Mary-Joan Negro (born January 9, 1951) is an actress of stage, film, and television. Negro has appeared in nearly fifty television shows and films and numerous stage productions since the early 1970s. Since the mid-1990s she also directs and teaches theatre in addition to her screen appearances.

Early life and education Negro was born in Yonkers, New York. After graduating with a BA in Drama and Language Arts from the University of Michigan, she was granted a Juilliard scholarship, and in 1970, joined the first class of the Drama Division under John Houseman, along with Kevin Kline and David Ogden Stiers. She graduated from the class in 1972, at which time Houseman wanted to form an equity company.

Career Theatre Negro is a founding member of John Houseman's and Margot Harley's The Acting Company in New York City, and of Joseph Stern's Matrix Theatre Company in Los Angeles, and the Antaeus Theatre Company.

Her stage performances include Broadway, off-Broadway, and American repertory companies such as The Acting Company, San Diego's Old Globe Theatre, and the O'Neill Playwrights Conference in Connecticut.

Negro was nominated for a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Play for her role in Arthur Kopit's Wings (1979), directed by John Madden.

Television and film

In 1976 as part of the Great Performances series, PBS produced and televised William Saroyan's play, The Time of Your Life featuring Keven Kline in which Negro played the role of Society Lady. Also in the 1970s, she began appearing on televisions series such as Kojak (1976) and The Andros Targets (1977), and the television movie The Family Man (1979). In 1983, she appeared on PBS in American Playhouse in an adaption of Kopit's Wings in the role of Amy. Other special appearance roles include Helen Matian in the ABC Afterschool Special episode, "Date Rape" (1988), and Barbara Fitts in the CBS Schoolbreak Special episode "Other Mothers" (1993).

Negro appeared twice on the CBS series The Equalizer. In the 1988 episode "The Child Broker" she played Irene Winters, the hard-working single mother of teenager Danny, played by Christopher Collet, who is being led into criminality by Shep Morrow, played by Thomas G. Waites. In the 1989 episode "Lullaby of Darkness" she portrays Rebecca Morrison, the belittled and battered wife of Joseph Morrison, played by Stephen Lang. Also in the 1980s, Negro appears on Another World (1982), Remington Steele (1983), two 1986 episodes of Spenser: For Hire, and the television movie The Littlest Victims (1989).

She had two roles on NBC's series Law & Order, the first in the 1991 episode "In Memory Of" and the second in 1994, "White Rabbit," in which she portrayed Rita Levitan, an alias for her real name, Susan Forrest. In "White Rabbit," Rita is accused of murdering a police officer 25 years prior, while committing a heist as Susan, a member of a radical anti-war group. Also in the 1990s, she had a recurring role as Roberta Braun on The Practice (1997), as well as roles on L.A. Law (1990), Touched by an Angel (1998), and the television movie The Patron Saint of Liars (1998).

In the 2001, Negro made guest appearances on NYPD Blue as Mary McElroy, Frasier as Joanne, and again on The Practice, this time in a new role as the plaintiff's attorney, Audrey Turner. She also appeared on Crossing Jordan (2002). In 2004 she appeared in Cold Case as Renee (2004) in a 1969 case hearkening back to the post-Summer of Love era in "Volunteers." That same year Negro played Pam Morton on CBS's legal drama Judging Amy, and appeared on Showtime's Huff. She also had roles on ABC's political drama Commander in Chief as Margaret Shoop, and as Emma Hadley in the medical drama ER, both in 2006

Negro's theatrical film appearances include Dominick and Eugene (1988), Employee of the Month (2004), Moonbeams (2001), and Mont Reve (2012).

Personal life Negro directs and teaches at venues that include The Acting Company, the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in Los Angeles, the California Institute of the Arts, and at the University of Southern California where she is a Professor of Theatre Practice.

Mary-Joan Negro was married to fellow actor Norman Snow, who was also a member of John Houseman's The Acting Company.

Awards

! scope="row" | 1979 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actress in a PlayArthur Kopit's Wings

Stage roles Some of Mary-Joan Negro theatre appearances include the following.

1973: The Beggar's Opera (Billy Rose Theatre) – Jenny Diver 1973: Measure for Measure (Billy Rose Theatre) – Isabella / Mariana 1973, 1975: The Three Sisters (Billy Rose Theatre, Harkness Theatre) – Masha 1975: Edward II (Harkness Theatre) – Queen Isabella 1975: The Time of Your Life (Harkness Theatre) – Society Lady 1979: Wings (Lyceum Theatre) – Amy 1981: Scenes and Revelations (Circle in the Square Theatre) – Charlotte 1981: King Richard II (Globe Playhouse, Los Angeles) – Queen Isabel 1985: The Loves of Anatol (Circle in the Square Theatre) – Cora / Emilie

Filmography

+ Mary-Joan Negro film and television credits Year Title Role Notes 1976 Great Performances: The Time of Your Life Society Lady PBS television version of William Saroyan's play 1976 Kojak Janet O'Connor 1 episode 1977 The Andros Targets Audrey Commack 1 episode 1979 The Family Man Oona Television film 1980 King Crab Susan Television film 1982 King Richard II Queen Isabel Video of the play performed on a bare stage at Globe Playhouse, L.A. 1982 Another World Anne Whitelaw 2 episodes 1983 Remington Steele Beth 1 episode 1983 Wings Amy Television adaptation of Arthur Kopit's 1978 Broadway production 1985 No Big Deal Miss Karnisian Television film 1986 Spenser: For Hire Maggie Petrie, Etta Kaminski 2 episodes 1988 ABC Afterschool Special Helen Matian Episode: "Date Rape" 1988 The Equalizer Irene Winters Episode: "The Child Broker" 1989 The Equalizer Rebecca Morrison Episode: "Lullaby of Darkness" 1989 The Littlest Victims Mary Pryor Television film 1988 Dominick and Eugene Theresa Chernak Theatrical Film 1990 Blind Faith Paula Caccaro Television miniseries 1990 L.A. Law Ellen Klein 1 episode 1991 Empty Nest Dr. Walker 1 episode 1991 Law & Order Julie Atkinson Episode: "In Memory Of" 1992 Brooklyn Bridge Lucille Scamparelli 1 episode 1993 CBS Schoolbreak Special Barbara Fitts Episode: "Other Mothers" 1993 Picket Fences Maryann Taylor 1 episode 1994 Law & Order Susan Forester aka Rita Levitan Episode: "White Rabbit" 1995 Ed Mcbain's 87th Precinct: Lightning Mrs. Anuciato Television film 1995 Naomi & Wynonna: Love Can Build a Bridge Billie Ciminella Television miniseries 1995 The Client Mae Calhoun 1 episode 1995 New York News 1 episode 1997 The Practice Roberta Braun 4 episodes 1997 Cracker: Mind Over Murder Tina's Mother 1 episode 1998 Touched by an Angel Margaret Evans Episode: "Redeeming Love" 1998 Nothing Sacred Christina 1 episode 1998 The Patron Saint of Liars Mrs. Stanton Television film 1999 Becker Virginia Arras 1 episode 1999 Family Law 1 episode 2000 Party of Five Evvie's Sponsor 1 episode 2001 NYPD Blue Mary McElroy Episode: "Nariz a Nariz" 2001 Frasier Joanne Episode: "A Day in May" 2001 The Practice Plaintiff's Atty. Audrey Turner Episode: "Honor Code" 2002 Crossing Jordan Nurse Alicia Gramble 1 episode 2003 The Lyon's Den 1 episode 2004 Employee of the Month Helen Goodwin Theatrical Film 2004 Cold Case Renee (2004) Episode: "Volunteers" 2004 Judging Amy Pam Morton 1 episode 2004 Huff Delmont 1 episode 2005 Six Feet Under Polina Episode: "The Silence" 2006 Commander in Chief Margaret Shoop 2 episodes 2006 ER Emma Hadley 1 episode

References

External links

Mary-Joan-Negro at Broadway World

Mary-Joan-Negro at Turner Classic Movies