Rachel York Biography

Rachel York (born Rachel Lemanski 7 August 1971 in Orlando, Florida) is an American actress and singer. She is known for roles in City of Angels, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Les Misérables, Victor Victoria, Kiss Me, Kate, Sly Fox, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. She also has many film and television credits, including her portrayal of Lucille Ball in the CBS biopic Lucy.

Biography

The youngest of four children, York's love for music and acting began at an early age. Influenced by her mother's love for the arts, she made her professional debut in a local production of Kiss Me, Kate in the chorus. That same year, she earned a scholarship to the American Center for Music Theatre at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. She moved to Los Angeles and began studying with acting coach Aaron Speiser, who then encouraged her to move to New York City.

When she was 19 years old, she moved to New York City and confidently walked up to the office of agent Bill Timms. She performed monologues from Nuts and Sophie's Choice and gave him a demo tape with songs from Evita. Timms signed her on the spot and described her as being able to "... do anything."

York made her Broadway debut as Mallory in the musical City of Angels, and her performance won critical acclaim. After City of Angels, she has been in many performances on stage, including Fantine in Les Misérables, Irene St. Claire in Crucifer of Blood, The Younger Woman in Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together (with Julie Andrews), Norma Cassidy in Victor/Victoria (for which she won a Drama Desk Award), Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Lili Vanessi/Katharine in Kiss Me, Kate, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Dorothy in Summer of '42, Miss Fancy in Sly Fox, Ruth Sutton in Dessa Rose, Mother in Ragtime, Christine Colgate in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and most recently in The Sound of Music as Elsa Shraeder at the Hollywood Bowl. York is one of the few actresses who have received rave reviews from notoriously picky New York critic John Simon.

Her film credits include One Fine Day, Billy Bathgate, Dead Center, Second Honeymoon, Terror Tract, Au Pair II, and the TV movie Lucy in which she played Lucille Ball. Her performance in the London production of Kiss Me, Kate is available on DVD/video.

She also has many credits in television, including appearances on Reba, Frasier, Arli$$, Spin City, The Naked Truth, Diagnosis: Murder, and also provides the voices of Bitty on Higglytown Heroes and Circe on Justice League Unlimited. In 2008, she also guest starred on an episode of Hannah Montana, playing Isis on the episode Yet Another Side of Me.

York released her debut album Let's Fall In Love in early 2005, under the Barnes & Noble label. She can also be heard on the Cast Recordings of City of Angels, Victor/Victoria, The Scarlet Pimpernel: Encore!, Dessa Rose, Putting It Together, Summer of '42, the soundtrack of Billy Bathgate, and recordings of Opal and Celebration of Life.

She appeared as Guenevere in the National Tour of Camelot in the 2006-2007 season, for which she earned the Golden Icon Award from Travolta Family Entertainment for Best Actress in a Touring Production.

In 2010, York played the Witch at the Reagle Music Theatre production of Into the Woods in Waltham, Massachusetts and won an IRNE Award for the role.

On July 10, 2010 she married her six-years boyfriend Ayal Miodovnik. The two have a daughter together.

In 2011, she starred as Billie Burke in the musical Ghostlight Off-Broadway at the Signature Theatre.

York is currently plays the role of Reno Sweeney in the national tour of the 2011 Roundabout Theatre Broadway revival of Anything Goes, which launched October 2, 2012.

Broadway credits

• City of Angels - Mallory Kingsley
• Les Misérables - Fantine
• Victor/Victoria - Norma Cassidy
• The Scarlet Pimpernel - Marguerite
• Sly Fox - Miss Fancy
• Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Christine

National Tours

• Kiss Me, Kate (2001) - Lilli Vanessi/Kate
• Camelot (2007) - Guenevere
• 101 Dalmatians Musical (2009) - Cruella DeVil
• "Anything Goes" (2012) - Reno Sweeney

Film

• Billy Bathgate - Embassy Club Singer
• Killer Instinct - Lotte
• Deadline - Marci Fenner
• Taking the Heat (TV) - Susan
• Dead Center - Mary
• Victor/Victoria (TV) - Norma Cassidy
• One Fine Day - Liza
• Terror Tract - Sarah Freemont
• Second Honeymoon (TV) - Gloria
• Au Pair II - Cassandra Hausen
• Kiss Me, Kate (TV) - Lili Vanessi/Katherine
• Lucy: The Lucille Ball Story (TV) - Lucille Ball
• The Courtship of Eddie's Father (TV) - Lisa
• Justice League Unlimited (TV) - Circe
• Diagnosis Murder #96. (A Mime is a Terrible Thing to Waste) (TV) - Randy Wolfe
• Hannah Montana (TV) - Isis
• Frasier (TV) - Dinah

Recordings

• City of Angels - 1990 Original Broadway Cast Recording
• Putting It Together - 1993 Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording
• Victor/Victoria - 1995 Original Broadway Cast Recording
• The Scarlet Pimpernel: Encore! - 1998 Broadway Revival Cast Recording
• Dessa Rose - 2005 Original Lincoln Center Cast Recording
• Summer of '42 - Sept 2006, Original Cast Recording
• Opal, Honky Tonk Highway and Other Theatre Songs by Robert Nassif Lindsey
• Let's Fall in Love - Solo album released under Barnes & Noble records