Lea Michele



Lea Michele Sarfati (born August 29, 1986),[1] known professionally as Lea Michele, is an American actress and singer. Michele began working professionally as a child actress on Broadway in productions such as Ragtime and Les Misérables. She originated the role of Wendla in the musical Spring Awakening and currently plays Rachel Berry in the Fox television series Glee.

{| class="toc" id="toc"

Contents
[hide]*1 Early life
 * 2 Career
 * 3 Advocacy
 * 4 Credits
 * 5 Awards and nominations
 * 6 Discography
 * 7 References
 * 8 External links
 * }

[edit] Early life
Michele was born in the Bronx, New York City, the daughter of Edith Sarfati, a nurse, and Marc Sarfati, a delicatessen owner.[1] Michele's mother is Italian American and Roman Catholic, while her father is a Spanish Sephardic Jew.[2] [3] Michele grew up in New York City and Tenafly, New Jersey. She attended Rockland Country Day School [4] for elementary school in New York and then Tenafly High School.[5] Michele was home schooled one year while working in Toronto Canada on Ragtime. She attended Stagedoor Manor in the Catskills, a center for performing arts training.[6] She was then later accepted to the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, but opted to continue working on stage.[7] [8]

[edit] Career
At eight years old, Michele went with a friend to an open call for a musical. She decided on a whim she wanted to try out. She was offered the part and made her debut on Broadway in 1995 as a replacement in the role of Young Cosette in the New York City production of Les Misérables. This was followed by her performance of the role of Tateh's daughter, the Little Girl, in the 1998 original Broadway cast of Ragtime. In 2004, Michele played Shprintze and Chava in the Broadway revival of the musical Fiddler on the Roof. She also sang on the 2003 Broadway revival cast recording of Fiddler on the Roof.

She played the role of Wendla in Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik's musical version of Spring Awakening, starring in early workshops to Off-Broadway and finally originating the role in the Broadway production at the age of 20.[9] Around the same time that the show was set to go to Broadway, she was offered the role of Eponine in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables.[10] She elected to remain with Spring Awakening, which debuted on Broadway in December 2006. She was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for her performance in Spring Awakening in the category of Outstanding Actress in a Musical.[11]

On May 18, 2008, Michele left Spring Awakening with co-star Jonathan Groff. She performed in a reading of Sheik and Sater's new musical, Nero, in July 2008 at Vassar College.[12] From August 8-August 10, 2008, she portrayed Eponine in the Hollywood Bowl's Les Misérables concert. She sings on the original Broadway cast recordings of Ragtime and Spring Awakening.

Michele stars in the Fox television series Glee, where she plays the star singer of a high school glee club, Rachel Berry. The pilot debuted on May 19, 2009. She has won a Screen Actors Guild Award for outstanding ensemble performance and the 2009 Satellite Award for best actress. She also received nominations for an Emmy Award, two nominations for a Golden Globe Award, and Teen Choice Award for her performance in the role. Her cover of The All-American Rejects' "Gives You Hell" reached the top 40 on the US Billboard 200.[13] Michele is featured lead singer in 14 of the top 20 selling Glee songs as of 2010.[14]

Michele was included in Time magazine's 2010 list of the 100 Most Influential People In the World.[15] FHM named her #7 on 2010 Sexiest Women List, which was the highest ranking for a new entry on the list that year.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-15">[16] Michele was named to People Magazine's Best Dressed List of 2010 as "The Newbie"<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-16">[17] and she was voted "2010 Most Stylish Star" by E! Online.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-17">[18]

In 2010, Michele joined the cast of the animated film Dorothy of Oz,<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-18">[19] voicing the lead role of Dorothy Gale.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-19">[20] That same year, she joined the cast of Garry Marshall's romantic comedy New Year's Eve.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-20">[21]

Before Super Bowl XLV, on February 6, 2011, she performed "America the Beautiful" with the Air Force Tops In Blue.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-21">[22]

[edit] Advocacy
Michele is active in participating in charities for gay rights and animal rights, as well as in numerous other charities. In 2008, Michele was a part of the PETA ad campaign "Buck Cruelty! Say No to Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides".<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-22">[23] In April 2010, Michele appeared in a PSA for PETA speaking out against fur clothing.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-23">[24] In September 2010, Michele was honored by PETA for her work for animals<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-24">[25] In addition to working with PETA, Michele is also a vegan.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-25">[26]

In support of gay rights, Michele performed at the Human Rights Campaign Dinner in November 2009.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-26">[27] <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-27">[28] In the same month, Michele and Jonathan Groff performed for True Colors Cabaret, a fundraiser in support of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Groff_Reunite_True_Colors_28-0">[29]

In 2008, Michele performed at a benefit concert, "Alive in the World",<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-aliveintheworld.com_29-0">[30] to aid the Twin Tower Orphan Fund. Michele has also been active with Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. For Broadway Cares Michele has participated in Broadway Barks, Broadway Bares, Easter Bonnet Competition and The Flea Market and Grand Auction. In October 2010, Michele performed at a benefit concert for the Painted Turtle, a camp for children with illnesses. The concert celebrated the 35th anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, with Michele playing the lead role of Janet Weiss for the benefit.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-30">[31] In February 2011 she performed for The Grammy's MusiCares Benefit in Los Angeles CA, proceeds from the event go to help musicians in need.<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-playbill.com_31-0">[32]

[edit] Credits
Broadway Readings/Workshops Concerts/Events Other projects Film and television
 * Les Misérables as Young Cosette (1995–96)
 * Ragtime as the Little Girl (1998–99)
 * Fiddler on the Roof as Shprintze (2004–06)
 * Spring Awakening as Wendla (2006–08)
 * Burt Bacharach and Steven Satar collaboration (November 2009)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-32">[33]
 * Nero as Octavia (July 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-33">[34]
 * Samson and Delilah as Delilah<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-losangeles.broadwayworld.com_34-0">[35]
 * King as Anisette<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-losangeles.broadwayworld.com_34-1">[35]
 * Wuthering Heights as Lucy<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-losangeles.broadwayworld.com_34-2">[35]
 * Hot and Sweet as Naleen (September 2006)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-35">[36]
 * Spring Awakening as Wendla – Roundabout Theatre Company (2000 and June 2001)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-36">[37]
 * Spring Awakening as Wendla – Lincoln Center (February 2005)
 * Unsung 2007: 'Tis The Season To Be Naughty – Lucille Lortel Theater, New York (December 2007)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-37">[38]
 * Alive in the World, benefit concert – as Phoebe (January 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-aliveintheworld.com_29-1">[30]
 * Feinstein's (February 2008 and April 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-38">[39]
 * Flopz n' cutz Concert with Landon Beard, Joe's Pub (April 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-39">[40]
 * Les Misérables Concert as Eponine at the Hollywood Bowl (August 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-losangeles.broadwayworld.com_34-3">[35]
 * Upright Cabaret (August 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-40">[41]
 * Broadway Chance Style: Up Close & Personal (September 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-41">[42]
 * Spring Awakening Holiday Benefit Concert – Joe's Pub (December 2008)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-42">[43]
 * Human Rights Campaign Dinner, performer (November 2009).<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-43">[44]
 * True Colors Benefit with Jonathan Groff (November 2009)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-Groff_Reunite_True_Colors_28-1">[29]
 * Glee Live! In Concert! as Rachel Berry; Phoenix, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York City (May 2010)
 * Glee TV Academy Event at the Music Box LA (July 27, 2010)
 * Rocky Horror Picture Show 35th Anniversary To Benefit The Painted Turtle, as Janet Weiss, LA (October 2010)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-44">[45]
 * Super Bowl XLV - as performer ( America the Beautiful) Dallas, Texas (February 2011) <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-45">[46]
 * MusiCares Person of the Year tribute honoring Barbra Streisand, performer, Los Angeles CA. (February 2011)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-playbill.com_31-1">[32]
 * Ragtime as Little Girl, Toronto Centre for the Arts, Toronto, Ontario (1997)
 * The Diary of Anne Frank as Anne Frank, Washington D.C. (2006)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-46">[47]
 * Spring Awakening as Wendla, Atlantic Theatre Company, off Broadway (May–August 2006)
 * Dove commercials as spokesperson (2010)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-47">[48]
 * Chevrolet commercial, as Rachel Berry: Glee Super Bowl commercial (February 2011)<sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-48">[49]
 * Nike workout application as spokesperson ( 2011) <sup class="reference" id="cite_ref-49">[50]

[edit] Discography
Main article: Glee Cast discography*Ragtime: Original Cast Recording (1998)
 * Fiddler on the Roof: Revival Cast Recording (2004)
 * Spring Awakening: Original Cast Recording Grammy Award winner – Best Cast Recording (2006