Marin Mazzie

Mazzie was born in Rockford, Illinois and graduated from Western Michigan University, where she studied theater and music. With an early interest in the theatre, Mazzie began to perform and sing in church choir at the age of 8 and to study voice at the age of 12. She continued to act in school and at college and in summer stock, where she was an apprentice at the Barn Theatre in Augusta, Michigan. She is married to Broadway actor Jason Danieley.

After graduating from college in 1982, Mazzie soon moved to New York City and made her New York stage debut in a 1983 Equity Library Theatre revival of the 1948 musical Where's Charley?. She went on to play starring roles in over a half dozen Broadway shows, in her cabaret act and appearances in television and films. She appeared in the 1991 off-Broadway Kander and Ebb revue And The World Goes 'Round and the subsequent 10-month national tour the following year.

In the 2006 Encores! presentation of Kismet at City Center, Mazzie received good notices for her performance:

Mazzie steals the comic thunder with a delicious turn as the glamorous Slut of the Casbah (Lalume), lewdly checking out the tasty man-slaves and happily playing along with Hajj's trickery, simply because he's hot. Looking dynamite in a flashy gold Donatella-goes-Mesopotamian number and a soufflé of blond curls, Mazzie's campy delivery of "Not Since Nineveh" and the beyond-jaded "Bored" succeeds in briefly raising the temperature of the otherwise tepid brew.

Awards

Mazzie received Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations and an Outer Critics Circle Award for her performance as Lilli/Katharine in the Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate. She later received an Olivier Award nomination for her West End debut in the same show. Other awards include: Ragtime as Mother (Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Award nominations), and Passion as Clara (Tony nomination -- notable for its opening scene in which Mazzie was nude, in bed with Jere Shea).

Broadway appearances

* Big River (1985): Mary Jane Wilkes
* Into the Woods (1987): Rapunzel/Cinderella/Witch
* Passion (1994): Clara (created role)
* Ragtime (1998): Mother
* Kiss Me, Kate (revival) (1999): Lilli Vanessi/Katharine
* Man of La Mancha (revival) (2002): Aldonza (Dulcinea)
* Spamalot: (beginning Oct. 31, 2006) The Lady of the Lake

TV, film and recordings

Mazzie has also appeared on television, in films and regularly performs cabaret. She released an album, "Opposite You" with husband Jason Danieley.