Carole Demas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Carole Demas
Demas in 2008
Born	(1940-05-26) May 26, 1940 (age 85) Brooklyn, New York, U.S.
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1960–present
Spouse(s)	Stuart Allyn ​ (m. 1983)​

Carole Demas (born May 26, 1940, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American actress. She is famous for playing Sandy in the 1971 Broadway musical Grease. She also starred in the original 1976 show The Baker's Wife. Many people know her from her roles on TV, in commercials, and especially from the children's show The Magic Garden.

Carole's career has been very exciting. She started as Miss Vermont in the Miss Universe Contest. She has performed in many major roles across the country. Her concerts and shows have helped raise money for important causes.

About Carole Demas

Carole Demas was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1940. She went to University of Vermont and earned a degree in English. She also studied at New York University. For several years, she worked as a teacher in New York City schools.

Carole first performed on stage at the Champlain Shakespeare Festival. Later, she sang with the New York Shakespeare Festival Elizabethan Singers. There, she was discovered by agents. This led to her first big role in a musical called Morning Sun. It started her long career in theater, TV, and movies. While at college, she became Miss Vermont in the Miss Universe pageant.

Early Theater Roles

Before Broadway, Carole starred in several Off-Broadway shows. She was in Morning Sun and Rondelay. She also starred in How to Steal an Election. For more than two years, she played "The Girl" in The Fantasticks. This is one of the longest-running Off-Broadway shows ever. She also worked with the creators of The Fantasticks, Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt. She was the main female lead in their show Philemon.

Broadway Success

On Broadway, Carole performed in A Race of Hairy Men. Her most famous Broadway role was playing Sandy in Grease. This musical became one of Broadway's longest-running shows. Critics praised her for creating the role of Sandy.

She also performed in many other plays across the country. These include Barefoot in the Park, Enter Laughing, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Two of her favorite roles were Regina in Another Part of the Forest and Angel in Celebration. Carole also performs her own Cabaret shows in New York and Los Angeles.

She was part of a special TV show called “The Best Of Broadway.” In this show, original stars recreated famous moments from Broadway musicals for the PBS series Great Performances.

TV and Film Appearances

Carole has appeared as a guest star on many TV shows. These include Barnaby Jones, Kojak, Mannix, Fantastic Journey, and The Man from Atlantis. She played many different kinds of characters. More recently, she had a recurring role as Hannah Lafferty on As the World Turns.

Her most well-known TV role for kids was on The Magic Garden. She starred with her friend Paula Janis. This popular children's show was on WPIX-TV for over 12 years. Carole and Paula also created their own company, CAP Productions, Inc. They made three children's music albums that sold over 100,000 copies.

They also wrote and performed in over 100 live shows. They brought music and fun to thousands of children and families. These shows took place at famous venues like Town Hall and Symphony Space. Under their company, Carole and Paula also wrote and produced “A Magic Garden Christmas.” This one-hour TV special was nominated for an Emmy award.

Carole has also been in over 200 TV commercials. She promoted many different products. Sometimes, she even sang the jingle in the commercial!

Concerts and Live Shows

Carole continues to perform in concerts and cabaret shows around the world. She has performed on a Crystal Cruise to French Polynesia. She also did benefit concerts in Barbados and St. Croix. In New York, she has performed at many major cabaret venues. She often performs to raise money for good causes.

In 2017, she teamed up with Broadway star Sarah Rice. They created a show called Thank You For Your Love. It honored Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, who created The Fantasticks. The show won a Bistro Award in 2018. In 2019, the show was made longer and performed on Long Island. They had plans to tour with it, but the Covid pandemic put those plans on hold.

Since 2020, Carole has been doing a monthly online concert series called Live from Skylight Run. These concerts are still happening today.

Carole's Career Highlights

Theater Roles

Carole's theater career began in 1963. She played the main young female role in Morning Sun. She then starred in Rondelay and How To Steal An Election. She later took over the role of "Louisa (The Girl)" in The Fantasticks and played it for over two years. She also worked on other shows with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, like Philemon.

In 1971, Carole was chosen to play Sandy in the original Broadway production of Grease. She was 31 years old, making her the oldest main cast member. She worked with the writers to make Sandy's character right for Broadway. The original Chicago play was a bit too dark. For her role in Grease, Carole and the rest of the original Broadway cast were honored by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

After Grease, Carole joined a new musical called The Baker's Wife. This show had some problems during its tryouts in Los Angeles. It never made it to Broadway.

Her regional theater roles include Corrie in Barefoot in the Park and Angel in Celebration. In 2011, Carole reunited with some of the original Grease cast members for a special performance.

Television and Film

While working on Grease, Carole and her friend Paula Janis started their children's TV show, The Magic Garden. They hosted this daily show from 1972 to 1984. They continued to do live concerts long after the TV show stopped. They also wrote and appeared in two one-hour TV specials: A Magic Garden Christmas and The Magic Garden——Still Growing.

Carole also appeared in the PBS series Great Performances. She joined other Broadway stars to recreate famous musical moments. She has guest-starred on many TV shows, including One Life to Live, The Edge of Night, Barnaby Jones, Mannix, Kojak, The Man from Atlantis, Blue Bloods, and Allegiance.

Carole has also been in films like The 300 Year Weekend and A Lovely Way to Die.

Concerts and Cabaret Shows

Carole has focused on concerts and cabaret shows in recent years. She created her own show called Summer Nights. She often performs in Broadway tribute shows and concerts that raise money for charities.

Some of her performances include:

• Broadway Originals concert at Town Hall in NYC.
• 50th Anniversary concerts for WBAI Radio and The Fantasticks.
• Gypsy of the Year at the New Amsterdam Theater in NYC.
• Broadway by the Year 1972 at Town Hall.
• Benefit concerts for the Westchester Land Trust and the Irvington Town Hall Theatre.
• Broadway on St. Croix and Broadway Returns to Barbados.
• Thank You For Your Love at the Laurie Beechman Theater, which won an award.

Key Roles

Music Recordings

• Grease - Original Broadway Cast Album (1972)
• How to Steal an Election - Original Off-Broadway Cast Album
• Carole and Paula in the Magic Garden - Original Cast Album
• Carole and Paula: Tales from the Storybox
• Carole and Paula: Musical Goose on the Loose
• Green Songs - Champlain Shakespeare Minstrels
• Festival Line Singers In Concert - New York Shakespeare Festival Line Singers
• Hidden Treasures-Jones and Schmidt - 2018

Other Facts

• Carole Demas was added to the Long Island Music Hall of Fame in 2010.
• She is on the advisory board for The New York Children's Theatre Festival.

Personal Life

Carole Demas lives in Westchester County, New York. She is married to Stuart Allyn, who is a sound designer and producer. They live with their rescued cat and their turtle, Tompson. Carole continues to work as an actress, singer, writer, and producer.