Valisia LeKae
Valisia LeKae | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 25, 1979 Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Occupations | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 2002–present |
Valisia LeKae (born September 25, 1979)[1] is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award and in 2013 she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical both for her performance as Diana Ross in the Broadway musical Motown: The Musical.
Personal life
[edit]LeKae was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee,[2] and listened to Motown records in her grandfather's barbershop as a youngster. She started to sing in church at age six[2] and then worked at the Dollywood theme park.[3] LeKae graduated from college with a degree in Psychology and minor in Child and Family Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.[4]
LeKae left Motown: The Musical in December 2013 to be treated after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.[5]
In February 2014, LeKae was named spokesperson for The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.[citation needed]
Career
[edit]She starred as Diana Ross in Motown: The Musical on Broadway, which opened in April 2013.[6] The reviewer for TheaterMania wrote of her performance in Motown: The Musical:
The one person who truly shines, though, is Valisia LeKae as Gordy's longtime paramour, superstar Diana Ross. It's not just her almost spot-on re-creation of Miss Ross' breathy voice and steely demeanor that commands our attention. The consistent display of her genuine star power – most evident in a thrilling 'Reach Out and Touch' segment – also draws us in.[7]
The TalkinBroadway reviewer wrote: "Valisia LeKae does a killer impersonation of Ross, and effectively mimics her smoky innocence."[8]
For her performance she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[9] She was also nominated for a Drama League Award (Distinguished Performance Award)[10] and Outer Critics Circle Award (Outstanding Actress in a Musical)[11] and won the Theatre World Award (Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut performance).[12][13]
Previously, she was a swing and understudy in the Broadway productions of The Book of Mormon (2011), Ragtime (2009) for which she was the winner of a Joseph Jefferson Award, and The Threepenny Opera (2006) and a performer in 110 in the Shade (2007).[14][15]
Filmography
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Camelot: Live from Lincoln Center | Ensemble | TV special | [16][17] |
| 2009-2010 | One Life to Live | Evangeline Body Double | 2 episodes | |
| 2015 | The Adventures of Lillian Kate | Lillian Kate | Web series, 3 episodes | |
| 2017 | Blue Bloods | Leah Walker | Episode: "The Forgotten" | |
| 2019 | The Blacklist | Gunman #3 | Episode: "Dr. Hans Koehler (No. 33)" | |
| 2020 | Scenes from Sweet Lorraine | Lorraine Hansberry | Short film | |
| 2022 | FBI: Most Wanted | Jade Johnson | Episode: "Shattered" | |
| 2023 | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Lucy | Episode: "Susan" |
Stage credits
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Mamma Mia | Ensemble | Las Vegas, Mandalay Bay Theatre | [18][19] |
| 2003-2004 | Lisa | U.S. National Tour | ||
| 2005 | Almost Heaven - John Denver's America | Performer | Regional, Center Repertory Company | |
| 2006 | The Threepenny Opera | Swing | Broadway, Studio 54 | |
| All Shook Up | Lorraine | U.S. National Tour | ||
| 2007 | 110 in the Shade | Vivian Lorraine Taylor | Broadway, Studio 54 | |
| 2008 | Caroline, or Change | Emmie Thibodeaux | Regional, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley | |
| 2009 | Little Shop of Horrors | Chiffon | Regional, Stages St. Louis | |
| 2010 | Ragtime | Ensemble | Broadway, Neil Simon Theatre | |
| Sarah | Regional, Drury Lane Theatre | |||
| 2011-2012 | The Book of Mormon | Understudy | Broadway, Eugene O'Neill Theatre | |
| 2013-2015 | Motown | Diana Ross | Broadway, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre | |
| 2016 | Single | Jessica | Off-Broadway, June Havoc Theatre | |
| 2019 | Rock and Roll Man: The Alan Freed Story | Lavern Baker | Regional, Berkshire Theatre Group | |
| Mark Twain's River of Song | Ensemble | Regional, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley | ||
| 2022 | SuperHero | Mom | Off-Broadway, The Frank Shiner Theater at the Sheen Center | |
| 2023 | Rock & Roll Man | Lavern Baker | Off-Broadway, New World Stages | |
| 2025 | The Color Purple | Shug Avery | Regional, Casa Mañana Theatre |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Joseph Jefferson Award | Outstanding Actress in a Supporting Role - Musical | Ragtime | Won | [20] |
| 2013 | Tony Award | Best Actress in a Musical | Motown | Nominated | [21] |
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Nominated | [22][23] | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Nominated | [24] | ||
| Theatre World Award | Outstanding Debut | Won | [25] | ||
| 2014 | Grammy Award | Best Musical Theater Album | Nominated | [26] |
References
[edit]- ^ Date of birth, Familysearch.org; accessed June 4, 2014.
- ^ a b Gans, Andrew. "DIVA TALK: A Chat With 'Motown The Musical' Star Valisia LeKae", playbill.com, March 15, 2013
- ^ Mandell, Jonathan. In the Middle with You: Motown Stars Valisia LeKae and Brandon Victor Dixon", playbill.com, May 2, 2013
- ^ "Broadway Actress Valisia LeKae Receives Accomplished Alumni Award | Tennessee Today". Tntoday.utk.edu. 2013-09-09. Retrieved 2016-03-04.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Tony Award Nominee Valisia LeKae Departs Broadway's Motown to Undergo Treatment for Ovarian Cancer" Archived 2013-12-19 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, December 17, 2013
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. " 'Hail to the Beat': 'Motown: The Musical' Opens On Broadway April 14" Archived 2013-06-05 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, April 14, 2013
- ^ Lipton, Brian Scott. "Review. 'Motown: The Musical'", theatermania.com, April 14, 2013
- ^ Murray, Matthew. "Broadway Reviews. 'Motown: The Musical'", talkinbroadway.com, April 14, 2013
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Nominations Announced for 67th Annual Tony Awards; 'Kinky Boots' Earns 13 Nominations" Archived 2013-10-21 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, April 30, 2013.
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Nominees Announced for 79th Annual Drama League Awards" Archived 2013-04-26 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, April 23, 2013
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "'Pippin' Is Big Winner of 2012-13 Outer Critics Circle Awards" Archived 2013-12-22 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, May 13, 2013.
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Tom Hanks, Bertie Carvel, Valisia LeKae, Rob McClure and More Are Theatre World Award Winners" Archived 2013-06-07 at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, May 7, 2013.
- ^ Witherspoon, Chris. "Motown Actress Valisia LeKae Delivers as Diana Ross", thegrio.com, May 20, 2013.
- ^ "Valisia LeKae Listing", playbillvault.com
- ^ "Valisia LeKae Profile", broadway.com
- ^ "Valisia LeKae". IMDb. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ^ "Valisia LeKae and Daniel J. Watts Star in Scenes From 'Sweet Lorraine' the Play November 19". Playbill. October 26, 2012. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ^ "Valisia LeKae". About The Artists. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ^ "Valisia LeKae". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ^ "The 42nd Annual Jeff Equity Awards Announced". The Joseph Jefferson Awards. October 25, 2010. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ^ "The 2013 Tony Awards Winners Announced". New York Theatre Guide. June 9, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ^ "Outer Critics Circle 2013 Award Winners". New York Theatre Guide. May 13, 2013. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
- ^ "2012–2013 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
- ^ "2013 Drama League Award Winners". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved 2025-10-05.
- ^ "2013 Theatre World Awards: Winners Announced". New York Theatre Guide. May 7, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
- ^ "Grammys: 'Matilda,' 'Kinky Boots,' 'Motown' among musical theater nominees". Los Angeles Times. December 6, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2026.
