Melissa Errico

Melissa Errico is an American actress, singer, recording artist and writer. She is perhaps best known for her leading Broadway musical roles such as Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady" and Kurt Weill's "One Touch of Venus," and as an interpreter of the work of Stephen Sondheim and Michel Legrand.

Early life

Melissa Errico was born in New York Hospital and lived in New York City for five years while her New Jersey-raised father completed medical residency and her Brooklyn-native mother was a schoolteacher in Harlem. Both of first-generation Italian descent, her parents relocated the family to Manhasset, Long Island where her father established a medical practice in Orthopedics.^[1] Starting her professional career at the age of 12, Melissa appeared on national television in the Sunbow Entertainment production, syndicated children's TV series "The Great Space Coaster" (created by Kermit Love (original Muppet designer for Jim Henson) and Jim Martin.^[2] Errico's maternal grandmother was an operatic, lyric soprano and her grandmother's sister was a Ziegfeld Follies girl.^[3][4]

Education

Errico is a graduate of Yale University. During her freshman year, Errico was asked to audition for the role of Cosette^[5][6] and was cast. Errico toured for over a year in the First National Company of "Les Misérables," then returned and graduated from Yale University with an honors degree ^[5] in Art History & Philosophy.^[7] While a student in New Haven, Errico played Irina in "The Three Sisters" with Edward Norton.^[8] She was accepted into the Yale Graduate School of Drama but dropped out to star in "Anna Karenina" as Princess Kitty on Broadway at The Circle In The Square. Errico is a graduate of the BADA program at Oxford University where she studied acting Shakespeare and Chekhov.

Theater

Errico played Cosette in "Les Miserables" (National Tour) and Eliza Doolittle in "My Fair Lady" on Broadway. Other Broadway starring roles include "High Society," "Anna Karenina," "Dracula, The Musical," "Amour," and "Irving Berlin's White Christmas." She has six Drama Desk Award nominations including Best Actress in a Play for "Candida" and is the recipient of a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actress in a Musical (Michel Legrand's "Amour"), four Outer Critics Circle Awards, five Drama League Honors, two Helen Hayes nominations and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in "One Touch of Venus." She is the first, and only, recipient in the history of The Lortel Awards to be recognized as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical and is the only performer in the over-twenty-year history of The City Center Encores! series to win an award for their work. In 2016, she returned to City Center for another triumph in the Rodgers-Sondheim musical "Do I Hear A Waltz?" winning rave reviews, such as "an exquisite interpretation"^[9]

Notable roles

• Eliza Doolittle: previewing from 26 November 1993, opening 9 December, running until May 1, 1994, Errico appeared as Eliza opposite Richard Chamberlain and Julian Holloway (who recreated his father's role as Alfred P. Doolittle) at the Virginia Theater on Broadway. In 2003, Errico returned to Eliza Doolittle, with John Lithgow and Roger Daltrey for a production of "My Fair Lady" at The Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
• Venus: From 28 – 30 March 1996, Errico made an appearance at The City Center Encores! Directed by Leonard Foglia (Master Class), she played the titular role in Kurt Weill's "One Touch of Venus." Errico was named Outstanding Actress in a Musical (1996 Lucille Lortel Award). The first-ever complete recording of the score, starring Errico, was released 13 May 2014 on Jay Records. On October 7, 2013, Errico sang the role in a filmed concert at Symphony Space with Le Train Bleu Orchestra conducted by James Holmes.
• Dot/Marie: The production ran at the Eisenhower Theater, 31 May – 28 June and Errico's work was recognized with a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Leading Actress in a Musical.
• Candida – Directed by Tony Walton, Errico took on the title role in the Irish Repertory Theater's revival of George Bernard Shaw's play. The production ran 24 February – 25 April in 2010. Errico achieved a Drama Desk Award nomination for her work.
• Annie Savoy – Errico played the role of Annie in the world premiere of the new musical, "Bull Durham" which played 3 September – 5 October 2014 at the Alliance theater in Atlanta, Georgia.
• Leona Samish – Ms Errico played the lead role of Leona in "Do I Hear A Waltz?" at New York, City Center from 11–15 May 2016.
• Sharon McLonergan – Errico returned to the role of Sharon in the 2016 production of "Finian's Rainbow" an experience she chronicled (as a writer) ^[10]in the NY Times.

Television

Errico made a strong impression with the recurring guest role of June on Showtime Television's "Billions," leading Variety Magazine to write her up as a contender for a 2016 Emmy Award Nomination. ^[11] She played the recurring role of Catherine on Season One of Stephen Soderbergh's "The Knick," and had a comedic guest turn as Gloria, mother to Michael Ian Black's character, on "The Jim Gaffigan Show." She has been cast to star in pilots produced by Jon Favreau and Larry Charles ("Smog"), Ed Burns ("Fighting Fitzgeralds"), Tom Fontana and Spike Lee ("Mony" opposite Bobby Cannavale) and Kelsey Grammar ("Neurotic Tendencies"). She was a series regular on Darren Star's "Central Park West" and has made recent guest appearances in "Blue Bloods" and "The Good Wife".

Errico has appeared in pilots for new shows:

• "Smog" written and directed by Jon Favreau, produced by writer/director Larry Charles (Seinfeld, Mad about you, Entourage). It starred Vince Vaughn and Noah Emmerich - Errico was a series regular.^[12][13]
• The Spike Lee-helmed show, "M.O.N.Y" was produced by Tom Fontana for NBC in 2006.^[14]
• Produced by Kelsey Grammer - Errico appeared in "Neurotic Tendencies".^[15]
• "The Fighting Fitzgeralds" - Errico was a series regular.^[16]

Film

Errico recorded the theme song for the movie, Max Rose in 2013 which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. The soundtrack features an original score by Michel Legrand and Errico sang the main title track, "Hurry Home".

Recording career

Solo albums

• Blue Like That (Manhattan Records/EMI) produced by Arif Mardin - released 25 February 2003.
• Lullabies & Wildflowers (Velour/Universal Records, later Ghostlight Records) produced by Rob Mathes - released 29 April 2008.
• Legrand Affair (Ghostlight Records) produced by Phil Ramone - released 18 October 2011.
• More Lullabies & Wildflowers (Ghostlight Records) - released 23 June 2015.
• What About Today? Melissa Errico - Live at 54 Below (Broadway Records) - October 16, 2015

Cast albums

• "Call Me Madam" – Encores Cast (1995).
• "High Society" – Original Broadway Cast (1998).
• "Amour" – Original Broadway Cast (2003).
• "Finian's Rainbow" – Irish Repertory Theater Cast Recording (2004).
• "Sadie Thompson" - World premiere recording (2005).
• "Anna Karenina" – The Broadway Musical (2007).
• "One Touch of Venus" – first complete recording (2014).

Miscellaneous recordings

• "Wouldn't It Be Loverly" – "The Musicality of Lerner & Loewe".
• "The Mockingbird Song" – "Mockingbird Don't Sing" soundtrack.
• "Blue Skies/It's a Lovely Day Today" (duet with Malcolm Gets) – "The Journey Home".
• "In Love In Vain" from "Jerome Kern: Life Upon The Wicked S.T.A.G.E.
• "There's a Small Hotel" & "People Will Say We're In Love" (duet with Patrick Quinn) – "Wall to Wall Richard Rodgers".
• "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" from "Weihnachten with Jose Van Dam".
• "Maybe Someone Dreamed Us" from "Legrand Affair" appears on the "Michel Legrand Anthology".
• "Otherwise" by Jane Kenyon – "Poetic License" – 100 poems/100 performers, part 3 (available on ITunes).
• "Hurry Home" – "Max Rose" Original Film Soundtrack.

Errico's recording of a song from David Shire's new musical "Table" was aired in April 2015 on NPR radio on The Jonathan Schwartz show for WYNC.^[17]

Concerts

Her appearances include concerts at The Kennedy Center Opera House, Avery Fisher/David Geffen Music Hall, Wolf Trap, Severance Hall, 54 Below, Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center and Café Carlyle. She reprised her performance as Venus at City Center Encores! Broadway Bash! ^[18] in November 2001. Errico made her London debut in May 2008 singing in "Jerry Herman's Broadway" ^[19] at the London Palladium. She has taken part in three Symphony Space Wall to Wall events to commemorate Stephen Sondheim, Kurt Weill & Richard Rodgers in NYC. In November 2015, she debuted her new one-woman show at Joe's Pub, New York co-written with close collaborator Adam Gopnik.^[20] Errico has sung with such symphonies as The Cleveland Orchestra, The National Symphony Orchestra, The London Philharmonic, The Utah Symphony, The Brussels Philharmonic, and has toured with conductors Marvin Hamlisch ^[21](NSO) and Michael Tilson Thomas (New World Symphony). She appeared in March 2016 at Lincoln Center in a Judy Garland concert^[22] moderated by Adam Gopnik.

Personal life

She has 2 siblings – Mike Errico and Melanie Errico. She met her husband, former tennis professional and ESPN sports commentator Patrick McEnroe when they were in grade school together.^[13] They married 19 December 1998 at the Holy Trinity Church on W. 82nd Street.^[23] The couple has three daughters.

Writing

Errico has written lyrics – "Gentle Child" appears on her 2008 solo recording, "Lullabies and Wildflowers" and authored "Musings" – which details the chronology of her album Legrand Affair. She was principal speaker at the Annual Broadway Blessing in 2013.^[24][25]

Philanthropy

Errico founded the original Bowery Babes in 2005 and maintains her seat on the Board of Directors for this New York based non-profit 501-c3 organization. Errico sang on June 1, 2015 at Merkin Concert Hall in support of The Ali Forney Center, the nation's largest and most comprehensive organization dedicated to homeless LGBT youth.^[26]

References

External links

• Official website
• Bowery Babes
• Internet Broadway Database listing
• Melissa Errico at the Internet Movie Database