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Sharon D. Clarke

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Sharon D. Clarke
MBE
Clarke in 2022
Born
Sharon Delores Clarke

(1966-08-12) 12 August 1966 (age 58)
Enfield, London, England
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1986–present
SpouseSusie McKenna

Sharon Delores Clarke MBE (born 12 August 1966) is an English actress and singer. She is a three-time Olivier Award winner, and is best known to television audiences for her role as Lola Griffin in the medical drama Holby City, and as Grace O'Brien in Doctor Who. Clarke has also played lead roles in many West End musicals, and originated the roles of the Killer Queen in We Will Rock You and Oda Mae Brown in Ghost the Musical.

Clarke has had a prolific stage career. She won the 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her role in James Baldwin's The Amen Corner. She won her second Olivier for Best Actress in a Musical for her role as Caroline Thibodeaux in the 2018 West End production of Caroline, or Change, a role she reprised on Broadway in 2021, earning her both Tony and Grammy Award nominations. In October 2020, she won her third Olivier for her role in the revival of Death of a Salesman at London's Young Vic.

Career

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Television

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Clarke is known for her role in the BBC medical drama Holby City, in which she played Lola Griffin, a doctor with ancestors from Ghana. She left the programme in 2008. Clarke reprised the role for one episode in 2019.

Other television roles include the character of Gran'Ma Flossie in the CBBC show The Crust. In 2008, Clarke sat alongside Russell Watson as a judge on the BBC talent show Last Choir Standing. Clarke's other TV credits include: Waking the Dead, Soldier Soldier, Broken Glass, Between the Lines, Children's Ward, Stop, Look & Listen – Mary Seacole, Past Caring, The Singing Detective, EastEnders, Boo! and Informer.

Clarke has also appeared as a guest on Ready Steady Cook, hosted by Ainsley Harriott, representing Holby City in 2008, winning with chef Garrey Dawson.

She has been a guest on The Paul O'Grady Show and sang the "O'Grady, O'Grady" song to celebrate the 500th show. She has also made appearances on Children in Need for the BBC, performing as Killer Queen with the cast of We Will Rock You and also singing with her Holby City co-stars.

On 10 August 2010, Clarke appeared in an episode of The Bill, "Death Knock" as brothel owner Denise Jones.

On 24 January 2011, she appeared in EastEnders, as Connor Stanley's mother Kendra. In May 2011, Clarke starred in the BBC drama The Shadow Line as Mrs. Dixon, appearing in episodes 2 and 3.

Clarke voices the character of Treetog in the CBeebies series Tree Fu Tom[1] as well as voicing “One Hundred” on the animated series ‘Numberblocks.

In October 2017, the BBC announced that Clarke had been cast as Grace O'Brien in the eleventh series of Doctor Who, appearing in the episodes "The Woman Who Fell To Earth", "Arachnids in the UK" and "It Takes You Away". She later made brief cameo appearances in the twelfth series episode "Can You Hear Me?", and in the 2021 festive special "Revolution of the Daleks".

In December 2017, Clarke made a guest appearance on Thunderbirds Are Go, providing the voice for Fire Chief Cass McCready in the Season 2 episode Inferno, which wasn't broadcast on ITV but was still shown on Amazon Video.

In 2024, Clarke made her debut playing DCI Ellis in the Channel 5 and Acorn TV drama series Ellis alonside Andrew Gower where she received critical acclaim alongside Gower in the episode following the murder of Rowan Edwards (Daire Scully). The first season consisted of 3 blocks that premeiered between October and November 2024.

Theatre

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Clarke's first professional role was in Southside, directed by Jude Kelly, at Battersea Arts Centre in 1984. This role allowed Clarke to be issued her Actor's Equity Card. [2]

She then went on to play Dolores Hope in the 1988 Talawa Theatre Company production of O Babylon! The Musical, the story of the Trench Town community's struggle for survival against the encroachment of Babylon, in the form of a new luxury hotel.[3][4][5]

Clarke has also appeared in West End theatre. Her roles include General Cartwright in Guys and Dolls (1996), Joanne Jefferson in Rent at the Shaftesbury Theatre (1998), and Miss Sherman in Fame (1999). She played Rafiki in The Lion King from 2000 to 2002 at the Lyceum Theatre and in 2004 played the character of Matron Mama Morton in Chicago.

In 2000, Clarke appeared in Flymonkey's production of The Wiz. In that production, she played the role of Glinda at the Hackney Empire.

She originated the role of Killer Queen[6] in the Ben Elton/Queen jukebox musical We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, alongside Alexander Hanson as Commander Khashoggi, for which she was nominated for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical.

In 2008, Clarke made her pantomime début in the Hackney Empire's Mother Goose. She starred in Once on This Island in Birmingham at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre. She was also set to star in The Vagina Monologues and Once on This Island at the Hackney Empire in 2009. She finished starring in the massively successful hit musical Hairspray when it closed on 28 March 2010 at the Shaftesbury Theatre. She played the role of Motormouth Maybelle, alongside Phill Jupitus and Brian Conley as Edna Turnblad.

Clarke was Davina the Diva Harp in Jack and the Beanstalk and Carmina the Camel in Aladdin, both at the Hackney Empire. In July 2010, she appeared in a one-off performance at the Hackney Empire called Sounds Like Hackney, alongside Clive Rowe.

Clarke made an appearance at Music on the Farm, held at Battlers Green Farm in aid of charity, singing hits from musicals that she has starred in.

In October 2010, the Apollo Victoria Theatre, home to the musical Wicked, celebrated its 80th anniversary and Clarke was a guest performer[7] alongside other stars such as Wayne Sleep.

2011 saw Clarke take the role of Oda Mae Brown in a musical adaptation of the film Ghost. Beginning previews in March at the Manchester Opera House, the show transferred in June 2011 to the West End at the Piccadilly Theatre, replacing Grease. Clarke was nominated in 2012 for the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical,[8] losing out on the award to Nigel Harman for his role in Shrek the Musical.

In October 2011, she appeared in a concert of the new musical Soho Cinders at the Queen's Theatre, London. Clarke has also worked as Musical Director on Meridan.

Since finishing in Ghost The Musical upon its closure in 2012, Clarke has appeared in her own one-woman cabaret at the St James Theatre.

She appeared in James Baldwin's The Amen Corner at the Royal National Theatre, for which she won Best Supporting Actress at the 2014 Olivier Awards.[9]

In the summer of 2014, she played the supporting role of Mariah in the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre production of Porgy and Bess.

In March 2015, Clarke played the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet at the Rose Theatre, Kingston.

In February 2016, she received critical acclaim for her role in a revival of August Wilson's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom at the Lyttelton Theatre (for example: "Sharon D Clarke is terrific as Ma Rainey, regally imperious" – The Telegraph; "Her golden delivery of the title song is a high point" – The Observer; "Sharon D Clarke offers a wonderfully obstreperous performance as the eponymous blues star" – Time Out; "the powerhouse delivery of Sharon D Clarke in the central role of Ma Rainey is exhilarating" – The Stage).[10][11][12][13]

In 2017, she played the role of Sonya in Cy Coleman's musical The Life at Southwark Playhouse[14] and Caroline Thibodeaux in Caroline, or Change at the Chichester Festival Theatre.[15] Clarke reprised her role in Caroline, or Change when the production transferred to the Playhouse Theatre in the West End in 2018.[16] At the 2019 Laurence Olivier Awards, Clarke won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this role.[17] The production transferred to Roundabout Theatre Company's Studio 54 on Broadway in October 2021, having been postponed for over a year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Clark reprised her role, making her Broadway debut and was well received by critics. The limited run ended on January 9, 2022.[18]

In 2019, she played the role of Linda Loman in Arthur Miller's play Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic, which transferred to the West End in October 2019 and later to Broadway in September 2022. In July 2019 she played the role of The Lady in Sheldon Epps’s Blues In The Night at the Kiln Theatre, London.[19]

Music

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Clarke achieved chart success with the FPI Project's remake of "Going Back to My Roots" and in Nomad with the singles "(I Wanna Give You) Devotion" and "Just a Groove", the latter of which sold more than two million singles worldwide.

Clarke was also part of the female vocal group Six Chix, formed for the Eurovision Song Contest 2000. They came second in the UK selection with the song "Only the Women Know". They were beaten by Nicki French singing "Don't Play That Song Again", which went on to Stockholm to finish 16th.[20]

As well as appearing on the original cast recordings for Once on This Island, Stepping Out, We Will Rock You and Ghost the Musical, Clarke recorded the title song on Terry Pratchett's Only You Can Save Mankind album alongside other West End stars, including Kerry Ellis, Ricardo Afonso and Daniel Boys.

Personal life

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Clarke is married to writer and director Susie McKenna. They wed on the Hackney Empire stage.[21][22]

Clarke was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to drama.[23]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1999 Beautiful People Nurse Tina
2000 Secret Society Typhoon
2007 Sugarhouse Crystal
2016 The Works Macbeth Short film
The Darkest Universe Megan
2018 Tau Queenpin
2019 Rocketman Counselor
Rocks Anita
2022 The Bower Terri (2021) Short film
2023 Red, White & Royal Blue British Prime Minister
2024 Wicked Part One Dulcibear

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1986, 2011 EastEnders Lizzie Burton, Kendra Stanley 2 episodes
1988 Tumbledown 1st Night Nurse Television film
1990 The Singing Detective Night Nurse 6 episodes
1993 Between the Lines Cook Episode: "Some Must Watch"
1995 Soldier Soldier Receptionist Episode: "For Better, for Worse"
1996 Broken Glass Flora Television film
2003, 2005–08,
2019		 Holby City June Singleton, Lola Griffin 112 episodes
2003 Waking the Dead Camelia Baptiste 2 episodes
2004, 2007 Boo! Narrator, Singer (voices) 11 episodes
2005 The Crust Grandma Flossie
Casualty@Holby City Lola Griffin 3 episodes
Casualty Lola Griffin Episode: "Deny Thy Father: Part 1"
2008 HolbyBlue Lola Griffin Episode: "Episode #2.1"
2010 The Bill Denise Jones Episode: "Death Knock"
2011 The Shadow Line Mrs. Dixon 2 episodes
2012 Tree Fu Tom Treetog (voice)
2013 Psychobitches Nina Simone, Bessie Smith 2 episodes
New Tricks Sarah Kaye 2 episodes
2015 Death in Paradise Zeta Akande Episode: "Stab in the Dark"
You, Me & Them Nola Episode: "The Gift"
National Theatre Live Mother Episode: "Everyman"
2017 Unforgotten Agency Manager Episode: "Episode #2.5"
2017, 2019 Thunderbirds Are Go Cass McCready (voice) 2 episodes
2018 Kiri Bimpe Episode: "Episode #1.2"
Informer DCI Rose Asante 6 episodes
Doctors Nyaqa Dale Setshwane Episode: "Dreams Are Made On"
Silent Witness Senior Special Agent Kim Price 2 episodes
Flowers Dr. Malone Episode: "Episode #2.5"
2018–2021 Doctor Who Grace O'Brien, Solitract 5 episodes
2019–2021 Numberblocks One hundred, One hundred thousand (possibly), Sixty-Four (Double Back only) 6 episodes
2019–2020 Waffle the Wonder Dog Gram 2 episodes
2020 Tiny Wonders Narrator 10 episodes
2021 La Fortuna Maggie 3 episodes
Showtrial Virginia Hoult 5 episodes
2024 Lost Boys and Fairies Claire (Foster carer) 2 episodes
Mr Loverman Carmel Walker 8 episodes
Ellis DCI Ellis 3 episodes

Video games

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Year Title Role Notes
2004 World of Warcraft
2018 World of Warcraft: Battle for Azeroth

Awards and nominations

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Tony Award

Year Category Work Result Ref.
2022 Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical Caroline, or Change Nominated [24]

Laurence Olivier Awards

Year Category Work Result Ref.
1995 Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical Once on This Island Nominated [25]
2003 We Will Rock You Nominated [26]
2012 Ghost Nominated [27]
2014 Best Actress in a Supporting Role The Amen Corner Won [9]
2019 Best Actress in a Musical Caroline, or Change Won [17]
2020 Best Actress Death of a Salesman Won [28]

Grammy Awards

Year Category Work Result Ref.
2023 Best Musical Theater Album Caroline, or Change Nominated [29]

Drama Desk Awards

Year Category Work Result Ref.
2022 Outstanding Actress in a Musical Caroline, or Change Nominated [30]
2023 Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play Death of a Salesman Nominated [31]

Outer Critics Circle Awards

Year Category Work Result Ref.
2022 Outstanding Actress in a Musical Caroline, or Change Nominated [32]
2023 Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play Death of a Salesman Nominated [33]

Other awards

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2018 Evening Standard Theatre Award Best Musical Performance Caroline, or Change Nominated [34][35]
Off West End Theatre Award Supporting Female in a Musical The Life Won [36]
2019 Critics' Circle Theatre Award Best Actress Death of a Salesman Won [37]
Black British Theatre Awards Best Female Actor in a Musical Caroline, Or Change Won [38]
2022 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Caroline, Or Change Nominated [39]
Theatre World Award Outstanding Debut Performance Won [40]
2023 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Death of a Salesman Nominated [41]

References

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  1. ^ "Tree Fu Tom", BBC Media Centre.
  2. ^ "Sharon D Clarke interview: 'Black Lives Matter has made the arts talk about diversity'". The Stage. Retrieved 22 November 2022.
  3. ^ "O Babylon! – BPA". www.blackplaysarchive.org.uk. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  4. ^ "O Babylon! The Musical". talawa.com. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  5. ^ "Sharon D Clarke on Caroline, or Change and not repeating history". Evening Standard. 14 November 2018.
  6. ^ Andrew Tomlins, "Big Interview: Sharon D. Clarke" Archived 7 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine, West End Frame, 9 March 2015.
  7. ^ Alistair Smith, "Apollo Victoria to reunite Starlight Express for 80th gala", The Stage, 12 August 2010.
  8. ^ "Olivier Awards: full list of nominations". The Telegraph. 15 March 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  9. ^ a b "Olivier awards 2014: the winners – in pictures". The Guardian. 13 April 2014. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
  10. ^ Dominic Cavendish, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom, National Theatre, review: 'revelatory'", The Telegraph, 3 February 2016.
  11. ^ Susannah Clapp, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom review – a terrific August Wilson revival", The Observer, 7 February 2016.
  12. ^ Andrzej Lukowski, "An all-too timely revival of August Wilson's American classic, set at the dawn of the jazz age", Time Out, 3 February 2016.
  13. ^ Mark Shenton, "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom review at the Lyttelton, National Theatre, London – 'superbly orchestrated'", The Stage, 2 February 2016.
  14. ^ "The Life, Southwark Playhouse, London, review: A crime if this show does not transfer to the West End". independent.co.uk. 1 April 2017. Retrieved 24 March 2018.
  15. ^ "Exceptional revival of a powerful and innovative drama – Caroline, Or Change review" The Daily Telegraph. 12 May 2017
  16. ^ Shenton, Mark (18 December 2018). "Review – Sharon D Clarke is 'extraordinary' in Caroline, or Change at the Playhouse Theatre". londontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  17. ^ a b Thompson, Jessie (7 April 2019). "Olivier Awards 2019 winners in full: The Inheritance, Company and Come From Away lead with a clutch of prizes". Evening Standard. Retrieved 24 October 2019.
  18. ^ "A Change Is Gonna Come: Sharon D Clarke on Caroline Then and Now". Playbill. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
  19. ^ "Musical review: Blues In The Night". Metro Newspaper UK.
  20. ^ "Final of Stockholm 2000 – Eurovision Song Contest". European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 10 April 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2024.
  21. ^ "Spotlight On: Sharon D Clarke and Susie Mckenna". So So Gay. Archived from the original on 2 December 2013. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  22. ^ "Interviews: Sharon D Clarke: 'We were all rooting for Rufus'", What's on Stage, 18 December 2013.
  23. ^ "No. 61803". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N16.
  24. ^ "Tony Awards 2022". Tony Awards. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  25. ^ "Olivier Winners 1995". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  26. ^ "Olivier Winners 2003". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  27. ^ "Olivier Winners 2012". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  28. ^ "Olivier Awards 2020 with Mastercard – Theatre's Biggest Night". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  29. ^ "2023 Grammy Nominations: The Complete List". Billboard. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
  30. ^ "66th Drama Desk Awards". Drama Desk Awards. Archived from the original on 14 October 2020. Retrieved 16 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Shucked, Some Like it Hot Lead 2023 Drama Desk Nominations". Theatermania. 27 April 2023. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  32. ^ "71st Outer Critics Circle Awards". Outer Critics Circle Awards. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
  33. ^ "Some Like it Hot Dominated 2023 Outer Critics Circle Awards; See the Full List of Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 21 May 2023.
  34. ^ "Read the Evening Standard Theatre Awards 2018 shortlist in full". www.standard.co.uk. 16 November 2018. Retrieved 3 December 2020.
  35. ^ Thompson, Jessie (19 November 2018). "Find out the winners of this year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards". www.standard.co.uk. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  36. ^ "Offies 2018 winners announced | WhatsOnStage". www.whatsonstage.com. 4 March 2018. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  37. ^ "2019 Results | Critics' Circle Theatre Awards". 11 February 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  38. ^ Ludmon, Mark (28 October 2019). "Winners in first Black British Theatre Awards 2019". British Theatre. Retrieved 6 July 2023.
  39. ^ "Kenita R. Miller, Bonnie Milligan Jaquel Spivey Among 2022 Drama League Award Nominees; See the Full List". 25 April 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  40. ^ "Sharon D Clarke, Patrick J Adams, Jaquel Spivey, More are 2022 Theatre World Award Winners". 6 May 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  41. ^ "See the Full List of 2023 Drama League Award Nominations". 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.
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