KO (born August 7, 1976), formerly known as Karen Olivo, is an American stage and television actor, theater educator, and singer.
In 2008, KO originated the role of Vanessa in In the Heights on Broadway. The following year, they won the 2009 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for their performance as Anita in a revival of West Side Story. KO is the first and only actor to win a Tony Award for a performance in West Side Story. From 2016 to 2017, KO portrayed the role of Angelica Schuyler in the Chicago production of Hamilton. In 2019, KO originated the leading role of Satine in the Broadway adaptation of Moulin Rouge! and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. Since 2022, when they stepped back from acting, KO is an associate professor, and head of music theatre, at Northwestern University.
Early life KO was born on August 7, 1976, in the South Bronx, New York City. KO's father is of Puerto Rican and Native American descent, and their mother is of Dominican and Chinese descent. They were raised in Bartow, Florida and attended the Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in nearby Lakeland, Florida, and later the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music. They left school before their final year to join the original Broadway production of Rent.
Career
1997–2006: Early career and Broadway debut KO began their professional career in 1997 when they joined the original Broadway production of Rent. They joined as a replacement swing, also understudying the roles of Mimi and Maureen. The following year they joined the first national tour of Rent, dubbed the "Angel Tour", as a replacement swing once again. In late 1998, KO began playing Mimi on the tour, and they continued in the role until leaving the show in January 1999. They moved back to New York City in 1999 but did not receive any roles outside of a small part in As the World Turns before joining the regional try-out of the musical Brooklyn in 2003. Before Brooklyn transferred to Broadway the following Fall, KO took part of a regional staging of Children of Eden and filmed guest roles for All My Children and Law & Order. The musical Brooklyn open on Broadway in October 2004 and closed in June 2005. Following its closure, KO joined the cast of the Brazilian-themed off-Broadway musical Miracle Brothers, which closed in October 2005. The following year they had small roles in NBC's Conviction and the independent film Adrift in Manhattan, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007.
2007–2012: Prominence on Broadway
In the Heights In 2008, In the Heights opened on Broadway. KO starred as Vanessa, opposite Lin-Manuel Miranda.
West Side Story In 2009, KO won a Tony Award for their performance as Anita in the Broadway revival of West Side Story. They were also nominated for both a Drama Desk and an Outer Critic's Circle Award for their critically acclaimed performance as Anita. They earned their second Astaire Award nomination for Best Female Dancer for their performance in West Side Story, after previously winning the same award in 2008 for their performance in In the Heights. They were contracted with West Side Story at the Palace through 2010. During the May 8, 2010, matinee performance of West Side Story, KO broke their foot. Anita standby Natalie Cortez performed the role until the show's closure.
KO then took part in the world premiere of By the Way, Meet Vera Stark at off-Broadway's Second Stage Theater. Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Lynn Nottage, the play "draws upon the screwball films of the 1930s to take a funny and irreverent look at racial stereotypes in Hollywood."
Film and television KO had a recurring role in The Good Wife on CBS. They played wealthy law student Giada Cabrini, a potential love interest of firm partner Will Gardner (Josh Charles). KO was a series regular in the second season of NBC's Harry's Law, playing "hot shot lawyer" Cassie Reynolds hired by Kathy Bates' character.
KO also appeared as Isabelle Perez, a woman who was unknowingly sterilized in the Law & Order episode "Birthright". They also appear in the spin-off series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Jennifer Benitez in an episode titled "Loophole". They later appeared in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as Yelina Muñoz in an episode titled "October Surprise".
KO has had several roles in movies, including Make Yourself at Home, The New Twenty, Shanghai Hotel, and The Orphan Killer.
2013–2021: Break from acting and return to theater On March 18, 2013, KO announced on their website that they were taking a break from acting, saying "with this knowledge I start a new chapter. I leave behind the actor and I start learning how to be me." During this period, they moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where they taught classes for the UW–Madison theater department and became involved in the local theater scene, which included opening a private studio to coach young performers.
They returned to professional acting the following year with New York City Center's Encores! production of the Jonathan Larson musical tick, tick... BOOM! alongside fellow Hamilton alumni Lin-Manuel Miranda and Leslie Odom Jr. in June 2014 off-Broadway.
On July 13, 2016, it was announced that KO would star as Angelica Schuyler in the Chicago production of Hamilton. They were part of the cast from October 19, 2016, until August 6, 2017. They stated they intended to pursue teaching after leaving the production, stating that "I'm leaving the spotlight to make sure others find theirs". In February 2018, KO played Florence Vassy in the Kennedy Center's revival of the musical Chess.
On July 25, 2019, KO starred in the premiere of the Broadway production of the jukebox musical Moulin Rouge! in New York City. They continued to perform their role in the show at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre for an open-ended run. On October 15, 2020, KO was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical. On April 14, 2021, KO announced they would not return to the show once it reopens as a protest of the industry's silence on the allegations against producer Scott Rudin. In an Instagram video, KO stated, "Social justice is more important than being the sparkling diamond."
On July 18, 2021, KO appeared on a podcast titled Noah's Corner, previously Rye's Little Corner, on episode 19, titled "Dreams Come True Bitches". On the episode, KO was interviewed by co-hosts Noah Grace and Nellie. They spoke about their time in In the Heights and Moulin Rouge! as well as their album, Leave. In December 2021, KO joined We Won't Sleep, a bio-musical based on the life of Jeannette Rankin. Industry readings of the production took place on December 17 and 18, 2021 in New York City. The world premiere was set to open in May 2022 at Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, but was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2022–present: Educator at Northwestern University In 2020, KO started teaching theatre, and in 2022 relocated to Evanston, Illinois when they became an associate professor and the Donald G. Robertson Director of Music Theatre in the School of Communication at Northwestern University.
Personal life KO is married to Jim Uphoff, with whom they have two step-children. KO and Uphoff, a marketing manager and former New York theater sound technician, married in September 2014. Until 2012, KO was married to Broadway actor Matt Caplan.
In 2013, while taking a break from acting, KO moved to Madison, Wisconsin, where they and Uphoff share a home they call their "home base". Both KO and their husband have family in Madison. KO has previously lived in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles.
In 2021, KO announced via Instagram that they are non-binary and use they/them pronouns.
Theatre credits Year(s)ProductionRoleLocationCategory1997–99RentSwingNederlander Theatre:August 1997 – March 1998Broadway replacementUS national tour:April – November 1998First national tour replacementMimiUS national tour:November 1998 – January 1999 2003–05Brooklyn FaithThe New Denver Civic Center:May – June 2003 Original Denver production(pre-Broadway tryout)Plymouth Theatre:September 2004 – June 2005Original Broadway production2004Children of EdenYonahFord's Theatre:March – June 2004Washington, D.C. revival 2005Miracle Brothers JecaVineyard Theatre:August – October 2005 Original Off-Broadway production 2007–08In the Heights Vanessa37 Arts Theatre:January – July 2007 Original Off-Broadway productionRichard Rodgers Theatre:February – November 2008Original Broadway production2007 Hair Sheila Delacorte Theater 40th Anniversary Concert 2009–10 West Side Story AnitaPalace Theatre:February 2009 – May 2010 Broadway revival 2011 By the Way, Meet Vera Stark Anna Mae/Afua Assata EjoboSecond Stage Theatre:April – June 2011 Original Off-Broadway production 2012 Murder Ballad SaraCity Center - Stage II:October – December 2012 Original Off-Broadway production 2013 In the Heights Vanessa United Palace Reunion concert 2014 tick, tick... BOOM! Susan/KaressaNew York City Center:June 2014 Off-Broadway/Concert Staging2015Public Works: The OdysseyPenelopeDelacorte Theater:September 2015Concert Staging 2016 West Side Story Anita Hollywood Bowl:July 2016 Concert Staging 2016–17 Hamilton Angelica Schuyler PrivateBank Theatre:September 2016 – August 2017 Regional Chicago production2018ChessFlorenceJFK Center for the Performing Arts:February 2018Concert StagingMoulin Rouge!SatineEmerson Colonial Theatre:June – August 2018Original Boston production(Pre-Broadway tryout)Fun HomeAlison BechdelForward Theater:November 2018 Regional Madison production2019–20Moulin Rouge!SatineAl Hirschfeld Theatre:July 2019 – March 2020Original Broadway production2023SiluetasDinoraPower Street Theatre:November 2023Concert2024Power Street Theatre:May - June 2024Regional
Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResultRef 2007 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Ensemble PerformanceIn the Heights 2008Fred and Adele Astaire AwardBest Female Dancer 2009 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a MusicalWest Side Story Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Fred and Adele Astaire AwardBest Female Dancer2019IRNE AwardsBest Actress in a MusicalMoulin Rouge! 2020 Tony Award Best Actress in a Musical Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Grammy AwardBest Musical Theater Album
References
External links
Karen on "The Theatre Podcast with Alan Seales" Karen on "And the Tony Goes To...." Podcast Broadway.com Star Profile Broadwayworld.com Profile Diva Talk: Karen Olivo