Michele Pawk

Michele Pawk
EducationUniversity of Cincinnati (BFA)
OccupationsActress, singer
SpouseJohn Dossett (m. 2004)
Children1
AwardsTony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
2003 Hollywood Arms
Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
2020 Heroes of the Fourth Turning

Michele Pawk is an American actress and singer. She is also an associate theater professor. She is a Tony Award and Lucille Lortel Award winner, and a Grammy Award nominee.

Biography

Pawk attended the College Conservatory of Music in Cincinnati,[1] where she received her BFA in musical theater. After graduation, she spent a year working in a musical revue at Disney World. In 1988, she made her Broadway debut in a short-lived musical entitled Mail, but it wasn't until 1992 that she made her mark with her performance in the Ira and George Gershwin-inspired production Crazy for You, for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award as Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. From there she went on to three successful revivals – Merrily We Roll Along (1994), Chicago (1996), and Cabaret (1998) – and an original musical, Seussical (2000), based on the works of Dr. Seuss.

In 2002, Pawk earned critical raves for her performance in Hollywood Arms, the Carrie Hamilton–Carol Burnett play adapted from Burnett's memoir, One More Time. Her portrayal of an alcoholic who dreams of success as a movie magazine writer, a character based on Burnett's mother, won her the Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Play. She was featured in Hairspray as Velma Von Tussle, after appearing in Mamma Mia! as "Donna" (October 19, 2005 – February 20, 2006).

Pawk's television credits include L.A. Law, The Golden Girls, and all three editions of the Law & Order franchise. She appeared in small roles in the films Jeffrey (1995) and Cradle Will Rock (1999). She also guest starred on an episode of Quantum Leap (1990) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2020).

Pawk was featured alongside Victoria Clark and Jonathan Groff in the New York premiere of "Prayer for My Enemy" by Craig Lucas at the Playwrights Horizons Theater. The play touches on several topics including the Iraq War (Groff plays a young veteran), homosexuality, alcoholism, and the definition of family. The play ran from November 14, 2008, through December 21, 2008.[2] In December 2022, Pawk took over the role of Madame Morrible in the Broadway production of Wicked.[3] She played her final performance on March 3, 2024.[4] Beginning in April 2025, Pawk was featured alongside Jonathan Groff again when she opened in Just in Time as Bobby Darin's "mother", Polly. She received a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album for the show's cast album.

Teaching

Pawk has been a full-time faculty member at Wagner College, Staten Island, New York, since 2010, teaching advanced acting, directing and film studies.[5][6]

Personal life

She is married to actor John Dossett. They have a son, Jack, born in February 2000.[7]

Two of Michele's uncles, Johnny Pawk and Steve Pawk, were early professional basketball players in the 1930s.[8][9]

Stage credits

Year Title Role Venue Ref.
1988 Mail Candi Suwinski Broadway, Music Box Theatre [10]
1992 Crazy for You Irene Roth Broadway, Shubert Theatre
1994 Merrily We Roll Along Gussie Off-Broadway, York Theatre Company
1996 Chicago Matron "Mama" Morton Broadway, Richard Rodgers Theatre
1997 Triumph of Love Hesione (Replacement) Broadway, Royale Theatre
1998 Cabaret Fraulein Kost Broadway, Kit Kat Club
2000 Seussical Mayzie LaBird Broadway, Richard Rodgers Theatre
2001 Mamma Mia! Donna Sheridan (Replacement) Broadway, Winter Garden Theatre
2002 Hollywood Arms Louise Broadway, Cort Theatre
2004 Democracy Woman's Voice Broadway, Brooks Atkinson Theatre
2005 Children and Art Performer Broadway, New Amsterdam Theatre
2006 Losing Louie Sheila Ellis Broadway, Biltmore Theatre
2007 Hairspray Velma Von Tussle (Replacement) Broadway, Neil Simon Theatre
2019 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Genie Klein Broadway, Stephen Sondheim Theatre
2022 Wicked Madame Morrible Broadway, Gershwin Theatre
2025 Just in Time Polly Walden Broadway, Circle in the Square Theatre

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
1992 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Crazy for You Nominated [11]
1998 Cabaret Nominated [12][13]
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated [14][15]
2003 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Play Hollywood Arms Won [16]
2006 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play The Paris Letter Nominated [17][18]
2011 Outstanding Actress in a Play A Small Fire Nominated [19][20]
[21]
2020 Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play Heroes of the Fourth Turning Won [22]
2025 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Just in Time Nominated [23]
2026 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album Nominated [24]

References

  1. ^ Everett, Carole J. (2009). "University of Cincinnati College—Conservatory of Music". College Guide for Performing Arts Majors: The Real-World Admission Guide for Dance, Music, and Theater Majors. Peterson's. p. 325. ISBN 9780768926989. Faculty, Resident Artists, and Alumni ... Alumni continue to hold key positions in the performing and media arts. Numbered among them are ... musical theatre stars Faith Prince, Lee Roy Reams, Michele Pawk, Jason Graae, Jim Walton, Vicki Lewis, and Ashley Brown.
  2. ^ Playwrights Horizon Current Season Archived 2012-09-22 at the Wayback Machine, playwrightshorizons.org, accessed November 18, 2008
  3. ^ Stewart, Zachary (November 16, 2022). "Michele Pawk to Play Madame Morrible in Broadway Production of Wicked". Theater Mania. Retrieved February 3, 2023.
  4. ^ Gans, Andrew (January 31, 2024). "Donna McKechnie to Return to Broadway in Wicked Alongside Mary Kate Morrissey, Alexandra Socha, More". Playbill. Retrieved January 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "Staten Island's Wagner College Theater Department hires a bona fide Broadway babe: Tony winner Michele Pawk" silive.com, October 7, 2010
  6. ^ Pawk Archived 2015-09-10 at the Wayback Machine wagner.edu
  7. ^ Kate Rockland (December 25, 2005). "Where the Midtown Direct, Oz and Springsteen Meet". The New York Times. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
  8. ^ "Michael L. Pawk obituary". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Legacy.com. October 8, 2014. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  9. ^ "Steve Pawk obituary". Butler Eagle. Legacy.com. March 5, 2009. Retrieved May 17, 2019.
  10. ^ Playbill. Michele Pawk (Performer). Playbill.com. https://playbill.com/person/michele-pawk
  11. ^ "1992 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  12. ^ "1998 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  13. ^ "Ragtime, Beauty Queen Win Drama Desk Awards". Playbill. May 17, 1998. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  14. ^ Viagas & Lefkowitz (April 27, 1998). "Lion King Roars With Six Outer Critics Circle Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 3, 2025.
  15. ^ "1997–1998 Awards". Outer Critics Circle. Retrieved September 2, 2025.
  16. ^ Playbill. (2003, June 9). Just the Facts: List of 2003 Tony Award Winners. Playbill.com. https://playbill.com/article/just-the-facts-list-of-2003-tony-award-winners-com-113639
  17. ^ "2006 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  18. ^ Andrew Gans (May 22, 2006). "Drowsy Chaperone and History Boys Big Winners at the 2006 Drama Desk Awards". Playbill. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  19. ^ "2011 Awards – Nominees and Recipients". Drama Desk. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  20. ^ Kenneth Jones (May 24, 2011). "Drama Desk Awards Go to Book of Mormon, Normal Heart, War Horse, Sutton Foster, Norbert Leo Butz". Playbill. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  21. ^ David Rooney (May 23, 2011). "Book of Mormon, Anything Goes Top Drama Desk Awards". Variety. Retrieved September 22, 2025.
  22. ^ Clement, Olivia (3 May 2020). "Octet and Heroes of the Fourth Turning Lead 2020 Lucille Lortel Award Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 17 September 2025.
  23. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (May 12, 2025). "Maybe Happy Ending Leads 2025 Outer Critics Circle Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  24. ^ GRAMMYs. (2026, February 1). 2026 Grammys: See The Full Winners & Nominees List. GRAMMY.com. https://www.grammy.com/news/2026-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list
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