Actor, Singer, Teacher and Coach Body of Work
| AEA, SAG/AFTRA Actor/Singer Voice: Mezzo Soprano |
Height: 5′ 6″ Eyes: Brown Hair: Silver |
[email protected] www.melissahart.net 917-678-6877 |
Broadway
| Georgy | (dir: Peter Hunt) | Meredith | TONY Nomination |
| Scarlet Pimpernel | (dir: Peter Hunt) | Helene | |
| Candide | (dir: Harold Prince) | Baroness | Understudy Old Lady |
| Cabaret | (dir: Harold Prince) | Sally Bowles | Broadway & First National Company |
| Promises, Promises | (dir: Robert Moore) | Fran Kubelik | Tour opposite Tony Roberts |
| The Apple Tree | (dir: Mike Nichols) | Chorus | Understudy for Barbara Harris |
| Breakfast at Tiffany’s | (dir: Abe Burrows) | Chorus | Understudy for Mary Tyler Moore |
Off-Broadway
| Fleet Week | Libby/Mayor | New York Fringe Festival |
| Peg O’ My Heart | Mrs. Chichester | Irish Repertory Theatre |
| Cyrano | Duenna | York Theatre |
| Third Person | Susan | York Theatre |
| Hansen’s Cab | Florence | Jose Qunitero Theatre |
| Cat’s Paw | Hildegard Bub | Soho Repertory Theatre |
| Radio Gals | Hazel/Gladys (cvr) | John Houseman Theatre |
| Olympia | Olympia | EAT Fest – Mint Theatre |
| 24 Hour Musicals | Mother | Atlantic Repertory Theatre |
| Palm Beach | Mother | NYMT Festival Douglas Fairbanks Theatre |
| Meet John Doe | Mother | NYMT Festival St. Clements Theatre |
| The Second City | Resident Member | Chicago, IL |
| An Evening with Burns and Schreiber | Resident Member | Chicago, IL |
Regional Theatre – Straight Plays
| The Velocity of Autumn | Alexandra | Old Log Theater |
| New Electric Ballroom | Breda | Frank Theater |
| Uncle Vanya | Maria Voynitsky (cvr) | Guthrie Theater |
| Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | Big Mama | Guthrie Theatre |
| What’s the Word For | Janet Caleodis | Illusion Theatre |
| Hedda Gabler | Aunt Julie | Southern Theatre |
| The Enemy: Time | Princess Pazmezoglu | Gremlin Theatre |
| By the Bog of Cats | Mrs. Kilbride | Frank Theatre at the Guthrie |
| When We Are Married | Mrs. Northrop/Clara Soppitt (cvr) | Guthrie Theatre |
| The Importance of Being Earnest | Lady Bracknell/ Miss Prism (cvr) | Guthrie Theatre |
| The Unexpected Guest | Mrs. Warwick | Alley Theatre |
| After the Fall | Quentin’s Mother | Alley Theatre |
| Steel Magnolias | Clairee | Alley Theatre |
| Steel Magnolias | M’Lynn | Pennsylvania Center Stage |
| Steel Magnolias | Oiser | Hippodrome State Theatre |
| The Dresser | Her Ladyship | Bristol Riverside Theatre (Philly Award) |
| The Dresser | Madge | Stage Company, West Palm Beach |
| I Remember Mama | Mama | Florida Repertory Theatre |
| Lettice and Lovage | Lettice | Hippodrome State Theatre |
| And Miss Reardon Drinks a Little | Catherine | Ruth Forman Theatre |
| A Thousand Clowns | Sandra | Arlington Park Theatre |
| Cheaters | Grace | Ruth Forman Theatre |
| Love Letters | Melissa | Hippodrome State Theatres |
Regional Theatre – Musicals
| The Wedding Singer | Grandma Rosie | Old Log Theater |
| My Fair Lady | Mrs. Higgins | Guthrie Theater |
| Cabaret | Frauline Schneider | Frank Theatre |
| Sound of Music | Sister Margaretta | Ordway Theatre |
| NINE | Guido’s Mother | North Shore Music Theatre |
| A Little Night Music | Madame Armfeldt | Shaker Mountain Opera Festival |
| King of Hearts | Madame (Madeline) | Goodspeed Opera House |
| Zorba | The Leader | Berkshire Theatre Festival |
| H.M.S. Pinafore | Buttercup | Berkshire Theatre Festival |
| The Mystery of Edwin Drood | Princess Puffer | Connecticut Repertory Theatre |
| Cabaret | Fraulein Schneider | Pennsylvania Center Stage |
| Cabaret | Sally Bowles | Paramus Playhouse |
| Hello Dolly! | Dolly Levi | Westchester Broadway Theatre |
| Kiss of the Spider Woman | Mama Molina | North Shore Music Theatre |
| Paramour | Madame St. Pé | Old Globe Theatre |
| Sweeney Todd | Mrs. Lovett | Pennsylvania Centre Stage |
| The Medium (Menotti) | Madame Flora | Pennsylvania State University |
| Company | Amy | Forum Theatre (Joseph Jefferson Award) |
| A… My Name is Alice | Actress 4 | Ruth Forman Theatre |
| Ballroom | Bea Asher | Ruth Forman Theatre |
| The Rothchilds | Gutele | Florida Repertory Theatre |
| Seesaw | Gittel | Ruth Forman Theatre |
| Minnie’s Boys | Minnie Marx | Florida Repertory Theatre |
| Gypsy | Mama Rose | Mark Two Dinner Theatre |
| Anything Goes | Reno Sweeney | Mark Two Dinner Theatre |
| Anything Goes | Mrs. Harcourt | Hirschfeld Theatre |
| Ruthless | Sylvia St. Sydney | Hippodrome State Theatre |
| Annie | Miss Hannigan | Royal Palm Theatre (Carbonell Award) |
| I Do, I Do | Agnes | Mark One Dinner Theatre |
| Stop the World, I Want to Get Off | Evie | Burt Reynolds Dinner Theatre |
| Nunsense | Sister Hubert | Mark Two Dinner Theatre |
| Pirates of Penzance | Ruth | Royal Palm Theatre (Carbonell Award) |
| Pirates of Penzance | Ruth | John Kenley Players Tour |
| Sweet Charity | Nikki | Royal Palm Theatre (Carbonell Award) |
| South Pacific | Nellie Forbush | Bailey Hall |
| El Capitaine | The Queen | Florida Repertory Theatre |
| Flora, the Red Menace | Charlotte | Ruth Forman Theatre |
| Evita | Mother | Hirschfeld Theatre |
| Huck and Jim on the Mississippi | The Widow | Florida Atlantic University |
| Once Upon a Mattress | Winifred | Mark One Dinner Theatre |
Awards
| TONY Nomination | Georgy | Meredith | Peter Hunt, Director |
| Philly Award | The Dresser | Her Ladyship | Bristol Riverside Theatre |
| Joseph Jefferson Award | Company | Amy | Forum Theatre |
| Carbonell Award | Annie | Miss Hannigan | Royal Palm Theatre |
| Carbonell Award | Pirates of Penzance | Ruth | Royal Palm Theatre |
| Carbonell Award | Sweet Charity | Nikki | Royal Palm Theatre |
Directing
| Surly and Disrespectful | Open Eye Theatre, Minneapolis, MN |
| Full Gallop | Les Reines Formidables Theater Company, Saint Paul, MN |
| Yarrrh!! The Lusty, Busty Pirate Musical | 2011 Minnesota Fringe Festival, Open Eye Theatre, Minneapolis, MN |
| Wild Party (Andrew Lippa Version) | Marymount Manhattan College, Theresa Lang Theatre, NYC |
| Cabaret | University of Florida, Center for Performing Arts Mainstage, Gainesville, FL |
| Twelfth Night | University of Florida, Center for Performing Arts Blackbox, Gainesville, FL |
| Midsummer Night’s Dream | University of Florida, Constans Theatre, Gainesville, FL |
| Godspell | University of Florida, Constans Theatre, Gainesville, FL |
| Company | University of Florida, Constans Theatre, Gainesville, FL |
| Baby | University of Florida, Constans Theatre, Gainesville, FL |
| Little Shop of Horrors | University of Florida, Constans Theatre, Gainesville, FL |
| Three Penny Opera | University of Florida, Constans Theatre, Gainesville, FL |
| The Mystery of Edwin Drood | University of Florida, Constans Theatre, Gainesville, FL |
| Guys and Dolls | Temple Solel, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| Annie | Mark One Theatre, Lakeland, FL |
Vocal Coaching
| The Good Person of Setzuan | Frank Theatre |
| Vinegar Tom | Frank Theatre |
| Brownstone | Berkshire Theatre Festival |
| Cabaret | Pennsylvania Center Stage |
| Twelfth Night | University of Florida Players |
| Mother Courage | Florida Atlantic University |
| Starting Here, Starting Now | Hemmingway Theatre |
| She Loves Me | Pennsylvania State University |
Voice Studio/Voice Teacher
Ms. Hart has maintained an on-going voice studio since 1980. She teaches actors, singers, and dancers at any level how to sing with healthy technique for both belting and legitimate styles. She also works with the injured voice. In addition, she coaches students in the dramatic presentation of their material and prepares them for auditions. She is a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS), and the New York Singing Teachers’ Association (NYSTA).
Special Award – Distinguished Alumna from FAU
Florida Atlantic University honored Melissa as the Distinguished Alumna from the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters for 2016 in a ceremony on the FAU campus, Tuesday, May 3, 2016. Melissa earned her MFA in Acting and Directing from FAU in 1990.
Education/Training
Academic
| University of Illinois | (Voice Major, Piano Minor) Transferred to Northwestern |
| Northwestern University | B.A. Speech (Theatre) |
| Florida Atlantic University | MFA (Acting/Directing) Studied with Josh Logan and Zoë Caldwell |
Voice Training
| Ellen Faull, New York City Opera and Julliard Conservatory |
| Richard Miller, Oberlin College |
| Scott McCoy, Ph.D., Westminster Choir College |
Speech Language Vocology and Vocal Health Training
| Anat Keidar, Ph.D., CC-SLP; New York City |
Academic Positions Held
| University of Florida | 1990-1994 | Associate Professor, Dept. of Theater |
| Pennsylvania State University | 1994-1996 | Associate Professor, Dept. of Theater |
| Marymount Manhattan College | 1996-2008 | Adjunct Professor, Dept. of Theatre |
| Florida Atlantic University | 1983, 1986 | Adjunct Professor of Music Theatre, Dept. of Theatre |
College Courses Taught
| Audition Techniques |
| Beginning Acting |
| Shakespeare Acting |
| Beginning Musical Theatre Acting |
| Advanced Musical Theatre Acting |
| Advanced Musical Theatre Scene into Song |
| Advanced Music Theatre Performance |
| Musical Theatre Acting Styles |
| Acting: Character and Analysis |
| Acting for the Camera |
| Class Voice |
Workshops and Master Classes Conducted
Ms. Hart has conducted Master Classes and Workshops in Music Theatre at:
| Twin Cities Actor’s Expo | Macalester College Department of Theatre | University of Minnesota/Guthrie BFA Program |
| St. Olaf College Voice Dept. | MacPhail Center for Music | Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists |
| University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point | University of Florida | Florida Association of Theatre Educators |
| Alley Theatre, Houston | Baltimore School of the Arts | Penn State University |
| Marymount Manhattan College | University of Oklahoma | Kentucky Governor’s School |
| Florida Atlantic University | Florida Thespian Conference | Interlachen Music Camp |
| University of Miami | Coconut Grove Playhouse | CADA School of the Arts |
| Southeast Theatre Conference | FCCAA Conference Minnesota Music Teacher’s Association | |
| National Association of Teachers of Singing – First National Convention on Belting | ||
| Featured Recitalist for the first NATS convention held on Belting | ||
Cabaret
| Cunard Line H.M.S. Contessa |
| Cunard Line H.M.S. Sagafjord |
| Crystal Palace, Freeport, Bahamas |
| Princess Casino, Freeport Bahamas |
| Village Royale Theatre, Boynton Beach, FL |
| Aventura Eldorado, Miami, FL |
| Oakbrook Village Theatre, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| Lauderdale West Theatre, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| Rainberry Bay Theatre, Delray Beach, FL |
| Huntington Point Theatre, West Palm Beach, FL |
| Sunrise Lakes Theatre, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| Covered Bridge Theatre, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| “City of Hope” Charity Benefit, Sunrise Musical Theatre, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| Huntington Lakes, Delray Beach, FL |
| Golden Hills Theatre, Ocala, FL |
| King’s Point Theatre, Pompano Beach, FL |
| Century Village, Ft. Lauderdale, FL |