# Ivy Austin > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ivy_Austin > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Ivy_Austin.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_Austin > Source revision: 1345304858 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|American actress (born 1958)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2020}} {{BLP sources|date=March 2010}} {{Infobox person | name = Ivy Austin | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Ivy Lynn Epstein | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1958|01|19}} | birth_place = [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn), New York, U.S. | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | known_for = | alma_mater = [Colgate University](/source/Colgate_University) | occupation = Actress, singer | years_active = | height = | spouse = | children = | awards = | signature = | signature_alt = | website = https://www.ivyaustin.com/ | footnotes = }} '''Ivy Austin''' (born '''Ivy Lynn Epstein;''' January 19, 1958 in [Brooklyn](/source/Brooklyn), New York) is an American actress and singer known for her performances on [Garrison Keillor](/source/Garrison_Keillor)'s ''[A Prairie Home Companion](/source/A_Prairie_Home_Companion)'' and her ''[Sesame Street](/source/Sesame_Street)'' voices. She also starred on [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) as ''[Raggedy Ann](/source/Raggedy_Ann_(musical))''. ==Biography== ===Early life and education=== Ivy Austin is an alumna of NYC's [High School of Performing Arts](/source/High_School_of_Performing_Arts), has a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from [Colgate University](/source/Colgate_University), and a Master of Science degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from [Manhattan College](/source/Manhattan_College). ===Career=== Austin's stage career began with national tours of [''Hair''](/source/Hair_(musical)) (as Crissy) in 1976 and ''[They're Playing Our Song](/source/They're_Playing_Our_Song)'' (Alter Ego) in 1979. She made her [New York City Opera](/source/New_York_City_Opera) debut in 1982's ''[Candide](/source/Candide_(operetta))'' (Pink Sheep) and remained on the guest artist roster through 1989. Other NYCO credits include ''[Naughty Marietta](/source/Naughty_Marietta_(operetta))'' (Lisette), ''[The Merry Widow](/source/The_Merry_Widow)'' (Zozo), ''[The Music Man](/source/The_Music_Man)'' (Ethel Toffelmier), ''[The New Moon](/source/The_New_Moon)'', ''[The Desert Song](/source/The_Desert_Song)'', ''[South Pacific](/source/South_Pacific_(musical))'', and ''[Sweeney Todd](/source/Sweeney_Todd%3A_The_Demon_Barber_of_Fleet_Street_(musical))'' (Beggar Woman). Austin's Broadway debut in 1986 was as the starring role in the [Joe Raposo](/source/Joe_Raposo)/[William Gibson](/source/William_Gibson_(playwright)) musical ''[Raggedy Ann: The Musical Adventure](/source/Raggedy_Ann_(musical))'',{{Cite news|date=7 January 1986|title=U.S. Musical Sold Out : Raggedy Ann Snuggles Into Hearts of Muscovites|work=Los Angeles Times|agency=The Associated Press|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-01-07-mn-13816-story.html|access-date=12 January 2022}} directed by [Patricia Birch](/source/Patricia_Birch).{{Cite news|last=Rich|first=Frank|date=17 October 1986|title=Theater: 'Raggedy Ann,' a Musical|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/17/theater/theater-raggedy-ann-a-musical.html|access-date=12 January 2022}} In 1989, Austin performed "The Story of Gloria" on American Radio Company (now known as ''[A Prairie Home Companion](/source/A_Prairie_Home_Companion)''). According to [Time Magazine](/source/Time_(magazine)), "The show's funniest sketch, a serial, produced a new star, actress Ivy Austin."{{cite magazine |first=John |last=Skow |title=Show Business: Wild Seed in the Big Apple: Garrison Keillor |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959343,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301062204/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,959343,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 1, 2009 |magazine=Time |date=December 11, 1989 }} She also played the crusty-voiced French lady Babette, and sang with [Rob Fisher](/source/Rob_Fisher_(conductor)) and The Coffee Club Orchestra. Austin has recorded countless songs for ''Sesame Street'', and is the voice of Sesame Street characters Cereal Girl, Hammy Swinette, Sublime Miss M, Soo-ey Oinker of The Oinker Sisters, and Gloria Esta-worm. As writer/producer, Ivy Austin created holiday programs for [National Public Radio](/source/National_Public_Radio) and a long-running concert series at The [World Financial Center](/source/Brookfield_Place_(New_York_City)). Ivy Austin appeared in numerous television commercials and has an impressive list of theatrical and concert credits. Austin is in her sixth year as a contributing lyricist and performer in The Thalia Follies, a [political satire](/source/political_satire) in on New York's [Upper West Side](/source/Upper_West_Side). Austin performs regularly at [Symphony Space](/source/Symphony_Space) on [WNYC](/source/WNYC) radio broadcasts of ''[Selected Shorts](/source/Selected_Shorts)'' and ''Bloomsday'', and has participated in years of "Wall-to-Wall" music marathons. She appeared in ''Wall-to-Wall Broadway'' singing "Adelaide's Lament". She has performed several plays with the [Night Kitchen Radio Theater](/source/Night_Kitchen_Radio_Theater) for [XM Satellite Radio](/source/XM_Satellite_Radio). ==Selected credits== ===Discography=== *''Sing! Songs of Joe Raposo'' *''Big Bird Discovers the Orchestra'' *''Sesame Road'' *''Born to Add'' *''Splish Splash: Bathtime Fun'' *''Sing-Along Travel Songs'' *''Silly Songs'' *''Hot!/Heat! Hot!/Heat! Hot!/Heat! Dance Songs'' *''Sesame Street Platinum-All Time Favorites'' *''[Elmopalooza!](/source/Elmopalooza!_(soundtrack))'' *''We Are All Earthlings'' *''I’m Green and I’m Proud'' *''Signs of the Times from Moo-town Records'' *''Sesame Street Kids/Kid Favorite Songs'' *''Sesame Street Best'' *''Cheap Thrills'' *''New York City Opera Candide'' *''Lady Be Good!'' *''Wall to Wall Richard Rodgers'' *''A Prairie Home Christmas'' *''A Prairie Home Companion 25th Anniversary Collection'' *''Selected Shorts: A Night at the Office'' ===Filmography=== *''[Grease 2](/source/Grease_2)'' (1982) – Girl Greaser (Francine) *''"The Charmkins"'' (1983) – Skunkweed (voice) *''[My Little Pony: Escape from Catrina](/source/My_Little_Pony_(TV_series))'' (1985) – (voice) *''[Snoopy!!! The Musical](/source/Snoopy!_The_Musical_(TV_special))'' (1988) – (voice) *''[Sesame Street](/source/Sesame_Street)'' – Cereal Girl, Hammy Swinette, Sublime Miss M, Soo-ey Oinker of The Oinker Sisters, Gloria Esta-worm, Additional Voices *''High Strung'' (1991) – Contestant *''[Big Bird's Birthday Celebration](/source/Big_Bird's_Birthday_Celebration)'' (1991) – (voice) Oinker Sister *''[The Tale of Peter Rabbit](/source/The_World_of_Peter_Rabbit_and_Friends)'' (1991) – (voice) Flopsy/Bluejay *''[Animaniacs](/source/Animaniacs)'' – Carloota, "Garage Sale of the Century/West Side Pigeons" (1993) *''[Sesame Street Stays Up Late!](/source/Sesame_Street_Stays_Up_Late!)'' (1993) – (voice) Tita *''[The Real Shlemiel](/source/The_Real_Shlemiel)'' (1995) – (voice) The Lantuch *''[Elmopalooza!](/source/Elmopalooza!)'' (1998) – (voice) Oinker Sister *''Kids Favorite Songs'' (1999) - (voice) Oinker Sister: This Little Piggy to Market ===Theatre credits=== {|class="wikitable sortable" |- ! style="width: 35%" | Production ! style="width: 10%" | Year ! style="width: 25%" class="unsortable" | Role ! style="width: 30%" class="unsortable" | Venue |- |''[No, No, Nanette](/source/No%2C_No%2C_Nanette)'' | rowspan="3" align=center | 1974 | Nanette | rowspan="3" | [Gateway Playhouse](/source/Gateway_Playhouse) |- |''[George M!](/source/George_M!)'' | Nellie Cohan |- |''[Hair](/source/Hair_(musical))'' | Crissy |- |''Alice in Wonderland'' | rowspan="5" align=center | 1975 | Violet (singing voice) | [Bil Baird](/source/Bil_Baird) Marionette Theatre |- | ''[Hair](/source/Hair_(musical))'' | Crissy | rowspan="4" | [Gateway Playhouse](/source/Gateway_Playhouse) |- |''[Sugar](/source/Sugar_(musical))'' | Society Syncopater |- |''[Irene](/source/Irene_(musical))'' | Jane McFudd |- |''[Jesus Christ Superstar](/source/Jesus_Christ_Superstar)'' | Apostle Woman |- |''[They're Playing Our Song](/source/They're_Playing_Our_Song)'' | align=center | 1979-81 | A Voice of Sonia Walsk | National Tour |- | rowspan="2" | ''[Candide](/source/Candide_(operetta))'' | align=center | 1982 | rowspan="2" | Pink Sheep / Ensemble | [New York City Opera](/source/New_York_City_Opera) |- | align=center | 1983 | [Arena Stage](/source/Arena_Stage) |- |''[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street](/source/Sweeney_Todd%3A_The_Demon_Barber_of_Fleet_Street)'' | rowspan="2" align=center | 1984 | Beggar Woman (alternate) | [New York City Opera](/source/New_York_City_Opera) |- |''[Raggedy Ann](/source/Raggedy_Ann_(musical))'' | [Raggedy Ann](/source/Raggedy_Ann) | [The Egg](/source/New_York_State_Theatre_Institute) |- |''[Sweet Adeline](/source/Sweet_Adeline_(musical))'' | align=center | 1985 | Dot | New York Town Hall |- |''[Rag Dolly](/source/Raggedy_Ann_(musical))'' | align=center | 1985-86 | [Raggedy Ann](/source/Raggedy_Ann) | [The Egg](/source/New_York_State_Theatre_Institute) and [Natalya Sats Musical Theater](/source/Natalya_Sats_Musical_Theater) |- |''[Candide](/source/Candide_(operetta))'' | rowspan="2" align=center | 1986 | Pink Sheep / Ensemble | [New York City Opera](/source/New_York_City_Opera) |- |''[Raggedy Ann: The Musical Adventure](/source/Raggedy_Ann_(musical))'' | [Raggedy Ann](/source/Raggedy_Ann) | [Nederlander Theatre](/source/Nederlander_Theatre) |- |''[Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street](/source/Sweeney_Todd%3A_The_Demon_Barber_of_Fleet_Street)'' | align=center | 1987 | Beggar Woman (alternate) | rowspan="2" | [New York City Opera](/source/New_York_City_Opera) |- |''[The Music Man](/source/The_Music_Man)'' | align=center | 1988 | Ethel Toffelmier |- |} ===Artistic direction and producing=== *''Christmas at Rainbow Corner'' (co-producer Denise Lanctot) 1993, National Public Radio{{cite news |first=Stephen |last=Holden |title=CABARET REVIEW; Innocent Radio Days |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/12/05/theater/cabaret-review-innocent-radio-days.html |work=The New York Times |date=December 5, 1994 }} *''Her Funny Valentine'', 1994, National Public Radio *''Women in Cabaret'', 1994, World Financial Center *''Women on Broadway'', 1995, World Financial Center *''The Tony Awards, 50 Years of Broadway's Best Musicals'', 1996, World Financial Center *''The Men I Love, A Centennial Salute to Ira Gershwin & George Gershwin'', 1997, World Financial Center *''Happy Birthday New York, A Musical Tribute to the City's Centennial'', 1998, World Financial Center *''The Great Songwriters of Hollywood'', 1999, World Financial Center *''Spring Fling'', 2000, World Financial Center ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *{{official website|https://www.ivyaustin.com/}} *{{IBDB name}} *{{IMDb name|0042403}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Austin, Ivy}} Category:1958 births Category:Living people Category:American voice actresses Category:Colgate University alumni Category:Actresses from Brooklyn Category:Jewish American actresses Category:Jewish American singers Category:American women singers Category:21st-century American Jews Category:21st-century American actresses --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ivy Austin](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_Austin) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivy_Austin?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.