Celebrity Series Presents
Bernadette Peters
Saturday, April 4

“As an actress, singer, comedienne, and an all-around warming presence, Bernadette Peters has no peer in the musical theatre right now.”
—The New York Times

With a sly sense of humor and a commanding way with a ballad, Bernadette Peters has earned her place as a star of stage, screen and the recording studio. Thrilling Broadway audiences in everything from Stephen Sondheim's "Into The Woods" to Jerry Herman's "Mack & Mabel," Irving Berlin's "Annie Get Your Gun" and most recently, "Gypsy," the backstage musical of all backstage musicals.

Celebrity Series of Boston will present Bernadette Peters on Saturday, April 4, at 8:00 P.M. at Symphony Hall. Peters will be backed by a full orchestra conducted by Marvin Laird. The Celebrity Series first presented Peters in 2005.

Peters’career encompasses award-winning performances on Broadway and in television and film. A native of Ozone Park, New York, Peters began performing at the age of three with appearances on "Juvenile Jury," "Name That Tune" and "The Horn & Hardart Children’s Hour." She made her theatrical debut in "This is Goggle," directed by the legendary Otto Preminger. Still in her teens, she appeared in "The Most Happy Fella" and "The Penny Friend" and performed in the national touring company of "Gypsy."

Peters made her Broadway debut in 1967 in "Johnny No-Trump," and in 1968 starred with Joel Grey in the musical "George M!," earning a Theatre World Award. That same year, she received a Drama Desk Award for her performance in the Off-Broadway musical "Dames at Sea."

She continued to win acclaim, receiving both the Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for her performance in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical "Song and Dance." Peters repeated her feat again in 1999 when she won her second Tony and third Drama Desk Award for her portrayal of Annie Oakley in the Broadway revival of "Annie Get Your Gun." Peters also received Tony nominations for her work in the 1992 musical "The Goodbye Girl;" Stephen Sondheim’s Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Sunday in the Park with George;" the Jerry Herman/Gower Champion ode to the movies, "Mack and Mabel;" and Leonard Bernstein’s "On The Town."

In addition to these honors, Peters earned a Drama Desk nomination for her portrayal of the Witch in Stephen Sondheim’s "Into the Woods." In 2003, she received her seventh Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of Mama Rose in Sam Mendes’ acclaimed Broadway revival of "Gypsy."

Bernadette Peters’ film credits include "The Jerk" with Steve Martin, "The Longest Yard" with Burt Reynolds, "Silent Movie" with Mel Brooks, "Annie" with Carol Burnett, "Pink Cadillac" with Clint Eastwood, "Slaves of New York" with Mercedes Ruehl, Woody Allen’s "Alice" with Mia Farrow, and "Impromptu" with Hugh Grant and Mandy Patinkin. She received a Golden Globe Award in 1981 for "Pennies From Heaven." Most recently, Peters appeared in "It Runs in the Family," starring opposite Kirk and Michael Douglas.

Her television credits range from performing arts specials such as PBS’ "Evening at Pops" and "The Kennedy Center Honors" to appearances in variety shows such as "The Carol Burnett Show" and an Emmy-nominated performance on "The Muppet Show." Peters received an Emmy nomination for her performance in FOX’s hit TV series "Ally McBeal"and has appeared on "Grey's Anatomy," "Will & Grace" and currently plays a continuing role on "Ugly Betty."

Her latest CD, "Sondheim, Etc., Etc.: Bernadette Peters Live at Carnegie Hall (The Rest of It)" on Angel Records," features never-before-released highlights from her 1996 Carnegie Hall benefit concert for The Gay Men’s Health Crisis. She has appeared on numerous Broadway show cast recordings and recorded six solo albums.

Bernadette Peters devotes her time and talents to numerous events that benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Gay Men’s Health Crisis, for whom she also performed in a benefit concert version of "Anyone Can Whistle."

Peters’ “pet project” is Broadway Barks, an annual, star-studded dog adoption event, she founded with friend Mary Tyler Moore, benefiting animal shelters throughout New York.

On that same note, she is the author of Broadway Barks (with illustrations by Liz Murphy), a children's book telling the tale of a down-on-his-luck dog named Kramer who finds happiness in New York. The story is based on the story of Peter's own dog, also named Kramer. Benefiting Broadway Barks, the book includes a CD featuring Peters reading the story as well as singing "Kramer's Song," which she also wrote.

For tickets and information, call 617-482-6661, stop by the Symphony Hall box office (301 Massachusetts Avenue) or visit www.celebrityseries.org.

-- OnStage Boston