Alice Ripley
self portrait
Born	(1963-12-14) December 14, 1963 (age 48)
Occupation	actor, singer, songwriter, and mixed media artist
Awards	2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical; 2009 Helen Hayes Award for Best Actress in a Musical
Website
Official site

Alice Ripley is an American actor, singer, songwriter, and mixed media artist known for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize winning Next to Normal (2009 Tony Award, Best Actress in a Musical) and Side Show (1998 Tony nomination). She has also written and produced albums with her band, RIPLEY.

RIPLEY's new single, "Beautiful Eyes", was released on 2/21/12^[1] and the accompanying music video on 4/17/12.^[2]

On 2/15/11, co-producer Sh-K-Boom Records released Alice Ripley Daily Practice, Volume 1, a stripped-down collection of acoustic rock covers with Ripley accompanying herself on guitar.^[3]

Ripley stars opposite Kathleen Chalfant in the upcoming feature, Isn't It Delicious?, by Aquapio Films, a black comedy to be released this year.^[4]

Current endeavors [link]

• Starting December 6, 2011, Ripley has been doing a series of concerts in New York City entitled Alice Ripley's Daily Practice.

• "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"^[5]

Education [link]

Ripley went to DePauw University, majoring in Vocal Performance. She then transferred to Kent State University and received a BFA in Musical Theatre.

Career [link]

Early work [link]

While at DePauw University and Kent State University, Ripley performed in numerous stage productions. Her first paid acting job was summer stock at the Red Barn Theatre in Frankfort, IN. Following college, she was active in community theatre in San Diego, CA, and subsequently received her Actor's Equity card at the La Jolla Playhouse through a production of Silent Edward, a musical written by Des McAnuff, who was Artistic Director of the La Jolla Playhouse at the time and who would later direct Ripley in her Broadway debut, The Who's Tommy.

Broadway [link]

In her 1993 debut, Ripley played a Local Lass and the Specialist's Assistant in the original cast of The Who's Tommy; she also understudied the role of Mrs. Walker. Broadway roles that followed were Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard (1994), Bathsheba in King David (1997), Violet Hilton in Side Show (1997), Fantine in Les Misérables (1998), Molly Ivors in James Joyce's The Dead (2000), Janet Weiss in The Rocky Horror Show (2000), one of The Sweethearts in Dreamgirls, the concert (2001), and Diana Goodman in Next to Normal (2009). With the exception of Les Misérables, Ripley was part of the original casts.

Ripley's performance as conjoined twin Violet Hilton in Side Show earned her and her co-star Emily Skinner critical acclaim, a cult following, and a shared 1998 Tony Award nomination, making them the first to be co-nominated in a musical.^[6] Ripley was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.

From March 27, 2009 to July 18, 2010 at the Booth Theatre, Ripley starred in the Pulitzer Prize winning^[7] Next to Normal, a performance which earned her the 2009 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.^[8]

Off-Broadway [link]

Ripley's 2008 performance in Next to Normal (Second Stage Theatre) earned her Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award nominations. Additional Off-Broadway roles include Nelly Bly in Cather County (1993, Playwrights Horizons), Daisy Mae in Li'l Abner (1998, New York City Center), various characters in The Vagina Monologues (2002, Westside Theatre), Olivia in Five Flights (2004, Rattlestick Theater), and Marsha in Wild Animals You Should Know^[9] (2011, MCC Theater/Lucille Lortel Theater).

Regional theatre [link]

Ripley's regional credits include Next to Normal at Arena Stage (Helen Hayes Award, Best Actress in a Musical, non-resident production), Little Shop of Horrors, Tell Me On A Sunday (Helen Hayes nomination), Company (Helen Hayes nomination), Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Show Boat, Shakespeare in Hollywood (Helen Hayes nomination), The Baker's Wife, Sweeney Todd, and Carousel.

National tours [link]

On tour, Ripley played Fantine in Les Misérables (1993-94). She reprised her role as Diana in Next to Normal, the U.S. Tour (Nov. 23, 2010 - July 30, 2011).^[10]

RIPLEY, the band [link]

Alice Ripley began writing songs in 1991 and her band, RIPLEY, formed in 2003. RIPLEY is a self-produced trio with Ripley on guitar and vocals.

Film [link]

Ripley's films are The Adulterer (2000), Temptation (2004), and Isn't It Delicious (2012).

Television [link]

In September 2011, Ripley filmed the pilot for Modern Love (Lifetime TV).^[11]

Discography [link]

Alice Ripley aka RIPLEYTHEBAND [link]

• "Beautiful Eyes" single (2012, self-produced)
• Alice Ripley Daily Practice, Volume 1 (2011, Sh-K-Boom Records)
• Outtasite (2006, Shellac)
• RIPLEY EP (2003, Shellac)
• Everything's Fine (2001, Ghostlight)

Original Cast Recordings [link]

• Next to Normal (2009, Sh-K-Boom)
• Little Fish (2007, Ghostlight)
• Dreamgirls (2002, Nonesuch)
• The Rocky Horror Show (2000, RCA Victor Broadway)
• Side Show (1997, Sony Classical)
• King David (1997, Walt Disney)
• The Who's Tommy (1992, RCA Victor Broadway)

References [link]

External link [link]

Official Facebook pages: Alice Ripley, AHRIPLEY, and DrasticAlice