Faith Prince

Faith Prince (born August 6, 1957) is an American actress and singer, best known for her work on Broadway in musical theatre. She won the Tony Award as Best Actress in Guys and Dolls in 1992, and received three other Tony nominations.

Faith Prince
Born (1957-08-06) August 6, 1957
Augusta, Georgia, U.S.
OccupationActress, singer
Years active1983–present
Spouse(s)
Larry Lunetta
​
(m. 1992)​
Children1

Life and career

Prince was born in Augusta, Georgia, and raised in Lynchburg, Virginia, where she attended E.C. Glass High School, and later studied theater at the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music.[1][2] She made her Broadway debut as the Gypsy character Tessie Tura in Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989) and followed this with a role in the ill-fated Nick & Nora.[3]

She was established as a Broadway star with her portrayal of Miss Adelaide in the 1992 revival of Guys and Dolls, for which she won both the Tony and Drama Desk Award as Best Actress in a Musical. In 2001, Prince was once again nominated for Tony and Drama Desk Awards for her portrayal of Ella Peterson in the revival of Bells Are Ringing. She was featured in the 2008 Broadway musical A Catered Affair, for which she received Tony and Drama Desk nominations.[4]

She appeared in a concert version of Sweeney Todd with the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra in Orlando, Florida in March 2009.[5] On April 7, 2009, she took over the role of Ursula from Heidi Blickenstaff in the Broadway musical The Little Mermaid.[6]

She appeared in such films as The Last Dragon (1985), Dave (1993), Picture Perfect (1997), and Our Very Own (2005), among others. Her television credits include the short-lived High Society (1995); recurring roles on Spin City (1997–2000) and Huff (2004–2005), as well as guest appearances on such shows as Remington Steele, Law & Order, Monk, Frasier, House, Grey's Anatomy, Drop Dead Diva, Ugly Betty, and Happy Endings.

A live recording of her 2005 cabaret debut at Joe's Pub, at The Public Theater, entitled A Leap of Faith, was released on the DRG Records label. A second recording, titled Total Faith was recorded at the Royal Room, Palm Beach, Florida.[7] She has participated in studio recordings of scores from Breakfast at Tiffany's[8] and Jerry Herman's unproduced musical, Miss Spectacular.[9]

She performs her cabaret act in various venues, such as the Orange County Performing Arts Center, California, in April 2010[10] and Caramoor, New York, in May 2010.[7] Prince appeared in the concert version (and accompanying recording) of the revue Life Begins at 8:40 at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, on March 22, 2010.[11] She also performed the closing show in the 2002–2003 theatre season at Eisenhower Hall at West Point.

Prince played Mrs. Wilkinson in the second United States national tour of Billy Elliot the Musical, which began performances in October 2010 and ended in August 2011.[12][13] In 2012, Prince worked with long-term friend Jason Graae on The Prince and the Showboy, a show which pays tribute to composer Jerry Herman (La Cage aux Folles, Hello Dolly!) who Graae described as "a survivor of the highest degree [who] lives his life as an eternal optimist."[14] Prince and Graae won the New York Nightlife Award for outstanding musical comedy performer in January 2013.[15]

She returned to the Broadway stage replacing Jane Lynch as Miss Hannigan in the revival of Annie beginning July 19, 2013.[16] She then appeared as Shirley in the Broadway production of Disaster!.[17]

She also had a recurring role in the ABC Family sitcom, Melissa & Joey, as Gloria Longo.

Personal life

Prince has been married to trumpeter Larry Lunetta since 1992; the couple resides in Sacramento, California, with their son.[18][19] She was predeceased by her brother, Philip.[20]

Prince is a Presbyterian.[21]

Stage productions

Awards and nominations
Year Nominated Work Award Result Notes
1989 Jerome Robbins' Broadway Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
Jerome Robbins' Broadway Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
1992 Guys and Dolls Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical Won
Guys and Dolls Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical Won
2001 Bells Are Ringing Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
Bells are Ringing Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical Nominated
2008 A Catered Affair Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
A Catered Affair Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical Nominated
2012 The Prince and the Showboy New York Nightlife Award for Outstanding Musical Comedy Performer Won Joint with Jason Graae[15]

References
  1. Quintos, Michael L. She also had voice lessons from Carl Harris, a conductor at Shenandoah Conservatory."BWW Interviews: Tony Winner FAITH PRINCE Returns to OCPAC's Cabaret Stage" broadwayworld.com, April 8, 2010
  2. Everett, Carole J. (2009). "University of Cincinnati College—Conservatory of Music". College Guide for Performing Arts Majors: The Real-World Admission Guide for Dance, Music, and Theater Majors. Peterson's. p. 325. ISBN 9780768926989. Faculty, Resident Artists, and Alumni ... Alumni continue to hold key positions in the performing and media arts. Numbered among them are ... musical theatre stars Faith Prince, Lee Roy Reams, Michele Pawk, Jason Graae, Jim Walton, Vicki Lewis, and Ashley Brown.
  3. Kenrick, John."Faith Prince biography" musicals101.com, retrieved May 26, 2010
  4. Gans, Andrew. "The Broadway Affair Begins: New Fierstein-Bucchino Musical Arrives at the Kerr March 25" Playbill, March 25, 2008, accessed December 4, 2016
  5. Gans, Andrew."Faith Prince and Davis Gaines Will Attend the Tale of Sweeney Todd in Florida" Playbill, January 30, 2009, accessed December 4, 2016
  6. Gans, Andrew. "Tony Winner Faith Prince to Join Broadway's Little Mermaid" Playbill, February 17, 2009, accessed December 4, 2016
  7. Kramer, Peter D."Faith Prince at Caramoor" lohud.com, May 4, 2010
  8. "'Breakfast At Tiffany's' Studio Recording" Archived 2009-06-12 at the Wayback Machine, musical-theatre.net, retrieved February 20, 2010
  9. Suskin, Steven. "On The Record: Into the Woods with Miss Spectacular" Playbill, July 28, 2002, accessed december 4, 2016
  10. "Faith Prince to Replace Paul Szot in Cabaret Series at OCPAC" Los Angeles Times, February 12, 2010
  11. Probst, Andy ."Kate Baldwin, Montego Glover, Brad Oscar, Faith Prince, et al. Set for Life Begins at 8:40 Concert and Recording" theatermania.com, March 5, 2010
  12. Gans, Andrew."Second National Tour of 'Billy Elliot', With Faith Prince, Launches Oct. 30" Archived 2010-12-04 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, October 30, 2010
  13. Sokol, Robert."Faith, home and charity: 'Billy Elliot's' Prince plays in San Francisco benefit" Archived 2012-11-23 at the Wayback Machine San Francisco Examiner, July 25, 2011
  14. Wong, Curtis M. (August 21, 2012). "Faith Prince, Jason Graae Dish On Their 54 Below Cabaret Gig, Broadway And Jerry Herman". Huffington Post. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  15. Holden, Stephen (January 16, 2013). "Where Knowing Your Way Around a Song Trumps Youth". The New York Times. Retrieved September 30, 2016.
  16. Gioia, Michael. "Tony Winner Faith Prince Steps Into Miss Hannigan's Shoes in Broadway's 'Annie' Starting July 19" Archived 2013-08-05 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, July 19, 2013
  17. Lloyd Webber, Imogen (November 5, 2015). "Look Out! All-Star Disaster! Will Hit Broadway, Starring Adam Pascal, Roger Bart, Faith Prince & More". Broadway.com. Retrieved March 9, 2016.
  18. Spanner, Whitney. "How The Man With the Horn Settled Down with Broadway’s Favorite Doll" Playbill, December 4, 2016
  19. Richards, David. "Theater; Faith Prince, How Does Your Garden Grow?" The New York Times, May 31, 1992
  20. Crowder, Marcus. "Sacramento resident, Broadway actress Faith Prince to sing with Sac Philharmonic" Archived 2012-10-13 at the Wayback Machine, May 20, 2011
  21. Isherwood, Charles (September 27, 1999). "Review: 'Faith Prince: Leap of Faith'". Retrieved October 28, 2016.
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