Photo Throwback: Laurie Beechman Attends 1982 Theatre World Awards

Today we're flashing all the way back to 1982 to see late Broadway star, Laurie Beechman, attending the Theatre World Awards in New York City.

Beechman made her Broadway debut in the 1977 original production of Annie. For her role as the narrator in the 1982 original Broadway production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

She went on to be the first actress to play the role of Grizabella in the US national touring production of Cats in 1983, before replacing Betty Buckley in the Broadway production in 1984.

She would play the role on Broadway for over four years. She also starred in the Broadway productions of The Pirates of Penzance (1981) and Les Misérables (1990) and returned to the role of Grizabella for four months in 1997, when Cats became the longest running musical in Broadway history.

Photos by Walter McBride

Laurie Beechman attends the 1982 Theatre World Awards in New York City.

Laurie Beechman attends the 1982 Theatre World Awards in New York City.