Valarie PettifordIn February 2006, Valarie completed her fourth season of the hit TV series HALF & HALF on UPN that earned her three NAACP Image Award nominations for her portrayal as Big Dee Dee Thorne. She guest starred as Dr. Lana Whitford in CSI MIAMI (Spring 2006), Ellen Laskow in BONES (Spring 2007) and as Aunt Jackie in the 1 film in the country as of January 16, 2007, STOMP THE YARD, A Sony Screen Gems production. Her widely successful one-woman show, Here My Voice was performed to sold out audiences at the Gardenia Room, the El Portal Theater in Los Angeles and at the Metropolitan Room in New York City. Valarie began her training as a child at the Bernice Johnson Theater of the Performing Arts in Queens, New York and continued her early training at the Performing Arts High School. Her tremendous versatility in all styles of dance soon led her to Broadway where she became a “Fosse Dancerâ€, working with the late great, legendary choreographer, Bob Fosse in DANCIN’ and in his last Broadway musical, BIG DEAL. This turned out to be the experience of a lifetime, when Fosse himself, called Valarie to be a part of the backers audition for the musical. She became part of an elite group of five who helped Fosse create the choreography and staging for the show. She also became dance captain and assisted in the casting. Best of all, the number “Dancin’ Dan and His Shadows†that was featured in the Tony Award winning musical, FOSSE, was created for Valarie, Barbara Yeager, and Gary Chapman. Valarie was last seen on Broadway in the Tony Award winning show FOSSE, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award, Outer Critics Circle, and Dora Mavor Moore award, (Toronto). Her other Broadway and national tour credits include SOPHISTICATED LADIES, original cast and understudy for Judith Jamison. WEST SIDE STORY, 30th anniversary tour for which she was honored to perform the number “America†on the CBS special CELEBRATING THE CONSTITUTION. On television, Valarie has had recurring roles on, THE DISTRICT, FAME LA, and HONEY I SHRUNK THE KIDS. In addition, she has appeared on, FRASIER, STATE OF GRACE, THE WEST WING, ANY DAY NOW, WALKER TEXAS RANGER, SLIDERS, SILK STALKINGS, THE SENTINEL, JACK & JILL, SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH, THE DIVISION, MEN WOMEN AND DOGS, THE X-FILES, and MATTHEW (The Pilot). Valarie was also a regular on ANOTHER WORLD, as Detective Courtney Walker. She is probably best remembered for her three-year stint as the indomitable Sheila Price, a role she created on the daytime drama, ONE LIFE TO LIVE. Valarie has also appeared in such memorable films as THE WIZ, and THE COTTON CLUB, where she was the featured dancer in The Mooche, for Orion Pictures, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Additional film credits include, LIKE MIKE, as Mrs. Boyd, for 20th Century Fox, ANOTHER YOU, directed by Peter Bogdanovich. She received glowing reviews from both the Los Angeles Times and The New York Times for her role as Mariah Carey’s mother, Lily Frank, in Paramount’s, GLITTER. Valarie has recorded and toured with many R&B artist’s and rock bands in the United States and Europe. Her poignant portrayal of one the most tragic heroines ever written for a musical theatre, Julie in SHOW BOAT, not only garnered rave reviews from critics, but also won her the NAACP Award, LA’s Robby Award and the Vancouver Sun Reader’s Choice Award, in addition to nominations for LA’s Ovation Award and the Jessie Richardson Theater Award. SHOW BOAT, reunited Valarie with the renowned Harold Prince, with whom she worked previously with on Broadway in the production of GRIND. Valarie made her London West End debut in the autumn of 1999 in CHICAGO as Velma Kelly opposite Chita Rivera. They were the first Americans to perform the roles. Valarie sang and danced All That Jazz at the Kennedy Center Honors, where Chita Rivera was being honored. In 2005, Valarie performed Michael John La Chuisa and George C. Wolfe’s, THE WILD PARTY, at the Blank Theater/Hudson Stage where she received rave reviews as Queenie that earned her the Garland Award as Best Actress in a Play, 200 NAACP Theatre Award for best actress and an Ovation Award nomination. Earlier in career, she was choreographer for the musical review, JEROME KERN at theatre Row; Phyllis Hyman in concert; and for Larry Elgart, HOOKED ON SWING, video which played on MTV. Valarie continues to lend her support and talents to many charities annually and is thrilled to have fulfilled a life long dream of recording an album titled HEAR MY SOUL, being sold on her website www.valariepettiford.com and www.cdbaby.com
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