Julia Murney

Julia Kathleen Murney (born January 14, 1969) is an American actress and singer, also known for television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway. This was because her fame came mostly from her performances on the Broadway charity circuit, and not traditional Broadway productions. She played the role of Elphaba in the musical Wicked, both on the US national tour (2006) and on Broadway (2007). She is also a two-time Drama Desk Award nominee, for The Wild Party (2000) and Falling (2013).

Julia Murney
Murney in 2005
Born
Julia Kathleen Murney

(1969-01-14) January 14, 1969
State College, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
  • theatre performer
Years active1995–present
Websitejuliamurney.com

Early life

The daughter of actor Christopher Murney and Anne Murney, Murney was named after the song "Julia" from The Beatles White Album. She has a younger sister, Caitlin (born 1977), who is a film producer and lives in LA and younger brother, Patrick (born 1987), who is an actor and graduated from Syracuse University with a drama degree in 2009.

Murney attended the High School of Music & Art (later Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School) as a voice major[1] and graduated from Syracuse University in 1990.

Career

In the liner notes from Murney's album I'm Not Waiting, composer Andrew Lippa says that he first met her in June 1996. He said,

I was the music director for a Stephen Schwartz compendium called Snapshots, auditions were going well, if uninspiring, until a certain Julia Murney (with whom I was, at the time, unacquainted) strutted into the room. She sang a song, a forever favorite ever since, called Imagine My Surprise. Heartbreaking. Seeing as I was about to do the reading of The Wild Party in August, I wrote on my notes "Is she Queenie?!?!?" followed by several stars and excited doodles. Then, the director asked for another song, preferably something by Stephen Schwartz.

la Murney: I know Meadowlark
la director: That'd be great
I didn't bring the music
la pianist: (panic)
la Lippa: (heroically) I know it, what key? (oh, the swagger, the cock-suredness. I did want to impress her, after all)

Murney's Off-Broadway theatrical credits include originating the role of 'Queenie' in Andrew Lippa's The Wild Party (2000) at the Manhattan Theatre Club, opposite Brian d'Arcy James, Idina Menzel, and Taye Diggs, for which she was nominated for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. She was also seen in The Vagina Monologues, Crimes of the Heart (2001), A Class Act (2000), Time and Again (2001), and First Lady Suite. She appeared in a musical version of the film Saved! at the Playwrights Horizons Theatre, which began previews on May 9 and opened on June 3, 2008.[2] In August 2008, Murney played the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita at the Wells Fargo Pavilion in Sacramento.[3]

Murney made her debut on Broadway in 2005, in the short-lived musical Lennon. She was also seen in the Actors' Fund benefit concerts of Funny Girl, Chess, Hair, and the World AIDS Day Benefit Concert Pippin. She has also been featured on television in Sex and the City, Ed, NYPD Blue, and various episodes of Law & Order.

Afterwards, Murney succeeded Stephanie J. Block in the lead role of Elphaba in the first national touring company of the musical Wicked on March 6, 2006. In that role, she won an Acclaim Award from the Cincinnati Enquirer for leading performer in a musical. She departed the tour on September 3, 2006, after six months, and was replaced by Shoshana Bean. Murney then transferred to the Broadway production, reprising the role of Elphaba for a nine-month engagement, beginning January 9, 2007, replacing Ana Gasteyer.[1] She played her final performance on October 7, 2007 and was replaced by Stephanie J. Block.[4] Both on tour and on Broadway, she starred opposite Kendra Kassebaum as Glinda.

Her debut solo album, I'm Not Waiting, was released in May 2006 on the Sh-K-Boom Records label. The album's title song was written specially for Murney by Andrew Lippa, with whom she has a strong artistic relationship. Also on the album are a jazz acoustic version of the song "I'm Not That Girl" from Wicked and "Perfect", which was written with Tom Kitt.[5] Murney can be heard on the original cast albums of The Wild Party and A Class Act as well as the Actors' Fund recordings of Hair and Chess.

Murney played Mrs. Walker in The Who's Tommy in Oklahoma City from February 5–21, 2009.[6] In September 2009, she appeared in the Signature Theatre's production of First You Dream - The Songs of Kander and Ebb in Arlington, Virginia, with Norm Lewis, Matthew Scott, Heidi Blickenstaff, Eleasha Gamble, and James Clow.

Her other Off-Broadway credits include Queen of the Mist and Closer Than Ever.[7]

In 2013, Murney received a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play for her role as Tami in the play Falling.[8] She played Princess Fiona in The Muny's production of Shrek the Musical from June 24–30, 2013.[9] She returned to The Muny in 2014 to play Mayzie LaBird in Seussical [10] and in 2016 to play Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia!.[11] Murney played Rose in the 2017 Cape Playhouse production of Gypsy.[12]

In May 2013 Murney sang with the Omaha Symphony in the concert "The Wizard and I - The Musical Journey of Stephen Schwartz" at the Holland Performing Arts Center in Omaha, Nebraska. The concert featured songs from Godspell and Wicked and the song "Meadowlark".[13]

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1997 The Real Shlemiel Dona (voice)
2004 Say You Do Samantha Short
2008 Ghost Town Sneezy Lady
2009 Clear Blue Tuesday Anonymous Woman
2010 Multiple Sarcasms Cari
2013 La vida inesperada Lisa
2014 Gabriel Woman on Phone
2015 Emily & Tim Sarah Lerner Segment "Betrayal"
2015 First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb Television film
2015 For Real Diane Television film
2019 Big Time Adolescence Sherri

Television
Year Title Role Notes
1999 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Waitress Episode: "A Single Life"
2003 Sex and the City Rival Raw Woman Episode: "Great Sexpectations"
2003 NYPD Blue Nancy Schaffer Episode: "Frickin' Fracker"
2003 Ed Amanda Williams 2 episodes
2004, 2007 Law & Order Marge Hollenbach, Lisa Quinlann 2 episodes
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Hillary Martz Episode: "View from Up Here"
2009 30 Rock Courtney Episode: "Kidney Now!"
2011 Brothers & Sisters Kendra Episode: "Wouldn't It Be Nice"
2015 Elementary Gayle Wolper Episode: "When Your Number's Up"
2016 Madam Secretary Erin Episode: "Invasive Species"
2018 Succession Trainer Episode: "Celebration"

Video games
Year Title Role Notes
2000 The Longest Journey Emma de Vrijer, Young Alatien Woman, Female Visitor
2001 Max Payne Mona Sax, Dispatcher, Lady Amelia
2006 Dreamfall: The Longest Journey Emma de Vrijer, Dr. Park, Yuriko

References
  1. Gans, Andrew. "DIVA TALK: Catching Up with Wicked's Julia Murney Plus News of Callaway and Salonga," Playbill (FEB 09, 2007).
  2. Saved listing Archived 2009-12-23 at the Wayback Machine lortel.org, accessed May 16, 2009
  3. Gans, Andrew (2008-08-12). ""Rainbow High": Murney Is Evita for Sacramento Music Circus Beginning Aug. 12". Playbill. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
  4. Gans, Andrew (27 August 2007). "Block and Ashford to Join Broadway's 'Wicked' in October" playbill.com
  5. Gans, Andrew (17 January 2006). "Songs By Kitt and Mitchell Plus Cut Wild Party Tune to Be Featured on Julia Murney's Debut Solo Disc". Playbill. Retrieved 3 September 2020.
  6. Gans, Andrew. "Lyric Theatre's 'Tommy', with Murney, Farnsworth, Neville and Fletcher, Begins Feb. 5", playbill.com, February 5, 2009
  7. "Julia Murney, Jacquelyn Piro Donovan Step Into CLOSER THAN EVER, Replacing Jenn Colella and Christiane Noll". BroadwayWorld.com. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
  8. "Nominations Announced for 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards; Giant and Hands on a Hardbody Lead the Pack" Archived 2013-06-01 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, Retrieved May 9, 2013
  9. "Alexander Gemignani, Julia Murney, Rob McClure, Natalie Venetia Belcon Cast in Muny's 'Shrek The Musical' " playbill.com, Retrieved May 9, 2013
  10. John Tartaglia, Julia Murney, Kirsten Wyatt & More to Lead SEUSSICAL at the MUNY; Runs 7/22-28 Broadway World, Retrieved November 13, 2014
  11. Julia Murney, Ann Harada, Justin Guarini Set for Muny Mamma Mia! Playbill, Retrieved June 19, 2016
  12. BWW Exclusive: It's Her Turn! Get a First Look at Julia Murney in GYPSY at Cape Playhouse Broadway World, Retrieved September 16, 2017
  13. von Kampen, Todd. "Symphony celebrates Schwartz with ‘The Wizard and I’" omaha.com, May 9, 2013
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