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Kecia Lewis

Kecia Lewis
Lewis at the 77th Tony Awards 2024
Born (1965-06-30) June 30, 1965 (age 59)
Bronx, NY
EducationHigh School of Performing Arts NYU, Tisch School of the Arts
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1980–present

Kecia Lewis, also credited as Kecia Lewis-Evans[1] is an American singer and actress, known primarily for her work on the stage.[2] Lewis made her Broadway debut as a replacement in the musical Big River (1985). She has since returned to Broadway in the musicals Once on This Island (1990), Leap of Faith (2012), and Hell's Kitchen (2024), the later of which earned her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[3][4][5][6]

Early life

Lewis was born and raised in New York City and is a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts.[7]

Career

She made her Broadway debut at 18 years old in the original cast of Dreamgirls, directed by Michael Bennett, where she replaced Sheila Ellis in the role of Edna Burk and was the understudy of Effie Melody White played by Jennifer Holliday.[8] She followed this serving as an understudy for Nell Carter in the revival of Ain't Misbehavin'. In 1990, she originated the role of Asaka in Once on This Island. In 2006, she originated the role of Trix the Aviatrix in The Drowsy Chaperone. In 2006, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance as Dorcas in Dessa Rose.

In 2017, her performance as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Marie and Rosetta earned her an Obie Award and a nomination for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play. In 2018, she starred as Mrs. Norman in a revival of Children of a Lesser God at the Studio 54.[9] In 2019 Lewis played the recurring role of Tonya on the 2019 follow-up of NBC television series Mad About You.[10] In 2022 she was cast in the Peacock thriller film The Independent.[11]

In 2023 she appeared off-Broadway in the show Hell's Kitchen, originating the role of music educator Miss Liza Jane, and reprised the role on Broadway in 2024, receiving a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Lucille Lortel Award along with a Drama League Award nomination.[12] Lewis also teaches stage and drama acting at the Atlantic Acting School. During her career Lewis also starred in films and television series, including recurring roles in Mad About You, The Passage, The Blacklist, and Law & Order.

Acting credits

Film

Years Title Role Notes
2014 Shelter Shelter Worker
2020 Shirley Nurse
2022 The Independent Tonya

Television

Years Title Role Notes Ref.
1992 Law & Order Langstrom Episode: "The Fertile Fields"
2000 The Hughleys Donna Episode: "Love or Money"
2002 Crossing Jordan Intake Nurse Episode: "Secrets & Lies: Part 1"
2013–2020 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Judge Constance Copeland 4 episodes
2013 Royal Pains Nurse Episode: "Game of Phones"
2015 Limitless Chrystal Episode: "This Is Your Brian on Drugs"
2016 Blue Bloods Sandi Harper Episode: "Town Without Pity"
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Stephanie Episode: "Kimmy Gives Up!"
Conviction Judge Melissa Hinds Episode: "A Simple Man"
2017 Madam Secretary Ms. Morales Episode: "Revelation"
2019 SMILF Aunt Renee Episode: "Smile More if Lying Fails"
Wu-Tang: An American Saga Aunt Goldie 3 episodes
Mad About You Tonya 12 episodes
The Passage Lacey Antoine 7 episodes
2020–2021 The Blacklist Esi Jackson 10 episodes
2021 With Love Mia Episode: "Independence Day"
And Just Like That... Laura Episode: "Tragically Hip"
2022 The Good Fight Angela Allen-Hellman Episode: "The End of STR Laurie"

Theatre

Lewis had performed in severals Broadway, Off-Broadway and US stage companies.

Years Title Role Venue Ref.
1981–1985 Dreamgirls Ensemble / Edna Burke
Effie Melody White 		Imperial Theatre, Broadway
1985–1987 Big River Ensemble / Alice Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway [13]
1988–1989 Ain't Misbehavin' Standby Ambassador Theatre, Broadway [14]
1988 The Gospel at Colonus Chorus Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway
1990–1991 Once on This Island Asaka Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway
1990–1991 Once on This Island Asaka Booth Theatre, Broadway [15]
1996 Chicago Matron "Mama" Morton Ambassador Theatre, Broadway [16]
1999 Louisiana Purchase Beatrice Pasadena Playhouse, California
2005 Dessa Rose Various Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway
2006–2007 The Drowsy Chaperone Trix Marquis Theatre, Broadway [17]
2008 Shrek the Musical Dragon 5th Avenue Theatre, Washington
2008 Chicago Matron "Mama" Morton Shubert Theatre, Broadway
2009–2010 Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway
2010 Hairspray Motormouth Maybelle Benedum Center, Pennsylvania
2010 Leap of Faith Ida Mae Sturdevant Ahmanson Theatre, California
2011 Sleeping Beauty Wakes Doctor La Jolla Playhouse, California
Ain't Misbehavin' Nell Long Wharf Theatre, Connecticut
2011–2012 Chicago Matron "Mama" Morton North American Tour
2012 Leap of Faith Ida Mae Robinson St. James Theatre, Broadway [18]
2014 Ain't Misbehavin': The Fats Waller Musical Nell Delaware Theatre Company
The Little Mermaid Ursula North Shore Music Theatre,
2014–2016 Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella Marie North American Tour
2015–2016 Mother Courage and Her Children Mother Courage Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway
2016 Marie and Rosetta Sister Rosetta Tharpe Linda Gross Theater, Off-Broadway
2017 The Skin of Our Teeth Mrs. Antrobus Theatre for a New Audience, Off-Broadway
2017 The Secret Life of Bees Various Powerhouse Theater, Off-Broadway
Children of a Lesser God Mrs. Norman Berkshire Theatre Festival
Big Night Various Kirk Douglas Theatre, California
2018 Children of a Lesser God Mrs. Norman Studio 54, Broadway [19]
2022 American Eclipse Naomi Butter Open Jar Studios, Off-Broadway
Goddess Siti Berkeley Repertory Theatre
2024 Hell's Kitchen Miss Liza Jane The Public Theater, Off-Broadway
2024 Shubert Theatre, Broadway [20]

Awards and nominations

Year Association Category Nominee(s) Result Ref.
2017 Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play Marie and Rosetta Nominated
2024 Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical Hell's Kitchen Won [21]
2006 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Dessa Rose Nominated
2024 Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical Hell's Kitchen Won [22]
2024 Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Hell's Kitchen Nominated [23][24]
2017 Obie Award Distinguished Performance by an Actress Marie and Rosetta Won
2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical Hell's Kitchen Won [25]
2024 Tony Awards Best Featured Actress in a Musical Hell's Kitchen Won [26]

References

  1. ^ "Kecia Lewis-Evans". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
  2. ^ Soloski, Alexis (January 5, 2016). "Kecia Lewis to Step Into Role of Mother Courage at Classic Stage Company". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  3. ^ Millward, Tom (October 19, 2017). "Kecia Lewis & Rebecca Naomi Jones to star in Atlantic's Marie and Rosetta at Linda Gross Theater". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  4. ^ Henderson, Kathy (April 22, 2024). "Kecia Lewis, the Backstage 'Mama' of Broadway's Hell's Kitchen, Has Wisdom to Share". Broadway in Atlanta. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  5. ^ Myers, Victoria (September 20, 2019). "An Interview with Rebecca Naomi Jones and Kecia Lewis". The Interval. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  6. ^ "Kecia Lewis Assumes Title Role in Off-Broadway's Mother Courage, Replacing Tonya Pinkins". Playbill. January 4, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  7. ^ "Production - Once On This Island". Playbill. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  8. ^ Gans, Andrew (April 26, 2008). "Kecia Lewis-Evans Will Join Broadway's Chicago Prior to Shrek". Playbill. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
  9. ^ Stasio, Marilyn (April 12, 2018). "Broadway Review: Joshua Jackson in 'Children of a Lesser God'". Variety. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (August 29, 2019). "'Mad About You': Kecia Lewis To Recur In Revival Limited Series For Spectrum Originals". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
  11. ^ Rooney, David (November 1, 2022). "'The Independent' Review: John Cena, Jodie Turner-Smith and Brian Cox in Tepid Political Thriller". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  12. ^ Kennedy, Mark (May 20, 2024). "Kecia Lewis in Broadway's 'Hell's Kitchen' delivers the soul and earns a Tony Award nomination". ABC News. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
  13. ^ "Big River (Broadway, 1985)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "Ain't Misbehavin' (Broadway, 1988)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  15. ^ "Once on This Island (Broadway, 1990)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  16. ^ "Chicago (Broadway, 1996)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  17. ^ "The Drowsy Chaperone (Broadway, 2006)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  18. ^ "Leap of Faith (Broadway, 2012)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  19. ^ "Children of a Lesser God (Broadway, 2018)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  20. ^ "Hell's Kitchen (Broadway, 2024)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
  21. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 5, 2024). "Ars Nova and National Black Theatre's (Pray) Leads 2024 Lucille Lortel Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
  22. ^ Rosky, Nicole (April 29, 2024). "2024 Drama Desk Awards Nominations- The Full List". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  23. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 22, 2024). "2024 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  24. ^ "2024 Drama League Awards". Drama League Awards. April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  25. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (2024-05-13). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Wins Best Play; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
  26. ^ Huston, Caitlin (April 30, 2024). "'Stereophonic,' Alicia Keys' 'Hell's Kitchen' Lead Tony Award Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
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