Merle Louise
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| Merle Louise | |
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| Born | April 15, 1934 |
Merle Louise (born Merle Louise Letowt, April 15, 1934 [1]) is an American actress who is best known for appearing in four Stephen Sondheim musicals, most famously as "The Beggar Woman" in Sweeney Todd.
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[edit] Broadway and Sondheim
Early in her career, (when she was still known as Merle Letowt), she played "Thelma" in the original cast of Gypsy (1959). Eventually, she moved up to the fourth lead role of "Dainty June", playing it for much of the Broadway run and on the first national tour.[2]
Louise returned to Broadway in the groundbreaking Company (1970) as the Southern belle "Susan", whose marriage was happier as a divorce. Her biggest success was as "the Beggar Woman" in Sweeney Todd (1979), for which she won the Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.[3] Unfortunately, her harrowing, "ravaging crazy"[4] performance is not recorded as she had left the cast at that time.[5] In Into the Woods (1987), she played a trio of roles: the etheral "Cinderella's Mother", the practical "Granny" (of "Little Red Riding Hood" fame), and the "Giant", out to avenge her husband.
Louise has originated roles with other Broadway composers as well. She was the tightly wound "Mme. Dindon" in Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles (1983) and warm "Molina's Mother" in Kander and Ebb's Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993), a role she also played in London, Toronto and on the national tour.
Off-Broadway, she created the role of Cecily MacIntosh in Charlotte Sweet (1982)[6]. Regionally, she is an acclaimed actress in classics by Shakespeare[7], Chekhov, Moliere, Pinter, Ibsen, and Shaw.
[edit] On-Camera and Later Career
Merle Louise's on-camera work has been limited, most notably appearing in the televised production of Into the Woods and a documentary about the recording of the Original Cast Album of Company. She has had some guest appearances on shows such as Law & Order.[8]
Louise continues to act. Her most recent performances include "Frau Schneider" in Cabaret, "Mme. Armfeldt" in A Little Night Music (another Sondheim) and "Jeanette" in The Full Monty in Massachusetts, and in New York was in Luke Yankee's award-winning The Jesus Hickey. (July 2007)[9]
[edit] Credits (Broadway)
- Kiss of the Spider Woman (Molina's Mother) 1993
- Into the Woods (Cinderella's Mother/Granny/Giant)1987
- La Cage aux Folles (Mme. Dindon) 1983
- Sweeney Todd (Beggar Woman) 1979
- Company (Susan) 1970
- Gypsy (Thelma, Later Dainty June) 1959
| Awards | ||
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| Preceded by Bobo Lewis for Working |
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical 1978-1979 for Sweeney Todd |
Succeeded by Debbie Allen for West Side Story |
