Jeanne Lehman SAG * AFTRA * AEA * AGMA * CANADIAN AEA

Jeanne Lehman SAG * AFTRA * AEA * AGMA * CANADIAN AEA

Biography

For over 30 years, Ms. Lehman has enjoyed a varied and exciting career that embracing

theatre, television, concerts, cabaret, and recordings, and has carried her from Broadway

to International stages. She is currently playing the role of “Mrs. Potts” in the

Broadway production of Disney’s BEATUY AND THE BEAST at the Lunt-

Fontanne Theatre. She was last seen on Broadway as the “Mother Abbess” in THE

SOUND of MUSIC, with Richard Chamberlain, Rebecca Luker, and Laura Benanti,

continuing her role on the Broadway National tour, Atlanta’s Theatre of the Stars tour,

the St. Louis Muny, Stage West (Canada), and the Stratford Festival of Canada where she

also appeared as “Mrs. Blair” in INHERIT THE WIND.

Audiences have seen her as “Mrs. Potts” in the Los Angeles Company of BEAUTY

AND THE BEAST, in productions at the Sacramento Music Theatre, North Carolina

Theatre Co., Michigan Opera Theatre, Ogunquit Playhouse, North Shore Theatre, the

ABC/CBS special BEAUTY AND THE BEAST: A CONCERT ON ICE, and have

heard her sing the title song for Michelle Kwans’s ABC special DISNEY’S TOP TEN

FAVORITES.

Other Broadway credits include: RODGERS AND HART, JEROME KERN GOES

TO HOLLYWOOD, GOING UP, A MUSICAL JUBILEE (with John Raitt, Tammy

Grimes, Lillian Gish, Patrice Munsell), and IRENE in which she also toured and played

the title role as standby to both Debbie Reynolds and Jane Powell. Also on tour she was

“Mrs. Molloy” in HELLO DOLLY with Carol Channing, “Eve” in APPLAUSE with

Lauren Bacall and Eleanor Parker; and played both “Abigail Adams” and “Martha

Jefferson” in the second national company and Bicentennial productions of 1776.

Off-Broadway credits: PUTTING IT TOGETHER/standby to Julie Andrews

(Manhattan Theatre Club); LINGOLAND (York); “Jenny”/COMPANY (York); “Ruth”/

MILK AND HONEY (American Jewish Theatre); GROUCHO: A LIFE IN REVIEW

(Lucille Lortel); GERSHWIN:100 YEARS. She has appeared with Peter Howard and

Lee Roy Reams at the Algonquin Hotel’s famous Oak Room in PETER HOWARD

CELEBRATES BROADWAY, and with Steve Ross in NOEL COWARD AND HIS

LADIES.

PBS Performances, EMI/RCA Recordings include: SONDHEIM: A CELEBRATION

AT CARNEGIE HALL (featured with Madeline Kahn/Mark Jacoby); SKITCH

HENDERSON AT 80/BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION; A JEROME KERN

TREASURY, BROADWAY SHOWSTOPPERS; KURT WEILL ON BROADWAY

(w/Thomas Hampson); SIMPLE GIFTS, CAROLS FROM THE ABBEY for

Broadway Cares/Equity fights Aids; and the newly released LINGOLAND.

Nationally/Regionally, she has starred opposite John Schuck/SHE LOVES ME; David

Birney/MY FAIR LADY; Giorgio Tozzi, Noel Harrison/FANNY; Gary Beach, Orson

Bean, Larry Kert, Jimmy Brennan, Gary Sandy/THE MUSIC MAN; and Barry

Williams/I DO! I DO! Other favorite roles include: “Anna”/THE KING AND I

(Augusta Opera); “Magnolia” and “Julie”/ SHOW BOAT; “Guenevere”/CAMELOT;

“Glinda”/THE WIZARD OF OZ (w/Cathy Rigby); “Maria”/SOUND OF MUSIC (6

productions); and “Julie”/CAROUSEL. At the famed Goodspeed Opera House, she

originated the role of “Mrs. Larue in MRS. MCTHING, and played “Betsy”/DEAREST

ENEMY, and “Kitty” in WHERE’S CHARLEY?

CARNEGIE HALL: She appeared opposite Jon Lovitz in VERY WARM FOR MAY,

and was the leading lady in OH, BOY!; OH, LADY, LADY!; ZIP! GOES A

MILLION; and NO, NO, NANETTE! At Town Hall, she played the title roles in

EILEEN (w/Maureen O’Sullivan) and LEAVE IT TO JANE.

A POPULAR GUEST SOLOIST, Ms. Lehman has headlined numerous times at

Carnegie Hall with Skitch Henderson and THE NEW YORK POPS (and subsequent

Japan tours); with Peter Nero and the PHILLY POPS (Mann Center for the Performing

Arts/Academy of Music, Philadelphia); and with the Los Angeles Philharmonic

(Hollywood Bowl); Tonhalle Symphony Orchestra (Zurich); London Sinfonietta (Royal

Festival Hall); the Library of Congress; and with Symphony Orchestras in Oslo, Korea,

Dallas, Sacramento, Vancouver, Toronto, Tulsa, Florida, Minneapolis, Ives Center, Salt

Lake City, San Diego; in tributes to such legends as Rodgers, Hammerstein, and Hart;

Lerner and Loewe; Stephen Sondheim; Cole Porter; George and Ira Gershwin; Irving

Berlin; Noel Coward; Jerome Kern; Jerry Herman; and more!

Television audiences have seen her as the mother of triplets in a recent Cingular

commercial; as “Mrs. Weinberger” on LAW AND ORDER:SVU; “Marilyn

Springer”/KATE AND ALLIE; and in guest star roles on ALL MY CHILDREN; ONE

LIFE TO LIVE; AS THE WORLD TURNS; LOVING; THE DAYS AND LIVES

OF MOLLY DODD; and in over 65 commercials.

HER FAVORITE ROLE IS THAT OF WIFE TO ACTOR/SINGER, LARRY

FRENCH

Other items of interest: Jeanne is currently in her 5th term as a Councillor for Actors

Equity Association; has traveled as Vocal Consultant for professional theatre companies

in Korea and Japan with her husband, and is a Stephen Minister at Fifth Avenue

Presbyterian Church in NYC.

Jeanne Lehman SAG * AFTRA * AEA * AGMA * CANADIAN AEA

Resume

Broadway

The Sound of Music w/ Richard Chamberlain

Mother Abbess Martin Beck Theatre

Beauty and the Beast Mrs. Potts Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

Irene Irene Minskoff Theatre

Jerome Kern Goes To Hollywood Standby for Liz Robertson

and Elizabeth Welch Ritz Theatre

Going Up Standby for Kimberly Farr Golden Theatre

Rodgers and Hart Standby for Leading Ladies Helen Hayes Theatre

Musical Jubilee Standby for Tammy Grimes

and Patrice Munsel St. James Theatre

Stratford Theatre Festival Inherit The Wind w/ William Hutt & Jimmy Blendick

Mrs. Blair Festival Theatre

The Sound of Music Mother Abbess Festival Theatre

Los Angeles

Beauty and the Beast Mrs. Potts Shubert Theatre

Off Broadway (Highlights) Ancestral Voices Jane A.R. Gurney

Putting It Together Standby for Julie Andrews Manhattan Theatre Club

Very Warm For May w/ John Lovitz

Mrs. Spofford Carnegie Hall

Company Jenny York Theatre

Milk and Honey Ruth American Jewish Theatre

Peter Howard Celebrates

Broadway w/ Leroy Reams Co-Star Oak Room, Algonquin

Noel Coward and his Ladies Co-Star Oak Room, Algonquin

Steel Magnolias Truvy FAPO-TC

Recordings

The Sound of Music 1998 Broadway Revival RCA

A Jerome Kern Treasury Solo Artist Angel Records

Broadway Showstoppers Soloist EMI

Kurt Weill on Broadway Solo Artist EMI Classics

Irene 1973 Broadway Revival Sony

Sondheim Celebration:

Celebration at Carnegie Hall Soloist w/ Madeline Kahn RCA

Lingoland Solo Artist Jay Records

Regional The Odd Couple w/ Barbara Feldon

Sylvie Helen Hayes PAC

My Fair Lady w/ David Burney Eliza Pittsburgh CLO

She Loves me w/ John Schuck Amalia Pittsburgh CLO

The Wizard of Oz w/ Cathy Rigby Glinda Pittsburgh CLO

The King and I Anna Augusta Opera

I Do! I Do! w/ Barry Williams Agnes American Heartland Theatre

Beauty and the Beast Mrs. Potts North Shore Theatre

Beauty and the Beast Mrs. Potts Sacramento Music Circus

Beauty and the Beast Mrs. Potts Michigan Opera Theatre

Beauty and the Beast Mrs. Potts North Carolina Theatre Co.

Television / Film Law and Order: SVU Mrs. Weinberger (Featured) NBC TV

Beauty and the Beast:

Concert on Ice Mrs. Potts ABC / CBS

Sondheim:

Celebration at Carnegie Hall Soloist w/ Madeline Kahn PBS

Kate and Allie Marilyn Springer (Guest Star) CBS

As The World Turns Mrs. Goldstein (Featured) CBS

Loving Saleswoman (Featured) ABC

All My Children Mrs. Young (Featured) ABC

One Life to Live Jeannie (Recurring) ABC

Energy in Motion Lead Worlds Fair Amex Pavilion

Skitch Henderson at 80 Guest Soloist PBS Great Performances

Jeanne Lehman SAG * AFTRA * AEA * AGMA * CANADIAN AEA

Commercial List

Beauty and the Beast (currently running)

Blockbuster Video (Bernstein, Rein)

Little Debbie Snack Cakes (Lucky, Foeney)

Spic and Span (Y & R)

Patio Burrito (Marschalk – Delmonte Corp. – Y & R, Chicago)

Ethan Allan (Sailer, Davidoff, Rodgers)

Wagner Paint (Ogilvy & Mather)

Oxydol (P & G – Dancer-Fitzgerald)

Bounce Fabric Softener (Benton & Bowles)

Walmart (Bernstein Rein – Minneapolis)

KMBR Radio (Bernstein Rein – Minneapolis)

United Way (Lowe & Partners)

Maine Savings Bank (Quinn & Johnson)

Clean ‘n Smooth (Warwick, Welch, & Miller)

Jello (Y & R)

4-Way Cough Syrup (Needham, Harper, & Steers)

Minute Rice (Gen Foods, Grey Advt.)

Resh Horizons Bread (Ted Bates – Roger Sturtyvent)

Natural Sun Orange Juice (Jingle/ On Camera – Colarosse, Griswald, Eshleman,

Sherman, & Kahn)

Coldsnap Freezer Dessert Maker (Wells, Rich, & Green)

Scott Paper (Dancer-Fitzgerald)

Comtrex (Bristol Myers – Lawrence, Charles, & Free)

Jeanne Lehman SAG * AFTRA * AEA * AGMA * CANADIAN AEA

Press Quotes

“If any performer will have audiences talking for years to come about this Sound of

Music, it is Jeanne Lehman. As the Mother Abbess, this Broadway veteran hand-delivers

the definitive performance as the show’s Mother Superior. She’s likable enough just for

being so affirming with naughty Maria. When she lets loose with ‘Climb Every

mountain’, that’s all she wrote. Lehman’s perfect pitch, clear diction, and heart-felt

conviction made a prayerful anthem out of what is often reduced to cliché. It’s a wonder

Tuesday night’s wowed crowd didn’t march right out the door to climb Hayden Butte”

Max McQueen – Tempe Tribune

“The cast climbs every mountain… (list)... and Jeanne Lehman, whose Mother Abbess

becomes something ever so much better than the voice of god – the sound of Richard

Rodgers”

Lawrence Bommer – Chicago

Reader

“Jeanne Lehman as the wise Mother Abbess literally stops the show with ‘Climb Every

Mountain’.”

Sandra C. Dillard – The Denver Post

“Jeanne Lehman is delightful as Mrs. Potts – her rendition of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ will

send a chill down your spine.”

Rich Fahey – The Daily Item

“The supporting cast, some of whom have played the show on Broadway and road, never

dissolve into campy exaggeration. Lastly it is doubtful that the title song ever had been

sung as well as by Jeanne Lehman, the production’s Mrs. Potts.”

Robert Nesti – The Boston Herald

“…the clock, and Jeanne Lehman, Mrs. Potts the housekeeper turned teapot are both

distinct and appealing characters, whose costumes are just fantastic enough. Lehman

handles the title song at the pivotal moment in the second act with quiet grace worthy of

the original.”

Will Stackman – www.aislesay.com

“As Fiona MacLaren, Jeanne Lehman does an excellent job on her musical numbers with

her rich contralto. When opposite Quinn, Ms. Lehman charms the audience with her

parts in ‘The Heather on the Hill’ and ‘Almost Like Being in Love’. And, she does a

most satisfactory job without him when accompanied by the Girls of Brigadoon in

‘Waitin For My Dearie.’ When not singing, Ms. Lehman displays the most realistic

rendition of a Scottish brogue of any of the other players. She is delightful and picks up

the pace in every scene she’s in”

Mariella Fries – The Morning Call

Jeanne Lehman SAG * AFTRA * AEA * AGMA * CANADIAN AEA