LaChanze Sapp-Gooding, known professionally as LaChanze (; born December 16, 1961), is an American actress, theater producer, singer, and dancer. She won a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical in 2006 for her role as Celie Harris Johnson in The Color Purple. LaChanze has subsequently received four more Tony Awards for co-producing Kimberly Akimbo, Topdog/Underdog, The Outsiders, and Purpose.
Career LaChanze's first summer job was as a tap dancer in the ensemble of Uptown... It's Hot! at the Tropicana Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The show opened on Broadway in January 1986, where LaChanze began her professional career in the theater.
LaChanze played the role of Ti Moune in the Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty musical Once on This Island in 1990 and received nominations for the Tony Award as Best Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical at the 45th Tony Awards and the Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical. In December 1998, she joined the cast of the Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty and Terrence McNally Broadway musical Ragtime, replacing Audra McDonald in the role of Sarah. She played the role of Viveca in the Playwrights Horizons Off-Broadway production of the musical The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, which opened in June 2000. She received a Drama Desk nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, for her performance. LaChanze participated in an Actors Fund of America benefit concert of Funny Girl, with many performers portraying the character of Fanny Brice, in September 2002.
In 2005, LaChanze played Dessa Rose, a runaway slave in the Ahrens and Flaherty musical Dessa Rose. The musical opened Off-Broadway at the Mitzi Newhouse Theatre at Lincoln Center in March 2005.Simonson, Robert. "LaChanze and Rachel York Begin Previews in 'Dessa Rose' at Mitzi Newhouse, Feb. 17" February 17, 2005 LaChanze received an Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress for Dessa Rose."Search 2005" villagevoice.com, accessed August 29, 2013Simonson, Robert. "Shanley, Hughes, Culkin, Marvel, O'Connell Among 2005 Obie Winners" playbill.com, May 16, 2005 LaChanze appeared as Celie Harris Johnson in the Broadway musical The Color Purple, from its opening in 2005 to November 2006.Hernandez, Ernio. playbill.com, September 7, 2005Hernandez, Ernio. playbill.com, October 18, 2006 She won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical for this performance at the 60th Tony Awards.
In September 2008, LaChanze participated in the Boston Pops concert, Handel's Messiah Rocks at Emerson College. The performance was filmed by Public Broadcasting Service.Gans, Andrew. PBS to Film LaChanze, Spencer and Boston Pops in Handel's Messiah Rocks" playbill.com, September 5, 2008 She was in the Off-Broadway production of Inked Baby, written by Christina Anderson, which opened in March 2009 at Playwrights Horizons Peter Jay Sharp Theater.Jones, Kenneth. " 'Inked Baby', Starring LaChanze, Opens March 23 in NYC" playbill.com, March 23, 2009 In June and July 2009, she played the role of Glinda in the New York City Center Encores! staged Summer Stars concert production of The Wiz.
LaChanze published her first picture book, Little Diva, in 2010. She was in the Broadway production of If/Then in 2014, starring as Kate. In 2018, she appeared in Summer: The Donna Summer Musical on Broadway, playing Diva Donna/Mary Gaines, for which she received a Tony Award nomination at the 72nd Tony Awards. In 2019, she appeared in A Christmas Carol on Broadway, starring as the Ghost of Christmas Present.
In January 2022, LaChanze took a star turn on Broadway in Trouble in Mind, written by Alice Childress in 1955. She earned a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play nomination for her performance as Wiletta Mayer at the 75th Tony Awards.
In 2022, LaChanze began her career as a Broadway producer. She produced Topdog/Underdog with David Stone, Rashad V. Chambers, Marc Platt, Debra Martin Chase, and the Shubert Organization. She also produced Kimberly Akimbo on Broadway with David Stone, Aaron Glick, Patrick Catullo and James L. Nederlander. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play as a producer for Kimberly Akimbo and Topdog/Underdog on May 2, 2023. She was announced as a winner for both shows during the 76th Tony Awards telecast on June 11, 2023.
In 2022, she launched Tima Productions with friend and former Ragtime castmate Marylee Fairbanks. Together they co-produced The Outsiders, for which she won another Tony Award for Best Musical at the 77th Tony Awards. She also received a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Play for Jaja's African Hair Brading at the same ceremony. In 2024 she launched a multimedia company called LC Productions.
Personal life LaChanze married securities trader Calvin Gooding in August 1998, two years after they met. Together they had daughters Celia and Zaya, but when LaChanze was eight months pregnant with Zaya, Calvin was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks. He had been at work at Cantor Fitzgerald in Tower One of the World Trade Center.Gordon, Meryl. "The Lives Left Behind" New York, accessed March 19, 2016
LaChanze remarried in 2005, to Derek Fordjour. They separated in 2013, and finalized their divorce on March 27, 2014, in Westchester County.
On September 6, 2002, LaChanze sang the National Anthem at a joint meeting of Congress in Federal Hall National Memorial, the first meeting of Congress in New York since 1790.Lehrer, Sari. "Weddings" New York Magazine, Summer 2006, retrieved August 29, 2013 On May 15, 2014, she performed "Amazing Grace" at the dedication of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, in tribute to her late husband.
In 2019, LaChanze and the elder of her two children, Celia Rose Gooding, simultaneously appeared on Broadway, with LaChanze starring in A Christmas Carol and Gooding starring in Jagged Little Pill. The two repeated the rare event of mother and child starring in simultaneous Broadway shows, following Debbie Reynolds and Carrie Fisher in 1983.
Acting credits Sources: The New York TimesFilmography The New York Times, accessed August 29, 2013 TCMFilmography tcm.com, accessed August 29, 2013
Film YearTitleRoleNotes1992My New GunKelly JaneLeap of FaithGeorgette1993For Love or MoneyNora1997David SearchingGod TruthHerculesTerpsichoreVoice role2002Heartbreak HospitalLisa2006Black Sorority Project: The ExodusExecutive producer2009Handel's Messiah RocksSingerBreaking UpwardsMaggie2011The HelpRachel Jefferson2013Side EffectsWards Islands Desk Nurse2018DianeJenniferMelinda Melinda LaCroixKnights in NewarkThe Witch/Mrs. ConroyShort film2023Birth/RebirthColleenGenieGrandma Patty2025Highest 2 LowestDet. Bell2026By Any MeansHattie Dahmer
Television YearTitleRoleNotes1988–1989The Cosby ShowSylvia2 episodes1993For Love and GloryTanziTelevision film1994The Cosby MysteriesDr. Weeks2 episodes1996New York UndercoverMariah BartonEpisode: "Tough Love"1997Total SecurityWanda RobitailleEpisode: "Look Who's Stalking"1998Hercules: The Animated SeriesTerpsichore (voice)19 episodes1999The Gregory Hines ShowJuliaEpisode: "Sister-in-Law, Sister-in-Law"Hercules: Zero to HeroTerpsichore (voice)Television filmSex and the CityHostessEpisode: "Ex and the City"2000–2022Law & Order: Special Victims UnitMs. Pivik/Amber/Rosa Freeman3 episodes2003LucyHarriettTelevision film2011One Life to LiveYvonne Moreau3 episodes2015The Battery's DownTiMouneEpisode: "Reunion"2016Person of InterestMona2 episodesThe Night OfMrs. StoneEpisode: "Subtle Beast"2018Pinkalicious & PeterrificBlue Fairy (voice)Episode: "Fairy House/Pinkabotta & Peterbotta"2019The VillageWendy ParkerEpisode: "Yes or No"2019–2020The Good FightJulius' Wife2 episodes2021The BlacklistAnne Foster4 episodesThe Underground RailroadMs. RevaEpisode: "Chapter 8: Indiana Autumn"2022–2023East New YorkSimone Bentley3 episodes2022–2024FirebudsJenna Jones (voice)11 episodes2023Gossip GirlNaomiEpisode: "I Am Gossip"2024Dee & Friends in OzGrandma / Miss Emerald (voice)17 episodes TBA The Best of Us
Theatre Year Title Role Venue Notes1985Uptown... It's Hot!Tap DancerTropicana Hotel, Atlantic City1986Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, BroadwayBroadway debut1987DreamgirlsEnsembleAmbassador Theatre, Broadway(u/s Deena Jones, Michelle Morris)1990Once on This IslandTi MounePlaywrights Horizons, Off-Broadway1990–1991Booth Theatre, Broadway1991From the Mississippi DeltaVariousCincinnati Playhouse, Cincinnati1995SpunkMissy Mae/DeliaJohn W. Huntington Theatre, HartfordOut of This WorldChloeNew York City Center Encores!CompanyMartaCriterion Center Stage Right, Broadway1996Comfortable ShoesPerformerPaper Mill Playhouse, Millburn1997RagtimeSarahShubert Theatre, Los Angeles1998Meridian Arts CentreNederlander Theatre1999The Vagina MonologuesPerformerWestside Theatre, Off-Broadway1999–2000RagtimeSarahFord Center for the Performing Arts. BroadwayReplacement2000The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon SkinVivecaPlaywrights Horizons, Off-Broadway2002Funny GirlFanny BriceNew Amsterdam Theatre, BroadwayNew York Actor's Benefit Fund ConcertOnce on This IslandTi MouneWinter Garden Theatre, BroadwayBroadway reunion concert2004The Color PurpleCelie Harris JohnsonAlliance Theatre, AtlantaOut-of-town tryoutBabyPamPaper Mill Playhouse, Millburn2005Dessa RoseDessa RoseMitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, Off-Broadway2005–2006The Color PurpleCelie Harris JohnsonBroadway Theatre, Broadway2009Inked BabyPerformerPlaywrights Horizons, Off-BroadwayThe WizGlindaNew York City Center Encores!2012Handel's Messiah Rocks: A Joyful NoisePerformerNational tour2013If/ThenKateNational Theatre, Washington, D.C.Out-of-town tryout2014–2015Richard Rodgers Theatre, Broadway2015–2016National tour2016Cabin in the SkyWandaNew York City Center Encores!2017Summer: The Donna Summer MusicalDiva Donna/Mary GainesLa Jolla Playhouse, La JollaOut-of-town tryout2018Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway 2019The Secret Life of Bees August Boatwright Atlantic Theater Company, Off-BroadwayA Christmas CarolGhost of Christmas Present / Mrs. FezziwigLyceum Theatre, Broadway2021Trouble in MindWilettaAmerican Airlines Theatre, Broadway2024Gutenberg! The Musical!ProducerJames Earl Jones Theatre, BroadwayOne night only2026Romeo & JulietLady CapuletDelacorte Theatre
Video games YearTitleRole1997HerculesTerpsichore
Discography Once On This Island (Original Broadway Cast Recording), 1990 Disney's Princess Favorites, featured artist, 2002 Dessa Rose (off-Broadway Cast Recording), 2005 The Color Purple (Original Broadway Cast Recording), 2006 Disney Collection 1, featured artist, 2006 The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin (Studio Cast Recording), 2007 Handel's Messiah Rocks: A Joyful Noise, featured artist, 2009 Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration Live at 54 Below, featured on four songs, 2014 If/Then (Original Broadway Cast Recording), 2014 Summer: The Donna Summer Musical (Original Broadway Cast Recording), 2018
Concerts September 6, 2002 - Federal Hall National Memorial 2008 - Handel's Messiah Rocks, Emerson College Dec 1 & 2, 2008 - Joe's Pub December 5, 2010 - Playhouse Square Center December 16, 2012 - Birdland May 15, 2014 - National September 11 Memorial and Museum February 13, 2015 - Kennedy Center 2016/17 - Feeling Good Tour
Accolades