Emily Skinner

December 8, 2019 at 5 p.m.

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“Emily Skinner, I picked you, I love you, you’re perfect.” - Cher

 

"[Emily Skinner] who plays my mom, is great. That's a very important part. It starts the whole tenor of the project: How my mom treated me as a child. That is why I am who I am now."- Cher

 

“Skinner is simply sublime ... She seduces you in one minute and breaks your heart in the next.” - Liz Smith | NY Post

 

“Skinner’s voice is absolutely ravishing, filled with a rich warmth from top to bottom. I could listen to her sing just about anything.” - Wall Street Journal

 

EMILY SKINNER has unequivocally established herself as one of Broadway‘s most engaging and versatile performers.

 

In 2018 Emily Skinner had the distinct honor of being chosen by Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, Golden Globe Award winner and pop culture icon Cher to star as her mother, Georgia Holt, in the Tony winning Broadway musical, THE CHER SHOW. Cher even Tweeted "I picked Emily Skinner 2 be Mom. And I was right. She IS Mom" Emily also portrays another pivotal role in Cher’s life, as the legendary Lucille Ball and has been praised in reviews as a highlight for both roles in the hit musical.

 

In 2017, Ms. Skinner was directed by legendary Broadway producer/director Hal Prince in PRINCE OF BROADWAY, receiving an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for her performance. She was also seen that same year Off-Broadway in Transport Group’s much lauded production of PICNIC, where she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance as Rosemary. Previous to that, she appeared as The Witch in INTO THE WOODS at Houston’s Theatre Under The Stars and as Phyllis in FOLLIES at The Repertory Theatre of St Louis, garnering rave reviews for both performances.

 

Another recent highlight came when Dame Julie Andrews selected Emily to star in the musical based on her children's book THE GREAT AMERICAN MOUSICAL, which premiered at Godspeed's Norma Terris Theatre.

 

She appeared previously on Broadway starring in the acclaimed musical BILLY ELLIOT. Handpicked by Oscar-winning director Stephen Daldry, she had the honor of being the very first American selected to play the role of Billy's dance teacher, Mrs. Wilkinson. She received a Broadway World Award for her performance. Emily was nominated for a Tony Award (along with Alice Ripley) and received a Drama League Award for her performance as Daisy Hilton in the brilliant but short-lived SIDE SHOW.

 

Her other original Broadway credits include JEKYLL & HYDE, JAMES JOYCE'S THE DEAD (opposite Christopher Walken), THE FULL MONTY, DINNER AT EIGHT (Outer Critics Circle Nomination), as well as The Actors Fund productions of THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS and DREAMGIRLS. She's had the pleasure of singing many times at Carnegie Hall with The New York Pops, and also appeared there in the New York debut of Richard Thomas' infamous JERRY SPRINGER THE OPERA (with Harvey Keitel).

 

As a soloist, she guested with the Pittsburgh Symphony, Virginia Symphony, Dallas Symphony, and the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. Emily has also headlined New York engagements at Merkin Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, Town Hall, Joe's Pub at the Public Theatre, Birdland, 54 Below, Lincoln Center's American Songbook Series, as well as her solo concert act BROADWAY HER WAY at various performing arts centers and cabaret venues around the country.

 

Regionally, she appeared in numerous leading roles at The Kennedy Center, Signature Theatre, Old Globe Theatre, Ford's Theatre, St. Louis MUNY, Goodspeed, Lyric Theater of Oklahoma, Virginia Rep and elsewhere. Bay Area audiences will remember Emily Skinner for her standout roles in 42ndStreet Moon’s DO I HEAR A WALTZ? and A.C.T.’s star-studded production of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC.

 

Her CD recordings include not only multiple cast albums and audio books, but 20th Century Fox's animated feature ANASTASIA; RAW AT TOWN HALL, DUETS, UNSUSPECTING HEARTS, UNATTACHED (all with Alice Ripley); ELEGIES FOR ANGELS, PUNKS, AND RAGING QUEENS; WHEN I GROW UP; THE STEPHEN SONDHEIM ALBUM; WALL TO WALL SONDHEIM; BELIEVE: THE SONGS OF THE SHERMAN BROTHERS; THE STEPHEN SCHWARTZ ALBUM; multiple BROADWAY BY THE YEAR Live at Town Hall recordings, and her self-titled solo CD which may be found at Amazon.com.