Stephanie Ann D'Abruzzo (; born December 7, 1971) is an American actress, puppeteer and singer. She has performed various Muppets in the TV program ''

Sesame Street ''Sesame Street'' is an American educational children's television series that combines live-action, sketch comedy, animation and puppetry. It is produced by Sesame Workshop (known as the Children's Television Workshop until June 2000 ...

''. She held starring roles on '' Oobi'' and ''

The Book of Pooh ''The Book of Pooh'' is an American children's television series that aired on the Playhouse Disney block on Disney Channel. It is the third television series to feature the characters from the Disney franchise based on A. A. Milne's works; th ...

''. She was one of the original cast members of the stage musical ''

Avenue Q ''Avenue Q'' is a musical comedy featuring puppets and human actors with music and lyrics by Robert Lopez and Jeff Marx and book by Jeff Whitty. It won Best Musical, Book, and Score at the 2004 Tony Awards. The show's format is a parody of ...

'', receiving a nomination for the 2004 Best Actress in a Musical.

Early life

D'Abruzzo was born in

Pittsburgh Pittsburgh ( ) is a city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States, and the county seat of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Allegheny County. It is the most populous city in both Allegheny County and Wester ...

, Pennsylvania, on December 7, 1971, and grew up in McMurray, a Pittsburgh suburb she has described as a "plastic bubble kind of town." She graduated from

Peters Township High School Peters Township High School is a public high school that is located in McMurray, Pennsylvania, United States. The current building was built in 2021. This new building was constructed just up the road from the old school, and was constructed at a c ...

in 1989 and attended the

Pennsylvania Governor's School for the Arts (''Seize the Day'') , city = Erie , state = Pennsylvania , country = USA , type = Residential Public , established = 1973 , district = , director = Douglas Woods , faculty = , grades ...

, a summer program for gifted high school students. D'Abruzzo is a 1993 graduate of the Radio/Television/Film program at

Northwestern University Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston, Illinois. Founded in 1851, Northwestern is the oldest chartered university in Illinois and is ranked among the most prestigious academic institutions in the world. Charte ...

. At the university's Communications Residential College (CRC), she could often be caught watching (and, as it turns out, studying) ''

''. She had a large collection of

Muppet The Muppets are an American ensemble cast of puppet characters known for an absurdist, burlesque, and self-referential style of variety-sketch comedy. Created by Jim Henson in 1955, they are the focus of a media franchise that encompasses ...

recordings, which she compiled into a mixtape that she auctioned off for dorm fundraisers. Eventually, D'Abruzzo began to consider puppetry as a career, in part as a solution to finding acting roles after she "gained more than the Freshman 15 and ota bad perm." D'Abruzzo's production of a puppet television show called ''Freeform'' won the National College Emmy award for comedy. D'Abruzzo's other roles at Northwestern included Mildred in the short film ''The Ballad of Hank and Mildred'' and as herself in ''The Glance.'' While in college, she also performed with a campus

improvisational comedy Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, a ...

troupe.

Career

D'Abruzzo has spent much of her career performing as a puppeteer in children's television, but she is known for originating the roles of single schoolteacher Kate Monster and sultry chanteuse Lucy the Slut in 2003 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 ...

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the characters are interwo ...

''. She garnered acclaim for her performance of the dual role, including a nomination for the 2004

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 c ...

for Best Actress in a Musical, a

Drama Desk The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fol ...

nomination, the

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 se ...

, and the 2003–2004 Outer Critics Circle Special Ensemble Award. Other stage credits include '' I Love You Because'' (

Off-Broadway An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer th ...

) (2006), '' If You Give A Mouse A Cookie'' (Off-Broadway, ''TheaterworksUSA'', 2006), ''

Carnival Carnival is a Catholic Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide (or Pre-Lent). Carnival t ...

'' (for City Center Encores!, 2002), ''Kiss and Makeup'' (New York City Fringe Festival, 2007), and ''Austentatious'' (New York Musical Theatre Festival) in 2007. D'Abruzzo has performed in developmental readings of ''Avenue Q'', ''I Love You Because'', ''

Oh, What a Lovely War! ''Oh, What a Lovely War!'' is an epic musical developed by Joan Littlewood and her ensemble at the Theatre Workshop in 1963. It is a satire on World War I, and by extension on war in general. The title is derived from the "somewhat satirical ...

'' (2005), ''The $trip'', ''The Medium at Large'', and ''The Green Room''. She has also been featured in several concerts and benefits, including ''Skitch Henderson's New Faces of 2004'' at

Carnegie Hall Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th and 57th Streets. Designed by architect William Burnet Tuthill and built ...

, Encores! 10th Anniversary Bash, ''

Chess Chess is a board game for two players, called White and Black, each controlling an army of chess pieces in their color, with the objective to checkmate the opponent's king. It is sometimes called international chess or Western chess to dist ...

'' (for the Actors' Fund, 2003), ''Children and Art: Stephen Sondheim's 75th Birthday Gala'' (2005), and ''Stephen Sondheim's 75th: The Concert'' (at 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 distin ...

, 2005). D'Abruzzo appears on the original cast recordings of ''Avenue Q'' and ''I Love You Because'' and performs the parts of "Sheldon" and "Deb" on the studio recording of '' Finding Nemo – The Musical'', a musical production performed several times each day at

Disney's Animal Kingdom Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is a zoological theme park at the Walt Disney World Resort in Bay Lake, Florida, near Orlando. Owned and operated by The Walt Disney Company through its Parks, Experiences and Products division, it is the ...

. She is one of the performers included in the documentary '' ShowBusiness: The Road to Broadway (2007),'' which chronicles the 2003–2004 Broadway season. In May 2005, D'Abruzzo made her solo cabaret debut at the New York City

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a m ...

club Birdland.

Television

Since 1993, D'Abruzzo has performed as various Muppets in ''

'', including a notable performance singing with R.E.M. in a new version of their song "

Shiny Happy People "Shiny Happy People" is a song by the American rock band R.E.M. from their seventh studio album, '' Out of Time'' (1991). It features guest vocals by Kate Pierson of the B-52's, who also appears in the music video. According to the singer Micha ...

" called "Furry Happy Monsters". From 2000 to 2005, she appeared as Uma and Inka on the Noggin series '' Oobi''. D'Abruzzo worked on ''Oobi'' along with her husband, Craig Shemin, who was part of the show's writing staff. Her other puppeteering and voice work includes appearances in ''

Sheep in the Big City ''Sheep in the Big City'' is an American animated television series created by Mo Willems for Cartoon Network, and the 9th of the network's Cartoon Cartoons. The series' pilot first premiered as part of Cartoon Network's "Cartoon Cartoon Summer" ...

'', ''

The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss ''The Wubbulous World of Dr. Seuss'' is an American children's puppet television series based on characters created by Dr. Seuss, produced by The Jim Henson Company. It aired from October 13, 1996, to December 28, 1998, on Nickelodeon. It combin ...

'' (1997), and ''

Jack's Big Music Show ''Jack's Big Music Show'' is an American musical children's television series produced for the Noggin channel. It was created and executive produced by David Rudman, Todd Hannert, and Adam Rudman through their company Spiffy Pictures. The main ...

'', along with various commercials and promos. She guest starred in a musical episode of '' Scrubs'' titled "

My Musical "My Musical" is a musical episode of the American comedy-drama television series '' Scrubs''. It is the 123rd episode of the show, and was originally aired as episode 6 of season 6 on January 18, 2007 on NBC. The episode follows the story of Pa ...

", as a patient with a mysterious ailment that caused her to interpret speech as Broadway-esque song and dance numbers. She sang in five of the nine songs. Four of the episode's songs were co-written by ''Avenue Q'' composers Robert Lopez and

Jeff Marx Jeff Marx (born September 10, 1970) is an American composer and lyricist of musicals. He is best known for creating the Broadway musical ''Avenue Q'' with collaborator Robert Lopez. Early life Marx grew up in Hollywood, Florida. He attended ...

. She later appeared in a cameo in episode "

My Finale "My Finale" is the 40-minute-long season finale for season eight of the American sitcom '' Scrubs''. It was originally broadcast as episodes 18 and 19 of season eight on May 6, 2009 on ABC, and was intended to be the series finale during producti ...

", as series protagonist J.D. leaves Sacred Heart for the final time. D'Abruzzo performed Prairie Dawn on ''Sesame Street'' season 46, following the retirement of Prairie Dawn's original performer,

Fran Brill Fran Brill (born September 30, 1946) is an American retired actress and puppeteer, best known for her roles on ''Sesame Street'', as well as playing Sally Hayes in the Hal Ashby film '' Being There'' (1979), Dana Mardukas in the Martin Brest fi ...

, in 2015. D’Abruzzo voiced Kimmy’s long-lost backpack, Jan S. Port, in Season 4, episode 6 of the '' Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'' ("Kimmy Meets an Old Friend").

Personal life

She is married to Craig Shemin, a writer and producer and board member of the Jim Henson Legacy. They married on September 17, 1995 and live in New York City.

Filmography

* ''The Varsity Cafe'' (TV, 1990) - Frieda * ''

'' (1993–present) - Prairie Dawn (Since 2016), Elizabeth, Mrs. Crustworthy (Since 2016), Lulu, Curly Bear, Googel, Additional Muppets * '' The Puzzle Place'' (1995) - Jody Silver and Pink Piece Police (Season 2) * ''

'' (TV, 1996) - Little Cat B, Annie DeLoo, Max the Dog, Jane Kangaroo, Pam-I-Am, Sue Snue, Sarah Hall-Small, Additional Muppets * ''

Elmo's World ''Elmo's World'' is a segment that is shown at the end of the long-running American children's television program ''Sesame Street'' which premiered on November 16th, 1998, as part of a broader structural change to the show. It originally lasted ...

'' (1998) - Curly Bear, Elizabeth, Pillow, Diva D'Abruzzo, Additional Muppets * ''

The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland ''The Adventures of Elmo in Grouchland'' is a 1999 American musical adventure comedy film directed by Gary Halvorson in his feature film debut. This was the second film to be based on the children's television series ''Sesame Street'', after '' ...

'' (1999) - Grizzy, Pestie * ''Elmo's World: The Wild Wild West'' (2001) - Googel (Monster Clubhouse segment only) *'' Scrubs'' (2001) - AM Muppet (Ex Ray) * ''

'' (TV, 2001–2003) - Kessie * ''

'' (2005) - Gertrude the Groundhog, Scat Cat *''

Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures ''Bert and Ernie's Great Adventures'' (originally promoted as ''The Adventures of Bert and Ernie'') is a stop-motion animated children's television series developed by Sesame Workshop in which clay animated versions of Bert and Ernie use their i ...

'' (2006-2013) Heidi, Clarice the Cow, Lady Lulu Quackerville, Lily, Bertina, Ostrich Lady, Ostrich Lady * ''Abby's Flying Fairy School'' (2009) - Super Fairy *'' Cookie's Crumby Pictures'' (2013) - Iffy, M, Princess Parfaita, Sally *'' Scooby-Doo! Adventures: The Mystery Map'' (2013) - Velma Dinkley and Shirley * '' Helpsters'' - Cody (2019–present) * '' Oobi'' (2000–2005) - Uma, Inka *''

Julie's Greenroom ''Julie's Greenroom'' is an American educational pre-school television series that was released on Netflix on March 17, 2017. Characters * Miss Julie (portrayed by Julie Andrews) – The director of the Wellspring Center for the Performing Arts. ...

'' (2017) - Peri *'' The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo'' (2020) - Mae, Praise Dawn * '' Donkey Hodie'' (TV, 2021–present) - Duck Duck, Harriett Elizabeth Cow *''Furry Friends Forever: Elmo Gets a Puppy'' (2021) - Mae

References

External links

The official website of Stephanie D’Abruzzo
* *
Stephanie D'Abruzzo
at th
Internet Off-Broadway Database

Stephanie D'Abruzzo and John Tartaglia
- ''Downstage Center'' interview at American Theatre Wing.org
THE Q INTERVIEW: Kate Monster interviews Stephanie

Stephanie D'Abruzzo video interview parts 1
an
2
at th
''Scrubs'' Production Blog

''BroadwayWorld.com'' interview with Stephanie D'Abruzzo, June 13, 2007

{{DEFAULTSORT:D'Abruzzo, Stephanie 1971 births Living people Actresses from Pittsburgh American stage actresses American musical theatre actresses American video game actresses American voice actresses American puppeteers Sesame Street Muppeteers Theatre World Award winners Northwestern University School of Communication alumni 20th-century American actresses 20th-century American singers 20th-century American women singers 21st-century American actresses 21st-century American singers 21st-century American women singers Muppet performers American people of Italian descent