Ann Mandrella
Encyclopedia
Ann Mandrella is a French
actress, born in Besançon, France on the 3rd of August. She has performed in theatre productions throughout Europe
and in New York City
.
Just before she completed her studies in Gesangsstudio, Ann was cast as Cha Cha in Grease
(Vienna production), and she performed on the original cast album for the show. After her successful run in Grease
, other roles would follow, including Babette in Beauty and the Beast
, Anita in West Side Story
, Roxie in Chicago
, and Queenie in The Wild Party
. She performed in several cities and countries throughout Europe, including Vienna (Austria), Amstetten (Austria), Stuttgart (Germany), Berlin (Germany), and Bern (Switzerland). Though she traveled often in order to perform, Ann's primary city of residence remained Vienna, where she maintains an apartment to this day.
During her time working in Europe, Ann met and married Drew Sarich
, an American musical theatre actor and musician. In late 2005, Drew's career brought him to San Francisco. Ann, who was working on Show Boat
in Switzerland, joined her husband in New York in February 2006. In September of that year, Ann made her American stage debut in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
, which also starred her husband. In 2007, she made her Broadway debut as Babette in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast
and was the final actress to play the role.1 Ann later moved back to Austria, where she currently resides with her husband and children. In 2009, she played the title role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber
musical Evita in the Dortmund Theater in Germany, as well as Gitta in the European premiere of the Gershwin musical Pardon My English
at the Staatsoperette Dresden.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
actress, born in Besançon, France on the 3rd of August. She has performed in theatre productions throughout Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
.
Biography
Ann's family moved to the town of Koblenz in Germany when Ann was a young child. From the beginning, Ann showed an interest in the performing arts. Her family encouraged her talent and she was enrolled in dancing and singing classes outside of school (the school she attended did not offer an arts program) and she participated in the local children's community theatre productions. After completing her secondary school education, Ann attended the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany for three years. There, she obtained a degree in musical theatre performance. After she graduated, she moved to Vienna, Austria to pursue further studies in the performing arts at the Gesangsstudio Theater. During her time in school, Ann supported herself through modeling work and by doing ballet/dance for local television shows.Just before she completed her studies in Gesangsstudio, Ann was cast as Cha Cha in Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
(Vienna production), and she performed on the original cast album for the show. After her successful run in Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
, other roles would follow, including Babette in Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
, Anita in West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
, Roxie in Chicago
Chicago (musical)
Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
, and Queenie in The Wild Party
The Wild Party (Lippa musical)
The Wild Party is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Andrew Lippa. It is based on Joseph Moncure March's 1928 narrative poem of the same name...
. She performed in several cities and countries throughout Europe, including Vienna (Austria), Amstetten (Austria), Stuttgart (Germany), Berlin (Germany), and Bern (Switzerland). Though she traveled often in order to perform, Ann's primary city of residence remained Vienna, where she maintains an apartment to this day.
During her time working in Europe, Ann met and married Drew Sarich
Drew Sarich
-Biography:Sarich received a BFA in Musical Theatre with a concentration in Directing from Boston Conservatory in 1997. Sarich made his Off-Broadway debut in Tony n' Tina's Wedding, followed by a tour as a backup singer for Liza Minnelli with the Cortes Alexander Trio...
, an American musical theatre actor and musician. In late 2005, Drew's career brought him to San Francisco. Ann, who was working on Show Boat
Show Boat
Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally produced in New York in 1927 and in London in 1928, and was based on the 1926 novel of the same name by Edna Ferber. The plot chronicles the lives of those living and working...
in Switzerland, joined her husband in New York in February 2006. In September of that year, Ann made her American stage debut in the critically acclaimed Off-Broadway revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris is an American musical revue of the songs of Jacques Brel.-Original Off-Broadway Production:...
, which also starred her husband. In 2007, she made her Broadway debut as Babette in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast (musical)
Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
and was the final actress to play the role.1 Ann later moved back to Austria, where she currently resides with her husband and children. In 2009, she played the title role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber
Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber is an English composer of musical theatre.Lloyd Webber has achieved great popular success in musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 13 musicals, a song cycle, a set of...
musical Evita in the Dortmund Theater in Germany, as well as Gitta in the European premiere of the Gershwin musical Pardon My English
Pardon My English
Pardon My English is a musical with a book by Herbert Fields and Morrie Ryskind, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Set in 1933 Dresden, the farcical plot satirizes the Prohibition era.-Production history:Producers Alex A...
at the Staatsoperette Dresden.
Stage Work
- GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
- Cha-Cha (1994–1995) - Die Schöne und Das BiestBeauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
(Vienna) - Babette (1995–1997) - Cole Porter Revue - Juliet (1996–1997)
- West Side StoryWest Side StoryWest Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
- Anita (1997) - City of AngelsCity of Angels (musical)City of Angels is a musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Larry Gelbart. The musical weaves together two plots, the "real" world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay, and the "reel" world of the fictional film.-Productions:City of Angels...
(Krefeld) - Gabby/Bobby (1997) - Die Schöne und Das BiestBeauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
(Stuttgart) - Babette (1997–1998) - City of AngelsCity of Angels (musical)City of Angels is a musical comedy with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by David Zippel, and book by Larry Gelbart. The musical weaves together two plots, the "real" world of a writer trying to turn his book into a screenplay, and the "reel" world of the fictional film.-Productions:City of Angels...
(Amstetten) - Gabby/Bobby (1998) - ChicagoChicago (musical)Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
(Vienna) - June (u/s Roxie) (1998–1999) - ChicagoChicago (musical)Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
(Berlin) - Roxie (2000) - ChicagoChicago (musical)Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
(Switzerland) - Roxie (2000–2001) - Time Out! - Maxine (2001)
- ChicagoChicago (musical)Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
(Düsseldorf) - Roxie (2001–2002) - What A Feeling - Aylin (2002)
- Wake Up - Lydia (2002–2004)
- Lapdog and Wildcat (2003)
- The Wild PartyThe Wild Party (Lippa musical)The Wild Party is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Andrew Lippa. It is based on Joseph Moncure March's 1928 narrative poem of the same name...
(Amstetten) - Queenie (2003) - The Wild PartyThe Wild Party (Lippa musical)The Wild Party is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Andrew Lippa. It is based on Joseph Moncure March's 1928 narrative poem of the same name...
(Klagenfurt) - Queenie (2004–2005) - Show BoatShow BoatShow Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally produced in New York in 1927 and in London in 1928, and was based on the 1926 novel of the same name by Edna Ferber. The plot chronicles the lives of those living and working...
- Ellie (2005–2006) - Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris - u/s Woman #1 (2006)
- Beauty and the BeastBeauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
(Broadway) - Babette (2007) - Evita (Dortmund) - Eva Perón (2009)
- Pardon My EnglishPardon My EnglishPardon My English is a musical with a book by Herbert Fields and Morrie Ryskind, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Set in 1933 Dresden, the farcical plot satirizes the Prohibition era.-Production history:Producers Alex A...
(Dresden) - Gitta (2009) - Ich war noch niemals in New York (Vienna) - Lisa Wartberg(2010)
Cast Recordings
- What A Feeling (Original Bonn Cast)
- Wake Up (Original Wien Cast)
- Die Schöne und Das BiestBeauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
(Original Stuttgart Cast) - ChicagoChicago (musical)Chicago is a musical set in Prohibition-era Chicago. The music is by John Kander with lyrics by Fred Ebb and a book by Ebb and Bob Fosse. The story is a satire on corruption in the administration of criminal justice and the concept of the "celebrity criminal"...
(Original Wien Cast) - Die Schöne und Das BiestBeauty and the Beast (musical)Beauty and the Beast is a musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Tim Rice and a book by Linda Woolverton, based on the 1991 Disney film of the same name. Seven new songs were written for the stage musical...
(Original Wien Cast) - GreaseGrease (musical)Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
(Original Wien Cast)