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Kathleen Chalfant Headshot

Kathleen Chalfant

Birth Place: San Francisco, CA, USA

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BIO

Kathleen Chalfant is a highly respected American actress who has made a name for herself both on stage and screen. Born in San Francisco in 1945, Chalfant grew up in a family of artists and intellectuals. She attended Radcliffe College and earned a degree in English before pursuing a career in acting.



Chalfant's Broadway debut came in 1987 when she appeared in the play "M. Butterfly" by David Henry Hwang. She went on to appear in a number of other Broadway productions, including "Angels in America: Millennium Approaches" and "Angels in America: Perestroika." Chalfant's performance as Hannah Pitt in "Angels in America" earned her critical acclaim and a Tony Award nomination.

In addition to her work on Broadway, Chalfant has also appeared in numerous off-Broadway productions. She has worked with some of the most prestigious theater companies in the country, including the Public Theater, the New York Theatre Workshop, and the Signature Theatre Company.

Chalfant's film and television career has been just as impressive as her stage work. She has appeared in a number of popular television shows, including "Law & Order," "The Guardian," and "The Affair." She has also appeared in several films, including "Kinsey," "Duplicity," and "The Laramie Project."

Despite her success in film and television, Chalfant has remained committed to the theater. She has continued to appear in off-Broadway and regional productions, and has even taken on the role of director. In 2010, she directed the play "Family Week" by Beth Henley at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York.

Chalfant's commitment to the theater has earned her numerous awards and accolades over the years. In addition to her Tony Award nomination, she has also received an Obie Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Lucille Lortel Award. She was also inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2018.

Beyond her work as an actress and director, Chalfant has also been an advocate for social justice and human rights. She has been involved with a number of organizations, including the Women's Refugee Commission and the International Rescue Committee. She has also been an outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights and has worked with organizations such as the Gay Men's Health Crisis and the Hetrick-Martin Institute.

Chalfant's dedication to her craft and her commitment to social justice have made her a beloved figure in the theater community and beyond. She continues to inspire audiences with her powerful performances and her tireless advocacy work.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

[Off-Broadway]
2025
Mags () [Replacement]

Bernie () [Replacement]

[Off-Broadway]
NYTW Off-Broadway Premiere Production, 2024
Judy Cohen & Others


[Off-Broadway]
The Acting Company Off-Broadway World Premiere, 2019
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
Rattlestick Playwright's Theater Original Off-Broadway Production, 2019
Elizabeth


[Off-Broadway]
Waterwell Site-Specific World Premiere, 2019
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
All-Female Staged Reading, 2018


[Off-Broadway]
Royal Family Off-Broadway Production, 2018


[Off-Broadway]
Playwrights Horizons Production, 2017
Peter Pan


[Off-Broadway]
Women's Project Theater Original Off-Broadway Production, 2015
Elizabeth


[Off-Broadway]
Manhattan Theatre Club Production, 2014
Edda Schmidt


[Off-Broadway]
Vineyard Theatre Production, 2013
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
2012
Sunny Jacobs [Replacement]

[Replacement]

[Off-Broadway]
New York Theatre Workshop Production, 2012
Rose


[Off-Broadway]
Keen Company Production, 2012
Fanny


[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 2008
Mrs. Gottlieb


[Off-Broadway]
2007
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
2006
Miss Havisham


[Off-Broadway]
2006
Father [Replacement]

[Replacement]

[Off-Broadway]
2004
Anna/Vera Cartwright/Frieda/One


[Off-Broadway]
2004
Gareth Peirce


[Off-Broadway]
2003
Anna Semyonova


[Off-Broadway]
2003
Madeleine


[Off-Broadway]
2003
Susan (Bed Among the Lentils)


[Off-Broadway]
Encores! Concert, 2001
Dolly Bloomer


[Off-Broadway]
1999
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
Original Off-Broadway Production, 1999
[Replacement]

[Replacement]

[Replacement]

[Replacement]

[Off-Broadway]
1998
Vivian Bearing


[Off-Broadway]
1998
Vivian Bearing Ph.D


[Off-Broadway]
1998
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
1996
Non/Marie


[Off-Broadway]
1996
Mistress Quickly/Queen Isabel


[Broadway]
1995
Heather Espy


[Off-Broadway]
1995
Clov


[Off-Broadway]
1995
Jenny


[Off-Broadway]
1995
Clymenestra


[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1993
Rabbi Chemelwitz

Prelapsarianov

Council of Principalities

Henry

Hannah Pitt

Ethel Rosenberg

Prelapsarianov

Rabbi Chemelwitz

Henry

Council of Principalities

Ethel Rosenberg

Hannah Pitt

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1993
Henry

Rabbi Chemelwitz

Hannah Pitt

Ethel Rosenberg

Rabbi Chemelwitz

Henry

Hannah Pitt

Ethel Rosenberg

[Off-Broadway]
1992
Women


[Off-Broadway]
1990
Mrs. Ann Putnam


[Off-Broadway]
1988
Mrs. Potentate


[Broadway]
1988
Helga (Understudy)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

[Off-Broadway]
1981
Sister Mary Ignatius/ Sarah Siddons [Replacement]

[Replacement]

[Off-Broadway]
1980
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
1978
(Understudy)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

(Unknown)

[Off-Broadway]
1977


[Off-Broadway]
1976


[Off-Broadway]
1975


[Off-Broadway]
1975


[Off-Broadway]
1974


Productions

 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1975]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1974]
Production Coordinator
 
[Off-Broadway, 1974]
Production Coordinator

Awards and Nominations


winner
Obie Awards - 2018 - Lifetime Achievement Award

Kathleen Chalfant

Drama Desk Awards - 2016 - Outstanding Solo Performance

Kathleen ChalfantRose

Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2016 - Outstanding Solo Performance

Kathleen ChalfantRose

Drama Desk Awards - 2015 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Kathleen Chalfant, A Walk in the Woods


winner
- 2012 - Legend of Off Broadway Award

Kathleen Chalfant


winner
The Lortels - 2004 - Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence

Kathleen Chalfant

Drama League Awards - 1999 - Distinguished Performance Award

Kathleen Chalfant, Wit


winner
Outer Critics Circle Awards - 1999 - Outstanding Actress in a Play

Kathleen Chalfant, Wit


winner
The Lortels - 1999 - Outstanding Lead Actress

Kathleen Chalfant, Wit

Drama Desk Awards - 1993 - Outstanding Actress - Play

Kathleen Chalfan, Angels in America: Perestroika

Drama Desk Awards - 1993 - Outstanding Featured Actress - Play

Kathleen Chalfant, Angels in America

Tony Awards - 1993 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play

Kathleen Chalfant , Angels in America: Millennium Approaches

Videos

News


THE LARAMIE PROJECT 25th Anniversary Readings Begin Tomorrow at Audible Theater
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 3, 2025

Audible Theater will present the special 25th anniversary reading of Tectonic Theater Project’s The Laramie Project, live for four performances only at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre.
Ethan Slater, Samira Wiley, Kal Penn and More to Star in THE LARAMIE PROJECT Reading
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 13, 2025

Audible Theater has revealed the cast for a special 25th anniversary reading of Tectonic Theater Project’s The Laramie Project, including Ethan Slater, Samira Wiley and more.
Interview: Jenny Lyn Bader and MRS. STERN WANDERS THE PRUSSIAN STATE LIBRARY at Luna Stage
by Marina Kennedy - Oct 17, 2025

Luna Stage in West Orange, NJ is presenting Jenny Lyn Bader’s Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library, directed by Ari Laura Kreith. The show will run through November 2.
DOG MAN: THE MUSICAL is Returning to Wharton Center in November
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 14, 2025

Dog Man: The Musical, based on the best-selling book series by Dav Pilkey, will return to Wharton Center in November. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
Kathleen Chalfant and Ellen McLaughlin Will Lead PEN PALS at DR2
by Stephi Wild - Oct 3, 2025

Following its acclaimed Off-Broadway premiere, producer Lisa Dozier Shacket has announced the return of Pen Pals this summer at the DR2 Theatre for a strictly limited engagement.
George C. Wolfe: Behind the Curtain of Broadway’s Visionary Director
by Charles Kirsch - Sep 30, 2025

In 2024, the pioneering director George C. Wolfe, who brought iconic pieces like Angels in America and The Normal Heart to Broadway stages for the first time, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award. If that award is meant to signal the twilight of a career, however, fear not: Wolfe came back to New York the very next year with his critically acclaimed revival of Gypsy starring Audra McDonald. 
Photos: Michelle Clunie and Megan Fellows in PEN PALS Off-Broadway
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 5, 2025

See photos of Queer as Folk’s Michelle Cluni and Anne of Green Gable’s Megan Fellows in Pen Pals Off-Broadway. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets here!
Over 700 Artists and Organizations Sign Statement Defending Artistic Freedom
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 29, 2025

Over 700 artists and institutions have signed a statement supporting artistic freedom, and pledging to stand with institutions facing political pressure.
THE WHOLE OF TIME Sets Talk Backs With Kathleen Chalfant, Jaclyn Bethany, & More
by Michael Major - Aug 25, 2025

A robust talk back series will follow select performances of The Whole of Time by celebrated Argentinian playwright Romina Paula in a translation by Jean Graham-Jones.
Photos: PEN PALS Celebrates Opening Night At DR2 Theatre
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 22, 2025

Pen Pals officially opened its strictly limited engagement at the DR2 Theatre this week, and BroadwayWorld has your first look at photos from the celebration.
Photos: PEN PALS Opening Night Starring Nancy McKeon and Gail Winar
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 21, 2025

Pen Pals has returned this summer at the DR2 Theatre for a strictly limited engagement. See photos from opening night here and learn more about the production.
En Garde Arts to Present Hansol Jung's LAST CALL, A PLAY WITH COCKTAILS, Staged in Private NYC Homes
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Aug 19, 2025

En Garde Arts will open its 2025-2026 season with the world premiere of Last Call, a play with cocktails from the artist-led collective The Pack and Obie Award-winning playwright Hansol Jung. Learn more!
Directors Set for La Femme Theatre Productions' WOMEN IN AGENCY FESTIVAL
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 23, 2025

La Femme Theatre Productions will feature four new works created through three developmental initiatives celebrating emerging and established women artists. Learn more here!
Sharna Burgess, Paige Davis and More Join PEN PALS at DR2 Theatre
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jul 22, 2025

Pen Pals Off-Broadway has revealed new additions to the rotating cast: Sharna Burgess and Paige Davis, plus more! See who else is starring and learn how to purchase tickets.
Kathleen Chalfant Will Lead TREE CONFESSIONS on Governors Island
by Stephi Wild - Jun 10, 2025

Trees talk! In a landmark study, a scientist learned everything about how trees communicate. — Or did she? One tree tells the story of what really happened, reminding us that human beings and plants live in one interconnected ecosystem.
PEN PALS to Return to DR2 with a Rotating Cast Featuring Kathleen Chalfant, Kate Burton and More
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 29, 2025

Following its Off-Broadway premiere, Pen Pals will return this summer at the DR2 Theatre for a strictly limited engagement. Learn more and see how to purchase tickets.
Sarah Friedland’s FAMILIAR TOUCH to Receive U.S. Premiere at Film Forum
by Josh Sharpe - May 22, 2025

Film Forum will present the US theatrical premiere of Sarah Friedland’s FAMILIAR TOUCH on Friday, June 20. The movie stars Tony Award-nominated actress Kathleen Chalfant as Ruth, an elegant, meticulous woman in her 80s.
La Femme Theatre Productions to Return in August With its Developmental Initiatives
by Chloe Rabinowitz - May 13, 2025

La Femme Theatre Productions will present the return of two vital initiatives celebrating emerging and established women artists: A Woman’s Storyland and Women on the Verge: The Gladys and Mary Dohmen Reading Series. Learn more!
2025 Lucille Lortel Awards- Full Winners List
by Nicole Rosky - May 4, 2025

The 40th Annual Lucille Lortel Awards – the only New York theatre award to exclusively honor Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway were presented on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at NYU Skirball. Check out updates from the ceremony here!
Santino Fontana and BD Wong to Star in A LIFE IN THE THEATRE by David Mamet at Symphony Space
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 23, 2025

Tony Award winners Santino Fontana and BD Wong will star in a one-night-only reading of David Mamet’s play A Life in the Theatre at Symphony Space. Learn more!

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Kathleen Chalfant been in?

Kathleen Chalfant has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.

How many West End shows has Kathleen Chalfant been in?

Kathleen Chalfant has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Kathleen Chalfant been nominated for?

Lifetime Achievement Award (Obie Awards), Outstanding Solo Performance (Drama Desk Awards) for Rose, Outstanding Solo Performance (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Rose, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for A Walk in the Woods, Legend of Off Broadway Award (), Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence (The Lortels), Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Wit, Outstanding Actress in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Wit , Outstanding Lead Actress (The Lortels) for Wit, Outstanding Actress - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Angels in America: Perestroika, Outstanding Featured Actress - Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Angels in America and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.

What awards has Kathleen Chalfant won?

Kathleen Chalfant has received several prestigious awards throughout her career, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Obie Awards and the Legend of Off Broadway Award. She also earned the Edith Oliver Award for Sustained Excellence from The Lortels. Additionally, she won Outstanding Actress in a Play from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for Wit, as well as Outstanding Lead Actress from The Lortels for the same performance in Wit.

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Videos