Barbara Walsh

Barbara Walsh (born June 3, 1955) is an American musical theatre actress who has appeared in several prominent Broadway productions. Walsh is known for her Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominated role as Trina in the original Broadway production of Falsettos, as well as her turn as Joanne in the 2006 Broadway Revival of Stephen Sondheim's musical Company. Early life Walsh grew up with seven siblings in Chevy Chase, Maryland. Skilled at singing and performing impressions from a young age, she began performing in theater during high school. She attended Georgetown Visitation, an all-girls Catholic high school, and began performing in musicals at a local boys' high school. She then attended Montgomery College, where she studied drama and music. After college, Walsh worked in dinner theatre and summer stock in Warsaw, Indiana. Her voice teacher of 30 years was Margaret Riddleberger. Career Walsh is known for her role as Trina in the Tony Award-winning original Broadway production of William Finn and James Lapine's Falsettos (1992). She first performed in the role in the production directed by Graciela Daniele at the Hartford Stage in Connecticut in 1990, the first staging of March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland as a single show. She then remained in the role when Falsettos went to Broadway. She received a Tony Award nomination, a Drama Desk Award nomination, and a Los Angeles Ovation Award for the role. She later reprised this role for the show's national tour in 1994. Walsh previously made her Broadway debut in 1982 in the cast of musical revue Rock 'N Roll! The First 5,000 Years. She then appeared in Nine as Francesca. She also appeared on Broadway in 1993 in Blood Brothers, originating the role of Mrs. Lyons. In 1996, Walsh played Mrs. Baskin in the original production of Big. In 2002, she took over the role of Velma Von Tussle in the Broadway production of Hairspray. She played Joanne in the 2006 Tony Award-winning Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim's Company, for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination. This production was taped for television and aired on PBS in February 2008.