Described by The New York Times as a “one-of-a-kind performer who combines the sass of a classic blues mama with the skill of a Broadway star,” Lillias White is world-renowned for her glorious voice and extraordinary ability to communicate the heart of a song.
Her performance in Cy Coleman’s Broadway musical, The Life, won her the TONY® AWARD for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She was nominated for a second TONY® AWARD for her brilliant work in Fela! Additional Broadway credits include: Barnum, Dreamgirls, Cats, Carrie, Once on This Island, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, and Chicago. Other Off-Broadway and Regional Credits include The Public Theater’s Romance in Hard Times, for which she won the OBIE® AWARD, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (directed by Phylicia Rashad), for which she won the NAACP AWARD, and the Carnegie Hall Concert version of South Pacific, starring Reba McEntire, which was also broadcast on PBS’ Great Performances.
In addition to receiving Broadway acclaim, Lillias is internationally-recognized for her TV and film work. Lillias received the DAYTIME EMMY® AWARD for her role as Lillian Edwards for Outstanding Performer in a Children’s Series on Sesame Street in 1992, and is beloved by audiences around the world for voicing the lead muse Calliope in Disney’s animated feature Hercules. Film credits include Pieces of April (starring Katie Holmes) and How the Grinch Stole Christmas (starring Jim Carrey). Recent TV credits include the Baz Luhrmann-directed NETFLIX series The Get Down, as well as Russian Doll and Search Party. She has appeared in cabarets and concert halls around the world, including The Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House. She can be heard on several Broadway cast albums, in addition to her acclaimed From Brooklyn to Broadway.
Get Yourself Some Happy! which is Lillias’ first solo studio album, is being released on July 23, 2021 via Old Mill Road Recording. It’s a modern mix of Motown, Standards, Rock-and-Roll, Broadway, and Jazz – all re-invented for today’s audiences. The tracks all center on the theme of happiness. Titles range from a soulful When You Wish Upon a Star to a lightning-fast The Twist to a sweet, tender version of You’re My Best Friend. Her disco-inspired, orchestral You’ve Made Me So Very Happy will inspire dancing, and her tropical Put on a Happy Face will make listeners grin from ear to ear.
