifer Holliday been in?

Jennifer Holliday has appeared on Broadway in 6 shows.

How many West End shows has Jennifer Holliday been in?

Jennifer Holliday has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Jennifer Holliday been nominated for?

Outstanding Actress in a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Dreamgirls, Performance (Theatre World Awards) for Dreamgirls, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical (Tony Awards) for Dreamgirls, and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Drama Desk Awards) for Your Arms Too Short to Box With God.

What awards has Jennifer Holliday won?

Jennifer Holliday has won several prestigious awards, including Outstanding Actress in a Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for her role in Dreamgirls. She also received the Performance award at the Theatre World Awards for Dreamgirls. Additionally, she won the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical, also for her performance in Dreamgirls.

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