Alyson Reed is an American dancer and actress, best known for appearing as Cassie in A Chorus Line (1985) and Ms. Darbus in the High School Musical trilogy (2006–2008).
Early life Reed was born and raised in Anaheim, California. She graduated from Anaheim High School in 1976.
Career Reed made her Broadway debut in Dancin' in 1978. At 20, she joined the national touring production of Pippin. Additional Broadway credits include Oh Brother, Dance a Little Closer, Cabaret, A Grand Night for Singing, and Marilyn: An American Fable. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Cabaret at the 42nd Tony Awards in 1988 and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Marilyn in 1984. In 1992, she starred opposite Michael O'Keefe in the national touring company of A Few Good Men in the role of Lt. Cmdr. Joanne Galloway, and also toured as Cassie/Val in A Chorus Line, and Catherine in Pippin. She has numerous regional credits and can be heard on various cast albums.
Reed portrayed Cassie in Richard Attenborough's film adaptation of A Chorus Line, and she also appeared in the comedy Skin Deep with John Ritter.
In 1990, Reed relocated to Los Angeles. Her many television credits range from: Modern Family, Mad Men, Grey's Anatomy, Bones, Matlock, L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote, Frasier, Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER, Judging Amy, Chicago Hope, The X-Files, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Nip/Tuck, Crossing Jordan, Numb3rs, Boston Legal, NYPD Blue and Desperate Housewives.
She became known to younger viewers for the role of Ms. Darbus in the popular Disney Channel movie High School Musical and its sequels High School Musical 2 and High School Musical 3: Senior Year.
Reed lent her voice to the video game Diablo III, providing the voice of the witch Adria.
Filmography Year Title Role Notes1985 A Chorus Line Cassie Film 1990 Matlock Chrissie Dubin Episode: "The Cookie Monster" WIOU Det. Beekler Episodes: "Do the Wrong Thing", "Mother Nature's Son" 1991 L.A. Law Joan Dawson Episode: "Rest in Pieces" DEA Ginny Taylor Episodes: "White Lies", "Zero Sum Game" The Family Man Doctor Episode: "Scenes from a Marriage" Jake and the Fatman Beth Fitzroy Episode: "I'll Never Be the Same"1993 The Disappearance of Nora Phyllis Television film Lost in the Wild Tommy Television film 1994 Ghostwriter Honey Hawke Recurring role, 4 episodes 1995 Law & Order M.E. Heather Coyle Episode: "Seed" Frasier Cindy Carruthers Episode: "Someone to Watch Over Me" Murder, She Wrote Wendy Maitlin Episode: "Game, Set, Murder"1995–1999 Party of Five Mrs. Reeves Recurring role, 9 episodes 1996 The Secret She Carried Donna Snow Television film Murphy Brown Waitress Episode: "The Bus Stops Here" Sisters Virginia Sprague Episode: "Dreamcatcher" Norma Jean & Marilyn Natalie Kelly Television film 2001 Taking Back Our Town Roseanne Television film2001–2003 The Agency Lesley Turnbull Recurring role, 5 episodes2002 Providence Lenore Decker Recurring role, 4 episodes2004 George Lopez Mrs. Reynolds Episode: "Why You Crying?"2005 Numbers Eva Salton Episode: "Structural Corruption"2006 High School Musical Ms. Darbus Disney Channel Original Movie2007 High School Musical 2 Ms. Darbus Disney Channel Original Movie2008 High School Musical 3: Senior Year Ms. Darbus Film2012 Desperate Housewives Judge Conti Episode: "Give Me the Blame"2012 Mad Men Ruth Harris Episode: "Mystery Date"2013 Bones Susan Lauderbach Episode: "The Mystery in the Meat"2014 Grey's Anatomy Anne Episode: "Throwing It All Away"2014–2015 Modern Family Angela Episodes: "Spring-a-Ding-Fling", "Spring Break" 2015 Silicon Valley Louise Episode: "Two Days of the Condor" 2017 Chance Lindsay Recurring role (season 2) 2018 NCIS Mrs. Keogh Episode: "One Man's Trash"2019Ad Astra Janice Collins Film 2019Unbelievable Mrs. Dallow Episode 4 2020 Love Is Love Is Love Jackie Segment: "Late Lunch" 2023 High School Musical: The Musical: The Series Alyson Reed/Ms. Darbus Recurring role (season 4)
References
External links The Official Alyson Reed