Pia Douwes
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pia Douwes (born on August 5, 1964) is a Dutch musical actress who is very successful in Europe.
Contents |
[edit] Biography
Douwes was born in Amsterdam, North Holland, to an arts dealer and a social worker and the grandniece of Doris Day. Initially Douwes wanted to become a nurse for mentally handicapped children, then, she danced in a disco when she was 19 years old and realised that she wanted to dance. She went to London and searched for a dance school in the Yellow Pages. She chose the Brooking School of Ballet. Without any prior dance education, she auditioned (with a sprained ankle) and was accepted. One year later she attended a musical workshop with Susi Nicoletti and Sam Cane in Vienna. Cane is said to have told Douwes' father at that time: "If she doesn't become a star, I'll hang myself!".
In 1986, she got her first small part in the German-language premiere of Little Shop of Horrors in Vienna. More small parts followed afterwards. In 1987 she got her first part in a larger production. She was a Swing in Cats in Amsterdam. With this production she toured Russia in 1988, playing Grizabella and Jellylorum.
More parts followed, including Fantine in the original Amsterdam production of Les Misérables in 1991, but the great break through came in 1992, when the she got the title role in the world premiere of Elisabeth in Vienna, Austria. Though the Viennese papers wrote a lot of scathing criticism, such as "Munter geht die Sisi unter" ("Sisi perishs") and they denied Douwes singing and acting talent of any kind, Douwes became (along with Uwe Kröger) an acclaimed musical star. The musical Elisabeth is today the most successful German-language musical of all-time.
Until 1994 she played Elisabeth, then followed more parts like Rizzo in Grease (Vienna) and Eva Perón in Evita in the Dutch touring production.
She was also active in other areas; she sang and spoke the leading part of the Dutch version in the movies Pocahontas 1&2. Additionally she did the gala evenings In love with Musical along with her colleagues Uwe Kröger, Marika Lichter and Viktor Gernot.
In 1999 she played Velma Kelly in the Dutch premiere of Chicago. But Douwes went back to her roots and played the leading part of Elisabeth again in the Dutch and German premieres of the musical. After all in all 900 performances as the Austrian empress she went back to Holland in February 2002 to take along with Dutch musical stars Simone Kleinsma and Stanley Burleson part in the Broadway musical Fosse.
In March 2003 she got the chance to play Milady de Winter at the world premiere of the Dutch musical 3 Musketiers (The Three Musketeers). The musical was later recorded (with her) and is now available on DVD.
In 2004 she played again Velma Kelly in Chicago. But this time she performed in the West End of London and then on Broadway, being the first Dutch actress to take a leading role in a production on Broadway.
Back again in Holland she played Clara in Passion. Then she went back to Germany to play again Milady de Winter at the German premiere of 3 Musketiere in Theater des Westens in Berlin. She played the part until October 30, 2005.
Pia Douwes is the most famous European musical actress alongside Ute Lemper. She took part at over 25 CD productions and was a duet partner of José Carreras.
As of now (March 2006), Pia Douwes is on stage as Sally Bowles in a Dutch production of Cabaret.
She will reprise her role as Empress Elisabeth in Stuttgart for the final weeks of the production.
[edit] Musical Engagements
- 1986 Little Shop of Horrors, Crystal in Vienna
- 1986 - 1987Sammy Mario and Dancers, Dancer in Vienna
- 1987 Cats, Swing, Grizabella, Jellylorum in Amsterdam
- 1988 - 1989 Cats, Grizabella, Jellylorum, Demeter in Vienna
- 1988 Cats, Grizabella, Jellylorum at the tour through Russia
- 1990 West Side Story, Maria at the tour through Belgium and the Netherlands
- 1991 - 1992 Les Misérables, Fantine in Schevenigen
- 1992 - 1994 Elisabeth, Empress Elisabeth in Vienna
- 1994 Other People's Money, Kate Sullivan in Prague
- 1994 West Side Story, Maria in Summer of Musical Amstdetten
- 1994 - 1995 Grease, Rizzo in Vienna
- 1995 / 1996 Cabaret, Sally Bowles in Bad Hersfeld, Germany
- August 10, 1995 Cats, Grizabella and guest at the premiere in Vienna
- 1995 - 1996 and January 1997 Evita, Eva Péron at the tour through the Netherlands
- 1997 Rocky Horror Show, Janet in Bad Hersfeld, Germany
- 1997 - 1999 Dance! Dance! Dance!, Soloist in Vienna
- 1997 - 1998 Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre at the tour through the Netherlands
- November 1998 Savanah Bay, Young Woman in the Netherlands
- December 1999 The Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical Gala, Soloist at the tour through Germany
- 1999 Chicago, Velma Kelly in Utrecht
- 1999 - 2000 Elisabeth, Elisabeth in Schevenigen
- 2000 Sweeney Todd, Beggar Woman, Debut in the West End of London
- December 2000 Cole Porter's Songbook, Soloist
- 2001 - 2002 Elisabeth, Empress Elisabeth in Essen
- 2002 Fosse, Soloist at the tour through the Netherlands
- 2003 - 2004 3 Musketiers, Milady de Winter in Rotterdam
- 2004 Chicago, Velma Kelly in London
- 2004 Chicago, Velma Kelly, Debut on broadway
- 2004 - 2005 Passion, Clara at the tour through the Netherlands
- 2005 3 Musketiere, Milady de Winter in Berlin
- since February 2006 Cabaret in Amsterdam
- Summer 2006 - 9/17/2006 Elisabeth, Empress Elisabeth in Stuttgart
[edit] Discography
- 1987 Cats, Cast recording
- 1989 It's time to say we care, Single for the benefit of the Aids-Gala in Vienna
- 1991 Les Misérables, Cast recording
- 1992 Hier sta ik, Single
- 1992 Ich gehör nur mir / I belong to me, Single
- 1992 Elisabeth, Cast recording
- 1994 Aidan Bell: Time Warp Duett: Maybe we can make it
- 1994 Grease, Live recording
- 1995 Living Water, Benefit CD
- 1995 Musical Christmas in Vienna, Sampler
- 1995 Pocahontas, Original Soundtrack Holland
- 1995 Evita, Cast recording
- 1995 Cabaret, Cast recording
- 1996 Stars singen Weihnachtslieder, Sampler
- 1996 Rocky Horror Show, Cast recording
- 1997 Still in love with Muiscal, Live recording
- 1997 Shades of night, Musicals go rock, Sampler
- 1998 10 für Zehn, Benefit CD
- 1998 Pocahontas II, Original Soundtrack Holland
- 1998 Joop van den Enden presenteert: De beste uit de musicals, Sampler
- 1998 Chicago, Cast recording
- 1999 Elisabeth, Cast recording (Netherlands)
- 1999 Mijn leven is van mij, Single (Dutch version of Ich gehör nur mir / I belong to me)
- 2000 Die fantastische Welt des Musicals, Sampler
- 2000 Alles Musical, Sampler
- 2000 Hoogtepunten uit de musicals, aangeboden door Persil, Sampler
- 2000 Hilversum Calling, Sampler
- 2000 Zing dan! Luisterliedjes, Sampler
- 2001 Ernest Daniel Smit e amici: Una voce particulare Duet, Sampler
- 2001 Elisabeth, Cast recording in Essen, Germany
- 2001 3 CD-Track: "Ich gehör nur mir", Single
- 2001 In love with musical again, Live recording
- 2001 Steve Barton memorial concert, Live recording
- 2001 Uwe Kröger: Only the best
- 2001 Uwe Kröger: Musical Moments
- 2002 Het mooiste uit de nederlandse musicals, Sampler
- 2002 Fosse (Bye bye, blackbird), Promotional single
- 2003 De drie Musketiers, Cast recording
- 2003 De drie Musketiers - Special Edition, Cast recording, extra's CD & DVD
- 2003 Uwe Kröger: Musical Moments 2
- 2004 Het mooiste uit de nederlandse musicals II, Sampler
- 2004 Passion, Cast recording
- 2005 Die drei Musketiere, Cast recording
