Julia Murney

Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969 ) is an American actress and singer, primarily featured in theatre and television commercial voice-overs. Up until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway. This was due to the fact that her notoriety came mostly from her performances on the Broadway charity circuit, and not traditional Broadway productions.

Murney's Off-Broadway theatrical credits include originating the role of 'Queenie' in Andrew Lippa's "The Wild Party" at the Manhattan Theatre Club, opposite Brian d'Arcy James, Idina Menzel, and Taye Diggs, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. She was also seen in "The Vagina Monologues", "Crimes of the Heart", "A Class Act", "Time and Again", and "First Lady Suite". She appeared in a musical version of the film "Saved" at the Playwrights Horizons Theatre, which had previews starting from May 9, and an opening on June 3, 2008. In August 2008, Murney portrayed the title role of Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Evita" at Wells Fargo Pavilion in Sacramento. [cite news | last=Gans | first=Andrew | title="Rainbow High": Murney Is Evita for Sacramento Music Circus Beginning Aug. 12 | publisher=Playbill | date=2008-08-12 | url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/120332.html | accessdate=2008-08-12]

Murney made her debut on Broadway in 2005, in the short-lived musical "Lennon". She was also seen in the Actors' Fund benefit concerts of "Funny Girl", "Chess", "Hair", and the World AIDS Day Benefit Concert Pippin. She has also been featured on television in "Sex and the City", "Ed", "NYPD Blue", and various episodes of "Law & Order".

Murney starred as Elphaba in the national touring company of the musical "Wicked". She replaced Stephanie J. Block on March 8, 2006 and left the National Tour on September 3, 2006 replaced by Shoshana Bean. In that role, she won an Acclaim Award from the "Cincinnati Enquirer" for leading performer in a musical. She recently reprised her role as Elphaba in the Broadway production replacing Ana Gasteyer and ended her 8-month run on October 7, 2007, where she was replaced by Stephanie J. Block.

Her debut solo album, "I'm Not Waiting", was released in May 2006 on the Sh-K-Boom Records label. The album's title song was written especially for her by Andrew Lippa, with whom she has a strong artistic relationship. Murney also sings a jazz acoustic version of the song "I'm Not That Girl" from "Wicked". She can also be heard on the original cast albums of "The Wild Party" and "A Class Act", and the Actors' Fund recording of "Hair".

Daughter of actor Christoper Murney and Anne Murney, Julia was named for the song "Julia" from The Beatles "White Album".

References

External links

* [http://www.juliamurney.com Official website]
* [http://www.juliamurneyonline.com Julia Murney Online]
* [http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Video.aspx?ci=544056 Behind the Scenes: Getting Green with Wicked Leading Lady Julia Murney] at [http://www.broadway.com Broadway.com]
* [http://www.juliamurneyforum.com Peace and Pancakes: A Julia Murney Forum]