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Meredith Braun

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Meredith Braun
Born1973 (age 50–51)
Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand
GenresMusical theatre
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active1983–present
LabelsStage Door Records
Websitemeredithbraun.co.uk

Meredith Braun (born 1973) began her career as a child actor in her native New Zealand before relocating to the UK and starring in a number of West End musicals and touring productions.

Early life

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As a child in Remuera, Auckland,[1] Braun appeared in numerous stage productions plus occasional television shows (The Haunting of Barney Palmer)[2] and advertisements.

Her mother studied at the Royal College of Music in the 1950s and at the age of 16 Braun moved from New Zealand to London.[3] In 1989, Braun earned a place at London's prestigious Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts.[4]

Career

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She began her West End career six months later with a lead role in short-lived musical Bernadette at the Dominion Theatre.[3] Cameron Mackintosh then cast Meredith as Eponine in Les Miserables, a role she played in both London and Manchester. In 1993, she was cast as Betty Schaeffer in Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical version of Sunset Boulevard. Having been part of an audition process that involved 300 other potential actresses, Lloyd Webber said of Meredith "When I saw Meredith and heard her I knew she was going to be a star".

Further shows in the West End included starring as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera plus Out of the Blue with Michael McCarthy[5][6] and Killing Rasputin. Between 2000 and 2001 Meredith starred as Lily in the RSC's production of The Secret Garden at both the Theatre Royal Stratford and the Aldwych Theatre, London.

Between 1995 and 1997, Braun returned home to her native Auckland, landing numerous roles in one of New Zealand's leading professional theatre companies, the Auckland Theatre Company. She came with the prestige as one of the starring names within New Zealand's theatre industry at the time.

Braun also appeared as Belle in Disney's 1992 holiday film The Muppet Christmas Carol opposite Michael Caine and the cast of The Muppets,[7] and has done a number of television roles in the United Kingdom.

After a ten-year absence from performing, Braun released her debut solo album Someone Else's Story in 2012 - a mix of contemporary show songs and classical crossover material. The album features musical direction and arrangements by Paul Bateman (musical director for Sarah Brightman and Lesley Garrett), and was released on Stage Door Records on March 26, 2012.[8][3]

In 2017, Braun released her second solo album When Love Is Gone featuring a new recording of the song of the same name she performed in The Muppet Christmas Carol marking the film's 25th anniversary. The album was released by Stage Door Records in November 2017.[9]

Meredith is now the course director for The University of Chichester Conservatoire's BA (Hons) Musical Theatre (Music) Course, having previously been a lecturer for Musical Theatre Triple Threat course.[10]

Filmography

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Film and television

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Year Title Role Notes
1987 The Haunting of Barney Palmer Troy [2]
1992 The Muppet Christmas Carol Belle [7]
2003 Doctors Janine Lewis
2007 New Tricks Nyreen
2009 Missing Carrie Garrison

UK theatre credits

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Year Title Role Theatre Location
1990 Bernadette Camille Dominion Theatre West End
1991 Les Misérables Eponine Palace Theatre West End
1992-93 — UK National Tour
1993 Sunset Boulevard Betty Schaefer Adelphi Theatre West End
1994 Out of the Blue Hideko Shaftesbury Theatre West End
1998-99 Killing Rasputin Princess Irina Bridewell Theatre London
1999-20 The Phantom of the Opera Christine Her Majesty's Theatre West End
2000-01 The Secret Garden Lily Aldwych Theatre / Theatre Royal Stratford East West End / Stratford
2002 Cordelia Jude Royal National Theatre London
2003 Forever Yours Jennie Southwark Playhouse Off-West End

New Zealand theatre credits

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Year Title Role Theatre Location
1985 The Tempest Ariel Auckland
1985 The Chalk Garden Laurel Auckland
1986 The Cage Birds Gossip Auckland
1986 The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Pandora Auckland
1986 Snoopy Peppermint Patty Auckland
1987 Bugsy Malone Blouse Auckland
1987 The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Auckland
1987 Alice in Wonderland Alice Auckland
1987 Jack the Ripper Polly Auckland
1988 Fiddler on the Roof Ensemble Auckland
1995 Sweet Charity Charity Hope Valentine Mercury Theatre Auckland
1995 Footrot Flats Jess Mercury Theatre Auckland
1996 Jesus Christ Superstar Mary Magdalene Mercury Theatre Auckland
1996 The Sound of Music Maria Mercury Theatre Auckland
1997 South Pacific Nellie Forbush Mercury Theatre Auckland

Workshops

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Year Title Location
1994 Yusupov Sydmonton Festival / Donmar Warehouse[11][12]
1994 Jekyll Prince of Wales Theatre
2004 The Far Pavilions London

Personal life

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Braun has three children by her first husband, musical director David White,[13] (twins born 1997–1998) and a son, Tiger Braun-White, a cellist, (born 2003–2004).[9][14] Her second husband, Bill Rea, is a marine architect.[4][15]

References

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  1. ^ Matheson, John (1987). "Coveted role to Meredith". Retrieved 22 October 2018 – via actorz.ru.
  2. ^ a b "The Haunting of Barney Palmer (1987)". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 November 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b c Fernandez, Ligia (March 2012). "5 Questions For... Meredith Braun". Broadway Cafe Society. Archived from the original on 25 June 2012. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  4. ^ a b Churchill, Penny (7 April 2016). "Country houses in Kent and Hampshire: A Hampshire gem near Bedales". Country Life. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Out of the Blue: Cast". lilyrose.org. Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  6. ^ Braun, Meredith; Tokura, Shun-Ichi; Sand, Paul (1994). Out of the Blue (Media notes). Cast: Simon Burke, David Burt, Greg Ellis, Lynden Edwards, James Graeme, Paulette Ivory, Michael McCarthy, Andrew Newey, Charles Shirvell, Andrew Wale. Stage Door Records. ASIN B0042FXIKS. Barcode: 5055122190257.
  7. ^ a b "The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)". bfi.org.uk. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 2 June 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  8. ^ Gans, Andrew (27 July 2011). "Sunset Boulevard star Meredith Braun at work on debut solo recording". Playbill. Archived from the original on 21 October 2012. Retrieved 20 April 2012.
  9. ^ a b Hewitt, Phil (5 January 2018). "New album from Meredith Braun". Chichester Observer. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Meredith Braun". chi.ac.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2023.
  11. ^ "MEREDITH BRAUN & HAL FOWLER - SO NEARLY PERFECT (from Yusupov) 1994" – via www.youtube.com.
  12. ^ "MEREDITH BRAUN - YUSUPOV (SOLILOQUY) ACT TWO" – via www.youtube.com.
  13. ^ Staff writer (16 March 2012). "Meredith Braun: "'Someone Else's Story' is full of stories, each song is a journey"". todoMUSICALES. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
    See also:
    "David White, BA, FRAM: Musical Theatre - Specialist Musical Theatre Coach and Vocal Coach". ram.ac.uk. Royal Academy of Music. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  14. ^ Meredith Braun - Official "Team Braun" (18 December 2017). "Tiger Braun-White - Debut Cello Recital in aid of Skylight". facebook.com/meredithbraunofficial. Facebook. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Welcome To Rea McAllister Yachts". yachtworld.com/reamcallisteryachts. Rea McAllister Yachts Ltd. Archived from the original on 23 October 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
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