Laurie Beechman

Infobox musical artist
Name = Laurie Beechman


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Birth_name = Laurie Hope Beechman
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Born = birth date|1953|4|4|mf=y
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Died = death date and age|1998|3|8|1953|4|4|mf=y
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Instrument = singing
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Laurie Hope Beechman (b. 14 April 1953 - d. 8 March 1998) was an American singer known for her Broadway performances in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat", "Cats", and "Les Misérables".

Early life

Born Laurie Hope Beechman in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, she possessed an incredible singing voice, powerful, yet subtle and nuanced. After moving to New Jersey, she graduated from Haddon Township High School, Haddon Township, New Jersey in 1971. [Wallace, Andy. [http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=PI&s_site=philly&p_multi=PI&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0EB32FB553051F89&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM "Laurie Beechman"] , "The Philadelphia Inquirer", March 10, 1998. Accessed August 19, 2007. "Laurie Beechman, 44, a diminutive singer and actress whose immense talent, energy and heart took her from the stage at Haddon Township High School all the way to Broadway, died Sunday of ovarian cancer at home in White Plains, N.Y."]

She subsequently enrolled at New York University. Dropping out of NYU after a few years, she made her Broadway debut as part of the original cast of "Annie," playing five different roles. This led to small roles in the Public Theatre's production of "The Pirates of Penzance" and the film version of "Hair".

A detour in to rock and roll resulted in the 1980 Atlantic Records release, "Laurie and the Sighs". With little support from a new management team at the label, the album failed badly and Beechman was looking for stage work.

Broadway

Laurie made her Broadway debut in the original Broadway cast of "Annie." She played various roles, most notably "Star to Be," and she is credited in the original Broadway cast recording.

She was the first woman to play the role of "The Narrator" in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" during its first Broadway production in 1982, earning a Tony Award nomination Best Actress (Featured Role -Musical) and a Theatre World Award.

In December 1983 Laurie headed the First National Company of "Cats" as "Grizabella, The Glamour Cat" when the tour opened in Boston. Within four months, she assumed the role on Broadway, replacing Tony winner Betty Buckley. Belting out the show's hit song "Memory", Beechman stayed with the show for more than four years and made occasional return engagements over the next decade.

Set to take over the role of "Fantine" in the touring production of "Les Miserables" late in 1988, Laurie was sidelined with a devastating diagnosis of ovarian cancer. After months of treatment, Laurie bounced back with a celebrated cabaret act at New York's legendary Ballroom. This was quickly followed by a new production of "Joseph" in front of a home town crowd at Philadelphia's Walnut Street Theatre.

In early 1990, Laurie made her long awaited debut as "Fantine" in the Broadway production of "Les Miserables." She stayed for several months, eventually heading out on tour where she finally played the role in Philadelphia during the Christmas season of 1990. During this time, her self-produced solo recording, "Listen To My Heart", was released to great acclaim. The following fall she celebrated regaining her health after fighting off a recurrence of her cancer by, as she put it, "throwing myself a nightclub act," returning once again to the Ballroom.

Later Life and Death

In the next six and a half years, Laurie married, recorded three more solo albums, performed countless concerts and club dates, sang at President Clinton's second Inaugural Gala, was awarded the Gilda's Club's "It's Always Something" Award, and returned to singing and acting.

In early 1995, 3 1/2 years into her second remission, Laurie's cancer returned. She spent an hour on the Phil Donahue show singing and discussing her condition and her incredible will to keep going.

Although her treatments were ongoing, Laurie continued performing until just a few months before her death on March 8 1998, aged 44. One month after her death, a loving memorial was held for Beechman at the Winter Garden Theatre, the theatre where "Cats" played for so many years. She was survived by her mother, stepfather, two sisters, and husband, Neil Mazzella.

References

External links

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* [http://www.theatrefest.com/LaurieBeechman/ Laurie Beechman Tribute Site]
* [http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=6454983 Laurie Beechman's Gravesite]