Merle Louise

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Merle Louise (* 15. April 1934 as Merle Louise Letowt ) is an American actress , made especially for her work in the musicals of Stephen Sondheim , z. As a beggar in Sweeney Todd , is known.

Broadway and Sondheim

At the beginning of her career, she still appeared as Merle Letowt, she played the role of "Thelma" in the original Broadway production of Gypsy (1959). She later played the fourth lead role of "Dainty June" during much of the original production and on the first national tour.

Louise returned to Broadway as Susan in the 1970 Musical Company . Her greatest success was the beggar in Sweeney Todd (1979), for which she received the Drama Desk Award in the category Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical . Despite her success, she was not featured in the national tour, which was also recorded on video. In Into the Woods (1987) she played three roles at once: the ghost of Cinderella's mother, the practical grandmother of Little Red Riding Hood and the voice of the vengeful giantess.

Louise was also featured in original productions by other Broadway composers. She played "Madame Dienten" in Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles (1983) and Molina's mother in John Kanders and Fred Ebbs Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993). She also played this role in the West End of London , in Toronto and on the national tour.

On Off-Broadway , she created the role of Cecily MacIntosh in Charlotte Sweet (1982). In regional theaters she also played various roles in classics by Shakespeare, Chekhov, Molière, Pinter, Ibsen and Shaw.

The cast of the Broadway play [title of show] created a game centered around Merle Louise called Six Degrees of Merle Louise, based on Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon , only that game mostly uses Broadway musicals rather than films to get two partners connect.

Films and later careers

Merle Louise's film work is very limited, but many will be familiar with her television production of Into the Woods and a documentary about the Company's Original Soundtrack . She also had several guest roles such as 1998 in an episode of the television series Law & Order .

Louise is still on stage. Lately the "Frau Schneider" played in Cabaret , "Mme. Armfeldt ”in A Little Night Music and“ Jeanette ”in The Full Monty in Massachusetts. In New York, she appeared on Luke Yankee's award-winning show The Jesus Hickey .

Web links

personal data
SURNAME Louise, Merle
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Letowt, Merle Louise (maiden name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION US-american actress
DATE OF BIRTH April 15, 1934