Patina Renea Miller is an American actress and singer. Miller's breakout role was as originating the role of
disco diva
Diva (; ) is the Latin word for a goddess. It has often been used to refer to a celebrated woman of outstanding talent in the world of opera, theatre, cinema, fashion and popular music. If referring to an actress, the meaning of ''diva'' is cl ...
wannabe Deloris Van Cartier in the 2009
West End
West End most commonly refers to:
* West End of London, an area of central London, England
* West End theatre, a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London, England
West End may also refer to:
Pl ...
and 2011
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 ...
productions of ''
Sister Act
''Sister Act'' is a 1992 American comedy film directed by Emile Ardolino and written by Paul Rudnick (as Joseph Howard). It stars Whoopi Goldberg as a lounge singer forced to join a convent after being placed in a witness protection program. ...
'' for which she earned a
Laurence Olivier Award
The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...
and
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nominations respectively. She also starred as the Leading Player in the 2013 Broadway revival of ''
Pippin'', for which she won the
Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly ...
. She later returned to Broadway to star as the Witch in the 2022 Broadway revival of the
Stephen Sondheim musical ''
Into the Woods
''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine.
The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...
''.
She is also known for her role as
Commander Paylor in ''
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay'' films, and her starring role as Daisy Grant in the
CBS political drama ''
Madam Secretary''. She has also starred in the
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of ed ...
series ''
Mercy Street'' (2017). In 2021, Miller began starring as Raquel "Raq" Thomas in the
Starz
Starz (stylized as STARZ since 2016; pronounced "stars") is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lions Gate Entertainment, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consis ...
television drama ''
Raising Kanan''.
Early life and education
Born in
Pageland, South Carolina
Pageland is a town in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, United States. It is the second largest town in Chesterfield County. The population was 2,760 at the 2010 census.
It is known as "The Watermelon Capit ...
,
and raised in a single parent home,
she was introduced to music at an early age and sang with the
gospel choir
Gospel music is a traditional genre of Christian music, and a cornerstone of Christian media. The creation, performance, significance, and even the definition of gospel music varies according to culture and social context. Gospel music is com ...
at her local church. She attended
South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities
The South Carolina Governor's School for the Arts & Humanities (SCGSAH) is a prestigious boarding school for the arts located in Greenville, South Carolina, United States. Founded in 1999 by Virginia Uldrick, the high school program provides pre-p ...
and in 2006 graduated with a degree in
musical theatre from
Carnegie Mellon University
Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is a private research university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. One of its predecessors was established in 1900 by Andrew Carnegie as the Carnegie Technical Schools; it became the Carnegie Institute of Technology ...
.
She has credited her time at Carnegie Mellon as a big part of her life, saying, "It was there that I studied and really realized that I could make my dream a reality. I'm so thankful to all my teachers who helped me to become the performer I am today."
Career
In 2005, Miller was one of three finalists for the role of Effie White in the musical drama ''
Dreamgirls
''Dreamgirls'' is a Broadway musical, with music by Henry Krieger and lyrics and book by Tom Eyen. Based on the show business aspirations and successes of R&B acts such as The Supremes, The Shirelles, James Brown, Jackie Wilson, and other ...
'', alongside
Capathia Jenkins
Capathia Jenkins is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her work as a Broadway performer, with roles in shows such as ''Caroline, or Change'', '' Newsies'', and Martin Short
Martin Hayter Short (born March 26, 1950) is a ...
and
Jennifer Hudson
Jennifer Kate Hudson (born September 12, 1981), also known by her nickname J.Hud, is an American singer, actress, and talk show host. Throughout her career, she has received various accolades for her works in recorded music, film, televisi ...
(which ultimately won Hudson the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress).
In 2007, she was cast as Pam Henderson in the daytime
soap opera
A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
''
All My Children
''All My Children'' (often shortened to ''AMC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970, to September 23, 2011, and on The Online Network (TOLN) from April 29 to September 2, 2013, via Hulu, Hulu Plus, and ...
'' and appeared in 30 episodes of the show.
She performed in a
Central Park
Central Park is an urban park in New York City located between the Upper West Side, Upper West and Upper East Sides of Manhattan. It is the List of New York City parks, fifth-largest park in the city, covering . It is the most visited urban par ...
production of ''
Hair'' in the summer of 2008 and was featured in the musical ''Romantic Poetry'' at the
Manhattan Theatre Club
Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC) is a theatre company located in New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres. Under the leadership of Artistic Director Lynne Meadow and Executive Producer Barry Grove, Manhattan Theatre Club has g ...
that fall.
![Patina Miller West End Live 2010](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/de/Patina_Miller_West_End_Live_2010.jpg)
Miller was cast as the lead role of Delores Van Cartier in ''Sister Act'', a role she had understudied for six months during its initial run in the United States,
following a year-long international search.
The London production opened on June 2, 2009 at the
London Palladium
The London Palladium () is a Grade II* West End theatre located on Argyll Street, London, in the famous area of Soho. The theatre holds 2,286 seats. Of the roster of stars who have played there, many have televised performances. Between 1955 a ...
, and although it received mixed reviews, most critics singled out Miller and praised her performance.
Benedict Nightingale of ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ...
'' cited her "terrific voice."
Whoopi's wry vulnerability but adds dazzle to the razzle around her," while David Benedict of ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' thought her "powerhouse vocals, pitched somewhere between
Gloria Gaynor
Gloria Gaynor (née Fowles; born September 7, 1943) is an American singer, best known for the disco era hits " I Will Survive" (1978), " Let Me Know (I Have a Right)" (1979), " I Am What I Am" (1983), and her version of " Never Can Say Goodbye" ...
and
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Voice", she is Whitney Houston albums discography, one of the bestselling music artists ...
, and her thrillingly fast
vibrato
Vibrato (Italian, from past participle of " vibrare", to vibrate) is a musical effect consisting of a regular, pulsating change of pitch. It is used to add expression to vocal and instrumental music. Vibrato is typically characterised in terms o ...
act as the show's engine." For this role Miller won the whatsonstage.com Theatregoers Choice Award for Best Actress in a Musical and was also nominated for the
Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical
The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by the Society of London Theatre in recognition of achievements in commercial London theatre. The awards were established as the Society of West End Theatre Awa ...
. She remained with the production till it closed on October 30, 2010.
Miller reprised the role of Deloris Van Cartier in the
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 ...
production of ''Sister Act'', which began performances on March 24, 2011, at the
Broadway Theatre
Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''T ...
and officially opened April 20, 2011. Miller also made her Broadway debut in this production. For this role she won a
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945–1946 theatre s ...
and was also nominated for the
Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly ...
, the
Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, the
Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, and the
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical
The Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical is an annual award presented by Drama Desk in recognition of achievements in the theatre among Broadway, Off Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions. The awards were established in 1955, w ...
. She played her final performance in the Broadway company on March 18, 2012 and was replaced by
Raven-Symoné
Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday () (née Pearman; born December 10, 1985), also known mononymously as Raven, is an American actress, singer, and songwriter. She has received several accolades, including five NAACP Image Awards, two Ki ...
on March 27.
Miller also starred as Linda in the
City Center
A city centre is the commercial, cultural and often the historical, political, and geographic heart of a city. The term "city centre" is primarily used in British English, and closely equivalent terms exist in other languages, such as "" in Fren ...
Encores!
Encores! is a Tony-honored concert series dedicated to performing rarely heard American musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, Encores! has revived shows by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & ...
production of ''
Lost in the Stars
''Lost in the Stars'' is a musical with book and lyrics by Maxwell Anderson and music by Kurt Weill, based on the novel ''Cry, the Beloved Country'' (1948) by Alan Paton. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1949; it was the composer's last wor ...
'', which ran from February 3–6, 2011.
She performed as the Leading Player in the
American Repertory Theater
The American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is a professional not-for-profit theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1979 by Robert Brustein, the A.R.T. is known for its commitment to new American plays and music–theater explorations; to n ...
production of ''
Pippin'' from December 5, 2012 to January 20, 2013. Miller recently reprised the role in the Broadway revival, which began performances on March 23, 2013, at the
Music Box Theatre
The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, the Music Box Theatre was desi ...
and officially opened on April 25, 2013. She won the Outer Critics Circle Award and
Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical
The Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical is awarded to the best actress in a musical, whether a new production or a revival. The award has been given since 1948, but the nominees who did not win have only been publicly ...
at the
67th Tony Awards
The 67th Annual Tony Awards were held June 9, 2013, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2012–13 season. The ceremony returned to Radio City Music Hall in New York City, after two years at Beacon Theatre, and was broadca ...
for this role.
Miller played Commander Paylor in ''
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1'' (2014) and ''
Part 2 Part Two, Part 2 or Part II may refer to:
Films and television
* "Part 2" (Twin Peaks), also known as "The Return, Part 2", the second episode of the third season of the TV series ''Twin Peaks''
Music
* ''Part Two'' (Throbbing Gristle album), 200 ...
'' in 2015. In May 2014, it was announced that she was cast as Daisy Grant, press coordinator to Secretary of State
Elizabeth McCord (
Téa Leoni) in the CBS political drama ''
Madam Secretary''. The show premiered on Sunday, September 21, 2014, on
CBS as part of the
2014–15 television season.
In 2019, Miller starred as the Witch in the
Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl is an amphitheatre in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles, California. It was named one of the 10 best live music venues in America by ''Rolling Stone'' magazine in 2018.
The Hollywood Bowl is known for its disti ...
production of ''
Into the Woods
''Into the Woods'' is a 1987 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine.
The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...
'' and reprised the role in a 2022 Broadway revival at the
St. James Theatre
The St. James Theatre, originally Erlanger's Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 246 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1927, it was designed by Warren and Wetmore in a neo-Georgian style a ...
.
[Gans, Andrew]
"Read Reviews for Hollywood Bowl ''Into the Woods'', Starring Patina Miller, Sutton Foster, Skylar Astin, Cheyenne Jackson"
playbill, July 28, 2019
Personal life
On June 14, 2014, Miller married venture capitalist David Mars in New York City. Robin Burch, Miller’s mother, who is a Baptist minister, officiated at the ceremony. Their daughter, Emerson Harper, was born on August 9, 2017 in New York City.
Discography
* ''Sister Act (Original London Cast Recording)'' (2009)
* ''What I Wanna Be When I Grow Up'' by Scott Alan, singing the song "Taking Back My Life" (2010)
* ''Out of Our Heads'' by
Kooman and Dimond, singing the song "Random Black Girl" (2011)
* ''Pippin (New Broadway Cast Recording)'' (2013)
Acting credits
Film
Television
Theatre
Concerts
In 2014, she performed at
Lincoln Center
Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5 millio ...
. The concert was broadcast on PBS as ''Patina Miller in Concert''.
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Patina
Living people
People from Pageland, South Carolina
Actresses from South Carolina
African-American women singers
Carnegie Mellon University College of Fine Arts alumni
Tony Award winners
American television actresses
African-American actresses
American musical theatre actresses
21st-century American actresses
American film actresses
Theatre World Award winners
1984 births