# Donna Vivino

Donna Vivino is an American theatre, television, film actress and singer. She is known for playing Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked and as the original Young Cosette in Les Misérables on Broadway. In January 2023, she guest-starred in Law & Order as the character Rachel Ford. She appeared in the 2023 short film "Family Affair" and the feature film Ezra with Bobby Cannavale.

## Early years

She is the niece of Floyd Vivino and the daughter of Terri Vivino-Apgar and Jerry Vivino, a member of Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band. Vivino was raised in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where she attended Fair Lawn High School, and graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. She is the sister of brothers Danny Vivino, Michael Vivino and sisters Antonia and Natalia. She has one child, Hendrix.

## Career
### Beautiful Dreamer

Vivino's song-cycle "Beautiful Dreamer" travels through musical eras along with her personal history. This show features 13 songs that have resonated with Vivino since childhood and embody her various interpretations of a “dream”. Accompanied by a world-class jazz quartet led by her father, Jerry Vivino and pianist/arranger Mitch Forman, Vivino gave interpretations of songs by Rodgers and Hart, George and Ira Gershwin, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Randy Newman, and other legendary writers. A recording of the show is available on iTunes, Amazon, and Sh-K-Boom Records.

### Stars of David

Vivino performed in Stars Of David, which opened November 12, 2013 at the Daryl Roth Theatre. The show ran until December 15, and Donna was seen in roles such as Mandy, Ruth Ginsburg and Fran Drescher.

### Wicked

Vivino played a 20-month stint as Elphaba on the 1st U.S. tour of the smash-hit musical Wicked. She joined the tour on October 30, 2007, serving as the standby for Carmen Cusack. Her first ever performance took place on December 26, 2007, and her first in the lead role on November 5, 2008. She starred alongside Katie Rose Clarke and later Chandra Lee Schwartz as Glinda. Her final performance took place on July 4, 2010. On August 23, 2011, Donna took over the position of Elphaba standby on Broadway, replacing Jennifer DiNoia. She first covered during the absence of lead Teal Wicks on the matinee of September 14. Jackie Burns replaced Wicks once her contract ended. Incidentally, Burns was Vivino's replacement on the national tour. Vivino was re-united with Clarke (who reprises her lead role) while performing as standby. Vivino went on for Burns the last two weeks of Burns' contract while she was suffering from the flu. She then went on as the Elphaba standby for Willemijn Verkaik and then for Lindsay Mendez. She left the show on November 3, 2013.

### Cats

In early 2020, she played the role of Grizabella in a North American tour of Cats before her run was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Theatre credits
### Broadway

* Wicked as Elphaba standby (August 23, 2011 – November 3, 2013)
* Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me as Comedy All-Star (2006)
* Hairspray as Shelley and understudy Tracy Turnblad (2006)
* Saturday Night Fever in the ensemble
* Les Misérables, Original Broadway Cast, as Young Cosette (1987–88)

### Off-Broadway

* Guys and Dolls as Miss Adelaide
* Next to Normal as Diana Goodman
* Merrily We Roll Along as Mary Flynn (LA Ovation Award Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical) (Robby Award Winner - Best Actress in a Musical)
* Finks as Natalie (SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Award Nomination for Best Actress in a Play)
* Stars Of David, as Mandy, Ruth Ginsburg, and Fran Drescher
* Sleeping Beauty Wakes, as Cheryl Dourado
* Grease, as Rizzo
* The Opposite Of Sex, as Bobette Kulp
* A... My Name Is Alice, Woman #2
* Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, as Narrator

### National tours

* Cats, National, as Grizabella (2020)
* Wicked, 1st national, as Elphaba (November 5, 2008 – July 2010)
* Wicked, 1st national, as Elphaba standby (October 3, 2007 – November 4, 2008)
* Hairspray, 1st national, as Shelley (2003–04)

### Workshops and readings

* Bedwetter, as Beth Ann
* Legally Blonde, as Enid Hoops
* Dancing Under Water, as Girl Next Door
* Terezin, as Lorelei
* Tarzan, as Storyteller
* Owl Creek, as Shiloh

## Television and film

* Law and Order *, Rachel Ford, 2023
* Family Affair *, Beverly, 2023
* Good Friday, Emily Cole, 2015
* Subject, Drink Girl, 2015 (short)
* Submissions Only, Serena Maxwell, 2012/14, 11 episodes
* A Gifted Man, Rhonda, 1 episode, 2012
* My Sassy Girl, Woman of No Consequence #2, 2008
* Everyday People, Samel's Caseworker, 2004
* The Twelve Days of Christmas, Princess Silverbell (voice), TV movie, 1993
* Married to It, Lucy Rothenberg, 1991
* American Playwrights Theater: The One Acts, Mary Sweeney, 1 episode, 1989
* All My Children, Young Erica Kane, 1 episode, 1988
* ABC Afterschool Specials, Kendall Bard, 1 episode, 1987
* Late Night With David Letterman, Self, 1 episode, 1987
* Hometown, Tess Abbott, 1 episode, 1985