GAVEN, Marcia Mitzman 1959–

(Marcia Gaven, Marcia Mitzman, Marcia Mitzman-Gaven)

PERSONAL

Full name, Marcia Anne Mitzman Gaven; born February 28, 1959, in New York, NY; raised in Hastings-on-Hudson, NY; daughter of Newt (a television and commercial director) and Patricia (a visual artist) Mitzman; married Seth Gaven (a film editor and studio executive), June, 1996; children: Michael. Education: Attended High School of Performing Arts; graduated from Purchase College State University of New York; trained at Neighborhood Playhouse.

Career: Actress and voice performer. Musical Theatre Guild of Los Angeles, founding member; New Shakespeare Company, Huntington Library, founding member; voice for television and radio commercials, including role as spokesperson for DirecTV. Also known as Marcia Mitzman-Gaven.

Awards, Honors: Antoinette Perry Award nomination, best featured actress in a musical, 1993, for The Who's "Tommy"; Ovation Award and Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, both best leading actress in a musical, 1995, for Chess; Ovation Award, best leading actress in a musical, and Garland Award, outstanding lead performance, Backstage West, both 1997, for Ragtime.

CREDITS

Stage Appearances; As Marcia Mitzman:

Betty Rizzo, Grease (musical), Royale Theatre, New York City, 1979–80.

Fran, High Button Shoes (musical), St. Louis, MO, 1983.

Londoner and understudy for Nancy, Oliver! (musical), Mark Hellinger Theatre, New York City, 1984.

The widow, Zorba (musical), Broadway production, c. 1984.

Luisa, Nine (musical), Evening Dinner Theatre, Elmsford, NY, 1985.

Meg, Brigadoon (musical), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, New York City, 1985.

Mrs. Malloy, Hello Dolly (musical), Municipal Theatre of Wichita, Wichita, KS, 1985.

Anne, Shenandoah (musical), St. Louis, MO, 1986.

Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney Todd (musical), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, 1986.

Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors (musical), off-Broadway production, 1986, 1987.

Ensign Nellie Forbush, South Pacific (musical), New York City Opera, Lincoln Center, New York State Theater, New York City, 1987.

Nancy, Oliver! (musical), Theatre under the Stars, Houston, TX, 1988.

Reno Sweeney, Anything Goes (musical), Pioneer Theatre, 1988.

Svetlana, Chess (musical), Imperial Theatre, New York City, 1988.

Carol Bates, Welcome to the Club (musical), Music Box Theatre, New York City, 1989.

Chess in Concert (benefit concert), 1989.

Nancy, Oliver! (musical), Fifth Avenue Theatre, Seattle, WA, 1990, and Broadway production, 1990.

Countess Charlotte Malcolm, A Little Night Music (musical), Ahmanson Theatre, James A. Doolittle Theatre, University of California, Los Angeles, 1991.

Margie, Tin Pan Man (musical), La Mirada Civic Light Opera, Los Angeles, 1991.

Doris Walker, Here's Love (musical), Fifth Avenue Theatre, 1991, then Theatre under the Stars, 1992.

Mrs. Walker, The Who's "Tommy" (musical; also known as Tommy), La Jolla Playhouse, La Jolla, CA, 1992, then St. James Theatre, New York City, between 1993 and 1995.

Sweet, Smart, Rodgers and Hart (musical revue), Pasadena Playhouse, Pasadena, CA, 1993.

Julie, Show Boat (musical), Sacramento Light Opera, Sacramento, CA, 1994.

Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors (musical), off-Broadway production, 1995.

Countess Charlotte Malcolm, A Little Night Music (musical), Sacramento Light Opera, 1995.

Florence Vassy, Chess (musical), Blank Theatre Company, Los Angeles, 1995.

Appeared as Maggie, After the Fall; as Eve, All about Eve; as Nora Helmer, A Doll's House; as Fran, Promises, Promises (musical); as Kate, Taming of the Shrew; and as Viola, Twelfth Night (also known as Twelfth Night, or What You Will). Appeared in other productions, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; appeared in other benefit performances.

Stage Appearances; As Marcia Mitzman Gaven:

Mother, Ragtime (musical), Shubert Theatre, Los Angeles, 1997.

For the Boys (benefit concert), 1998.

Spirit of the Century (benefit concert), Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, Irvine, CA, 1999.

Hesione, Triumph of Love (musical), California Musical Theatre, 2000.

Julie, Show Boat (musical), Sacramento Music Circus, 2001.

Abigail Adams, 1776 (musical), "Broadway's Best" series, Reprise!, University of California, Los Angeles, Freud Playhouse, Macgowan Hall, Los Angeles, 2001.

Major Tours:

Janet, The Rocky Horror Show (musical), U.S. cities, 1980.

Ruby Rae, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (musical), U.S. cities, 1982.

Josephine and Monica, Romance/Romance (musical), U.S. cities, 1990.

Television Appearances; Series:

KAOS chair, Get Smart, Fox, 1995.

Voices of Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, and others, The Simpsons (animated), Fox, between 1999 and 2002.

(As Marcia Gaven) Narrator, Miami Slice, Bravo, 2004.

Television Appearances; Miniseries:

Voice of Jane Marlowe, The Red Planet (animated), Fox, 1994.

Television Appearances; Specials:

Appeared as the title role (Alice in Wonderland), Alice, PBS.

Television Appearances; Episodic:

Ellen, "George Really Does It This Time," The George Carlin Show, Fox, 1994.

Voice of Sloop, "Not You Again!," Aaahh!!! Real Monsters (animated), Nickelodeon, 1994.

Debby, "The Apartment Hunt," Ellen (also known as These Friends of Mine), ABC, 1995.

Kim, "Drew's New Assistant," The Drew Carey Show, ABC, 1996.

Voice of Dr. Laura Levinger, "Fired," Life's Work, ABC, 1996.

Clerk, "The Ring," Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, ABC, 1997.

Commander Sandra Levitt, "No Surrender, No Retreat," Babylon 5 (also known as B5), syndicated, 1997.

Allison Landers, "Party, Party," Frasier, NBC, 1998.

Judge, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell," Beverly Hills 90210, Fox, 1998.

Sister Madeline, The Bold and the Beautiful (also known as Glamour, Rags, Top Models, and Belleza y poder), CBS, multiple episodes in 2004.

Appeared as Bree, Baby Talk, ABC.

Television Appearances; Pilots:

Dr. Michelle Clark, Grant and Lee, 1996.

Television Work; Series:

Additional voices, The Pink Panther (animated), syndicated, beginning 1993.

Film Appearances:

Bonds person, The Bonfire of the Vanities, Warner Bros., 1990.

(As Marcia Mitzman) Herself and Mrs. Walker, The Who's "Tommy," the Amazing Journey (documentary), Buena Vista Home Video, 1993.

Voice of Globotech announcer, Small Soldiers (live action and animated), DreamWorks, 1998.

Lydia, First Born (short film), 2001.

Fashion plate, Moonlight Mile (also known as Baby's in Black and Goodbye Hello), Buena Vista, 2002.

RECORDINGS

Albums with Others:

Chess (cast recording), RCA, 1990.

The Who's "Tommy" (revival cast recording), RCA, 1993.

Shakespeare on Broadway (soundtrack recording), Varese, 1996.

The Paul Simon Album: Broadway Sings the Best of Paul Simon, Varese, 1998.

ABC (Adler, Bock, Coleman), Lml, 2000.

Recorded other music.

Video Games:

Voice of Burgundy, Leisure Suit Larry 6: Shape Up or Slip Out!, Sierra On-Line, 1993.

WRITINGS

Screenplays:

Author of screenplays.

OTHER SOURCES

Electronic:

Marcia Mitzman Gaven Official Site, http://www.journey-on.com, August 24, 2005.