Kecia Lewis
Kecia Lewis | |
|---|---|
Lewis in 2025 | |
| Born | Bronx, NY |
| Education | High School of Performing Arts |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1980–present |
Kecia Lewis, also credited as Kecia Lewis-Evans[1] is an American singer and actress.[2] Lewis made her Broadway debut as a replacement in the musical Big River (1985), followed by roles in Once on This Island (1990), Leap of Faith (2012), and Hell's Kitchen (2024), the latter of which earned her the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[3][4][5][6]
Early life
Lewis was born and raised in New York City and is a graduate of the High School of Performing Arts.[7]
Career
She served as an understudy for Nell Carter in the revival of Ain't Misbehavin'. In 1990, she originated the role of Asaka in Once on This Island. In 2006, she originated the role of Trix the Aviatrix in The Drowsy Chaperone. In 2006, she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance as Dorcas in Dessa Rose.
In 2017, her performance as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in Marie and Rosetta earned her an Obie Award and a nomination for the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play. In 2018, she starred as Mrs. Norman in a revival of Children of a Lesser God at the Studio 54.[8] In 2019, Lewis played the recurring role of Tonya on the 2019 follow-up of NBC television series Mad About You.[9] In 2022, she was cast in the Peacock thriller film The Independent.[10]
In 2023, she appeared off-Broadway in the show Hell's Kitchen, originating the role of music educator Miss Liza Jane, and reprised the role on Broadway in 2024, receiving a Tony Award, Drama Desk Award, and Lucille Lortel Award along with a Drama League Award nomination.[11] Lewis also teaches stage and drama acting at the Atlantic Acting School. During her career Lewis also starred in films and television series, including recurring roles in Mad About You, The Passage, The Blacklist, and Law & Order.
Acting credits
Film
| Years | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Shelter | Shelter Worker | |
| 2020 | Shirley | Nurse | |
| 2022 | The Independent | Tonya |
Television
| Years | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1992 | Law & Order | Langstrom | Episode: "The Fertile Fields" | |
| 2000 | The Hughleys | Donna | Episode: "Love or Money" | |
| 2002 | Crossing Jordan | Intake Nurse | Episode: "Secrets & Lies: Part 1" | |
| 2013–2020 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Judge Constance Copeland | 4 episodes | |
| 2013 | Royal Pains | Nurse | Episode: "Game of Phones" | |
| 2015 | Limitless | Chrystal | Episode: "This Is Your Brian on Drugs" | |
| 2016 | Blue Bloods | Sandi Harper | Episode: "Town Without Pity" | |
| Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt | Stephanie | Episode: "Kimmy Gives Up!" | ||
| Conviction | Judge Melissa Hinds | Episode: "A Simple Man" | ||
| 2017 | Madam Secretary | Ms. Morales | Episode: "Revelation" | |
| 2019 | SMILF | Aunt Renee | Episode: "Smile More if Lying Fails" | |
| Wu-Tang: An American Saga | Aunt Goldie | 3 episodes | ||
| Mad About You | Tonya | 12 episodes | ||
| The Passage | Lacey Antoine | 7 episodes | ||
| 2020–2021 | The Blacklist | Esi Jackson | 10 episodes | |
| 2021 | With Love | Mia | Episode: "Independence Day" | |
| And Just Like That... | Laura | Episode: "Tragically Hip" | ||
| 2022 | The Good Fight | Angela Allen-Hellman | Episode: "The End of STR Laurie" |
Theatre
| Years | Title | Role | Venue | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1985–1987 | Big River | Ensemble / Alice (replacement) | Eugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway | [12] |
| 1988–1989 | Ain't Misbehavin' | Standby | Ambassador Theatre, Broadway | [13] |
| 1990–1991 | Once on This Island | Asaka | Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway | |
| Booth Theatre, Broadway | [14] | |||
| 2005 | Dessa Rose | Janet / Gemina / Field Hand / Dorcas | Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater, Off-Broadway | [15] |
| 2006–2007 | The Drowsy Chaperone | Trix | Marquis Theatre, Broadway | [16] |
| 2008 | Shrek the Musical | Dragon | 5th Avenue Theatre | [15] |
| 2008–2010 | Chicago | Matron "Mama" Morton (replacement) | Shubert Theatre, Broadway | [17] |
| 2010 | Hairspray | Motormouth Maybelle | Benedum Center | [15] |
| 2011–2012 | Chicago | Matron "Mama" Morton (replacement) | US National Tour | [15] |
| 2012 | Leap of Faith | Ida Mae Robinson | St. James Theatre, Broadway | [18] |
| 2014 | The Little Mermaid | Ursula | North Shore Music Theatre | [15] |
| 2014–2015 | Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella | Marie | US National Tour | [15] |
| 2016 | Mother Courage and Her Children | Mother Courage (replacement) | Classic Stage Company, Off-Broadway | |
| Marie and Rosetta | Sister Rosetta Tharpe | Atlantic Theater Company, Off-Broadway | ||
| 2017 | Children of a Lesser God | Mrs. Norman | Berkshire Theatre Festival | |
| 2018 | Studio 54, Broadway | [19] | ||
| 2023–2024 | Hell's Kitchen | Miss Liza Jane | The Public Theater, Off-Broadway | [20] |
| 2024–2025 | Shubert Theatre, Broadway | [21] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominee(s) | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical | Hell's Kitchen | Won | [22] |
| Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Nominated | [23][24] | ||
| Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical | Won | [25] | ||
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical | Won | [26] | ||
| Tony Awards | Best Featured Actress in a Musical | Won | [27] | ||
| Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | Won | [28] |
References
- ^ "Kecia Lewis-Evans". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2024-04-23.
- ^ Soloski, Alexis (January 5, 2016). "Kecia Lewis to Step Into Role of Mother Courage at Classic Stage Company". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ Millward, Tom (October 19, 2017). "Kecia Lewis & Rebecca Naomi Jones to star in Atlantic's Marie and Rosetta at Linda Gross Theater". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ Henderson, Kathy (April 22, 2024). "Kecia Lewis, the Backstage 'Mama' of Broadway's Hell's Kitchen, Has Wisdom to Share". Broadway in Atlanta. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Myers, Victoria (September 20, 2019). "An Interview with Rebecca Naomi Jones and Kecia Lewis". The Interval. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "Kecia Lewis Assumes Title Role in Off-Broadway's Mother Courage, Replacing Tonya Pinkins". Playbill. January 4, 2016. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ "Production - Once On This Island". Playbill. Retrieved April 23, 2024.
- ^ Stasio, Marilyn (April 12, 2018). "Broadway Review: Joshua Jackson in 'Children of a Lesser God'". Variety. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Petski, Denise (August 29, 2019). "'Mad About You': Kecia Lewis To Recur In Revival Limited Series For Spectrum Originals". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved April 24, 2024.
- ^ Rooney, David (November 1, 2022). "'The Independent' Review: John Cena, Jodie Turner-Smith and Brian Cox in Tepid Political Thriller". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ Kennedy, Mark (May 20, 2024). "Kecia Lewis in Broadway's 'Hell's Kitchen' delivers the soul and earns a Tony Award nomination". ABC News. Retrieved May 27, 2024.
- ^ "Big River (Broadway, 1985)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Ain't Misbehavin' (Broadway, 1988)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Once on This Island (Broadway, 1990)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f Kecia Lewis AboutTheArtists
- ^ "The Drowsy Chaperone (Broadway, 2006)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Kecia Lewis Artist". Playbill. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ "Leap of Faith (Broadway, 2012)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "Children of a Lesser God (Broadway, 2018)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ "'Hell's Kitchen' Review: Alicia Keys Soundtracks a Powerhouse Cast in Vibrant Off-Broadway Depiction of Teen Girlhood". Variety. Retrieved May 28, 2025.
- ^ "Hell's Kitchen (Broadway, 2024)". Playbill. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Rosky, Nicole (April 29, 2024). "2024 Drama Desk Awards Nominations- The Full List". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (April 22, 2024). "2024 Drama League Awards Nominations Are Out; Read the Full List". Playbill. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ "2024 Drama League Awards". Drama League Awards. April 22, 2024. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 5, 2024). "Ars Nova and National Black Theatre's (Pray) Leads 2024 Lucille Lortel Awards; Read the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved May 6, 2024.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (2024-05-13). "Stereophonic Leads 2024 Outer Critics Circle Awards, Wins Best Play; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 2024-05-13.
- ^ Huston, Caitlin (April 30, 2024). "'Stereophonic,' Alicia Keys' 'Hell's Kitchen' Lead Tony Award Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved April 30, 2024.
- ^ "2025 GRAMMYs: See The OFFICIAL Full Nominations List | GRAMMY.com". grammy.com. Retrieved 2024-12-31.
External links
- Kecia Lewis at the Internet Broadway Database
- Kecia Lewis at the Internet Off-Broadway Database (archived)
- Kecia Lewis at IMDb