# Sally Mayes > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sally_Mayes > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Sally_Mayes.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Mayes > Source revision: 1323280456 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{short description|American actress}} '''Sally Mayes''' is an American actress and [cabaret](/source/cabaret) and concert singer. ==Biography== Born in [Livingston, Texas](/source/Livingston%2C_Texas), Mayes began her career as a rock and jazz singer in [Houston](/source/Houston).{{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](/source/New_York_Times)|date=December 15, 1989|accessdate=March 25, 2009}} She attended the [University of Houston](/source/University_of_Houston).[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. She made her [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) debut in April 1989 as Winona Shook in [Cy Coleman](/source/Cy_Coleman)'s ''[Welcome to the Club](/source/Welcome_to_the_Club_(musical))'',{{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](/source/New_York_Times)|date=April 14, 1989|accessdate=March 25, 2009}} for which she won a 1989 [Theatre World Award](/source/Theatre_World_Award) (outstanding debut performance on- or off-Broadway). This was followed by her appearance in the original [Off-Broadway](/source/Off-Broadway) production of [Richard Maltby, Jr.](/source/Richard_Maltby%2C_Jr.) and [David Shire](/source/David_Shire)'s ''[Closer Than Ever](/source/Closer_Than_Ever)'' at the [Cherry Lane Theatre](/source/Cherry_Lane_Theatre). A critical success, the show ran for 312 performances and a CD recording was made on the [RCA Victor](/source/RCA_Victor) label.{{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](/source/New_York_Times)|date=February 25, 1990|accessdate=March 25, 2009}} Mayes next appeared as Ilona Ritter in a revival of [Jerry Bock](/source/Jerry_Bock)'s ''[She Loves Me](/source/She_Loves_Me)'' at the [Roundabout Theatre](/source/Roundabout_Theatre) in 1993. The production moved to the [Brooks Atkinson Theatre](/source/Brooks_Atkinson_Theatre) on Broadway the following year, and Mayes garnered [Tony](/source/Tony_Award) and [Drama Desk Award](/source/Drama_Desk_Award) nominations for her performance. After ''She Loves Me'' closed in June 1994, Mayes appeared as Brunnhilde in [Jim Luigs](/source/Jim_Luigs)'s ''[Das Barbecu](/source/Das_Barbecu)'' at the [Minetta Lane Theatre](/source/Minetta_Lane_Theatre) the following Fall. In 1995 she appeared as Mrs. MacAfee in the [television movie](/source/television_movie) version of ''[Bye Bye Birdie](/source/Bye_Bye_Birdie_(1995_film))'' with [Jason Alexander](/source/Jason_Alexander), [Vanessa L. Williams](/source/Vanessa_L._Williams), [Marc Kudisch](/source/Marc_Kudisch), and [Chynna Phillips](/source/Chynna_Phillips). The following year she played a small role in [Harold Becker](/source/Harold_Becker)'s film ''[City Hall](/source/City_Hall_(1996_film))''. In 1997 she appeared at the [Queens Theatre in the Park](/source/Queens_Theatre_in_the_Park) in a production of [Stephen Sondheim](/source/Stephen_Sondheim)'s ''[Marry Me A Little](/source/Marry_Me_A_Little_(musical))''. In 2000 Mayes appeared Off-Broadway as Keely in [James Hindman](/source/James_Hindman)'s critically acclaimed musical ''[Pete 'n' Keely](/source/Pete_'n'_Keely)''. For her performance she was nominated for a [Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical](/source/Drama_Desk_Award_for_Outstanding_Actress_in_a_Musical). That same year she appeared in a small role in the film ''[Double Parked](/source/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](/source/The_Town_Hall_(New_York_City)). She toured the United States in a production of [Claudia Shear](/source/Claudia_Shear)'s and [James Lapine](/source/James_Lapine)'s ''[Dirty Blonde](/source/Dirty_Blonde_(play))'', and appeared on ''[Sex and the City](/source/Sex_and_the_City)'' in the episode ''Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda''. In 2002 she guest starred on ''[Law & Order: Criminal Intent](/source/Law_%26_Order%3A_Criminal_Intent)'' as Brenda in the episode ''[Crazy](/source/Crazy_(Law_%26_Order%3A_Criminal_Intent_episode))''.{{Citation needed |date=December 2020}} In 2003 she returned to Broadway as Aunt Corene in the musical ''[Urban Cowboy](/source/Urban_Cowboy_(musical))'', earning a third Drama Desk Award nomination. In 2005 she appeared in the ensemble of the film ''[The Producers](/source/The_Producers_(2005_film))''. 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](/source/Stephen_Holden) of ''[The New York Times](/source/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](/source/Ginger_Rogers)."{{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](/source/New_York_Times)|date=November 14, 2001|accessdate=March 25, 2009}} ==Stage== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role ! class="unsortable" |Venue ! class="unsortable" |Ref. |- |rowspan=2|1989 |''[Welcome to the Club](/source/Welcome_to_the_Club_(musical))'' |Winona Shook |Broadway, [Music Box Theatre](/source/Music_Box_Theatre) |rowspan=10|{{Cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Sally-Mayes/ |title=Sally Mayes |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en |access-date=2025-07-19}} |- |''Closer Than Ever'' |Performer |Off-Broadway, [Cherry Lane Theatre](/source/Cherry_Lane_Theatre) |- |1993 |''[She Loves Me](/source/She_Loves_Me)'' |Ilona Ritter |Broadway, [Criterion Center](/source/Criterion_Center) Stage Right |- |1994 |''Das Barbecu'' |Brunnhilde/et al |Off-Broadway, [Minetta Lane Theatre](/source/Minetta_Lane_Theatre) |- |2000 |''Pete 'n' Keely'' |Keely |Off-Broadway, John Houseman Theatre |- |2003 |''[Urban Cowboy](/source/Urban_Cowboy_(musical))'' |Aunt Corene |Broadway, [Broadhurst Theatre](/source/Broadhurst_Theatre) |- |2005 |''[Steel Magnolias](/source/Steel_Magnolias_(play))'' |Truvy |Broadway, [Lyceum Theatre](/source/Lyceum_Theatre_(Broadway)) |- |2011 |''Play It Cool'' |Performer |Off-Broadway, [Acorn Theatre](/source/Acorn_Theatre) |} ==Awards and nominations== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Award !Category !Work !Result !Ref. |- |1989 |colspan=2|[Theatre World Awards](/source/Theatre_World_Awards) |''Welcome to the World'' |{{won}} |rowspan=9|{{Cite web |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Sally-Mayes/ |title=Sally Mayes |website=BroadwayWorld |language=en |access-date=2025-07-19}} |- |1990 |[Outer Critics Circle Awards](/source/Outer_Critics_Circle_Awards) |Best Actress in a Musical |rowspan=2|''Closer Than Ever'' |{{Nom}} |- |1991 |[Helen Hayes Awards](/source/Helen_Hayes_Awards) |Outstanding Lead Actress, Non-Resident Production |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=2|1994 |[Tony Awards](/source/Tony_Awards) |[Best Featured Actress in a Musical](/source/Tony_Award_for_Best_Featured_Actress_in_a_Musical) |rowspan=2|''[She Loves Me](/source/She_Loves_Me)'' |{{nom}} |- |rowspan=3|[Drama Desk Awards](/source/Drama_Desk_Awards) |[Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical](/source/Drama_Desk_Award_for_Outstanding_Featured_Actress_in_a_Musical) |{{nom}} |- |2000 |[Outstanding Actress in a Musical](/source/Drama_Desk_Award_for_Outstanding_Actress_in_a_Musical) |''Pete 'n' Keely'' |{{won}} |- |2003 |[Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical](/source/Drama_Desk_Award_for_Outstanding_Featured_Actress_in_a_Musical) |''[Urban Cowboy](/source/Urban_Cowboy_(musical))'' |{{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 }} {{Authority control}} {{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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Sally Mayes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Mayes) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sally_Mayes?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.