Christy Altomare

Christine "Christy" Altomare (born June 23, 1986)[1] is an American actress and singer-songwriter.

Christy Altomare
Born
Christine Altomare

(1986-06-23) June 23, 1986
Alma materUniversity of Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music (BFA, 2008)
Occupation(s)Actress, singer-songwriter
Websitewww.christyaltomare.com

Altomare played Wendla in the first national tour of the rock musical Spring Awakening, played Sue Snell in the off-Broadway revival of Carrie, and made her Broadway debut as Sophie in Mamma Mia!.[2] She originated the title role in the Broadway premiere of Anastasia, earning favorable reviews. The show closed on Broadway on March 31, 2019, after a total of 808 regular shows and 34 previews.

Early life

Altomare began performing at age five in community theater productions in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. At Pennsbury High School, she was a part of choirs and school productions before attending University of Cincinnati's Conservatory of Music, where she performed in a number of productions. In 2004, she was a National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts winner in the musical theater category.[3] She graduated from CCM in 2008 with a BFA in musical theater.[4]

Personal life

In December 2018, Altomare announced her engagement to longtime boyfriend Philip “Pete” Browning.[5] In October 2020, she announced their separation via Twitter.[6]

On February 7, 2022, Altomare announced her engagement to her middle school crush, Chris Crook.[7] They married in September 2022, at Lambertville Station, New Jersey.[8]

Career

Altomare began writing songs at the age of twelve. She has three independent CDs: Not Yet Over You (2000), Waiting For You (2007), and an EP entitled After You (2008). When she was sixteen, she signed with her current manager, Edie Robb.[4] She looks to Jewel and Joni Mitchell as her biggest influences.[9]

In 2008, Altomare joined the first national touring cast of the Broadway musical Spring Awakening in the lead role of Wendla, beginning previews on August 15, 2008, in San Diego.[4] She traveled to 44 different cities and gave over 600 performances. She stayed with the tour until its final performance on May 23, 2010.[10] Altomare received generally positive reviews throughout the tour. Seth Kubersky of Orlando Weekly called her "appropriately innocent and adorable as the inevitable victim"[11] while Eric Rezsnyak of the Rochester City Paper praised her "piercing, haunting soprano voice," and how "even her most difficult melodic passes seem totally effortless."[12]

Following the Spring Awakening tour, Altomare appeared as Sue Snell in MCC Theater's limited-engagement run of the Off-Broadway revival of Carrie at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. She can be heard on the official cast recording of the production, released by Ghostlight Records.[13] On June 4, 2012, Altomare made her Broadway debut in Mamma Mia! at the Winter Garden Theatre, where she replaced Liana Hunt in the role of Sophie Sheridan.[14] She stayed with the Broadway company for a year, ending her contract on June 1, 2013, and was replaced by Laurie Veldheer.[15]

From October 30, 2014, until January 4, 2015, Altomare starred as Guinevere in the Drury Lane Theatre's production of Camelot.

On March 9, 2016, it was announced that Altomare would star in the world premiere of the musical adaptation of the 1997 animated film Anastasia in the title role (nicknamed Anya). The show ran from May 13 to June 19, 2016, at Hartford Stage in Connecticut.[16] Altomare received critical acclaim for her performance, winning the Connecticut Critics Circle Award. She reprised the role on Broadway at the Broadhurst Theatre.[17] Previews began March 23, 2017, and the show officially opened April 24, 2017.[18] Altomare's performance in the Broadway production earned her positive reviews and numerous award wins and nominations including a 2017 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical. During Anastasia's run, Altomare filmed a series of video blogs for Broadway.com titled Royal Misfits: Backstage at Anastasia with Christy Altomare, giving an inside look at life backstage at the production.[19] She continued with the production through its final Broadway performance, on March 31, 2019.[20]

Altomare played Nellie in a concert version of South Pacific at the Aspen Music Festival on July 22, 2019.[21]

Since the closing of Anastasia, Altomare has performed frequently in the Broadway Princess Party concert both in New York City and occasionally touring in selected cities across North America alongside fellow original Broadway princesses Laura Osnes, Susan Egan, Courtney Reed, and more.[22][23]

On January 16, 2020, it was announced that Altomare would star in the new musical The Wanderer as Susan alongside Wicked alums Michael Wartella as Dion DiMucci and Joey McIntyre as Johnny, running May 28 through June 28 at Paper Mill Playhouse prior to a Broadway transfer.[24] However, the production was pushed back to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[25]

In February 2021, Altomare announced that she would release a solo album of original music, titled Wandering Bird, later that year.[26] On April 9th, 2021, Altomare released the album as a surprise drop on her YouTube music page and on Spotify.[27]

Altomare was cast in the role of Scarlet in the world premier of "Noir" on the Hubbard Stage of the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas.[28] The show ran from June 2, 2022 to July 3, 2022.[28]

Theatre
Theatre Credits
Year Title Theatre Role Notes
2008-10 Spring Awakening Various theatres across North America   Wendla Bergmann    Original 1st National Tour Cast
2012  Carrie   Lucille Lortel Theatre   Sue Snell    Off-Broadway Revival Cast
2012-13 Mamma Mia!   Winter Garden Theatre   Sophie Sheridan    Replacement Broadway Cast
2016-19 Anastasia   Hartford Stage (2016)   Anya    World Premiere / Original Broadway Cast
Broadhurst Theatre (2017–19)
2019 South Pacific Aspen Music Festival Nellie Forbush Concert
2022 Noir Alley Theatre (Houston, TX) Scarlett World Premiere

Discography
  • Not Yet Over You (2000)
  • Waiting For You (2007)
  • After You: LA Sessions - EP (2009)
  • Wandering Bird (2021)

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
2016 Connecticut Critics Circle Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical Anastasia Won
2017 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated
Theatre World Award Honoree
Broadway.com Audience Award Best Leading Actress in a Musical Nominated
Best Onstage Pair (w/ Derek Klena) Nominated
Broadway.com Star Of The Year[29] Won

References
  1. "Christy Altomare". Playbill. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  2. "Christy Altomare". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 14, 2016. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  3. "Christy Altomare Bio". ChristyAltomare.com. Archived from the original on February 7, 2011. Retrieved April 10, 2011.
  4. "Pennsbury Grad Altomare is on the road to stardom". Bucks County News. June 17, 2009. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved July 30, 2009.
  5. Lefkowitz, Andy (December 20, 2018). "Anastasia Star Christy Altomare Announces Engagement to Longtime Beau Pete Browning". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on December 29, 2019. Retrieved December 29, 2019.
  6. Altomare, Christy [@ChristyAltomare] (October 10, 2020). "The man of my dreams and I have decided to part..." (Tweet). Retrieved October 11, 2020 – via Twitter.
  7. Gioia, Michael (February 9, 2022). "A Broadway Star's Childhood Crush Showed Up at Her Concert 20 Years Later — Now They're Engaged". People.com. Retrieved February 10, 2022.
  8. Gioia, Michael (September 18, 2022). "Broadway's Christy Altomare Is Married! How Her Childhood Crush Became Her Husband After Chance Reunion". People.com. Retrieved November 3, 2022.
  9. Sumi, Glenn (March 10, 2009). "Sex and song". NOW Magazine. Archived from the original on September 16, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  10. Hetrick, Adam (May 23, 2010). "Spring Awakening National Tour Ends Run in Orlando May 23". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 21, 2016. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  11. Kubersky, Seth (May 20, 2010). "Review: Spring Awakening". Orlando Weekly. Archived from the original on August 12, 2011. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  12. Rezsnyak, Eric. "THEATER REVIEW: RBTL's "Spring Awakening"". Rochester City Paper. Archived from the original on February 12, 2010. Retrieved July 31, 2009.
  13. "Carrie Original Off-Broadway Cast". castalbums.org. Retrieved April 11, 2017.
  14. Blank, Matthew (June 5, 2012). "PHOTO CALL: Broadway's Mamma Mia! Welcomes Aaron Lazar, Felicia Finley, Christy Altomare and More". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 10, 2016. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  15. Gans, Andrew (June 3, 2013). "Broadway's Mamma Mia! Welcomes Laurie Veldheer Beginning June 3". Playbill. Archived from the original on August 17, 2019. Retrieved August 17, 2019.
  16. "Christy Altomare and Derek Klena Will Reunite for Hartford Stage's World Premiere of ANASTASIA- Full Cast Announced!". BroadwayWorld. March 9, 2016. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016.
  17. Bethany, Rickwald (January 11, 2017). "Full Casting Announced for Broadway's Anastasia". TheaterMania. Archived from the original on January 13, 2017.
  18. Hetrick, Adam. "Tickets Now On Sale for Anastasia On Broadway". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on April 20, 2016.
  19. Lefkowitz, Andy (August 17, 2017). "Anastasia Star Christy Altomare Is Broadway.com's Next Vlogger". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on August 21, 2017.
  20. Lenker, Maureen Lee (February 5, 2019). "Anastasia sets closing date on Broadway". EW. Archived from the original on February 6, 2019.
  21. "Photos: Christy Altomare Stars In SOUTH PACIFIC In Concert with Aspen Music Festival and Theatre Aspen". BroadwayWorld. July 25, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  22. Hetrick, Adam (July 3, 2019). "Laura Osnes, Susan Egan, Christy Altomare, and Arielle Jacobs Set for Broadway Princess Party". Playbill. Archived from the original on July 7, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  23. "Broadway Princess Party (@bwayprincesspty) • Instagram photos and videos". Instagram. Retrieved October 22, 2018.
  24. Lefkowitz, Andy (January 16, 2020). "Christy Altomare to Join Michael Wartella & Joey McIntyre in The Wanderer at Paper Mill Playhouse". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on January 16, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  25. Lefkowitz, Andy (March 17, 2020). "Sister Act Postponed at Paper Mill Playhouse; The Wanderer Put on Hold". Broadway.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2020. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  26. "Christy Altomare with Seth Rudetsky". TodayTix. February 7, 2021. Archived from the original on January 28, 2021. Retrieved April 8, 2021.
  27. "Christy Altomare Drops New Album WANDERING BIRD". BroadwayWorld. April 9, 2021. Archived from the original on April 9, 2021. Retrieved April 9, 2021.
  28. "Photos: Christy Altomare, Adam Kantor & Morgan Marcell to Star in World Premiere of NOIR - First Look!". May 25, 2022.
  29. "Anastasia's Christy Altomare Voted the 2017 Broadway.com Star of the Year". Broadway.com. December 21, 2017. Archived from the original on December 22, 2017.
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