Karen Ziemba
About
Biography
Filmography
Family & Companions
Biography
Like many professional dancers, vivacious redhead Karen Ziemba began taking tap, jazz and ballet lessons at a young age. Firmly committed to her art, she nonetheless began to branch out as a high school student, singing in the chorale and playing piano. In her junior year, Ziemba faced the dilemma of choosing between ballet classes or playing the lead of Maria in the school's production of "West Side Story," eventually opting for the latter. She did not abandon dance, though, enrolling at the University of Akron in part because of the school's affiliation with the Ohio Ballet. In 1977, she was given a solo spot in the Ohio Ballet's performance of "Reflections" followed quickly by three other works. Whether it was too much pressure on the youngster or a combination of other things, the company director asked her not to return. Hurt and unsure of whether to complete her education, Ziemba continued and completed her degree.
After graduation, she found work in locally produced musicals, landing roles in dance-heavy shows like "Can-Can" and "Pippin." Ziemba ventured to NYC, did the obligatory stint waiting tables and eventually was hired for a summer stock production of "My Fair Lady" which brought her an Equity card. Work with the Equity Library Theatre followed as well a 1982 revue at Radio City Music Hall. Since then, the triple threat has rarely been unemployed. A stint in the touring company of "A Chorus Line" led to her Broadway debut in the show. Ziemba was then tapped for the leading role of Peggy Sawyer in the award-winning "42nd Street," in which she also toured. After a return stint in "A Chorus Line" and a role in the ill-fated "Teddy and Alice," she was featured in the national tour of "Jerome Robbins' Broadway."
The 1990s proved to be Ziemba's decade. In 1991, she was tapped to perform in the ensemble of a revue saluting the songwriting team of John Kander and Fred Ebb. Critics praised "And the World Goes 'Round," directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Susan Stroman, with many singling out Ziemba for her powerful singing and expert dancing. Ellis tapped her for the featured role of Cleo in a New York City Opera staging of "The Most Happy Fella" in 1991 and the following year bestowed on her the lead of Lizzie in "110 in the Shade." Ziemba then got to dance Stroman choreography again as the lead in the hit "Crazy for You," a loose reworking of "Girl Crazy" that featured a lilting Gershwin score. For the performer, it was a perfect blend of her talents, making full use of her soprano and her terpsichorean gifts and she remained with the show for close to three years.
Ziemba continued to impress critics with her capabilities as the lead in an Off-Broadway revival of "I Do! I Do!" in 1996 and then got to headline an original musical as the lead of John Kander-Fred Ebb's "Steel Pier" (1997), staged by Ellis and choreographed by Stroman. Playing a 1930s dance marathon contestant, Ziemba anchored the show and earned her first Tony Award nomination as Actress in a Musical. The production, however, was overshadowed by the acclaimed revival of Kander and Ebb's "Chicago" and failed to impress critics or audiences, causing it to close rather quickly. (Ironically, Ziemba would step into the leading role of Roxie Hart in "Chicago" a year later.) In 1999, she was approached by Susan Stroman to take part in a workshop of a production that eventually grew into "Contact," a three-part "dance play" with recorded music. In the second section, Ziemba essayed the timid, abused wife of a 1950s gangster who finds fulfillment in a fantasy world of dance. Once again, reviewers fell over themselves to find the appropriate adjectives to describe Ziemba's heartbreaking performance. The Tony voters also recognized her, bestowing her with the Featured Actress in a Musical award. The versatile talent has eschewed developing a singular persona that might have smoothed the transition to sitcoms or other acting gigs about which Broadway audiences undoubtedly rejoice. For the foreseeable future, Ziemba planned to continue to grace the Great White Way.
Filmography
Cast (Feature Film)
Cast (Special)
Music (Special)
Misc. Crew (Special)
Life Events
1964
Began taking dance classes at age six (date approximate)
1977
Was solo dancer in Ohio Ballet production "Reflections"
1982
Cast in "Encores", an anniversary show performed at Radio City Music Hall
1983
Assumed lead role of Peggy Sawyer in the Broadway musical "42nd Street"; later toured in the part
1987
Had featured role in the short-lived musical "Teddy and Alice"
1990
Was featured in the national tour of "Jerome Robbins' Broadway" in Los Angeles
1991
Breakthrough stage role in the Off-Broadway production of "And the World Goes 'Round", with music by John Kander & Fred Ebb, directed by Scott Ellis and choreographed by Susan Stroman
1991
once again teamed with Scott Ellis to play the featured role in the New York City Opera staging of "The Most Happy Fella"
1992
Starred in the New York City Opera production of "110 in the Shade"
1993
Was featured in "A Grand Night for Singing! The Rodgers and Hammerstein Revue" performed at Rainbow and Stars
1993
Hired to replace Jodi Benson in the leading role of Polly in the Tony-winning musical "Crazy for You", choreographed by Stroman; show played the Shubert Theatre; remained with the show for approximately three years
1996
Starred in the Off-Broadway revival of "I Do! I Do!", opposite David Garrison
1997
First starring role on Broadway in "Steel Pier"; score by Kander & Ebb; directed by Ellis and choreographed by Stroman
1997
Toured as Roxie and later assumed that role on Broadway in the hit revival of "Chicago"
1999
Had featured role in the dance play "Contact", cast as the long-suffering wife of an abusive husband; production co-conceived, directed and choreographed by Stroman; won Tony Award
2000
Played Nellie Forbush opposite George Hearn's Emile in a one-night benefit performance of "Sout Pacific" at Lincoln Center
2002
Played lead in the Encores! staging of "Pajama Game"
2003
Cast in the broadway musical "Never Gonna Dance," an adaptation of the 1936 Fred Astaire-Ginger Rogers film "Swing Time"; received a Tony nomination
2007
Cast in the Broadway musical "Curtains"; earned a Tony nomination
Family
Companions
