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www.celissehenderson.com
Bio: Celisse Henderson is pleased to make her Broadway debut with GODSPELL. Off-Broadway: In Transit (Drama Desk Award). She has also appeared onstage in the national touring company of Stephen Schwartz's Wicked, at Carnegie Hall in Jerry Springer: The Opera and Bernstein's Mass with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra.
Her television credits include "The Electric Company" (recurring), “30 Rock”, “Rescue Me”, “White Collar”, “The Big C” and “Are We There Yet”.
An accomplished singer and multi-faceted musician, Celisse released her debut album Show and Tell last year. The album -- now available on iTunes -- was written, arranged, played and sung entirely by Celisse.
Song You’re Singing: LEARN YOUR LESSONS WELL
Hometown:San Francisco, CA (I mean...really Oakland, CA...but San Francisco sounds so much more sophisticated! 8-)
Song You Sang at Your Godspell Audition:
I actually sang original music for my audition! I had just started to really identify myself as a singer/songwriter around the time I got my first initial audition for GODSPELL, so I took the opportunity to make a bold choice! I re-wrote the parable "THE GOOD SAMARITAN" into a spoken word piece, and I sang a song behind my guitar called "Appreciation". It was sort of a big risk since they technically asked for a Pop/Rock Musical theater tune, but I wanted to take a risk...and it paid off! (Thank GOD!)
Something You Can Do That Others Can’t:
I can name every single album Barbra Streisand has every recorded (even imports, but not counting re mixes.) This is a sad, sad fact...I know..but very true. My Mom bought me my very first Streisand record when I was 11 years old. It was entitled "Barbra Joan Streisand" marked 1971. She said that "she was at the hospice looking through some old records, saw this, and thought I might like it. The crazy thing is that my mother had insight into what would become the performer that made me want to pursue musical theater! How did she know I would like it? I was only 11 god sakes...but I liked it...man I LOVED it. I have been (shamelessly) collecting her records ever since!
First Broadway Show You Ever Saw:
Ha..well ACTUALLY on Broadway...or shows that came through my hometown? 8-) The first Broadway touring production I saw was Aida...I saw it 3 times at the Orpheum Theater...it changed my life. I saw all the major Broadway Touring Productions there. So it was a real treat to go back in 2009 and perform WICKED in the theater I had grown up seeing shows in! My first real Broadway show in NYC was THE PRODUCERS.
Pop Culture Guilty Pleasure:
THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ATLANTA. I actually don't consider myself a huge TV person. I scan...and I, ( like everyone else on the planet) am and forever will be hooked on GREYS ANATOMY (Shonda Rhimes is amazing!!)..but other than that, I don't follow much. But...the atlanta women...THOSE ATLANTA WOMEN..God they get me every. single. time! The fights, the parties, the fashion, the fun..I can't pull my eyes away! Who could deny Kim Zolciak's "Tardy for the Party"?! Not me...
Words of Wisdom for Aspiring Performers:
My favorite quote of all time is by Maya Angelou. She says "Love is a condition so powerful, it just may be that which holds the stars in the firmament." I just love that concept...that the power of love in and of itself could be the thing that literally holds the stars in the sky! Love that powerful cannot, and will not fail. If you love singing, dancing, acting, writing, producing, or just plain creating like that..with that sort of power and fervor like I do, then let no one convince you that your love is not real and true. It's holding the stars in the sky for gosh sakes! 8-)
Why you love Godspell:
