Karen Mason is an American musical theatre actress and singer. She has appeared on stage in Broadway theatre, notably as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, and is a cabaret performer.
Career Mason was born in New Orleans, Louisiana, and grew up in St. Louis and Chicago. She majored in theater at the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle, graduating in 1999.Horwitz, Simi. Karen Mason Shakes Her Booty in 'Wonderland', Backstage.com, April 20, 2011 Mason started as a "singing hostess at Lawrence of Oregano in Chicago" in 1976 after leaving college, where she met the late pianist and composer Brian Lasser, with whom she worked until his death in 1992.Johnson, Reed.Broadway Singer Gets Intimate; Karen Mason Had Big Supporting Cast In Sunset Boulevard, But She's Equally Adept Standing Alone In Her Cabaret Act . Daily News (Los Angeles, CA) (freelibrary), January 2, 1998O'Malley, Kathy. Flying Solo Toward Stardom, Chicagotribune.com, December 22, 1994
Mason has performed in cabaret and with symphonies for many years.Karen Mason masterworksbroadway.com She was one of the featured cabaret vocalists at Duplex Cabaret Theatre, New York City, in the early 1980s, and in 2005 presented a program "Better Days" with songs by her late musical director Brian Lasser.Gans, Andrew Mamma Mia!'s Karen Mason Revisits "Better Days" June 13 at the Duplex playbill.com, June 9, 2005 She appeared at the Bay Area Cabaret, Empire Ballroom, San Francisco in 2010.Drake Hotel, Broadwayworld.com She continues to perform her cabaret act at such venues as Davenport's (Chicago)Karen Mason - Comes To Chicago chicago3media.com, January 24, 2011 and The Iridium (New York City).Gans, Andrew. Karen Mason Offers Show Queen: Life After Wonderland July 19 in Manhattan, Playbill.com, July 19, 2011 She taught at the Theatre Arts Center's Summer Workshops & Camp in Bayside, Queens, New York in 2010.Karen Mason Joins Staff At Theatre Arts Center in Bayside Theatre Arts Center, Broadwayworld.com
She first appeared on Broadway in Play Me a Country Song in 1982.Rich, Frank. THEATER: 'Play Me A Country Song', The New York Times, June 28, 1982 She took the role of standby to Glenn Close as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard in the Los Angeles production in 1993, and went on to play almost 300 performances over two years both in Los Angeles and on Broadway.Marks, Peter. Glenn Close's 'Sunset' Standby Is Ready for Her Close-Up, The New York Times, March 5, 1995 She originated the role of Tanya in Mamma Mia!, playing the role from October 5, 2001 to October 6, 2002.Ehren, Christine and Robert Simonson. Take a Chance on Them: Mamma Mia! Opens Oct. 18, Playbill.com, October 18, 2001 She took over the role of Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray on April 6, 2008.Hetrick, Adam and Andrew Gans. Bow and Exalt: Karen Mason is Hairspray's Next Velma Von Tussle, Playbill.com, March 28, 2008 She was the Queen of Hearts in Wonderland in 2011 on Broadway and in the Tampa and Houston productions in 2009–2010.Jones, Kenneth. Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore; Broadway's Wonderland to Close May 15 , Playbill.com, May 10, 2011 Mason appears in the US tour of A Christmas Story, The Musical! starting in November 2011.Hetrick, Adam. Karen Mason and Adam Pelty Complete Cast of A Christmas Story, The Musical!" Playbill.com, October 12, 2011
In 2011, Mason was scheduled to play Mrs. Danvers in the musical Rebecca on Broadway.Jones, Kenneth. Karen Mason Is Mrs. Danvers, Tam Mutu Is Maxim de Winter in Broadway's Rebecca; Principals Announced, Playbill.com, December 1, 2011 In 2017, she sang, "It's About Time", written by her husband, Paul Rolnick (in 2011), to call for marriage equality. Mason appeared on tour in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies as Madame Giry. The tour ended on December 2, 2018. In December 2020, Mason appeared in The Doris Dear Christmas Special on Broadway on Demand, where her performance received a 5-star rating.
Work BroadwayKaren Mason Broadway ibdb.com, accessed December 24, 2011
Play Me a Country Song (1982) Jerome Robbins' Broadway (1989) Sunset Boulevard (1994) Mamma Mia! (Drama Desk Award nomination) (2001) Hairspray (2008) Wonderland (2011)
Off Broadway
Karen Mason Sings Broadway, Beatles, and Brian, 1986, Minetta Lane TheaterMcGibbon, Andrew. Chat Live With Diva Karen Mason Mar. 9, Playbill.com, March 9, 1998Holden, Stephen. Pop: Karen Mason, Singer, The New York Times, May 22, 1986 And the World Goes 'Round (Outer Critics Circle Award) – 1991Rich, Frank. Review/Theater; All the Best of Kander and Ebb, The New York Times, March 19, 1991 Carnival! – Rosalie, 1993, York TheatreHolden, Stephen. "Theater in Review", The New York Times, April 14, 1993
Regional
Heartbeats by Amanda McBroom at Goodspeed Opera House, 1993Holden, Stephen. Review/Theater; Taking Stock in Song of a Marriage Gone Sour, The New York Times, August 9, 1993 Gypsy at the Westchester Broadway Theatre in May through August 2007;Gans, Andrew. Curtain Up, Light the Lights: Karen Mason Stars in Gypsy, May 31-Aug. 4, Playbill.com, May 31, 2007 The Muny in St. Louis, Missouri in July 2006;Gans, Andrew. Casting Complete for Muny Gypsy with Karen Mason", Playbill.com, July 11, 2006Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pennsylvania; and the Sundance Theatre
Touring Production
Love Never Dies (2017–2018 US National Tour)
Recording
Mason has recorded 6 solo albums, including Right Here, Right Now. She appears on the cast recordings of And the World Goes 'Round and Wonderland.Wonderland, Broadwayworld.com, March 29, 2010
Personal life Mason is married to Paul Rolnick, a producer and composer.McBride, Murdoch.Paul Rolnick Added to Roster at Arci's Place Cabaret Benefit, Jan. 29 playbill.com, January 26, 2001
Awards Mason has received 10 MAC Awards, including the 2004 MAC Award for Major Female Vocalist, and three Bistro Awards.
References
External links karenmason.com, Mason's official website