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Anika Larsen

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Anika Larsen
Larsen in 2015
Born (1973-12-19) December 19, 1973 (age 50)
Alma materYale University
OccupationActress/Singer
Years active1999-present
Spouse
Freddie Maxwell
(m. 2015)
Children2
WebsiteOfficial website

Anika Larsen (born December 19, 1973)[1] is an American actress and singer. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2014 for portraying Cynthia Weil in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. Larsen has made an album of recordings titled, Sing You To Sleep.[2]

Personal life

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Larsen was raised in Cambridge, Massachusetts in a blended family of adopted children, from Cambodia, Vietnam, and America.[3] She studied theatre at Yale University and performed in the a cappella choir, Shades.[4]

In 2015 she married musician Freddie Maxwell and gave birth to their first child, a son named Kie Larsen Maxwell.[5] In 2017, she gave birth to their second son, Ashe.[6]

Career

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Larsen made her Broadway debut in 2000 in the ensemble of Rent. In 2002 she originated the role of Roberta in the cult Off-Broadway musical, Zanna, Don't!, for which she received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

In 2005 she again appeared on Broadway in the ensemble of All Shook Up and in 2007 performed in the original Broadway ensemble of Xanadu. She has also performed in Avenue Q playing the role of Lucy the Slut/Kate Monster on National Tour, Broadway, and Off-Broadway.

In 2019, The Old Globe Theatre premiered the musical Almost Famous, based on the Cameron Crowe film of the same name, with additional music and lyrics by Tom Kitt, with Larsen starring as Elaine Miller (played by Frances McDormand in the film.[7]

Larsen is the founder of the Jaradoa Theatre Company, which combines performance with community service. In 2009 a musical based on her own life, titled Shafrika: The White Girl, dealing with her experiences of living with a blended adoptive family, was staged at the Vineyard Theatre.[8][9]

References

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  1. ^ Date of birth, familysearch.org; accessed May 31, 2014.
  2. ^ Larsen, Anika (January 7, 2014). "Anika Larsen on Her Life-Saving Surgery and the BeautifuI Show That Made Her Love Acting Again". Broadway.com.
  3. ^ "Cambridge Native, Broadway Star Nabs Most Coveted Role: Mom". BayStateParent.com. September 27, 2016.
  4. ^ "About Anika". anikalarsen.biz.
  5. ^ Gioia, Michael (July 13, 2015). "Exclusive! Beautiful's Anika Larsen Welcomes Baby Boy". Playbill. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  6. ^ "Mom-to-Be Anika Larsen Previews 'Sing You to Sleep' CD". Playbill. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
  7. ^ "Almost Famous Cast Announcement". The Old Globe. August 1, 2019.
  8. ^ "Our Mission". Jaradoa Theater. Archived from the original on 2014-04-29. Retrieved 2014-04-29.
  9. ^ David, Cara Joy (January 15, 2014). "Quick Questions: Beautiful's Anika Larsen is Back on Broadway". The Huffington Post. Retrieved June 19, 2022.
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