Shoshana Bean

Shoshana E. Bean (born September 1, 1977)[1] is an American singer, songwriter, YouTuber, and stage actress.[2][3] She has released three records and has appeared on many theater cast recordings and film soundtracks.[4] In 2022, Bean received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Susan Young in Mr. Saturday Night.[5]

Shoshana Bean
Shoshana Bean performing in Los Angeles, CA (June 2011)
Born (1977-09-01) September 1, 1977
Olympia, Washington, U.S.
EducationUniversity of Cincinnati (BFA)
Occupation(s)Stage actress
Singer
Songwriter
Years active2000–present
Websiteshoshanabean.com

Early life and education

Bean was born in Olympia, Washington to Jeff Bean and Felice Moskowitz, a dance teacher.[6] Bean is Jewish[7] and is an only child.[8] When she was 9 years old, her parents divorced and she moved to the Portland, Oregon area.[9][10]

In 1995, Bean graduated from Beaverton High School.[10][11] In 1999, Bean received a B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music (CCM).[12]

Career

Theater

Shortly after moving to New York City in 2000, Bean was cast in the 2000 Off-Broadway revival of Godspell at the York Theatre at Saint Peter's Church in Midtown Manhattan.[13][14]

In 2001, Bean performed in the national tour of Leader of the Pack.

In 2002, Bean made her Broadway debut as an original cast member in the role of Shelley, Denizen of Baltimore, which she originated, in the Tony Award-winning production of Hairspray. She was also an understudy for the roles of Tracy Turnblad, Velma Von Tussle, and Prudy Pingleton.[15]

In 2004, Bean joined the Broadway production of the smash-hit musical Wicked as a replacement standby for Elphaba, which was played by Idina Menzel. On January 8, 2005, a day before Menzel's scheduled end of her run as Elphaba, Menzel fell through a trap door and cracked a lower rib. Bean went on to perform that show.[16] On January 11, 2005, Bean took over as Elphaba full-time, where she performed opposite Jennifer Laura Thompson and then Megan Hilty as Glinda, until her last show on January 8, 2006.[17] On January 10, she was replaced by Eden Espinosa as Elphaba.

In 2006, Bean reprised the role of Elphaba in the first national tour of Wicked.[18] Her limited engagement ended on December 31. In 2009, Bean joined the new production of Peepshow in Las Vegas in the role of Peep Diva alongside Holly Madison.[19] She replaced Spice Girls singer, Mel B.[20]

In 2011, Bean wrote and starred in the musical Dear John Mayer, with music and lyrics by Bean and book by fellow CCM graduate Eydie Faye.[21][22]

In 2015, Bean portrayed the role of CeeCee Bloom in the musical adaptation of the book and movie Beaches at the Drury Lane Theater in Chicago.[23] In 2017, Bean played Fanny Brice in North Shore Music Theatre's production of Funny Girl.[24] In 2018, Bean performed in the New York City Center Encores! production of Songs for a New World.[25]

On March 18, 2019, Bean returned to Broadway in the role of Jenna in the production of Waitress for a limited engagement through May 2019.[26] On May 13, 2019, it was announced that Bean's run was extended through July 21, 2019.[27]

Starting in March 2022, she returned to Broadway in Mr. Saturday Night at the Nederlander Theatre starring Billy Crystal. For her performance, she received nominations for the Distinguished Performer Award at the Drama League Awards, Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical at the 71st Outer Critics Circle Awards,[28] and the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical at the 75th Tony Awards.[29]

Singer

On December 2, 2008, Bean released her debut solo album, Superhero, on her own label Shotime Records.[2][30] The record has been described as pop rock.[3]

In February 2013, Bean's second album, O'Farrell Street, was released. It was produced by Tim K (Madonna, Celine Dion, Brandy), and incorporates 1960s-era soul.[3] The record reached No. 3 on the iTunes R&B charts.

In December 2014, Bean released an EP album of blues called Shadows to Light.[31] The record was produced by Bean and Jake Schaefer. It reached No. 1 on the iTunes Blues charts. She performed her single "Runaway Train" on The Queen Latifah Show.[32]

Beginning in 2015, Bean has performed with Scott Bradlee's Postmodern Jukebox (PMJ),[33] performing Justin Bieber's "Sorry" and Backstreet Boys' “I Want It That Way,” among others. In the spring of 2016, she joined the PMJ European Tour.[34]

In February 2018, Bean's third album, Spectrum, was released. The songs are in the genre of rhythm and blues.[3] The record release was accompanied by a tour, which included concerts at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, which featured an 18-piece orchestra, as well as a string of other dates including in London at Cadogan Hall, Las Vegas and Dallas.[8] Bean has said that inspirations for the record were the music of Aretha Franklin, Barbra Streisand, and Frank Sinatra.[8]

In August and September 2019, Bean performed selected songs at a series of residency concerts at Feinstein's/54 Below.[35]

Bean's music has been featured on MTV's The Hills, Mercy, Girlfriends' Guide to Divorce, Bad Girls Club and Showtime's The Big C, and she arranged the vocals for Jennifer Lopez's performance of her 2014 song "I Luh Ya Papi" on American Idol.[36]

Bean has appeared on film soundtracks to Hairspray, Enchanted, the Wayans Brothers' Dance Flick, and the 2016 animated musical Sing.

Bean has performed around the world in cabarets and concerts. She has sung with artists such as Bebe Winans, Brian McKnight,[37] Ariana Grande, David Foster, and Jason Robert Brown, Michael Jackson, among others.[8][38][39]

Theater
Year Production Role Venue Dates Notes
2000 Godspell Ensemble York Theatre at Saint Peter's Church, New York N/A
2001 Leader of the Pack Performer N/A Mar 13, 2001 - Jun 03, 2001 National Tour
2002 Hairspray Shelly/
Denizen of Baltimore/
Tracy Turnblad (Understudy)/
Velma Von Tussle (Understudy)/
Gym Teacher (Understudy - Replacement)/
Prudy Pingleton (Understudy - Replacement)/
Matron (Understudy - Replacement)		 Neil Simon Theatre, New York Opened Aug 15th, 2002
2005 Wicked Elphaba (Replacement)
Elphaba (Standby)		 Gershwin Theatre, New York Jan 11, 2005 - Jan 8, 2006
2006 Wicked ("Emerald City" National Tour) Elphaba (Replacement) Gershwin Theatre, New York Sep 6, 2006 - Dec 31, 2006
2009 Peepshow Peep Diva Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino, Paradise, Nevada N/A
2011 Dear John Mayer N/A Open Fist Theatre, Hollywood, California N/A also Music and Lyric credits
2015 Beaches CeeCee Bloom Drury Lane Theater, Chicago Jun 24, 2015 - Aug 16 2015
2017 Funny Girl Fanny Brice North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, Massachusetts N/A
2018 Songs for a New World Woman #2 New York City Center Encores!, New York Jun 27, 2018 - Jun 30 2018
2019 Waitress Jenna Brooks Atkinson Theatre, New York Mar 18, 2019 - Jul 21, 2019
2022 Mr. Saturday Night Susan Young Nederlander Theatre, New York Mar 29, 2022 - Sep 4, 2022 Nominations:

Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance Tony Award for Best Featured Actress Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Featured Actress

Benefits
Year Title Venue Dates Notes
2000 First You Dream: A Tribute to Courage New Amsterdam Theatre, New York June 12, 2000 Benefit for Actors' Fund of America and the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation in honor of Christopher Reeve and Bran Pace
2001 Dreamgirls 20th Anniversary Benefit Concert Ford Center for the Performing Arts Sep 24, 2001 Benefit for Actors' Fund of America
2004 Hair New Amsterdam Theatre, New York Sep 20, 2004 Benefit for the Actors' Fund of America
2008 The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken[40] Gershwin Theatre, New York Oct 27, 2008 Benefit for New York Restoration Project

Discography

LPs
  • 2008: Superhero (Shotime Records)
  • 2013: O' Farrell Street (Shotime Records)
  • 2018: Spectrum (Shotime Records)

EPs
  • 2014: Shadows to Light - EP (Shotime Records)
  • 2020: Selah - EP
  • 2022: She Is Risen: Jesus Christ Superstar All-Female Cast - EP [41]

Singles
  • 2011: "A Little Hope" (Billy-Boo)
  • 2012: "O Holy Night" (Shotime Records)
  • 2012: "Runnin' Out Of Days" (Shotime Records)
  • 2013: "Skywriter" (Shotime Records)
  • 2014: "Runaway Train" (Shotime Records)
  • 2015: "Jealous" (Shotime Records) – cover of the Labrinth song
  • 2015: "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" (Shotime Records)
  • 2017: "One Way to Go" (Shotime Records) – written by Bean and Britten Newbill.[38]

Soundtracks and cast recordings

Selected other recordings

Filmography
  • 2009: The Battery's Down (TV Series) as Dr. Mary Jane Essajay in 1 episode: "I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here"
  • 2009: The Girls Next Door (TV Series) as Peep Diva in 1 episode: "Look Before You Peep"
  • 2009: Schoolhouse Rock! (TV Series short) vocals in 1 episode: "A Tiny Urban Zoo"
  • 2017: Bloodline (TV Series) as Shayna in 1 episode: "Part 30"
  • 2020: Bill & Ted Face the Music as First Noble

Awards and honors

References
  1. "Shoshana E Bean, United States Public Records, 1970-2009". FamilySearch. 10 December 2008.
  2. Gans, Andrew (2009). "Diva Talk: Chatting with Wicked's Shoshana Bean Plus News of Neuwirth and Ripley". Playbill.
  3. Wong, Curtis M. (6 August 2018). "With 'Spectrum,' Singer Shoshana Bean Defies Gravity — And Musical Convention, Too". HuffPost.
  4. Kellman, Andy. "Shoshana Bean: Biography & History". AllMusic. Retrieved 1 September 2019.
  5. Lang, Brent (2022-05-09). "Tony Awards 2022: 'A Strange Loop,' 'MJ,' 'Paradise Square' Dominate Nominations". Variety.
  6. Bartels, Eric (4 September 2006). "Wicked actors big break: Just doing my job, really". Portland Tribune.
  7. "Member News" (PDF). The Chronicle of Congregation Neveh Shalom. No. 4. March–April 2018. p. 14.
  8. Bean, Shoshana; Kenney, Kevan (24 July 2018). "Shoshana Bean On Her Album, "Spectrum," And Her Upcoming Apollo Theater Show" (Video interview). BUILD Series – via YouTube.
  9. Leeds, Ryan (11 July 2018). "Exclusive Interview: Shoshana Bean". The BroadwayBlog.
  10. Haynes, Dana (7 March 2018). "Beaverton High to Broadway - and then back again". Beaverton Valley Times.
  11. Jones, Velena (26 April 2019). "Broadway star sings to save Beaverton HS arts". KOIN.
  12. "University of Cincinnati alumni on Broadway: Shoshana Bean, CCM '99". UC Magazine. University of Cincinnati.
  13. "Godspell – York Theatre at St. Peter's". Lortel Archives. 2 August 2000.
  14. Weber, Bruce (9 August 2000). "Theater Review; A 70's Musical Revival Sheds Flower Children But Keeps the Faith". The New York Times.
  15. Glazier, Jenna (8 March 2019). "9 Things You Need to Know About Shoshana Bean, the Next Star of 'Waitress'". Alma.
  16. McKinley, Jesse (10 January 2005). "Ding Dong, a Witch Is Hurt, but She Takes Her Final Bow". The New York Times.
  17. Gans, Andrew (12 December 2004). "Shoshana Bean to Replace Idina Menzel in Wicked". Playbill.
  18. Gans, Andrew (14 June 2006). "Wicked's Bean and Hilty to Reunite for Wicked Tour". Playbill.com. Archived from the original on 17 October 2012.
  19. "Photo Flash: Shoshana Bean Joins Jerry Mitchell's Las Vegas PEEP SHOW". BroadwayWorld. 26 June 2009.
  20. Hetrick, Adam (2009). "Shoshana Bean to Join Cast of Mitchell's Vegas Peepshow". Playbill.
  21. Hetrick, Adam (16 June 2011). "Dear John Mayer, Scored by Shoshana Bean, to Play Los Angeles". Playbill.
  22. Demaline, Jackie (24 June 2011). "CCM grads Bean and Faye debut new musical". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Archived from the original on 6 September 2011.
  23. Gioia, Michael (2 July 2015). "Broadway-Bound 'Beaches', Starring Shoshana Bean and Whitney Bashor, Opens Tonight". Playbill.
  24. Gans, Andrew (25 April 2017). "Shoshana Bean and Mark Rylance Among IRNE Winners". Playbill.
  25. Collins-Hughes, Laura (30 June 2018). "Review: Joyously Rediscovering 'Songs for a New World'". The New York Times.
  26. BWW News Desk (21 February 2019). "Shoshana Bean Will Take Over the Role of Jenna in WAITRESS". BroadwayWorld.
  27. McPhee, Ryan (May 13, 2019). "Shoshana Bean Extends Run in Broadway's Waitress Into July". Playbill.
  28. "71st Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle Awards. Retrieved 2022-05-17.
  29. Culwell-Block, Logan (May 11, 2022). "2022 Tony Award Nominations: A Strange Loop, MJ, Paradise Square Lead the Pack". Playbill. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
  30. "Shoshana Bean's Solo Debut 'Superhero' to Be Released 12/2". BroadwayWorld. 22 August 2008.
  31. Gioia, Michael (2015). "'I Feel Like There's More to Do,' Says Shoshana Bean On Leaving New York for the Freedom of Expression". Playbill.
  32. "Shoshana Bean performs "Runaway Train" on The Queen Latifah Show". The Queen Latifah Show. 7 February 2015. Archived from the original on 2021-12-13 – via YouTube.
  33. Gonzalez, Juan-Jose (14 April 2016). "BWW Interview: Shoshana Bean - on PMJukebox, Wicked, Hairspray and more!". BroadwayWorld.
  34. Quintos, Michael Lawrence (30 January 2015). "BWW Reviews: Postmodern Jukebox Entertains in their O.C. Debut Concer". BroadwayWorld.
  35. McPhee, Ryan (27 August 2019). "Shoshana Bean Extends Feinstein's/54 Below Debut". Playbill.
  36. "Beaverton's Shoshana Bean returns for Neveh Shalom performance, talk". Beaverton Valley Times. 30 November 2015.
  37. Shapiro, Ari (22 November 2018). "4 Musicians Pay Their Gratitude Forward On Thanksgiving". All Things Considered. NPR.
  38. Viagas, Robert (29 March 2017). "Broadway's Shoshana Bean Commands the Mike at April Jazz Concert". Playbill.
  39. BWW News Desk (7 January 2016). "Jason Robert Brown, Shoshana Bean, and Ariana Grande Take Hollywood!". BroadwayWorld.
  40. Gans, Andrew (28 October 2008). "Diva Talk Special: The Yellow Brick Road Not Taken". Playbill.
  41. Culwell-Block, Logan (20 April 2022). "Final Release Set for All-Female Jesus Christ Superstar Album Starring Cynthia Erivo, Shoshana Bean, Ledisi, More". Playbill. Retrieved 7 September 2023.
  42. "WATCH: Broadway's Shoshana Bean sings 'Kailangan Ko'y Ikaw'". ABS-CBN News. 14 March 2022. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  43. "9th IMA Winners Announced – Independent Music Awards" (Press release). 26 January 2010.
  44. "Jeff Awards Equity nominations honor outstanding 2014-2015 productions" (PDF). Jeff Award. 21 August 2015.

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