Chryssie Whitehead
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Chryssie Whitehead is an American actress, singer and dancer on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, film and television as well as a passionate educator, director and choreographer.


Early life and education

Whitehead grew up in
South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...
. During her first year of high school, she was in a community theatre production of ''
A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
'', in which she played a cut dancer and understudy to Judy.


Career


Off Broadway

Before appearing on
Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
, Whitehead was a Rockette in Los Angeles and New York City at the start of her career right out of high school. She toured and performed in '' Fosse'', ''
The Will Rogers Follies ''The Will Rogers Follies'' is a musical with a book by Peter Stone, lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, and music by Cy Coleman. It focuses on the life and career of famed humorist and performer Will Rogers, using as a backdrop the Ziegfeld ...
'', '' All Shook Up'' and
Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...
's "Driving Rain" tour.


On Broadway

Her Broadway debut was starring in the 2006 Broadway revival of ''
A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
'', in which she played the character of Kristine alongside
Tony Yazbeck Tony Yazbeck (March 14, 1979) is an American actor, singer, and dancer, best known for his work on the Broadway stage, including the revival of '' On the Town'', for which he received 2015 Tony Award and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for ...
. The audition process that she took to get the role can be seen in ''Every Little Step'', a documentary of the ''A Chorus Line'' Broadway revival casting process. Following Broadway, television roles ensued, as well as the musicals ''
Damn Yankees ''Damn Yankees'' is a 1955 musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., dur ...
'' as Lola, ''Gigi'', ''Cats'', ''
A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
'' (as Cassie) and '' Will Rogers Follies'' as Z's Favorite. In 2011, she appeared in the role of Kathy opposite
Neil Patrick Harris Neil Patrick Harris (born June 15, 1973) is an American actor, singer, writer, producer, and television host. Primarily known for his comedic television roles and dramatic and musical stage roles, he has received multiple accolades throughout ...
as Bobby in the
New York Philharmonic The New York Philharmonic, officially the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, Inc., globally known as New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO) or New York Philharmonic-Symphony Orchestra, is a symphony orchestra based in New York City. It is ...
production of ''Company''. In 2016– 2017, she played the role of Kitty in the Broadway revival of ''
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
'', where she understudied and performed the role of Velma Kelly.


In film and television

Whitehead was
Julia Stiles Julia O'Hara Stiles (born March 28, 1981) is an American actress. Born and raised in New York City, Stiles began acting at the age of 11 as part of New York's La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club. Her film debut was a small role in ''I'' ''Love Yo ...
' dance double in the final audition scene of ''
Save the Last Dance ''Save the Last Dance'' is a 2001 American teen dance film produced by MTV Films, directed by Thomas Carter and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The film stars Julia Stiles and Sean Patrick Thomas as a teenage interracial couple in Chic ...
''. She has also been in '' The Producers'' and other independent films. She was also in the ABC Family TV movie ''
Revenge of the Bridesmaids ''Revenge of the Bridesmaids'' is a 2010 ABC Family Original Movie that premiered on July 18, 2010. It stars Raven-Symoné as Abigail and Joanna García as Parker, undercover bridesmaids with a mission to break up a wedding. In addition, the film ...
'' with Raven Simone. On television, Whitehead appeared as Helen Boyd in a 2007 episode of ''
Grey's Anatomy ''Grey's Anatomy'' is an American medical drama television series that premiered on March 27, 2005, on ABC as a mid-season replacement. The series focuses on the lives of surgical interns, residents, and attendings as they develop into s ...
'', "Kung Fu Fighting", as well as in the TV series ''
In Plain Sight ''In Plain Sight'' is an American drama television series that premiered on the USA Network on June 1, 2008. The series revolves around Mary Shannon ( Mary McCormack), a Deputy United States Marshal attached to the Albuquerque, New Mexico, offic ...
'' in the episode "Coma Chameleon", playing the character of Krista. In 2011, she appeared on the TV series '' Castle'', ''
The Mentalist ''The Mentalist'' is an American drama television series that ran from September 23, 2008, until February 18, 2015, broadcasting 151 episodes over seven seasons, on CBS. Created by Bruno Heller, who was also its executive producer, the show f ...
'' and '' Happy Endings''. In 2012, she appeared on '' Switched at Birth''. In 2013, she had a recurring role on four episodes of ''
Private Practice Private practice may refer to: *Private sector practice **Practice of law In its most general sense, the practice of law involves giving legal advice to clients, drafting legal documents for clients, and representing clients in legal negotiati ...
''. In 2014, Whitehead was a recurring guest star for three of the six final episodes of '' Warehouse 13''. She played Claire Donovan, the older sister and eldest sibling to Claudia and Joshua Donovan. Her last television appearance was during the third season of ''Grimm'' in 2014. Her last film credit was in the remake of
West Side Story ''West Side Story'' is a musical conceived by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and a book by Arthur Laurents. Inspired by William Shakespeare's play '' Romeo and Juliet'', the story is set in the mid ...
film directed by Steven Spielberg as the female social worker at the dance at the gym.


Other aspects

In addition to performing, Chryssie is a director, choreographer and writer. She produced her autobiographical show
In My Own Little Corner: A Work in Progress with Bipolar Disorder
as a fundraiser in New York City, November 5th, 2022. The goal is to travel with the show to spread mental health care and awareness, stopping the stigma and normalizing the conversation around mental illness. She is the proud co-founder/director of the performing arts educational company with an holistic approach
Broadway Arts Community
(BAC) with best friend of 20+ years,
Alexis Carra Alexis Carra (born 27 April 1990) is a French footballer A football player or footballer is a sportsperson who plays one of the different types of football. The main types of football are association football, American football, Canadian ...
. BAC coaches privately and provides workshops in acting for camera, musical theatre, college and career prep. Chryssie is a proud faculty member who teaches theatre jazz and jazz dance at Broadway Dance Center and Steps on Broadway in New York.


Personal life

Whitehead resides in New York City with her husband and two dogs. She is a director and musical theatre faculty member at the
American Musical and Dramatic Academy The American Musical and Dramatic Academy (AMDA) is a private conservatory for the performing arts located in New York City and Los Angeles, California. The conservatory offers both Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees and two-year certificates in prof ...
on the New York campus.


References


External links

* *
Official website
Chryssie Whitehead

Dance Act Sing Intensive with Chryssie Whitehead

Broadway Arts Camp {{DEFAULTSORT:Whitehead, Chryssie American female dancers Dancers from South Carolina American musical theatre actresses American film actresses American television actresses Living people Year of birth missing (living people) Actresses from South Carolina 21st-century American women