Vivian Reed (actress, born 1947) facts for kids

Vivian Reed, born on June 6, 1947, is an American actress and singer. She is famous for her roles in Broadway shows. She starred in Bubbling Brown Sugar, which earned her a Drama Desk Award and her first Tony Award nomination. She also received a second Tony Award nomination for her work in The High Rollers Social and Pleasure Club. Vivian Reed has also released several music albums with Epic Records and United Artists Records.

Vivian Reed's Career Journey

Vivian Reed started her singing lessons at age eight in Pittsburgh. She later studied at New York's Juilliard School of Music. She also had many years of dance training. She became a skilled performer with help from Honi Coles and Bobby Schiffman of the Apollo Theater.

In 1968, she became popular in her region for a song called "Yours Until Tomorrow." This song was written by Gerry Goffin and Carole King. She received great praise for her role in Bubbling Brown Sugar on Broadway and in Europe. The famous designer Pierre Cardin noticed her talent. He booked her to perform in his theater for several weeks. Through Cardin, she visited Japan for the first time. She also made her first European TV special. Later, the Prince and Princess of Monaco invited her to perform in Monte Carlo.

TV Shows and Movies

Vivian Reed has appeared on many TV shows. These include The Mike Douglas Show, The Tonight Show, and The Today Show. She also appeared on the ABC-TV show One Life to Live. In 1972, she talked with John Lennon and Yoko Ono on The Mike Douglas Show. She has performed with many famous people. Some of them are Bill Cosby, Patti LaBelle, Sammy Davis Jr., and Quincy Jones.

Her movie roles include Headin' for Broadway and L'Africain. In L'Africain, she acted alongside Catherine Deneuve. She also played Josephine Baker in the movie La Rumba. Vivian Reed produced and starred in a short film called 'What Goes Around'. She has also done voice work and TV commercials.

Live Performances and Albums

Vivian Reed has performed her nightclub act at many events. These include events for Mercedes Benz and IBM. She also performed at the Top Fashion Designers Gala in Paris. She appeared at the American Film Festival in Deauville. She performed at the Viña del Mar International Song Festival in Chile. There, she received the 'Torch Award'. This is a special honor from the mayor and people of Viña. She has also released six music albums.

Teaching Music and Performance

Vivian Reed has shared her knowledge with others. She taught a vocal performance course at the Berklee College of Music in Boston. While there, she started an annual concert event called "Singer's Night." She is currently a vocal professor at Marymount Manhattan College in New York City.

Fashion and Photography

Vivian Reed has been featured in many popular magazines. These include Vogue, Elle, and People. She was also on the covers of Jet and Time magazines. She was named on Mr. Blackwell's Best Dressed Women List. People magazine also chose her as one of the '25 Most Intriguing People of the Year'. Besides performing, she is also a professional photographer. She designs scarves too, and her line is called VJR scarves.

Theatre Performances

Vivian Reed has performed in many stage productions. Some of her roles were in Sophisticated Ladies and The Roar of the Greasepaint - The Smell of the Crowd. She also appeared in Blues in the Night and Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope. She played "Queenie" in Show Boat.

She was featured in Marie Christine at Lincoln Center. She also played Lena Horne in a new show called More Than a Song. This was with the Pittsburgh Ballet at the Benedum Theater. She performed in the Lena Horne Awards Show, hosted by Bill Cosby. She also performed with Quincy Jones at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts in New York. She appeared in Three Mo' Divas, a follow-up to Three Mo Tenors. She played "Gloria Franklin" in The Second Tosca. Vivian Reed has also performed her own one-woman shows to sold-out audiences. She has created four one-woman shows.

Awards and Recognitions

Vivian Reed has received many honors for her talent. Her awards and nominations include two Tony Awards and a Drama Desk Award. She also won a Theatre World Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award. Other honors include the Dance Education of America Award and an NAACP Award. She received the Torch Award from a South American song festival. In 2014, she was given the 'Kingdom of Excellence Award'. This award recognized her many achievements throughout her life.

Discography

• Vivian Reed (1968)
• Brown Sugar (1976)