LaChanze's first summer job was as a tap dancer in the ensemble of Uptown... It's Hot! at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The show opened on Broadway in January 1986, where LaChanze began her professional career in the theater.
LaChanze played the role of "Ti Moune" in the Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty musical Once on This Island in 1990 and received nominations for the Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical and Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Actress in a Musical. She was a replacement "Sarah" in the Ahrens and Flaherty and Terrence McNally Broadway musical Ragtime, starting in December 1998. She played the role of "Viveca" in the Playwrights Horizons Off-Broadway production of the musical The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, which opened in June 2000. She received a Drama Desk nomination, Actress (Musical), for her performance. LaChanze participated in an Actors Fund of America benefit concert of Funny Girl, with many performers portraying the character of "Fanny Brice", in September 2002.
In 2005 she played a runaway slave in the Ahrens and Flaherty musical Dessa Rose. The musical opened Off-Broadway at the Mitzi Newhouse Theatre at Lincoln Center in March 2005. LaChanze received an Obie Award for Performance for Dessa Rose. LaChanze appeared as "Celie" in the Broadway musical The Color Purple, from its opening in 2005 to November 2006. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this performance.
In September 2008 she participated in the Boston Pops concert, Handel's Messiah Rocks at Emerson College. The performance was filmed by Public Broadcasting Service. She was in the Off-Broadway production of Inked Baby, written by Christina Anderson, which opened in March 2009 at Playwrights Horizons Peter Jay Sharp Theater. In June and July 2009, she played the role of "Glinda" in the City Center Encores! staged Summer Stars concert production of The Wiz.
She published her first picture book, Little Diva, in 2010. She was in the Broadway production of If/Then in 2014, starring as Kate. In 2018, she was in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical on Broadway, playing Diva Donna/Mary Gaines. She is currently in A Christmas Carol on Broadway, starring as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
From: Photo Flashback: Inside the 2018 Legacy Robe Ceremonies!
From: Photo Flashback: Inside the 2018 Legacy Robe Ceremonies!
From: Photo Coverage: Idina Menzel & IF/THEN Cast Celebrate 100th Performance at Richard Rodgers Theatre!
From: Photo Coverage: Idina Menzel & IF/THEN Cast Celebrate 100th Performance at Richard Rodgers Theatre!
From: Photo Coverage: 10th Anniversary Special - Linda Lenzi's Favorite Photos
LaChanze, Trouble in Mind
LaChanze, Trouble in Mind
LaChanze, Trouble in Mind
LaChanze, The Secret Life of Bees
LaChanze, The Secret Life of Bees
LaChanze, Summer
LaChanze, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
LaChanze, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical
LaChanze, If/Then
La Chanze, The Color Purple
LaChanze, The Color Purple
LaChanze, Dessa Rose
La Chanze, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin
LaChanze, Once on This Island
LaChanze , Once on this Island
Bye-bye, Kimmy! The Tony-winning Best Musical Kimberly Akimbo plays its final Broadway performance at the Booth Theatre.
Read the full list of 2024 Drama League Nominations! Nominations include Cabaret, Merrily We Roll Along and more.
The Original Broadway Cast Album of Gutenberg! The Musical! featuring GRAMMY Award winners and Tony Award nominees Josh Gad and Andrew Rannells will be released in May.
The Wiz officially opened at the Marquis Theatre and the best of broadway was on hand for the celebration. Check out photos of special guests, including original stars Stephanie Mills and Dee Dee Bridgewater, Kandi Burruss, Todd Tucker, Andy Cohen, Tamron Hall, Leslie Uggams, and many more!
Berkeley Repertory Theatre has revealed the seven productions that will make up the organization’s 2024/25 season. See full programming and learn how to purchase tickets.
Central New Jersey has a brand new home for the arts! Bell Theater, housed at the iconic Bell Works complex in Holmdel, will open in May.
The Music Conservatory of Westchester, a non-profit community music school in White Plains, NY, will honor celebrated Broadway heavy-hitters and stars of the big and small screen at its annual fundraiser— the 23rd Annual Golf & Tennis/Pickleball Classic and Gala.
Broadway welcomed another new musical in The Outsiders, which is now officially open at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there for the big day and you can check out photos from the VIP theatre arrivals here.
Join the Boston Conservatory at Berklee as they honor three-time Tony Award-winning actor and producer LaChanze and internationally acclaimed dancer and choreographer Lar Lubovitch at their commencement ceremony on May 11.
Following a successful, twice-extended run, Manhattan Theatre Club's Jaja’s African Hair Braiding, written by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Whitney White will be presented at three theatres across the country. Learn more about the tour and see how to purchase tickets!
The Original Broadway Cast Recording of The Outsiders - A New Musical will be released next month! Learn how to preorder the album here!
Tony Award-winning actor LACHANZE is set to address Pace University's Commencement 2024 and will receive an honorary doctorate.
Join John Oliver, Jeremy Shamos, and Nina Hellman as they host the Brooklyn Children's Theatre 20th Anniversary Gala. Learn how to purchase tickets.
The J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company has revealed the cast for its revival of the hit 1960 musical Do Re Mi. See who is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.
Classic Stage Company's upcoming production of Wine in the Wilderness, written by Alice Childress and directed by LaChanze, has been postponed. Learn more about the production.
What did our critic think of VENETIAN EVENINGS - A MUSICAL TRIBUTE TO THE FAIRMONT'S VENETIAN ROOM at Venetian Room?
The honorees have been revealed for the WP Theater 2024 Annual Gala, which include Sutton Foster, LaChanze, and Anne Quart. The event will be hosted by Eden Espinosa at The Edison Ballroom on Monday, May 20, 2024.
Discover the 2024 Lagniappe Series by the J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company.
Ahead of its first preview on Broadway this weekend, The Outsiders has announced its Digital Lottery and in person Rush ticketing policies. Find out how to get discounted tickets to The Outsiders on Broadway!
Theatre Communications Group has revealed the performers for the 2024 TCG Gala: Our Stories, which will be held on Monday, March 11, 2024, at The Edison Ballroom. See who is taking part and learn how to purchase tickets.
LaChanze has appeared on Broadway in 10 shows.
LaChanze has not appeared in the West End.
LaChanze has been nominated for several prestigious awards throughout her career, including Distinguished Performance Awards (Drama League Awards), Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards), Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play (Tony Awards), Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (Drama Desk Awards), and more. Some of her notable nominations include those for "Trouble in Mind," "The Secret Life of Bees," "Summer," "Summer: The Donna Summer Musical," "If/Then," "The Color Purple," "Dessa Rose," "The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin," and "Once on This Island." LaChanze has also won awards such as Best Featured Actress in a Musical (BroadwayWorld Awards) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Tony Awards).
LaChanze has won several awards throughout her career, including Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for The Secret Life of Bees, Best Featured Actress in a Musical from the BroadwayWorld Awards for If/Then, Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical at the Tony Awards for The Color Purple, a Performance award at the Obie Awards for Dessa Rose, Outstanding Actress - Musical at the Drama Desk Awards for The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, and a Performance award at the Theatre World Awards for Once on This Island.
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