Sally Mayes

'''Sally Mayes''' is an American actress and cabaret and concert singer.

==Biography== Born in Livingston, Texas, Mayes began her career as a rock and jazz singer in Houston.<ref name="NYT3">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/12/15/theater/on-stage.html?scp=2&sq=Sally%20Mayes&st=cse|title=On Stage|first=Enid|last=Nemy|work=New York Times|date=December 15, 1989|accessdate=March 25, 2009}}</ref> She attended the University of Houston.<ref>[http://www.theatermania.com/houston-theater/news/08-2012/sally-mayes-brent-spiner-robert-wuhl-set-for-unive_60275.html Sally Mayes, Brent Spiner, Robert Wuhl Set for University of Houston School of Theatre & Dance Tribute Event] by David Gordon. TheaterMania Theater News, 6 Aug 2012; retrieved 2012-09-05.</ref>

She made her Broadway debut in April 1989 as Winona Shook in Cy Coleman's ''Welcome to the Club'',<ref name="NYT1">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/14/theater/review-theater-welcome-to-the-club-a-musical-about-divorce.html?scp=4&sq=+Sally+Mayes&st=nyt|title=Review/Theater; 'Welcome to the Club,' A Musical About Divorce|first=Frank|last=Rich|work=New York Times|date=April 14, 1989|accessdate=March 25, 2009}}</ref> for which she won a 1989 Theatre World Award (outstanding debut performance on- or off-Broadway).

This was followed by her appearance in the original Off-Broadway production of Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire's ''Closer Than Ever'' at the Cherry Lane Theatre. A critical success, the show ran for 312 performances and a CD recording was made on the RCA Victor label.<ref name="NYT2">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/02/25/theater/recordings-closer-than-ever-is-one-from-the-heart.html?sec=&spon=&&scp=2&sq=Brent%20Barrett%20%20Closer%20Than%20Ever&st=cse| title=RECORDINGS; 'Closer Than Ever' Is One From the Heart|first=Stephen|last=Holden|work=New York Times|date=February 25, 1990|accessdate=March 25, 2009}}</ref>

Mayes next appeared as Ilona Ritter in a revival of Jerry Bock's ''She Loves Me'' at the Roundabout Theatre in 1993. The production moved to the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on Broadway the following year, and Mayes garnered Tony and Drama Desk Award nominations for her performance.

After ''She Loves Me'' closed in June 1994, Mayes appeared as Brunnhilde in Jim Luigs's ''Das Barbecu'' at the Minetta Lane Theatre the following Fall.

In 1995 she appeared as Mrs. MacAfee in the television movie version of ''Bye Bye Birdie'' with Jason Alexander, Vanessa L. Williams, Marc Kudisch, and Chynna Phillips. The following year she played a small role in Harold Becker's film ''City Hall''.

In 1997 she appeared at the Queens Theatre in the Park in a production of Stephen Sondheim's ''Marry Me A Little''.

In 2000 Mayes appeared Off-Broadway as Keely in James Hindman's critically acclaimed musical ''Pete 'n' Keely''. For her performance she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. That same year she appeared in a small role in the film ''Double Parked''.{{Citation needed |date=December 2020}}

In 2001 she returned to the Queens Theatre in the Park to appear in the play ''Decade''. She also appeared in the musical revue ''The Broadway Musicals of 1943'' at Town Hall.

She toured the United States in a production of Claudia Shear's and James Lapine's ''Dirty Blonde'', and appeared on ''Sex and the City'' in the episode ''Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda''. In 2002 she guest starred on ''Law & Order: Criminal Intent'' as Brenda in the episode ''Crazy''.{{Citation needed |date=December 2020}} In 2003 she returned to Broadway as Aunt Corene in the musical ''Urban Cowboy'', earning a third Drama Desk Award nomination. In 2005 she appeared in the ensemble of the film ''The Producers''.

When Mayes isn't working as an actress, she maintains a busy schedule as a concert and cabaret singer in New York City. Stephen Holden of ''The New York Times'' wrote in a 2001 review: "There is hardly a cabaret performer in New York who couldn't learn something from Sally Mayes. The plucky platinum-haired singer and actress embodies a hard-shelled professionalism that is too often missing from the nightclub stage. Alternately sparkly and brassy, and exuding a determined can-do energy, Ms. Mayes often suggests a contemporary cabaret descendant of Ginger Rogers."<ref name="NYT4">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2001/11/14/arts/cabaret-review-channeling-ginger-rogers-in-a-seriocomic-dating-history.html?scp=1&sq=%22Sally+Mayes%22+Ginger&st=nyt|title=CABARET REVIEW; Channeling Ginger Rogers in a Seriocomic Dating History|first=Stephen|last=Holden|work=New York Times|date=November 14, 2001|accessdate=March 25, 2009}}</ref>

==Stage== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Venue ! class="unsortable" |Ref. |- |rowspan=2|1989 |''Welcome to the Club'' |Winona Shook |Broadway, Music Box Theatre |rowspan=10|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Sally-Mayes/ |title=Sally Mayes |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en |access-date=2025-07-19}}</ref>

|- |''Closer Than Ever'' |Performer |Off-Broadway, Cherry Lane Theatre |- |1993 |''She Loves Me'' |Ilona Ritter |Broadway, Criterion Center Stage Right |- |1994 |''Das Barbecu'' |Brunnhilde/et al |Off-Broadway, Minetta Lane Theatre |- |2000 |''Pete 'n' Keely'' |Keely |Off-Broadway, John Houseman Theatre |- |2003 |''Urban Cowboy'' |Aunt Corene |Broadway, Broadhurst Theatre |- |2005 |''Steel Magnolias'' |Truvy |Broadway, Lyceum Theatre |- |2011 |''Play It Cool'' |Performer |Off-Broadway, Acorn Theatre |}

==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Award !Category !Work !Result !Ref. |- |1989 |colspan=2|Theatre World Awards |''Welcome to the World'' |{{won}} |rowspan=9|<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Sally-Mayes/ |title=Sally Mayes |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en |access-date=2025-07-19}}</ref> |- |1990 |Outer Critics Circle Awards |Best Actress in a Musical |rowspan=2|''Closer Than Ever'' |{{Nom}} |- |1991 |Helen Hayes Awards |Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|1994 |Tony Awards |Best Featured Actress in a Musical |rowspan=2|''She Loves Me'' |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=3|Drama Desk Awards |Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical |{{nom}} |- |2000 |Outstanding Actress in a Musical |''Pete 'n' Keely'' |{{won}} |- |2003 |Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical |''Urban Cowboy'' |{{won}} |}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{IMDb name|0562603}} *{{IBDB name}} *[http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=people&first=Sally&middle=&last=Mayes Sally Mayes at the Internet Off Broadway Database] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120717095634/http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=people&first=Sally&middle=&last=Mayes |date=2012-07-17 }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mayes, Sally}} Category:People from Livingston, Texas Category:University of Houston alumni Category:American film actresses Category:American musical theatre actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:American television actresses Category:Living people Category:Theatre World Award winners Category:American cabaret performers Category:1959 births Category:21st-century American women