Peters, Bernadette (1948—)
Peters, Bernadette (1948—)
Bernadette Peters is a most distinctive Broadway singer. Her voice encompasses all facets of vocal technique—she can sing with a small, pinched sound, a full-bodied belt sound, or anywhere between the two, depending on the dramatic needs of the song. She made her stage debut at age ten in a revival of The Most Happy Fella. Her principal Broadway roles include Dot in Sunday in the Park with George (1983), Emma in Song and Dance (1985), the Witch in Into the Woods (1987), and Marsha in The Goodbye Girl (1993). She won a Tony Award for her performance in Song and Dance. Her musical film credits include Pennies from Heaven (1981), for which she won a Golden Globe Award, and Annie (1982). She provided singing voices for the animated Beauty and the Beast 2: The Enchanted Christmas (1997) and Anastasia (1997). Her tremendous talent and vocal ability have earned her the well-deserved reputation as one of the finest musical theater performers of the century.
—William A. Everett
Further Reading:
Gans, Andrew. "Bernadette's Back." Playbill. Vol. 11, No. 10, July 31, 1993, 41-43.
Zadan, Craig. Sondheim & Company. New York, Da Capo, 1994.