Valerie Pettiford

Valarie Pettiford (born July 8, 1960) is an American stage and television actress, dancer, and jazz singer. She received a Tony Award nomination for her role in the broadway production '' Fosse''. She is also known for her role as "Big Dee Dee" Thorne on the UPN television sitcom ''Half & Half''.

Stage

Pettiford began her career as a dancer and choreographer in Bob Fosse productions on Broadway. Alvin Klein of the ''New York Times'' wrote of her role in the 1983 musical revue ''Ladies and Gentlemen, Jerome Kern!'' that "You will not for a moment take your eyes off Valarie Pettiford, the show's standout: a sinewy dancer who can be sultry or sweet, measure for measure, as prescribed.... Miss Pettiford appears to be a superbly trained dancer, schooled in balletic finesse and Broadway-style razzmatazz - and a stunning presence." Leah Frank, also in the ''NYT'', wrote of Pettiford's appearance in ''West Side Story'' in 1987: "The mainstay of the supporting cast is Valarie Pettiford, whose Anita is spicy, sensual and full of fire. She is an exciting actress who has a special quality needed to ignite a number such as ''America.''"

In 1994, she played lesbian Cassandra Keefer in ''The Naked Truth'', and from 1995 to 1996 starred as Julie in a touring production of ''Show Boat''.

Pettiford received a Tony nomination as Best Featured Actress in a Musical and a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for her role in the Broadway production '' Fosse'' from 1998 to 1999. ''Variety'' said Pettiford gave "a coolly elegant vocal rendition, nd sheis also a sultry, powerful dancer." She left ''Fosse'' to appear as Velma Kelly in ''Chicago'' in the West End in London from August 1999 to February 2000, alongside Chita Rivera as Roxie Hart.

In 2007 Pettiford won the Backstage Bistro Award for her cabaret debut at the Metropolitan Room in New York City, and won an NAACP Theatre Award for her lead role in '' The Wild Party''. In 2008, she starred in a solo show, ''Valarie Pettiford - Thankful'' that played in New York City and Los Angeles. In 2009, she starred in the solo show ''Valarie Pettiford - The Concert'' in New York City.

Film

In 1978, at the age of 17 and enrolled at the High School of Performing Arts, Pettiford did her first-ever movie work as part of the large ensemble in the film ''The Wiz''. She starred as Mariah Carey's mother in the 2001 film ''Glitter'', had a role in ''Stomp the Yard'' in 2007, and played Aunt Geneva in the 2011 film, ''Jumping the Broom''.

Television

In the 1990s, Pettiford appeared on daytime soap operas, including '' Another World'' and ''One Life to Live'' (where she originated the role of Sheila Price). Her ''Half & Half'' role from 2002 to 2006 as Dee Dee Thorne gained her three NAACP Image Award nominations. From 2008 to 2009, she played Sandra Lucas in the comedy-drama series ''Tyler Perry's House of Payne''. She also appeared in the HBO pilot ''Anatomy of Hope'', directed by J. J. Abrams. Pettiford plays a recurring role as the wife to Harold Cooper (Harry Lennix), Assistant Director of the FBI Counter-Terrorism Division, on the NBC drama The Blacklist.

She has also starred in the TV series A Discovery of Witches as the witch Emily Mather

Music

While on ''Half & Half'', Pettiford released a jazz album, ''Hear My Soul'', in 2005.

Personal life

Pettiford was born in Queens, New York to Ralph and Blanch Pettiford, and graduated from the High School of Performing Arts in 1978. She is married to her manager, actor and former Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Tony Rader. They got engaged in 1991.

Filmography

Film/Movie

Television

Stage roles

*''The Wiz'' (2006), Aunt Em
*'' The Wild Party'' (2005)
*''He Hunts'' (2002), Leontine Duchotel
*'' Gentlemen Prefer Blondes'' (2002), Dorothy Shaw
*''Chicago'' (August 1999—February 2000), Velma Kelly
*'' Fosse'' (1998—99)
*''Show Boat'' (1995—96), Julie
*''Freefall'' (1994)
*''The Naked Truth'' (1994), Cassandra Keefer
*''Weird Romance'' (1992), Shannara and other roles
*''West Side Story'' (1987), Anita
*'' Big Deal'' (1986), Pearl, dance captain
*''Ladies and Gentlemen, Jerome Kern'' (1985), choreographer
*''Grind'' (1985), Fleta
*''Dancin''' (1979), performer
*''Sophisticated Ladies'' (1978), a sophisticated lady and understudy for Miss Jamison, dance captain
*''A Broadway Musical'' (1978), swing performer
*''Summer and Smoke''
*''The Balcony''
*''Beehive''
*''Tango Apasionato''
*''Sarah and Abraham''
*''She Stoops to Conquer''
*''Sweet Charity''

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pettiford, Valarie
1960 births
Living people
Actresses from New York City
American female dancers
American dancers
American film actresses
American musical theatre actresses
American stage actresses
American television actresses
African-American actresses
People from Queens, New York
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
Dancers from New York (state)