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T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh (born Crystal Walker; October 13, 1962) is an American actress and singer. In addition to her status as an original cast member of the Fox sketch comedy series '' In Living Color'' (1990–1994), Keymáh is also known for her roles as Erica Lucas on the CBS sitcom '' Cosby'' (1996–2000), Tanya Baxter on the
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sitcom '' That's So Raven'' (2003–2005), and as the star and host on the Keymáh Network sketch variety show ''The Cool Crystal Show'' (2020–present).


Early life

Born Crystal Walker on October 13, 1962, in Chicago, Illinois, at
Cook County Hospital The John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County (shortened ''Stroger Hospital'', formerly Cook County Hospital) is a public hospital in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It is part of Cook County Health, along with Provident Hospital of Cook Cou ...
, Keymáh was raised
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on the city's South Side. Her mother, Arlene Carter, a student at Chicago State University, died when Keymáh was two years old. Keymáh's father, William Walker Sr., was an Illinois state police trooper. He is of Seminole Indian descent from Springfield, Illinois. Keymáh was raised by her maternal grandparents Mary Louis Zeno, a social worker for the Illinois public aid department, and Carneil Carter, an insurance salesperson with Metropolitan Insurance. Keymáh began entertaining her family – singing, dancing, and reciting original poems and stories — at the age of three. Keymáh wrote her first play and her first song in elementary school. For high school, Keymáh is a 1981 graduate of the Academy of Our Lady. Keymáh performed with Ali LeRoi and Lance Crouther in the Mary Wong Comedy Group in high school, and then enrolled in Florida A&M University’s School of Business and Industry. In 1988, she adopted the stage name "T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh" after realizing her last name, Walker, reflected a slave name rather than her African roots. In a 1991 interview with the
Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is an American daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Founded in 1847, it was formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper", a slogan from which its once integrated WGN (AM), WGN radio and ...
, she claimed that "T'Keyah" meant "mental revival of God's spirit" and that "Keymáh" meant "to establish oneself" in Hebrew but neither name appears to be of Hebrew origin by modern day findings."


Career

During college and after graduation, Keymáh taught theater, dance, and mime. She has also done many theater performances, and produced and directed films. One of the original cast members of Fox Television's Emmy winning variety show, '' In Living Color'', for five seasons Keymáh played a number of characters, including Cryssy, the central character of her self-written signature piece, "In Black World". She also sang and danced on the show. After ''In Living Color'', she played contractor Scotti Decker in '' On Our Own''; played comedy show writer Denise Everett on the 1996 TV series ''The Show''; and provided the voices for Roz, Shavonne, Aki, Mrs. LaSalle, and many others in '' Waynehead''. For four years, Keymáh was a series regular on '' Cosby'', where she played flight attendant-lawyer-pastry chef-teacher Erica Lucas Hall. Following ''Cosby'', she appeared for three seasons on the Disney series '' That's So Raven'' as Raven's mother, Tanya Baxter. In season four, her character was written out of the plot so that Keymáh could care for her ailing grandmother. Keymáh co-wrote and costarred in a two-person stage show with music, called ''Sellout!?!'', with fellow College alumnus Bryan C. Jones, who was also one of the many guests to appear in her hit variety show ''T'Keyah Live!'' On June 21, 2022,
Entertainment Tonight ''Entertainment Tonight'' (or simply ''ET'') is an American Broadcast syndication, first-run syndicated news broadcasting news magazine, newsmagazine program that is distributed by CBS Media Ventures throughout the United States and owned by Par ...
announced that Keymáh would reprise her role as Tanya Baxter on the ''That's So Raven'' spin-off, '' Raven's Home.''


''The Cool Crystal Show'' characters

* Nzinghi Anyemeechi Mbweli Aharanwa (''Cooking with the Queen'') * Mrs. Dr. Eliza Madree Weaver (''Read to Me'') * Jett * Stand up T'Keyah (''Standup Tragedy'') * Nylah * The Sisters * Dr. Melanie Milan (''The Milan Medical Moment'') * Miss Louise and Miss Ethel ("Ladies on the Porch") * Mr. Z and Mr. Washington ("Men on the Porch")


''In Living Color'' characters

* Cryssy (''Black World'') * Hilda Hedley (''Hey Mon'') * LaShawn * Leslie Livingston (''Homey the Clown'') * Mrs. Buttman (''The Buttmans'') * Shawanda Harvey, host of '' Go on Girl''


''In Living Color'' impressions

* Shahrazad Ali * Anita Baker * Whoopi Goldberg * Pam Grier * Jackée Harry * Janet Jackson *
La Toya Jackson La Toya Yvonne Jackson (born May 29, 1956) is an American singer and television personality. The fifth child and middle daughter of the Jackson family, Jackson first gained recognition on the family's variety television series, ''The Jacksons (TV ...
* Eartha Kitt * Joie Lee *
Diana Ross Diana Ross (born Diane Ernestine Earle Ross March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. Known as the "Queen of Motown Records", she was the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown#Major divisions, Motown's most suc ...
* Edith Bunker (''
All in the Family ''All in the Family'' is an American sitcoms in the United States, sitcom television series that aired on CBS for nine seasons from January 12, 1971, to April 8, 1979, with a total of 205 episodes. It was later produced as ''Archie Bunker's Pla ...
'') *
Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand ( ; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress, songwriter, producer, and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success across multiple fields of entertainment, being the ...


Other impressions

* Nell Carter * Ruby Dee *
Macy Gray Natalie Renée McIntyre (born September 6, 1967), known professionally as Macy Gray, is an American contemporary R&B, R&B and soul music, soul singer and actress. She is known for her distinctive raspy voice and a singing style heavily influence ...
* Katharine Hepburn *
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday made significant contributions to jazz music and pop ...
* Harry Lennix * Johnny Mathis * Sidney Poitier * Nancy Wilson


''Don't Get Me Started!''

Keymáh performed a solo stage work titled ''Don't Get Me Started!'' She sang, performed impressions, and talked about the prison industrial complex as well as
conspiracy theories A conspiracy theory is an explanation for an event or situation that asserts the existence of a conspiracy (generally by powerful sinister groups, often political in motivation), when other explanations are more probable.Additional sources: * ...
. She debuted the show in 2011 at The Black Academy of Art & Letters (TBAAL) in
Dallas, Texas Dallas () is a city in the U.S. state of Texas and the most populous city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the List of Texas metropolitan areas, most populous metropolitan area in Texas and the Metropolitan statistical area, fourth-most ...
.


''T'Keyah Live!''

''T'Keyah Live!'' is a variety show and is Keymáh's third self-produced theatrical show. She has performed the show across the U.S. since 1999 with a number of different guest performers, including Todd Bridges, T. C. Carson, Ralph Harris, Dawnn Lewis, and Karen Malina White.


''Some of My Best Friends''

''Some of My Best Friends'' is a series of monologues in verse and prose embodied by a dozen diverse but somehow connected characters. In this humorous, tear jerking, thought-provoking theatrical production, Keymáh champions societal issues that are as relevant today as they were when the show debuted to sold out crowds at Chicago's South Shore Cultural Center in 1991. Overcoming obstacles, the devastation of AIDS, the search for love, race relations, and teen promiscuity are just some of the topics explored. The show was chiefly penned by Keymáh but includes pieces written by or in collaboration with Ali LeRoi, Harry Lennix, and poet Angela Jackson (And All These Roads Be Luminous: Poems Selected and New); and includes a dance choreographed by Maurice Hines. About her work in this show critics have said: "Keymáh is a Charismatic Actress... Chameleonic and Effervescent" – Los Angeles Times;"...Beyond Superlatives; She's Phenomenal!" – Earl Calloway, Chicago Defender; "Much More Than Comedy"- Lisa M. Pancia, New York Vignette; "...a Delightful, Multitalented Performer whose ability to create believable characters on stage is a Wonder to Behold"- Nat Colley, Los Angeles Reader; "Keymáh is Magnificent" – Linda Armstrong, Amsterdam News;"...Keymáh's Poignant, Detailed Portrayals are Never Less Than Magnificent"- Randy Trabitz, Los Angeles Weekly. The show garnered an AUDELCO Award nomination for Best Solo Performer, an NAACP Theatre Award nomination for Best Writing, and NAACP Theatre Awards for Best Performance and Best Play.


Personal life

Keymáh is an avid gardener and a vegetarian, as well as an active, Golden Life Member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority. She was initiated into the Beta Alpha chapter at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. Keymáh's brother is former Commander of the DC US Army National Guard, current Sergeant at Arms of the United States House of Representatives, the Honorable Major General William J. Walker. Keymáh self-published three books: ''Cycle of Love: 28 Days of Organization, Rejuvenation and Meditation for Inspired Self Care'', an inspirational self-help book with recipes, exercises and meditations; ''Some of My Best Friends: A Collection of Characters'', the book version of the stage show she performed for ten years; and ''Natural Woman / Natural Hair: A Hair Journey – Hairstyles and Hairstories from the Front with Simple, Step-by-Step Instructions on Taking Care of your Natural Hair'', an instructional hair care manual with anecdotes about her experiences with Afro-textured hair. She also contributed essays to "The HBCU Experience Book," "Dining with the Ancestors: When Heroes Come to Dinner," and "The Burden: African Americans and the Enduring Impact of Slavery."


Legacy

Musical artist Flyy Moon pays tribute to Keymáh's iconic "In Black World" performance piece, by including the opening lines in the intro of her 2021 debut song release, "Black." Associated Black Charities operates a donor-advised Keymáh Cultural Fund, which provides tickets to youth groups to attend theatrical performances and funds artistic groups that serve or comprise teens and children. There is a theater scholarship named for Keymáh at her alma mater, Florida A&M University. and medical scholarship named for her at Meharry Medical College.


Educator

T'Keyah Crystal Keymáh served as a K–8 substitute teacher for the Chicago Board of Education for 4 years. She has presented her "Tools of the Trade" actors preparation workshops at theatre festivals and other events in the United States, and she has lectured abroad. In the fall of 2017, Keymáh served as Florida A&M University's first ever W.K. Kellogg Foundation Artist-in-Residence in the College of Social Sciences, Arts, and Humanities Theatre department. Her residency included directing Pearl Cleage's ''The Nacirema Society Requests Your Presence at a Celebration of Their First 100 Years'', teaching an Acting for the Camera course, and providing industry workshops and mentoring students.


Filmography


Film


Television


Video games


References


External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Keymah, T'keyah Crystal 1962 births Actresses from Chicago African-American female comedians African-American comedians American stage actresses American television actresses American voice actresses American women comedians Delta Sigma Theta members Florida A&M University alumni Living people Miss Black America delegates Comedians from Chicago 20th-century American comedians 21st-century American comedians African-American beauty pageant winners Former Roman Catholics 21st-century African-American actresses 21st-century American actresses 21st-century African-American people 20th-century African-American people 20th-century African-American actresses 20th-century American actresses American people of Seminole descent