Rachel York, Award-Winning Stage and Screen Star, to Perform at UF

Rachel York

Rachel York, a dynamic and versatile chameleon actress and singer best known for her critically acclaimed Broadway performances in “City of Angels,” “Les Misérables” and “Victor/Victoria,” will be the next University of Findlay Donnell Broadway Concert Series guest artist.
Her public concert, with Broadway musician extraordinaire Phil Reno accompanying her on piano, is scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 21 at 7:30 p.m. in Winebrenner Theological Seminary’s TLB Auditorium. Tickets are $28 for adults, $23 for senior citizens and $11 for students. UF faculty, staff and students will be admitted free with a valid University ID. Tickets may be purchased at the box office of the Marathon Center for the Performing Arts, 200 W. Main St., by calling 419-423-2787, or online at marathoncenterarts.org.
York won a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress for her “Victor/Victoria” role, opposite Julie Andrews, as Norma Cassidy. Other stellar performances included “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” “Sly Fox” with Richard Dreyfuss,” and “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” with Jonathan Price. She also turned heads on television with her courageous portrayal of Lucille Ball in the CBS movie, “Lucy.” Most recently she starred on Broadway as Jackie Noelle in “Disaster! The Musical.”
As a 19-year-old from Orlando, Florida, York’s onstage presence was immediately captivating. She got her first big break playing the seductive and playful role of Mallory in the original Tony Award-winning production of “City of Angels.”
Off-Broadway, York earned recognition and a Drama Desk Award nomination opposite Julie Andrews in Stephen Sondheim’s “Putting it All Together.” She later earned another Drama Desk nomination for her deft portrayal of Ruth Sutton in the Lincoln Center Theatre production of “Dessa Rose.” Recently, she received rave reviews as Young Belle in “Little Me” and as gal pal Dorothy Shaw in “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes,” both at New York City Encores! She gained additional fame while starring as Reno Sweeney in the Tony Award-winning revival of “Anything Goes” via a U.S. tour, and sparkled in the national and London tours of the Tony Award-winning revival of “Kiss Me, Kate,” earning both IRNE and Helen Hayes nominations.
Some of her favorite regional roles have included Edith “Little” Edie Bouvier, opposite Betty Buckley, in “Grey Gardens”; and Anna Leonowens in “The King and I,” which earned a Barrymore Award nomination.
In concert, York has appeared as a soloist worldwide. Some of her performances have been in concert with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, the National Symphony, the Pittsburgh Pops, “Broadway Showstoppers” with Peter Nero and Philly Pops; and “The Sound of Music” at the Hollywood Bowl with the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
York can be seen on film in the 2015 feature “It Had to Be You.” Other film credits include “One Fine Day,” “Billy Bathgate,” “Second Honeymoon” and “Au Pair II.” She has also appeared on several popular TV series, such as “Hannah Montana,” “Frazier,” and “Reba.”
Rachel’s debut solo album, “Let’s Fall in Love,” was named one of the Top Ten Vocal CDs of the year by Talkin’ Broadway. She can also be heard on the soundtracks of film and Broadway musical recordings.
For more information about Rachel York, visit www.rachelyork.net.
Reno, originally from Tiffin, Ohio, is the musical director and vocal arranger for the smash hit, “Something Rotten!,” a Tony Award-nominated musical comedy that opened on Broadway in 2015. Reno received two Grammy nominations for his work on the “Something Rotten!” cast recording. His first Grammy nomination was for the cast recording of “The Drowsy Chaperone.” Reno’s other previous Broadway work has included “The Producers,” “Promises, Promises,” “Though Shalt Not,” “Cats,” and “Dame Edna: The Royal Tour.” He has also contributed orchestrations for the television show, “Broadway Under the Stars” and the film adaptation of “The Producers.”
Thomas ’70 and Kathleen Donnell established the Thomas and Kathleen Donnell Broadway Concert Series Endowment Fund in conjunction with the Give Voice to your Values campaign.
The Donnell Broadway Concert Series enables noted Broadway artists to visit campus each academic year in the fall and spring. The series provides in-concert entertainment for students and community members, as well as opportunities for UF musical theatre students to learn from accomplished professionals in master classes.
University of Findlay retired music professor Micheal Anders, Ph.D., assists with organizing each concert series.