Megan Hilty
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Megan Hilty | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born | Megan Kathleen Hilty March 29, 1981 Bellevue, Washington, U.S. |
Megan Hilty (born Megan Kathleen Hilty on March 29, 1981 in Bellevue, Washington, U.S.) is an American stage and television actress.
Contents |
[edit] Early years
Hilty is the daughter of Jack and Donna Hilty. She attended Sammamish High School in Bellevue and the Washington Academy of Performing Arts Conservatory High School in Redmond, Washington. In 2004, she graduated from the Carnegie Mellon School of Drama and is a member of Actors' Equity. She is a recipient of the National Society of Arts and Letters Award for Excellence in Musical Theater. Her regional credits include productions of Café Puttanesca, Suds, and The Wild Party
[edit] Wicked
Shortly before graduating from Carnegie Mellon, Hilty auditioned for the part of Glinda in the hit musical, Wicked. After graduating, she moved to New York City, and in mid-2004, she made her Broadway debut in the show. She originally served as the standby for Jennifer Laura Thompson before taking over the principal role on May 31, 2005. She played Glinda for a year, ending her run on May 28, 2006, having been replaced by Kate Reinders, the original Glinda in the Chicago production of Wicked. Megan reprised her role as Glinda in the Los Angeles production of Wicked in February 2007 along side former Broadway co-star Eden Espinosa. She left the production on May 18, 2008 and was replaced by Erin Mackey.[1]
[edit] Relationship with Shoshana Bean
Soon after joining the Wicked cast as standby for Jennifer Laura Thompson, Megan met Shoshana Bean, with whom she shared a dressing room. Hilty claimed that before they met, she was intimidated by Menzel's standby, but their friendship and chemistry formed fast. By June 2005, she and Bean had both taken over as principals, where their closeness was very evident. They worked together until January 2006, when Bean left the company. Megan stated at her final curtain call that working with Shoshana was a life changing experience, and that she learned so much from her. [2]
In September, the girls briefly reunited to perform in the national tour, in both their hometowns and Canada through December. In an interview, Hilty stated that the tour was hard, but they had each other.
In March 2008, Bean and Hilty announced they would be doing a variety show together, entitled the Meg an' Sho show. They have performed two concerts thus far, showcasing that the closeness and chemistry forged in Wicked has not been lost.
[edit] Other projects
Hilty starred in a musical called Vanities during its premiere engagement at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in Mountain View, CA. In addition to her stage work, Hilty has made guest appearances on various television shows including The Closer, The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, Ugly Betty, and Shark. She may also be heard as the singing voice of Snow White in the animated feature film Shrek the Third.
In the Fall of 2008, Hilty will join Emmy-winning The West Wing star Allison Janney, fellow Wicked alum Stephanie J. Block, and Broadway veteran Marc Kudisch in the new musical adaption of, 9 to 5. The production will be directed by Joe Mantello - the director of Wicked - and will have its pre-Broadway tryout run at the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles beginning September 21st. Hilty will star as executive secretary Doralee Rhodes (portrayed by Dolly Parton in the original film). Parton has also written the music and lyrics for the new musical. Center Theatre Group will present 9 to 5 in Los Angeles, September 3 through October 19, 2008, as the first production in the Ahmanson's 2008-2009 season. Opening is set for September 21. [3]
[edit] References
- ^ Stage door Pantages Theater
- ^ Stated on January eighth, 2006, at Bean's final Wicked performance
- ^ Parton's '9 to 5' Musical Premieres in LA 2008; Janney, Block, Hilty & Kudisch Star (BroadwayWorld.com)
