Beth Malone
Birth nameElizabeth Ann Malone
Birth dateJanuary 2, 1969 (age 57)
Birth placeAuburn, Nebraska, U.S.
OccupationActress · singer
SpouseRochelle Schoppert

Elizabeth Ann "Beth" Malone (born January 2, 1969)[1] is an American actress and singer known for her work in Broadway, off-Broadway and regional theatre. She originated the role of Alison Bechdel in the musical Fun Home, for which she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[2]

Life and education

She was born in Auburn, Nebraska, and raised in Castle Rock, Colorado, the daughter of Peggy and Bill Malone. Her mother is a professional country music singer.[3] Malone played the title role in Annie in middle school, and participated in theatre at Douglas County High School.[4] Malone first attended Loretto Heights College for musical theatre. When the school closed in 1989 while she was there, she decided not to continue, because she was successful finding work without a degree. She later completed her degree through the University of Northern Colorado[4] in 1996 and earned an MFA in Acting from UC Irvine in 2000.[5]

She began her career working at the Country Dinner Playhouse at the age of 16. Malone moved to New York City at age 21. After a period of not finding work, she returned to Aspen, Colorado, where she was able to play a wide variety of roles. She received her Equity card performing in a production of Baby.[4] She later moved to Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, where she began performing in television commercials and performing in shows in Greater Los Angeles. Malone is married to Rochelle Schoppert, a music technician.[6][7][8][9]

Activism

Malone performs regularly at benefits for LGBTQ groups and nonprofits.[10] She is also involved in organizations that advocate for gender equality, like the Aqua Foundation.[11] When she was performing in Fun Home, she purposefully made time to talk with young people who were struggling with embracing their identities.[11]

Career

Malone made her Broadway debut in Ring of Fire in 2006. She appeared off-Broadway in Bingo: A Winning New Musical at St. Luke's Theatre in 2005.[12] She appeared off-Broadway in The Marvelous Wonderettes at the Westside Theatre as Betty Jean in 2008.[13] She also released her first solo album, Lunch Shift, in 2008.[14]

She played the title role in Annie Get Your Gun in the music circus at the Wells Fargo Pavilion in Sacramento, California in August 2011,[15] and again at the San Diego Musical Theatre in May 2014.[16]

She played the title role in The Unsinkable Molly Brown at Denver Center Theater Company in September and October 2014,[17] as well as in The Muny's production in July 2017.[18] She played the lead in an industry reading in November 2017 at the Roundabout Theatre Company.[19]

Malone originated the role of Alison Bechdel in Fun Home, from workshops to the 2013 off-Broadway production at The Public Theater.[20] She continued the role in the 2015 Broadway production at the Circle in the Square Theatre, which closed on September 10, 2016.[2] Critic Steven Suskin called her performance "the glue that holds the show together."[21] She received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance.[2]

Malone played the Angel in certain performances in the Broadway revival of Tony Kushner's play Angels in America at the Neil Simon Theatre. The limited engagement began previews on February 23, opened on March 25, and closed on July 15, 2018.[22][23]

Beth Malone: So Far...

In 2011, Malone created a one-woman cabaret show titled Beth Malone: So Far. The show tells her life story, "from her offbeat childhood in small-town Colorado, to her not-quite-normal entrance into acting, to her left-of-center adult life."[7] Malone describes this production as an "autobiographical tale about what it was like for [her] to be a rural lesbian in the '70s."[10][24] The one-hour production takes the audience on a journey through her teenage years and young adulthood,[10][7] highlighting her relationship with her father and how their relationship changed when she came out.[25] Although there are several emotional moments in the show, Malone's presentation is mostly comedic.[7] She has toured with the show in several locations, including Aspen, Colorado, at the Wheeler Opera House in 2011,[7] and in New York City in 2012 at the Davenport Theatre.[26]

Theatre credits

Start yearProductionRoleNotes
2002You're a Good Man, Charlie BrownSally BrownColony Theatre[27]
2003Babes in ArmsReprise![28]
2004Grand HotelFlaemmchenColony Theatre[29]
2005A New BrainEnsembleReprise![30]
Bingo: A Winning New MusicalAlisonOff-Broadway[31]
2006Ring of FireBroadway; March 12 – April 30, 2006[32]
Sister ActSister Mary RobertPasadena Playhouse[33]
2007Alliance Theatre[34]
2008The Marvelous WonderettesBetty JeanOff-Broadway[35]
2010Musical Theatre West[36]
2011Annie Get Your GunAnnie OakleyWells Fargo Pavilion[37]
Beth Malone: So FarSelfNational tour; 2011/12[38]
20139 to 5Judy Bernly3-D Theatricals[39]
Fun HomeAlison BechdelOff-Broadway; September 20, 2013 – January 12, 2014[40]
2014Annie Get Your GunAnnie OakleySan Diego Musical Theatre; May 2014[41]
The Unsinkable Molly BrownMolly BrownDenver Center Theatre Company; September – October 2014[42]
2015Fun HomeAlison BechdelBroadway; April 19, 2015 – September 10, 2016[43]
2018Angels in AmericaThe Angel/Mormon Mother/EmilyBroadway; March 25 – July 15, 2018[44]
2020The Unsinkable Molly BrownMolly BrownOff-Broadway

Filmography

Film
Start yearProductionRoleNotes
2006Room 101Short[45]
2009Intelligent Life: Change Your Mind, Change Your WorldNarratorDocumentary[46]
2011HickSherri[47]
2016The ComedianCarol Bock[48]
2017Between the ShadesHerselfDocumentary[49]
2019Brittany Runs a MarathonTesla[50]
2021The God CommitteeAttorney[51]
2021Tick, Tick... Boom!"Sunday" Legend #6[52]
2025Alma and the WolfBetty[53]
Song Sung BlueBridget
Television
Start yearProductionRoleNotes
2003One Minute Soap OperaVariousSeries regular
UnknownWhat's OnHostTV Guide Channel
2004Judging AmyMarge Bolton/Kelly McClaren2 episodes
2005Reno 911!Ms. StrikerEpisode: "The Prefect of Wanganui"
2015Late Night with Seth MeyersSelf/Alison BechdelEpisode: "Ed Helms/Alison Bechdel/Fun Home/Brad Wilk"
The Good WifePro-Life ActivistEpisode: "Restraint"
2016BrainDeadClaudia Monarch8 episodes
2017BullTessa SnyderEpisode: "The Devil, The Detail"
2019Bluff City LawSamanthaEpisode: "The All-American"
Law & Order: Special Victims UnitDoctorEpisode: "We Dream of Machine Elves"
2020The Baker and the BeautyMelanie Caan2 episodes
2021All RiseSylvia ArthurEpisode: "Caught Up in Circles"
2022The BlacklistFBI Agent AronsonEpisode: Helen Maghi (No. 172)
Five Days at MemorialLinda Schafer3 episodes
GaslitMariaEpisode: "Honeymoon"
2023Chicago MedDeanna BrooksEpisode: "Those Times You Have to Cross the Line"
City on FireFeliciaMain role; 8 episodes
2024Chicago P.D.Diane HarrisonEpisode: "Off Switch"

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominated WorkResult
2002Ovation AwardBest Featured Actress in a MusicalYou're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
2013Ovation AwardBest Lead Actress in a MusicalSeven Brides for Seven Brothers
2015Tony AwardBest Actress in a MusicalFun Home
2016Grammy AwardBest Musical Theater Album

References

  1. ^ "Person Details for Beth A Malone". FamilySearch.org. Archived March 4, 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  2. ^ "Beth Malone (Performer)". Playbill. Playbill Inc. Retrieved 3 June 2022.
  3. ^ "Special Western Music Guest: Peggy Malone". CowboyPoetry.com. Archived June 9, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  4. ^ Moore, John (May 14, 2014). "Denver's Molly Brown is Denver's Beth Malone". DenverCenter.org. Archived September 20, 2015 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
  5. ^ "Beth Malone Nominated for Best Actress Tony Award in 'Fun Home'". UCI School of the Arts. April 29, 2015. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  6. ^ Oksenhorn, Stewart (July 3, 2009). "At the corner of Aspen and Broadway". The Aspen Times. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  7. ^ Oksenhorn, Stewart (January 16, 2011). "Beth Malone: From the inside out". The Aspen Times. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  8. ^ Gans, Andrew. "DIVA TALK: Beth Malone On Creating a Fun Home and Becoming an Unsinkable Molly Brown". Playbill. Playbill Inc. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  9. ^ Paulson, Michael (April 8, 2015). "'Fun Home,' the Musical, Takes Alison Bechdel's Life to Broadway". The New York Times
  10. ^ Rothaus, Steve (May 15, 2017). "Out Broadway star Beth Malone to sing for LGBTQ fans during Aqua Girl festival". Miami Herald. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
  11. ^ Arnold, JW (May 17, 2017). "Singer Reflects on Life On and Off the Stage". South Florida Gay News. Archived December 4, 2017 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ^ Dietz, Dan (2010). "Bingo". Off Broadway Musicals, 1910-2007. McFarland. p. 50. ISBN 978-0786457311.
  13. ^ Gans, Andrew (August 7, 2008). "Alvin, Malone and Matlock Will Be The Marvelous Wonderettes Off-Broadway". Playbill. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  14. ^ "The Lunch Shift: Beth Malone". Amazon.ca. Archived October 30, 2008 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  15. ^ Gans, Andrew (August 9, 2011). "Beth Malone, Edward Watts, Heather Lee Star in Music Circus Annie Get Your Gun, Beginning Aug. 9". Playbill. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  16. ^ Purcell, Carey (May 10, 2014). "Annie Get Your Gun, Featuring Beth Malone and Steve Blanchard, Opens May 10 in San Diego". Playbill. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  17. ^ Gans, Andrew (September 19, 2014). "Beth Malone Is The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Opening Tonight". Playbill. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  18. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 3, 2017). "Complete Casting Announced for the Muny's Molly Brown, Starring Beth Malone". Playbill. Archived May 7, 2017 at the Wayback Machine.
  19. ^ McPhee, Ryan (November 28, 2017). "Beth Malone Leads Roundabout Reading of The Unsinkable Molly Brown". Playbill
  20. ^ Gioia, Michael (August 8, 2013). "Michael Cerveris, Judy Kuhn, Alexandra Socha Among Cast of Fun Home; Other Public Theater Casting Announced, Too". Playbill. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  21. ^ Suskin, Steven (February 23, 2014). "ON THE RECORD: Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron's Fun Home". Playbill. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  22. ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (2018-01-09). "Beth Malone & More to Join Nathan Lane & Andrew Garfield in Angels in America". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2018-01-10.
  23. ^ Musbach, Julie (January 9, 2018). "Beth Malone Joins ANGELS IN AMERICA, Full Cast Announced". BroadwayWorld
  24. ^ Eisenbach, Helen (April 27, 2015). "Caught in the Act". The Huffington Post. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  25. ^ Moore, John (April 6, 2017). "The evolving Beth Malone: So Far … So Good". DenverCenter.org. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  26. ^ Moore, Sarah (March 7, 2012). "Beth Malone…So Far to Play 45th Street Theatre". TheaterMania
  27. ^ Mallory, Mary (2002-08-17). "Joy is infectious in 'Charlie Brown'". Burbank Leader. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  28. ^ "Let’s Put On A Show!". News From ME. 2003-09-20. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  29. ^ Hitchcock, Laura (2004-10-16). "Grand Hotel, the Musical". CurtainUp. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  30. ^ Hirschhorn, Joel (2005-02-01). "A New Brain". Variety. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  31. ^ "Bingo Original Off-Broadway Cast 2005". Off-Broadway World. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  32. ^ Jones, Kenneth (2006-04-26). "'Hurt' on Broadway: Ring of Fire Will Be Extinguished April 30". Playbill. Archived October 27, 2021 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  33. ^ Hernandez, Ernio (2006-12-01). "Sister Act Musical Again Extends Pasadena Engagement". Playbill. Archived 2021-09-19 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  34. ^ "Sister Act (Alliance Theatre Production, 2007)". Ovrtur. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  35. ^ Simon, John (2008-11-05). "The Marvelous Wonderettes - Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  36. ^ "The Marvelous Wonderettes (Musical Theatre West Production, 2010)". Ovrtur. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  37. ^ "Annie Get Your Gun". Broadway Sacramento. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  38. ^ Denette, Kelsey (2012-01-23). "BETH MALONE...SO FAR Comes to San Diego, 1/27-29". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  39. ^ Stanley, Steven (2013-02-19). "9 To 5". StageSceneLA. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  40. ^ "Fun Home". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  41. ^ Hebert, James (2014-05-10). "Review: ‘Annie’ star a sure shot at SDMT". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  42. ^ "The Unsinkable Molly Brown - 2014 Regional (US) Musical Revival: Tickets & Info". Broadway World. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  43. ^ Viagas, Robert (September 10, 2016). "Tony-Winning Musical Fun Home Closes on Broadway Today". Playbill
  44. ^ "Angels in America: Perestroika (Broadway, Neil Simon Theatre, 2018)". Playbill. Archived 2024-12-10 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  45. ^ "Room 101", Big Party High 5, 2006-08-23, retrieved 2025-04-28
  46. ^ "Intelligent Life: Change Your Mind, Change Your World (2009)". GAWBY. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  47. ^ Hick (2011) - Beth Malone as Sherri. Retrieved 2025-04-28. – via IMDb.
  48. ^ "Beth Malone (Actor): Credits, Bio, News & More". Broadway World. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  49. ^ "TransFamily of NW PA Between the Shades Film Screening Pride Kickoff on June 29". Erie Gay News. July 2018. Retrieved 2023-07-24.
  50. ^ "Brittany Runs A Marathon Reviews". www.metacritic.com. Retrieved 2025-04-28.
  51. ^ The God Committee (2021) - Beth Malone as Attorney. Retrieved 2025-04-28. – via IMDb.
  52. ^ tick, tick... BOOM! (2021) - Beth Malone as 'Sunday' Legend #6. Retrieved 2025-04-28. – via IMDb.
  53. ^ Grobar, Matt (2024-03-20). "Ethan Embry And Li Jun Li To Star In Republic Pictures Genre-Bender ‘Alma And The Wolf’". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-04-28.