Lonette McKee facts for kids

Lonette Rita McKee (born July 22, 1954) is a talented American actress and singer. She is known for her amazing performances in movies and on stage. Lonette first appeared on the big screen in 1976, starring as Sister Williams in the musical film Sparkle.

She has acted in many popular films, including The Cotton Club (1984), Jungle Fever (1991), Malcolm X (1992), Honey (2003), and ATL (2006).

Lonette McKee also made history on Broadway. In 1983, she became the first African American actress to play the important role of Julie in the musical Show Boat. Her performance was highly praised, and she was even nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She also played Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. Throughout her career, Lonette has received several nominations for Drama Desk and NAACP Image Awards.

Early Life and Education

Lonette McKee was born in Detroit, Michigan, on July 22, 1954. She was the second of three daughters. Her mother, Dorothy McKee, was of Swedish descent, and her father, Lonnie McKee, was an African American bricklayer.

Lonette's older sister, Kathrine "Kathy" McKee, is also an actress and performer. As a young girl, Lonette loved to perform. She sang at local dances and small night clubs in Detroit, with her mother's help. She attended St Martin De Porres High School for a short time. After her freshman year, she moved to Los Angeles, California, to live with her older sister.

Lonette's Acting and Music Career

Lonette McKee started her career in music at a very young age in Detroit. She was a child prodigy, meaning she had amazing talent from childhood. By age seven, she was already writing music and lyrics, singing, and playing keyboards.

In 1968, when she was just 14, Lonette recorded her first song called "Stop! (Don't Worry About It)". It quickly became a popular hit in her region. At fifteen, she wrote the main song for the film Quadroon, which starred her sister, Katherine McKee.

Breakthrough in Film

Lonette became widely known after her critically praised performance in the 1976 musical drama film Sparkle. Her acting career continued to grow through the 1970s and 1980s. She starred alongside famous comedian Richard Pryor in the 1977 comedy film Which Way Is Up? and in the 1985 comedy Brewster's Millions.

During this time, Lonette also played characters who were seen as white, even though they were African American. She did this in Julie Dash's 1982 short film, Illusions, and in Francis Ford Coppola's 1984 musical crime drama The Cotton Club.

Music Albums and Directing

Lonette has also released three solo music albums. Her album Natural Love was produced in 1992 for Spike Lee's Columbia 40 Acres and A Mule label. She wrote all the songs on this album. Lonette also created the music for a documentary about the Lower Manhattan African Burial Ground.

She has performed concerts all over the world, including at the JVC Jazz Festival at Carnegie Hall. Lonette studied film directing at The New School in New York. She also learned directing skills from the famous filmmaker Spike Lee. She studied singing with Dini Clark and ballet with Sarah Tayir in Los Angeles. In 2007, she appeared on the TV show The Game as Mrs. Pitts.

Broadway Success

Lonette McKee made her Broadway debut in the musical The First in 1981. She played Jackie Robinson's wife, Rachel. In 1983, she achieved a major milestone by becoming the first African American actress to play the role of Julie in the Houston Grand Opera's production of Show Boat on Broadway. This role earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

Her powerful portrayal of jazz legend Billie Holiday in the one-woman show Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill received great praise. She even got a 1987 Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for this role. She returned to play Julie in the 1994 Broadway revival of Show Boat. In 2012, she starred in Sowa’s Red Gravy.

In 2013, Lonette shared her dream of opening a performance arts center in the New York area. She also performs her one-woman show, which tells her life story through music, across the United States. She wrote and directed her first full-length film, Dream Street.

Personal Life

Lonette McKee has been married once and does not have any children. She was married to Leo Compton, a youth counselor, from February 1983 to 1990. In the mid-1990s, she lived with her partner, musician Bryant McNeil. They met while working on her Natural Love album. Lonette also shares her knowledge by teaching a master acting workshop at Centenary College of New Jersey. She is an adjunct professor in the Theater Arts department there.

Discography

• Lonette (Sussex, 1974)
• Words and Music (Warner Bros., 1978)
• Natural Love (40 Acres and a Mule/Columbia, 1992)

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Lonette McKee para niños