| Valisia LeKae | |
| Birth Date: | 25 September 1979 |
| Birth Place: | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Yearsactive: | 2002–present |
| Occupation: | Actress, singer |
Valisia LeKae (born September 25, 1979)[1] is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for a 2014 Grammy Award and in 2013 she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical both for her performance as Diana Ross in the Broadway musical .
LeKae was born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee,[2] and listened to Motown records in her grandfather's barbershop as a youngster. She started to sing in church at age six[2] and then worked at the Dollywood theme park.[3] LeKae graduated from college with a degree in Psychology and minor in Child and Family Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.[4]
LeKae left Motown: The Musical in December 2013 to be treated after a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.[5]
In February 2014, LeKae was named spokesperson for The National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.
She starred as Diana Ross in on Broadway, which opened in April 2013.[6] The reviewer for TheaterMania wrote of her performance in Motown: The Musical:
The one person who truly shines, though, is Valisia LeKae as Gordy's longtime paramour, superstar Diana Ross. It's not just her almost spot-on re-creation of Miss Ross' breathy voice and steely demeanor that commands our attention. The consistent display of her genuine star power – most evident in a thrilling 'Reach Out and Touch' segment – also draws us in.[7]The TalkinBroadway reviewer wrote: "Valisia LeKae does a killer impersonation of Ross, and effectively mimics her smoky innocence."[8]
For her performance she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[9] She was also nominated for a Drama League Award (Distinguished Performance Award)[10] and Outer Critics Circle Award (Outstanding Actress in a Musical)[11] and won the Theatre World Award (Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut performance).[12] [13]
Previously, she was a swing and understudy in the Broadway productions of The Book of Mormon (2011), Ragtime (2009) for which she was the winner of a Joseph Jefferson Award, and The Threepenny Opera (2006) and a performer in 110 in the Shade (2007).[14] [15]