Donna McKechnie Biography (1940?-)

Born November 16, 1940 (some sources say 1942 or 1944), in Detroit, MI (somesources say Pontiac, MI); married first husband, 1965 (marriage ended); married Michael Bennett (a dancer, choreographer, and director), December 1976 (divorced, 1977).

Nationality: American
Gender: Female
Occupation: Actress, dancer, choreographer, singer
Birth Details: November 16, 1940?; Detroit, Michigan, United States

Famous Works

CREDITS
Stage Appearances
(Broadway debut) Dancer, How to Succeed in Business without Really Trying, 46th Street Theatre, 1961
Kathy McKenna, The Education of H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N, Alvin Theatre, New York City, 1968
Vivien Della Hoya, Promises, Promises, Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1968
Kathy, Company, Alvin Theatre, 1970, then Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, 1971
Ivy Smith, On the Town, Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1971
(London debut) Kathy, Company, Her Majesty's Theatre, 1972
Ensemble, Sondheim: A Musical Tribute (revue), Shubert Theatre, 1973
Ensemble, Music! Music! (revue), City Center Theatre, New York City, 1974
Cassie, A Chorus Line, New York Shakespeare Festival, Public Theatre, New York City, then Shubert Theatre, both 1975
Lillian, Wine Untouched, Harold Clurman Theatre, New York City, 1979
Cassie, A Chorus Line, Shubert Theatre, 1986
Title role, Annie Get Your Gun, CA and FL productions, 1987
Can-Can, London, 1987
Cut the Ribbons, Westside Theatre (Downstairs), New York City, 1992
Kathy, Company: The Original Cast in Concert (concert staging), Long Beach, CA, and Vivian Beaumont Theatre, New York City, 1993
Fiorello! (concert), City Center Theatre, 1994
Mrs. Sheila Kelly, Annie Warbucks, Variety Arts Theatre, New YorkCity, 1993-94
Emily Arden, State Fair, Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1996
The Goodbye Girl, Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, PA, 1997
Sally Durant Plummer, Follies, Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, NJ,1998
Babes in Arms, City Center Theatre, 1999
Lela McGrath, Ginger, 2000, then London (workshop production), 2001
Desiree, A Little Night Music, North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly,MA, 2000
Lotte, Mack and Mabel, Los Angeles, 2000
An Evening with Donna McKechnie: My Musical Comedy Life, Arci's Place, New York City, 2001, then Flushing, NY, 2002
Lola, Sheba, Lucille Lortel's White Barn Theatre & Museum, Westport, CT, 2001
Carlotta Campion, Follies, Wadsworth Theater, Los Angeles, 2002
Singular Sensations, Village Theatre, New York City, 2003
Follies in Concert, Michigan Theater, Ann Arbor, MI, 2003
Lottie Ames, Mack & Mabel, Goodspeed Musicals, 2004
Gypsy in My Soul, London, 2004
Also appeared as Mama Rose, Gypsy, Ohio Theatre, Cleveland, OH; Cassie, A Chorus Line, Japan production.
Major Tours
Philia, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, U.S. cities, 1963 64
Princess, Call Me Madam, 1968

Cassie, A Chorus Line, U.S. cities, 1975
Sweet Charity, 1987
Inside the Music (also known as Donna McKechnie's Inside the Music), U.S. cities, 1993-c. 2003
My Musical Life, U.S. cities, 2003
Gypsy in My Soul, 2004-
Also toured in State Fair.
Stage Work
Choreographer, Sondheim: A Musical Tribute (revue), Shubert Theatre, New York City, 1973
Film Appearances
(Uncredited) Dancer, Billie, United Artists, 1965
Herself/Kathy, Original Cast Album-Company (documentary), Docurama, 1970
The Rose, The Little Prince, Paramount, 1974
Herself, Broadway: The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (documentary; also known as Broadway, Broadway: The Golden Age,and Broadway: The Movie), Dada Films, 2003
Film Work
Assistant choreographer, Billie, 1965
Television Appearances
Series
Hullabaloo dancer, Hullabaloo, NBC, 1965-66
Amanda Harris/Olivia Corey, Dark Shadows, ABC, 1969
Margie, Loving, ABC, 1993
Miniseries
Herself, Broadway: The American Musical (documentary), PBS, 2004
Movies
Louise Jordan, Twirl, NBC, 1981
Breakin' Through, 1984
Specials
Performer, The 23rd Annual Tony Awards, NBC, 1969
Guest, I'm a Fan, CBS, 1972
Performer, Hotel 90, CBS, 1973
The Kraft 75th Anniversary Special, CBS, 1978
Sylvia Fine Kaye's Musical Comedy Tonight III, PBS, 1985
Broadway Sings: The Music of Jule Styne, PBS, 1987
The 42nd Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1988
Night of 100 Stars III, NBC, 1990
The 50th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 1996
The 55th Annual Tony Awards, CBS, 2001
Pilots
Barbara, MacGruder and Loud, 1985
Episodic
Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, 1967
"The Private Eye Puzzle," N.Y.P.D., ABC, 1968
Herself, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, NBC, 1971
Debra, "Sam's Women," Cheers, NBC, 1982
Cynthia, "To Snatch a Keith," Family Ties, NBC, 1983
Suzi Laird, "Stages," Fame, syndicated, 1984
Suzi Laird, "The Rivalry," Fame, syndicated, 1984
Suzi Laird, "Reflections," Fame, syndicated, 1985
Sandra Wall, "The Boy Who Could Be King," Scarecrow and Mrs. King,CBS, 1986
Anemone, "The Little Mermaid," Faerie Tale Theatre, Showtime, 1987
Radio Appearances
Appeared as Phyllis Stone, Follies, BBC Radio.
WRITINGS
Plays
(With Christopher Durang) Inside the Music (also known as DonnaMcKechnie's "Inside the Music"), produced in U.S. cities, 1993-c. 2003
Gypsy in My Soul, produced in London, then tour, 2004-

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