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Mari Nelson

Birth Place: United States

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Mari Nelson BIO

After graduating from The Juilliard School, Mari began her professional career in The New York Shakespeare Festival production of Twelfth Night in Central Park with Michelle Pfeiffer and Jeff Goldblum. In her Broadway debut, she originated the role of Elisabeth in John Guare’s Six Degrees of Separation with Stockard Channing. Subsequent Broadway appearances include Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls with Nathan Lane and Peter Gallagher as well as Moira in Brian Friel’s Translations with Brian Dennehy and Rufus Sewell. Mari also gave the world premiere of Joe Orton’s Up Against It, with music by Todd Rundgren (Joseph Papp Public Theater). Regional credits include Private Lives (Alley Theater, Houston), Arms and the Man, As You Like It, An Ideal Husband (Center Stage, Baltimore), and Present Laughter (Hartford Stage). Closer to home, Mari has been featured in Arms and the Man, Intimate Apparel and Nora (Intiman); An American Daughter, Twelfth Night, Dancing at Lughnasa, Sylvia, A Great Wilderness as well as world premier workshops of Welcome Home Dean Charbonneau by Adam Rapp, Radiance by Alan Alda, and Come from Away (The Seattle Repertory Theater), Afterwords (The Village Theater); Going to Saint Ives, Omnium Gatherum, Grand Magic, Miss Witherspoon and Bad Apples (A Contemporary Theater); Urinetown (5th Ave/ACT); Billy Elliot, Into The Woods (The Village Theater); The Tempest, Bring Down The House, Richard III (Seattle Shakespeare Company); A My Name is Alice, The Voice of the Turtle, As You Like It, Hay Fever and Crimes of the Heart (Tacoma Actors Guild); Antony and Cleopatra, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Frozen, The Love list, The Constant Wife, Arcadia, The Tempest, Hapgood, Rough Crossing, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (The State Theater). Mari is looking forward to recording the new musical Afterwords in its entirety for The Fifth Avenue Theater Digital Collection in early 2021. Film credits include Bad Girls, directed by Amos Koleck, and also Back Spot Turn and Laggies, directed by Lynn Shelton. TV credits include Ilsa in One Life to Live, Brenda in Another World and MTV’s Pirate TV, as well as numerous commercial voiceovers for Campbell’s, Kohler, GTE, United Way, Bain de Soleil, Evian, Converse, Evian and KitchenAid. Mari is featured in several radio play series including Sherlock Holmes, Murder and the Murdochs and is the voice of Hilary Caine in the new radio play series Hilary Caine Mysteries, all distributed by Aural Vision LLC. No stranger to the concert stage, Mari performed Honnegger’s King David with The Orchestra of St. Luke’s and The Choir of Men and Boys (St. Thomas Fifth Avenue, NYC) as well as collaborating with Taj Mahal on Slain in the Spirit (St. Ann’s Warehouse, Brooklyn, NY). Mari has been awarded Five Gordo Awards for Best Actress 2005- 2012, nominated Best Actress (BWW Best of 2014 and 2019) and was also awarded The Seattle Theater Writers Best Supporting Actress Award 2016. Gregory Award for Best Actress in a Play 2017. Most recently 2019 Gregory Awards: Best Supporting Performance In a Musical as well as Best Supporting Performance In A Play.

Mari Nelson STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1995
Maire (Understudy)

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 1992
Sarah Brown (Understudy) [Replacement]

[Milburn, NJ (Regional)]
Paper Mill Production, 1991
Performer

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1990
Elizabeth

Film:   



Laggies: Anonymous Content/Solution Entertainment



Back, Spot, Turn: DLC



Bad Girls: Castle Hill



English Literature: BBC/Leon



Relationships: NY Films



Television:



Another World: NBC

One Life to Live: ABC



Pirate TV: MTV



Commercial Voiceovers: AT&T, GE, Kitchen-aid, Converse, Evian, Bain De Soleil, Campbell’s, Kohler, Pillsbury, De Beers, Blue Cross Blue Shield, United Way.



Radio: Sherlock Holmes, Murder and the Murdochs, Hilary Caine Mysteries.



Industrial Film: Microsoft & LearnBIG



Mari Nelson News


BECOMING DR. RUTH Comes to the Village Theatre This Month


Village Theatre presents Becoming Dr. Ruth, the triumphant and life-affirming story of a woman who—through her perseverance, indefatigable spirit, and bravery—carved her own unique place in the world. Learn more about the show here and find out how to get tickets!

Video: First Look at INTO THE WOODS at 5th Avenue Theatre


Get a first look at footage form 5th Avenue Theatre's Into the Woods!

Video: Watch the Trailer for INTO THE WOODS at The 5th Avenue Theatre


Watch the trailer for The 5th Avenue Theatre's production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, now playing through March 5, 2023. 

Review: INTO THE WOODS at 5th Avenue Theatre


INTO THE WOODS at 5th Avenue Theatre is loaded with surprises and modern flair. From floor to ceiling and head to toe, this production gives a new look to this timeless fairytale. With humor and heart leading the way, INTO THE WOODS provides a night of intricate storytelling. Whether it is your first or fiftieth time to see this Sondheim masterpiece, you will leave knowing that wishes do come true, and even when they don’t, you are not alone.What did our critic think of INTO THE WOODS at 5th Avenue Theatre?

Cast Announced For Stephen Sondheim's INTO THE WOODS At 5th Avenue Theatre


The 5th Avenue Theatre announced casting for its upcoming production of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods, playing this winter from February 10 to March 5, 2023.

AFTERWORDS to Have Industry Reading This Week


Elttaes Productions will present private developmental work session presentations of the new musical AFTERWORDS on Thursday, November 17, and Friday, November 18, 2022, for select industry members. 

VIDEO: First Look At The 5th Avenue Theatre's World Premiere Of AFTERWORDS


BroadwayWorld has a first look at The 5th Avenue Theatre's world premiere production of the captivating new musical Afterwords, is now on stage through May 21.

BWW Review: AFTERWORDS at The 5th Avenue Theatre


Dear Readers, by now you know that one of my major pet peeves for any show is what I call “someone else’s therapy on stage”. Other people’s problems just aren’t interesting, and I don’t need to see you work through them. Such is the first issue of many I have with the new musical “Afterwords”, currently playing at the 5th Avenue Theatre. The second main issue being that the show appears to have been written with a cliché search engine.

VIDEO: First Look at Rehearsals for AFTERWORDS, A NEW MUSICAL


The 5th Avenue Theatre will present the world premiere production of the captivating new musical Afterwords, which debuts this Spring from April 29 - May 21.

Cast Announced For The 5th Avenue Theatre's World Premiere Of AFTERWORDS


Afterwords is the 24th new musical produced by The 5th Avenue Theatre and features music and lyrics by Zoe Sarnak and a book by Emily Kazmarek, with direction by Adrienne Campbell-Holt, choreography by Ebony Williams, and music supervision by Matt Perri.

BWW Review: THE FIFTH WAVE from Macha Theatre Works


Like so many others, Macha Theater Works was in their final rehearsals back in March of 2020 when the pandemic shut everything down. Now, almost two years later they are back at West of Lenin and ready to give us this intense look into a “me too” incident with their World Premiere play “The Fifth Wave” by Jenn Ruzumna and Lisa Every. A topic that is, unfortunately, still all too relevant.

BWW Review: HOW CAN I LOVE YOU at Ancient Lakes Theatre Festival


Dear Readers, as we inch back into the world of live theatrical experiences, the excitement to put out incredible art is palpable. And when you have a stunning outdoor venue such as the Cave B Winery Estates in George, WA, not to mention some of the A-listers of Seattle theater talent involved, that excitement can be overwhelming. But don’t let that excitement blind you to when a show just is not there, as was the case with “How Can I Love You” from Composer Rand Bellar and Playwright, Librettist, and Lyricist Vince Bryan.

AFTERWORDS Musical Radio Play Will Be Performed as Part of Avenue Theatre's 20/21 Digital Season


The 5th Avenue Theatre has announced that Afterwords, a new musical with a book by Emily Kaczmarek and music and lyrics by Zoe Sarnak, is the second of three Musical Radio Plays it will produce in its 2020/21 digital season.

VIDEO: Seattle Artists Come Together Virtually to Sing 'You Can't Stop the Beat'


A group of Seattle artists have come together to virtually perform 'You Can't stop the Beat', sharing the message 'Nothing can stop live theatre!' 

2019 Gypsy Rose Lee Award Winners Announced


Seattle Theater Writers Seattle's theater reviewers circle announces the Winners of Excellence in Seattle theatrical productions. Spanning dozens of theater companies and productions, from large and prominent to small and humble, the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards honor the excellence found across the area.

World Premiere Of THE FIFTH WAVE In Seattle


Macha Theatre Works is proud to announce their upcoming production of The Fifth Wave, directed by Amy Poisson, running March 11a?'28, 2020 at West of Lenin.

Nominees Announced for The 2020 GYPSY ROSE LEE AWARDS


Seattle's critics' circle announces nominees for the 2020 Gypsy Rose Lee awards celebrating excellence in Seattle theatrical productions.

BWW 2019 Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (Jay's Picks)


Oh my! What a year! We've seen bad-ass gospel singers, lost Jewish plays, mythical towns of excretion and even an octopus wrestler or two. No, those aren't allusions to the crazy theater going on in Washington D.C. but the crazy wonderful theater going on right here in the Seattle area. It was tough coming up with just one winner (or even just a few Honorable Mentions) but I managed to do it a?? for the most part. Plus, some shows that more of you should have seen. (Yes, that's me nagging you all, Dear Readers, to check out more of the smaller or obscure theaters around here.) But what it all comes down to is, we're blessed here in the Northwest with an over-abundance of theatrical riches and I'm so fortunate to be able to share some of my favorites of the year with you with the BWW 2019 Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (Jay's Picks). So, let's get started, shall we?

BWW Review: THE TEMPEST at Seattle Shakespeare Is A Tempting Concoction Of Magic And Pure Human Emotions.


Seattle Shakespeare Theater gives THE TEMPEST a new edge and makes it sharper than ever. Filled with intrigue, love, revenge, plots, ploys, and magic, this show has something for everyone. With a fresh look and clever casting, Seattle Shakespeare makes this show its own.

THE TEMPEST Announced At Seattle Shakespeare Company


Magical spirits aid an exiled duke towards reconciliation and release in Shakespeare's final solo masterpiece, The Tempest. Annie Lareau directs the production which begins previews on Oct. 15, opens Oct. 18 and runs through Nov. 10 at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center.

Mari Nelson FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Mari Nelson been in?

Mari Nelson has appeared on Broadway in 3 shows.

How many West End shows has Mari Nelson been in?

Mari Nelson has not appeared in the West End.

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