Biography

Marcia Mitzman Gaven received a TONY Award nomination for her performance as Mrs. Walker in the Broadway smash The Who's Tommy directed by Des McAnuff and was praised by music critics for her "show stopping performance" on the Grammy winning Broadway cast recording. During her Broadway career, she starred in Chess directed by Trevor Nunn, (Broadway Cast album) where she originated the role of Svetlana, was The Widow in Zorba, was Rizzo in Grease, and starred in Cy Coleman's Welcome To The Club. Off Broadway credits include Audrey in Little Shop Of Horrors by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. At Lincoln Center she was discovered by opera diva Beverly Sills who recruited Marcia to star in several New York City Opera productions in their Broadway Show Series. Marcia won critical raves as Nellie in South Pacific Meg in Brigadoon opposite Tony Roberts, and was the youngest actress ever to play Mrs. Lovett when Harold Prince cast her in Sweeny Todd at the age of 25. Marcia is known by Los Angeles audiences for her starring role as Mother in Ragtime directed by Frank Gelati, for which she won the Ovation Award for Best Lead Actress and also starred opposite Roger Rees, as Abigail Adams in 1776 at Reprise! Also in Los Angeles, Marcia won the Ovation award and L.A. Drama Critics Circle award for Best Lead Actress as Florence in Chess. She starred as Charlotte in A Little Night Music at the Doolittle Theatre directed by Gordon Davidson and created the role of Mrs. Walker in La Jolla Playhouse's hit The Who's Tommy before taking the show to Broadway. She can be seen in the feature Moonlight Mile with Dustin Hoffman and Susan Sarandon and on the editing floor of the film The Bonfire Of The Vanities with Tom Hanks. Television guest stars include: Fraiser, Ellen, Babylon 5, The Drew Carrey Show, Beverly Hills 90210 , with recurring roles on The Bold And The Beautiful, and in the 1995 remake of Get Smart series as the evil head of CHAOS opposite a huge Komodo dragon. Her extensive voice over work includes animation (Maude Flanders, Helen Lovejoy, LuAnne Van Hooten and Miss Hoover in The Simpsons and countless commercials and radio spots.
- IMDb mini biography by: Marcia Mitzman Gaven

Portrayed the same role, on Broadway, as Ann-Margret in the film version of Tommy.

She was nominated for a Tony Award for her portrayal of Mrs. Walker in the Broadway production of "The Who's Tommy". She was the original Svetlana in the Broadway production of "Chess".

Was nominated for Broadway's 1993 Tony Award as Best Actress (Featured Role - Musical) for her portrayal of Mrs. Walker in "The Who's Tommy."