Terry Burrell

      TERRY BURRELL

 

Terry-1-221x300

by Dale Ricardo Shields

Terry Burrell

A highly regarded Trinidadian-American actress and singer celebrated for her extensive career in Broadway and regional theater. With a career spanning several decades, she has performed in numerous iconic productions, including her Broadway debut in the original cast of Eubie!.

Career Highlights

  • Broadway Credits: Burrell has appeared in at least seven Broadway shows, including notable roles in Dreamgirls, Into the Woods, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Threepenny Opera, and Swinging on a Star.
  • Acclaimed Performances: She is well-known for her portrayal of Julie in the London production of Show Boat and for her one-woman show, ETHEL, which pays tribute to the legendary Ethel Waters.
  • Regional & International Success: A staple in major regional theaters such as the Alliance Theatre and Horizon Theatre, she has also performed internationally at festivals like the Oslo Jazz Festival.
  • Award Nominations: She has received multiple nominations for the Helen Hayes Award, particularly for her work in Queenie Pie and Show Boat.
    Horizon Theatre CompanyHorizon Theatre Company +8
Burrell continues to be a vibrant force in the arts, recently appearing in productions like The Glass Menagerie at Theatrical Outfit and Something Moving at the Alliance Theatre.

Terry’s Broadway credits include Three Penny Opera, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Swinging On A Star, Stephen Sondheim’s Into The Woods, and Michael Bennett’s Dreamgirls, Honky Tonk Nights, Eubie and the first London production of Showboat as Julie. In regional theatre, Terry was nominated for the Helen Hayes Best Actress In a Musical award for her portrayal of Queenie in Duke Ellington’s Queenie Pie. 

 

LADY DAY AT EMERSON’S BAR & GRILL

Recorded Musical Performances

  • Swinging On A Star (1996): Burrell is featured on the original Broadway cast recording for this Johnny Burke musical.
  • Broadway’s Greatest Gifts: Carols For A Cure (2003): She contributed the track “The Coming Of Christmastime” to Volume V of this popular holiday series.
  • A Very Terry Christmas (2020): Though primarily a live theatrical holiday show, it featured iconic vocal performances such as “God Bless the Child” that have become signatures of her concert repertoire.
  • Eubie! (1978): As an original cast member of this Eubie Blake tribute, her vocals are preserved on the Broadway cast album.

Upcoming and Recent Performances 

  • Symphony Engagements: Burrell is a frequent guest for symphony “Pops” series; her recent appearances include The Voices that Changed Music with the Houston Symphony.
  • Regional Theater: She consistently leads productions at major venues like
    Theatrical Outfit

    (e.g.,

    Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill

    ) and the

    Alliance Theatre

    in Atlanta.

  • One-Woman Shows: She continues to tour her acclaimed biographical musical ETHEL, which explores the life of Ethel Waters.

 

 

“Change your consciousness and you change your experience in life.”

 

 

Her vast Broadway credits include starring roles in more major productions on the Great White Way than most, including Thoroughly Modern Millie, Dreamgirls, Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods, Eubie, Swinging on a Star, and she also starred as Julie in the first London production of Showboat.

 

 

Other regional credits include the role of Aldonza in Man Of La Mancha, Eve in Arthur Miller’s Up From Paradise, Diana Deveraux in Of Thee I Sing, Glenda/Aunt Em in The Wiz, Ella in Bubbling Brown Sugar, Maydee in Jar the Floor, Good Sister in Thunder Knockin’At The Door, Conchita in Barry Manilow’s Copacabana, Mrs.Brown/Mavis in The Women of Brewster Place, The Queen/Fairy Godmother in Cinderella, Aunt Eller in OKlahoma and featured roles in  Almost Heaven at the Promenade Theatre, Grand Night For Singing, Crowns, Sweet and Hot, Ain’t Misbehavin, Time and Again, The World Goes Round at The West Side Arts Theatre,  Sheila’s Day, Sophisticated Ladies, Smokey Joes Café, and Brownie Points. In addition, Terry is a seasoned cabaret artist who’s performed her nightclub act for audiences from Monte Carlo to the Caribbean and for corporate clients like IBM, Avon, and The National Grocers Association. Her work also includes television commercials, radio voice-overs, and industrials for Ford Motor Company, Searle Pharmaceuticals, Goodyear Tires, I Love New York, and Schering-Plough Corporation. Terry has performed in several Jazz In July concerts with Dick Hyman, Lyrics and Lyricists at the 92nd Street Y, The Duke Ellington Orchestra in Venice, Italy, and most recently for the jazz festival in Oslo, Norway. Her most recent appearance was at The Alabama Shakespeare Festival and the Walnut Street Theatre for the world premiere of her one-woman piece” ETHEL,” a theatrical tribute to Ethel Waters also written and performed by Terry.

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iforcolor

ARCHIVIST, EDUCATOR, HISTORIAN, and ARTiST
Dale Ricardo Shields is highly accomplished African American actor, director, producer, and educator with a distinguished career in theatre and academia.

Here's a summary of his background and achievements:

Early Life and Family:
Born on November 4, 1952, in Cleveland, Ohio.
His family has a strong musical background; his grandfather and father were founding members of the Shields Brothers Gospel Quartet of Ohio, and his mother was part of the Turner Gospel Singers.
He is a cousin of boxing promoter Don King.
Education:
Graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in 1970.
Holds both a BFA (1975) and MFA (1995) from Ohio University.

Career and Contributions
Theatre Professional:
Actor: Has appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway, and in regional productions. His television credits include The Cosby Show, Another World, Guiding Light, Saturday Night Live, and the ITV series Special Needs. He has also appeared in commercials and films.
Director and Stage Manager: Has extensive professional credits in these roles, including projects at Lincoln Center, The Henry Street Settlement House (New Federal Theatre), The Negro Ensemble Company, and The Joseph Papp Public Theatre.
Assistant Director: Served as assistant to Lloyd Richards and assistant director for the New Federal Theatre premiere of Ossie Davis's play A Last Dance With Sybil starring Ruby Dee and Earl Hyman.

Educator:
Professor: He is a Professor of Acting, Directing, Black Theatre, Black Studies, and Stage Management. He has taught at various institutions, including Ohio University, The College of Wooster, Denison University, Macalester College, Susquehanna University (as artist-in-residence), and SUNY Potsdam.
Workshops and Programs: Conducted workshops for Joseph Papp's Playwriting in the Schools Program (PITS) at The Public Theatre for six seasons and represented the United States at the ASSITEJ Theatre Festival in London, England, in 1988.
Artistic Activist and Historian:

Iforcolor.org: Creator and archivist for the Black History website Iforcolor.org, dedicated to preserving and sharing information about African Americans and artists of color. He also maintains the "Black Theatre/African American Voices" website on Facebook.
Project1VOICE Liaison: Serves as the Project1VOICE Liaison for the state of Ohio, directing "One Play One Day" events in Cleveland since 2011.

Awards and Recognition:
The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Award: Recipient in 2017.
Paul Robeson Award: Recipient in 2021 (jointly presented by the Actors' Equity Association and Actors' Equity Foundation).
AUDELCO/"VIV" Special Achievement Award: Received in 2017.
Tony Award Nominee: Nominated for the "Excellence in Theatre Education Award" in 2015 and 2017.
Ebony Bobcat Network (EBN) Legend Award: Received from Ohio University in 2022.
ENCORE AWARD / The Actors Fund: Received in 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2024.
Outstanding Professor Awards: Has received two of these and three "Educational Program of the Year" awards as a university professor.
The HistoryMakers archives: Interviewed and included in The HistoryMakers archives, permanently housed in the Library of Congress.
Dale Ricardo Shields is recognized for his profound impact on the lives of his students and his unwavering dedication to preserving and promoting Black theatre history and culture.