Christy Altomare

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Christy Altomare
ChristyAltomareLive.JPG
Born
Christine Altomare

(1986-06-23) 23 June 1986 (age 35)
Alma materUniversity of Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music (BFA, 2008)
OccupationActress, singer-songwriter
Websitewww.christyaltomare.com

Christine "Christy" Altomare is an American actress and singer-songwriter.

Altomare played Wendla in the first national tour of the rock musical Spring Awakening, played Sue Snell in the off-Broadway revival of Carrie, and made her Broadway debut as Sophie in Mamma Mia!.[1] She originated the titular role in the Broadway premiere of Anastasia, earning favorable reviews. The show closed on Broadway on March 31, 2019, after a total of 808 regular shows and 34 previews.

Early life[]

Altomare began performing at age five in community theater productions in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. At Pennsbury High School, she was a part of choirs and school productions before attending University of Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music, where she performed in a number of productions. In 2004, she was a National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts winner in the musical theater category.[2] She graduated from CCM in 2008 with a BFA in Musical Theater.[3]

Personal life[]

In December 2018, Altomare announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Philip “Pete” Browning.[4] In October 2020, she announced their separation via Twitter.[5]

Career[]

Altomare began writing songs at the age of twelve. She has three independent CDs: Not Yet Over You (2000), Waiting For You (2007), and an EP entitled After You (2008). When she was sixteen, she signed with her current manager, Edie Robb.[3] She looks to Jewel and Joni Mitchell as her biggest influences.[6]

In 2008, Altomare joined the first national touring cast of the Broadway musical Spring Awakening in the lead role of Wendla, beginning previews on August 15, 2008, in San Diego.[3] She traveled to 44 different cities and gave over 600 performances. She stayed with the tour until its final performance on May 23, 2010.[7] Altomare received generally positive reviews throughout the tour. Seth Kubersky of Orlando Weekly called her "appropriately innocent and adorable as the inevitable victim"[8] while Eric Rezsnyak of the Rochester City Paper praised her "piercing, haunting soprano voice," and how "even her most difficult melodic passes seem totally effortless."[9]

Following the Spring Awakening tour, Altomare appeared as Sue Snell in MCC Theater's limited-engagement run of the Off-Broadway revival of Carrie at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. She can be heard on the official cast recording of the production, released by Ghostlight Records.[10] On June 4, 2012, Altomare made her Broadway debut in Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden Theatre, where she replaced Liana Hunt in the role of Sophie Sheridan.[11] She stayed with the Broadway company for a year, ending her contract on June 1, 2013, and was replaced by Laurie Veldheer.[12]

From October 30, 2014, until January 4, 2015, Altomare starred as Guinevere in the Drury Lane Theatre's production of Camelot.

On March 9, 2016, it was announced that Altomare would star in the world premiere of the musical adaptation of the 1997 animated film Anastasia in the title role (nicknamed Anya). The show ran from May 13 - June 19, 2016 at Hartford Stage in Connecticut.[13] Altomare received critical acclaim for her performance, winning the Connecticut Critics Circle Award. She reprised the role on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre.[14] Previews began March 23, 2017, and the show officially opened April 24, 2017.[15] Altomare's performance in the Broadway production earned her positive reviews and numerous award wins and nominations including a 2017 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical. During Anastasia's run, Altomare filmed a series of video blogs for Broadway.com titled Royal Misfits: Backstage at Anastasia with Christy Altomare, giving an inside look at life backstage at the production.[16] She continued with the production through its final Broadway performance, on March 31, 2019.[17]

Altomare played Nellie in a concert version of South Pacific at the Aspen Music Festival on July 22, 2019.[18]

Since the closing of Anastasia, Altomare has performed frequently in the Broadway Princess Party concert both in New York City and occasionally touring in selected cities across North America alongside fellow original Broadway princesses Laura Osnes, Susan Egan, Courtney Reed, and more.[19][20]

On January 16, 2020, it was announced that Altomare would be starring in the new musical as Susan alongside Wicked alums Michael Wartella as Dion DiMucci and Joey McIntyre as Johnny, running May 28 through June 28 at Paper Mill Playhouse prior to a Broadway transfer.[21] However, the production was pushed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[22]

Altomare is expected to release a solo album of original music, titled Wandering Bird, in 2021.[23] On April 9th, 2021, Altomare released the album as a surprise drop on her YouTube music page and on Spotify. [24]

Theatre[]

Broadway, Off-Broadway, & National Tours
Year Title Theatre Role Notes
2008-10 Spring Awakening Various theatres across North America   Wendla Bergmann    Original 1st National Tour Cast
2012  Carrie   Lucille Lortel Theatre   Sue Snell    Off-Broadway Revival Cast
2012-13 Mamma Mia!   Winter Garden Theatre   Sophie Sheridan    Replacement Broadway Cast
2016-19 Anastasia   Hartford Stage (2016)   Anya    World Premiere / Original Broadway Cast
Broadhurst Theatre (2017–19)

Discography[]

  • Not Yet Over You (2000)
  • Waiting For You (2007)
  • After You: LA Sessions - EP (2009)
  • Wandering Bird (2021)

Awards and nominations[]

Year Award Category Work Result
2016 Connecticut Critics Circle Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical Anastasia Won
2017 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
Theatre World Award Honoree
Broadway.com Audience Award Best Leading Actress in a Musical Nominated
Best Onstage Pair (w/ Derek Klena) Nominated
Broadway.com Star Of The Year[25] Won

References[]

  1. ^ "Christy Altomare". Playbill. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  2. ^ "Christy Altomare Bio". ChristyAltomare.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b c "Pennsbury Grad Altomare is on the road to stardom". Bucks County News. June 17, 2009. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  4. ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (December 20, 2018). "Anastasia Star Christy Altomare Announces Engagement to Longtime Beau Pete Browning". Broadway.com. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  5. ^ Altomare, Christy [@ChristyAltomare] (October 10, 2020). "The man of my dreams and I have decided to part..." (Tweet). Retrieved October 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
  6. ^ Sumi, Glenn (March 10, 2009). "Sex and song". NOW Magazine. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  7. ^ Hetrick, Adam (May 23, 2010). "Spring Awakening National Tour Ends Run in Orlando May 23". Playbill. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  8. ^ Kubersky, Seth (May 20, 2010). "Review: Spring Awakening". Orlando Weekly. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  9. ^ Rezsnyak, Eric. "THEATER REVIEW: RBTL's "Spring Awakening"". Rochester City Paper. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  10. ^ "Carrie Original Off-Broadway Cast". castalbums.org. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  11. ^ Blank, Matthew (June 5, 2012). "PHOTO CALL: Broadway's Mamma Mia! Welcomes Aaron Lazar, Felicia Finley, Christy Altomare and More". Playbill. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  12. ^ Gans, Andrew (June 3, 2013). "Broadway's Mamma Mia! Welcomes Laurie Veldheer Beginning June 3". Playbill. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  13. ^ "Christy Altomare and Derek Klena Will Reunite for Hartford Stage's World Premiere of ANASTASIA- Full Cast Announced!". BroadwayWorld. March 9, 2016.
  14. ^ Bethany, Rickwald (January 11, 2017). "Full Casting Announced for Broadway's Anastasia". TheaterMania.
  15. ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Tickets Now On Sale for Anastasia On Broadway". Broadway.com.
  16. ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (August 17, 2017). "Anastasia Star Christy Altomare Is Broadway.com's Next Vlogger". Broadway.com.
  17. ^ Lenker, Maureen Lee (February 5, 2019). "Anastasia sets closing date on Broadway". EW.
  18. ^ "Photos: Christy Altomare Stars In SOUTH PACIFIC In Concert with Aspen Music Festival and Theatre Aspen". BroadwayWorld. July 25, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  19. ^ Hetrick, Adam (July 3, 2019). "Laura Osnes, Susan Egan, Christy Altomare, and Arielle Jacobs Set for Broadway Princess Party". Playbill. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  20. ^ "Broadway Princess Party (@bwayprincesspty) • Instagram photos and videos". Instagram. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  21. ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (January 16, 2020). "Christy Altomare to Join Michael Wartella & Joey McIntyre in The Wanderer at Paper Mill Playhouse". Broadway.com. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  22. ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (March 17, 2020). "Sister Act Postponed at Paper Mill Playhouse; The Wanderer Put on Hold". Broadway.com. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  23. ^ "Christy Altomare with Seth Rudetsky". TodayTix. February 7, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  24. ^ "Christy Altomare Drops New Album WANDERING BIRD". BroadwayWorld. April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  25. ^ "Anastasia's Christy Altomare Voted the 2017 Broadway.com Star of the Year". Broadway.com. December 21, 2017.

External links[]

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