LaChanze facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
LaChanze
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LaChanze at the 2022 Tony Awards
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| Born |
Rhonda LaChanze Sapp
December 16, 1961 St. Augustine, Florida, U.S.
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| Other names | LaChanze Sapp, La Chanze Sapp-Gooding, R. Lachanze Sapp |
| Occupation | Actress, singer, dancer |
| Years active | 1986–present |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 2, including Celia Rose Gooding |
LaChanze Sapp-Gooding, who is known by her stage name LaChanze, is a famous American actress, singer, and dancer. She is a star of Broadway theater and has won several Tony Awards, which are like the Oscars for plays and musicals.
In 2006, she won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for playing Celie in The Color Purple. LaChanze has also won four more Tony Awards for helping to produce hit shows like Kimberly Akimbo and The Outsiders.
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Early Life and Love for Performing
LaChanze was born Rhonda Sapp in St. Augustine, Florida, on December 16, 1961. Her stage name, LaChanze, means "the charmed one" in Creole and was inspired by her grandmother.
When she was a child, her family moved to Connecticut. Her mother saw how much she loved to sing and dance and signed her up for classes at a local arts center. This is where LaChanze discovered her passion for performing. .....
After high school, she studied drama at Morgan State University and later moved to the University of the Arts in Philadelphia to study theater and dance.
Career on Stage and Screen
Broadway Beginnings
LaChanze's first professional job was as a tap dancer in a show called Uptown... It's Hot!. The show eventually moved to Broadway in 1986, which marked the start of her amazing career in theater.
In 1990, she starred as Ti Moune in the musical Once on This Island. Her performance was so good that she was nominated for a Tony Award. Later, she played the role of Sarah in the popular musical Ragtime.
Winning a Tony Award
One of LaChanze's most famous roles was Celie Harris Johnson in the Broadway musical The Color Purple. She played the part from 2005 to 2006. For this role, she won the 2006 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
She also received praise for her role in the musical Dessa Rose, for which she won an Obie Award.
More Famous Roles
LaChanze has been in many other successful shows.
- She played Glinda in a special production of The Wiz.
- She starred as Kate in the Broadway musical If/Then in 2014.
- In 2018, she played the singer Donna Summer in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, which earned her another Tony nomination.
- In 2022, she starred in the play Trouble in Mind and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play.
Becoming a Producer
In 2022, LaChanze started a new chapter in her career as a Broadway producer. A producer helps put the entire show together, from finding money to hiring the cast and crew. She has helped produce several award-winning shows, including:
- Topdog/Underdog (Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play, 2023)
- Kimberly Akimbo (Tony Award for Best Musical, 2023)
- The Outsiders (Tony Award for Best Musical, 2024)
- Purpose (Tony Award for Best Play, 2025)
She even started her own production companies to help bring more new stories to the stage.
Personal Life
LaChanze married Calvin Gooding in 1998, and they had two daughters, Celia and Zaya. Tragically, her husband died during the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City. At the time, LaChanze was eight months pregnant with their second daughter, Zaya.
In 2014, LaChanze sang the song "Amazing Grace" at the opening of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum to honor her late husband and the other victims.
In 2019, LaChanze and her older daughter, Celia Rose Gooding, made history. They both starred in different Broadway shows at the same time. LaChanze was in A Christmas Carol, and Celia was in Jagged Little Pill.
Selected Roles
Movies
- Hercules (1997) - She was the voice of the Muse Terpsichore.
- The Help (2011) - She played Rachel Jefferson.
- Side Effects (2013) - She had a role as a nurse.
- Genie (2023) - She played Grandma Patty.
Television
- The Cosby Show (1988-1989) - She appeared in two episodes as Sylvia.
- Hercules: The Animated Series (1998) - She voiced Terpsichore in 19 episodes.
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000-2022) - She appeared in three different roles over the years.
- Pinkalicious & Peterrific (2018) - She was the voice of the Blue Fairy.
- Firebuds (2022-2024) - She voiced the character Jenna Jones.
