Carolee Carmello

Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals and for playing the role of Maple LaMarsh on the television series Remember WENN (1996–1998). She is a three-time Tony Award nominee and a five-time Drama Desk nominee, winning the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for her role in Parade.

Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello following an appearance on Good Day New York on March 16, 2023 to promote Bad Cinderella on Broadway.
Alma mater	University at Albany, SUNY
Occupation(s)	Actress, singer
Years active	1987–present
Spouse	Gregg Edelman ​ ​ (m. 1995; div. 2015)​
Children	2

Career

Carolee Carmello at Transport Group Gala 2013

Carmello graduated from the University at Albany with a degree in business administration.^[1]

She won $14,000 on an appearance on the Scrabble game show in 1989.^[2]

Carmello made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels and returned to close the show in the role of "Oolie/Donna". She left City of Angels to take the role of Florence in the tour of Chess, from January 1990 to May 1990.^[3] She played "Cordelia, the kosher caterer" in the original Broadway company of Falsettos and also played Abigail Adams in the revival of 1776. In the Broadway company of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Carmello was a replacement in the role of "Marguerite St. Just". She originated the role of Lucille Frank in Parade at Lincoln Center, for which she won the 1999 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical (in a tie with Bernadette Peters)^[4] and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Next Carmello played "Kate" in the Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate and "Ms. Pennywise" in Urinetown. She starred as "Gabrielle" in Lestat, for which she received nominations for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical and the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.^{[citation needed]}

She appeared as Donna Sheridan in the long-running hit musical Mamma Mia! several times, joining the show initially in October 2004.^[5] She again joined the cast as Donna in September 2006,^[6] taking a leave from March 14, 2007, to May 13, 2007, to appear in an early version of Saving Aimee.^[7]

Carmello originated the role of Alice Beineke in the musical version of The Addams Family. For this role she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.^[8]

She took over the role of the Mother Superior from Victoria Clark in the Broadway production of Sister Act on November 19, 2011.^[9] In 2012, she played Aimee Semple McPherson on Broadway in the musical Scandalous, for which she received a Drama Desk nomination and a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Musical.^[10] She performed the role of Mrs. du Maurier in the Broadway musical Finding Neverland from March 2015 through February 2016 and was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Carmello appeared in the role of Mae Tuck in the Broadway musical adaptation of Tuck Everlasting at the Broadhurst Theatre, beginning in April 2016.^[11] Following Tuck Everlasting's closing in May, she returned to Finding Neverland on July 5, 2016, for the show's last six weeks.^[12]

Carmello joined the US national tour of Hello, Dolly, playing Dolly Levi, from September 2019 to its closing in March 2020.^[13] In 2023, Carmello played the role of the Stepmother in the Broadway musical Bad Cinderella.^[14]

Theatre credits

Broadway

Sources: Playbill,^[15] BroadwayWorld^[16]

Year(s)	Production	Role	Location
1989	City of Angels	Ensemble/Oolie/Donna[17]	Virginia Theatre
1992–93	Falsettos	Cordelia	John Golden Theatre
1997–98	1776	Abigail Adams[18]	Gershwin Theatre
1998–99	Parade	Lucille Frank	Vivian Beaumont Theatre
1999–2000	The Scarlet Pimpernel	Marguerite St. Just	Neil Simon Theatre
2001	Kiss Me, Kate	Lilli Vanessi/Katharine	Martin Beck Theatre
2003–04	Urinetown	Penelope Pennywise	Henry Miller's Theatre
2004	Mamma Mia!	Donna Sheridan[5]	Winter Garden Theatre
2006	Lestat	Gabrielle	Palace Theatre
2006–07	Mamma Mia!	Donna Sheridan[6]	Winter Garden Theatre
2010–11	The Addams Family	Alice Beineke	Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
2011–12	Sister Act	Mother Superior[19]	Broadway Theatre
2012	Scandalous	Aimee Semple McPherson[20]	Neil Simon Theatre
2015–16	Finding Neverland	Madame du Maurier[21]	Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
2016	Tuck Everlasting	Mae Tuck[22]	Broadhurst Theatre
	Finding Neverland	Madame du Maurier[12]	Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
2022–23	1776	John Dickinson	American Airlines Theatre
2023	Bad Cinderella	The Stepmother	Imperial Theatre

National tours

• Big River as Mary Jane Wilkes (1987)^[23]
• Les Misérables as Ensemble, u/s Cosette & u/s Fantine (1987)^[24]
• Falsettos as Trina (1993)^[25]
• Chess as Florence (January 1990-May 1990)^[3][26]
• Hello, Dolly! as Dolly Gallagher Levi (September 2019-March 2020)
• Kimberly Akimbo as Kimberly Levaco (2024-25)

Regional

• Grease as Sandy at Pittsburgh C.L.O., 1989^[27]
• Bells are Ringing Reprise! as Ella at Freud Playhouse (Los Angeles), 1999^[28]
• The King and I as Anna at Paper Mill Playhouse (Millburn, New Jersey), 2002^[29]
• On The Twentieth Century Reprise! as Lily Garland at Freud Playhouse (Los Angeles), 2003^[30]
• Baby as Arlene at Paper Mill Playhouse (Millburn, New Jersey) 2004^[31]
• Saving Aimee at Signature Theatre (Arlington, Virginia), 2007^[32]
• Little Shop of Horrors at Charles Playhouse (Boston)
• Scandalous at Pavilion Theatre (Glasgow)
• The Music Man at Schenectady Light Opera (Schenectady, New York)^[33]
• Tuck Everlasting at Alliance Theatre (Atlanta, Georgia), 2015^[34]
• Gypsy at Broadway Sacramento, 2018^[35]
• Sweeney Todd as Mrs. Lovett at Opera Saratoga (Saratoga Springs, New York), 2022^[36]
• Into the Woods as The Witch at Pittsburgh C.L.O., 2023^[37]

Off-Broadway

Sources: Internet Off-Broadway Database,^[38] BroadwayWorld^[16]

• I Can Get It for You Wholesale (1991)
• Hello Again (1993)
• Das Barbecu (1994)^[39]
• John & Jen (1995)
• A Class Act (2000)^[40]
• The Vagina Monologues (2000)^[41]
• Elegies (2003)^[42]
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2017) as Mrs. Nellie Lovett^[43]

Concerts

• Funny Girl (Actors Fund Benefit Concert), 2002^[44]
• God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater as Sylvia Rosewater (Cooper Union), 2003^[45]
• Showboat as Julie (Carnegie Hall), 2008^[46]
• 1776 (54 Below), 2017^[47]

Accolades

Source: Playbill^[48]

Awards and nominations

Year	Association	Category	Nominated work	Result
1996	Screen Actors Guild Awards	Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series	Remember WENN	Nominated
1999	Tony Awards	Best Actress in a Musical	Parade	Nominated
	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Actress in a Musical		Won
2006	Tony Awards	Best Featured Actress in a Musical	Lestat	Nominated
	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical		Nominated
	Drama League Awards	Distinguished Performance		Nominated
2010	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	The Addams Family	Nominated
	Outer Critics Circle Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical		Nominated
2013	Tony Awards	Best Actress in a Musical	Scandalous: The Life and Trials of Aimee Semple McPherson	Nominated
	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Actress in a Musical		Nominated
2015	Drama Desk Awards	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	Finding Neverland	Nominated

Personal life

She is divorced from fellow actor Gregg Edelman.^[1][49] They have two children.^[50] She resides in Leonia, New Jersey.^[51]

References

1. Barnes, Steve (September 21, 2013). "UAlbany grad Carolee Carmello reveals ups, downs of Broadway". Times Union.
2. Chad Mosher (December 23, 2023), Scrabble - Champion/Carolee, Heidi/Mike (Sept. 11, 1989)
3. "Chess – Broadway Musical – Tour". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on January 19, 2021. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
4. Jones, Kenneth (May 9, 1999). "1999 Drama Desk Winners: Tie! Peters & Carmello, Outstanding Actress (Musical)". Playbill. Archived from the original on April 20, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
5. Gans, Andrew (August 26, 2004). "Carolee Carmello Will Join McLane and McCartney in Broadway's Mamma Mia!". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
6. Gans, Andrew (September 27, 2006). "Carmello Returns to Mamma Mia! Sept. 27". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
7. Gans, Andrew (January 31, 2007). "Melançon Will Head Mamma Mia! While Carmello is Saving Aimee". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
8. Jones, Kenneth (July 22, 2009). "Addams Family Musical Finds a Broadway Home". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 18, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
9. "Raise Your Voice! Carolee Carmello Replaces Victoria Clark in SISTER ACT as 'Mother Superior' 11/19". BroadwayWorld. November 1, 2011. Archived from the original on November 3, 2011.
10. Gans, Andrew (April 30, 2013). "Nominations Announced for 67th Annual Tony Awards; Kinky Boots Earns 13 Nominations". Playbill. Archived from the original on October 31, 2020. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
11. "Tuck Everlasting – Broadway Musical – Original". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on May 15, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
12. Gans, Andrew (June 29, 2016). "Carolee Carmello Will Return to Broadway's Finding Neverland". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 30, 2016.
13. Clement, Olivia (June 6, 2019). "Carolee Carmello to Replace Betty Buckley in Hello, Dolly! Tour". Playbill. Archived from the original on June 8, 2019.
14. Culwell-Block, Logan (December 7, 2022). "Carolee Carmello, Grace McLean, More Board Broadway's Bad Cinderella". Playbill. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
15. "Carolee Carmello". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
16. "Carolee Carmello Theatre Credits, News, Bio and Photos". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on April 28, 2012. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
17. "City of Angels Original Broadway Cast - 1989 Broadway". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved November 7, 2017.
18. "1776 – Broadway Musical – 1997 Revival | Replacements". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on May 21, 2018. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
19. Hetrick, Adam (November 19, 2011). "Carolee Carmello Gets Into Broadway's Sister Act Beginning Nov. 19". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
20. Jones, Kenneth (December 9, 2012). "Scandalous, the Pop Musical About a Religious Superstar, Closes Dec. 9". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 15, 2017.
21. "Finding Neverland – Broadway Musical – Original". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
22. Viagas, Robert (April 26, 2016). "Tuck Everlasting Opens on Broadway Tonight". Playbill. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016.
23. Churnin, Nancy (August 27, 1987). "Theater Review: 'Big River' Returns Home to Sound of Cheers". Los Angeles Times.
24. "Les Misérables – Broadway Musical – First National Tour". Internet Broadway Database. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
25. Drake, Sylvie (March 20, 1993). "THEATER REVIEW : An Ode to Modern Living : 'Falsettos,' the story of a man who leaves his wife and son to move in with his male lover, enlightens through wit". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019.
26. "CHESS Onstage - The U.S. Tour". squareone.org. Archived from the original on November 17, 1999. Retrieved November 5, 2017.
27. "Grease at Benedum Center for the Performing Arts 1989". abouttheartists.com. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
28. Manus, Willard (April 12, 1999). "Carmello and Bogardus Head Reprise's Bells Are Ringing Cast, May 12–24". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
29. Simonson, Robert; Jones, Kenneth (April 2, 2002). "Carmello and Gray Open in Paper Mill's The King and I". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
30. Gans, Andrew; Simonson, Robert (January 21, 2003). "Carmello and Gunton Are On the Twentieth Century, Jan. 21 in L.A." Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
31. Gans, Andrew (March 31, 2004). "'The Story Goes On': Baby Begins Previews at Paper Mill Playhouse". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
32. Toscano, Michael (April 23, 2007). "Saving Aimee". TheaterMania.
33. Filichia, Peter (April 3, 2002). "Getting to Know Carolee Carmello". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on July 13, 2018.
34. "World Premiere of TUCK EVERLASTING Begins Tonight at Alliance Theatre". BroadwayWorld. January 21, 2015. Archived from the original on January 24, 2015.
35. Symes, Courtney (July 26, 2018). "BWW Review: Let GYPSY Entertain You at Broadway At Music Circus". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on June 7, 2019.
36. Gans, Andrew (May 25, 2022). "Carolee Carmello Will Be Mrs. Lovett in Opera Saratoga's Sweeney Todd". Playbill.
37. "Carolee Carmello, Patti Murin, Frenchie Davis & More to Star in Pittsburgh CLO's 2023 Summer of Musicals". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved July 14, 2023.
38. "Carolee Carmello". Internet Off-Broadway Database. Archived from the original on October 19, 2020. Retrieved March 30, 2021.
39. Evans, Greg (November 13, 1994). "Das Barbecu". Variety. Archived from the original on August 18, 2016.
40. Jones, Kenneth (November 9, 2000). "A Class Act, Spotlighting Songwriter Kleban, Opens Nov. 9 at MTC". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
41. Simonson, Robert (December 19, 2000). "Carmello, Maffia and McClanahan Joins OB's Monologues, Dec. 19-Jan. 7". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
42. Holden, Stephen (March 28, 2003). "THEATER REVIEW; Departed Friends Vibrantly Recalled in Song". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
43. Gans, Andrew (April 11, 2017). "Norm Lewis and Carolee Carmello Join Cast of Sweeney Todd April 11". Playbill. Archived from the original on April 12, 2017.
44. Gans, Andrew (September 23, 2002). "Fifteen Fannys: All Star Funny Girl Concert Presents A Slew of Fannys Sept. 23". Playbill.
45. Jones, Kenneth (March 6, 2003). "Menken & Ashman's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Gets NYC Concert March 7". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 2, 2017.
46. Jones, Kenneth; Gans, Andrew (June 10, 2008). "Show Boat Concert, with Carmello, Gunn and deVaughn, Anchors at Carnegie Hall". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017.
47. "An All-Female Cast Presents 1776". Feinstein's/54 Below. Archived from the original on February 4, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2017.
48. "Carolee Carmello". Playbill. Archived from the original on February 27, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2022.
49. "Marilyn Maye And Gregg Edelman" Archived 2015-10-02 at the Wayback Machine digitalpub.chron.com, The Grand — Volume 2, 2011-2012 Season, accessed September 18, 2015
50. Beckerman, Jim. "PLAYING STRONG-WILLED WOMEN", The Record (Bergen County), March 31, 2002. Accessed May 27, 2008. "After starring in such New York shows as Kiss Me Kate, 1776, Parade and City of Angels, Leonia resident Carolee Carmello wanted to do something closer to home."
51. Spelling, Ian. "Splendid on the Screen and Stage: Actress Carolee Carmello" (201) magazine, April 4, 2017. Accessed June 26, 2017. "Carmello returns home to Leonia after each evening performance of Sweeney Todd. A divorced mother of two, a son and daughter, she's lived there for 14 years, after spending seven years in Teaneck."

External links

• Carolee Carmello at IMDb
• Carolee Carmello at the Internet Broadway Database
• Carolee Carmello at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Carolee Carmello interview, American Theatre Wing website (via soundcloud.com)