Donna Vivino


Donna Marie Vivino is an American actress and singer who was most recently seen as Grizabella in Cats on the 2019-2020 national tour, which was choreographed by Andy Blankenbueler. She is well known for playing Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked and as the original Young Cosette in Les Misérables on Broadway.
Donna is also the co-founder of Journey to Broadway. Journeytobroadway.com
Donna is the niece of Floyd Vivino and the daughter of Terri Vivino-Apgar and Jerry Vivino, a member of the Jimmy Vivino and the Basic Cable Band. Vivino was raised in Fair Lawn, New Jersey, where she attended Fair Lawn High School, and graduated from Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City. She is the sister of brothers Danny Vivino, Michael Vivino and sisters Antonia and Natalia.

Career

Beautiful Dreamer, Album

Donna Vivino’s "Beautiful Dreamer" travels through personal history and musical eras. This recording features 13 songs that have resonated with Donna since childhood and embody her various interpretations of a “dream” – making her solo debut a thematically cohesive song-cycle, one that unfailingly captivates with its bountiful charms.
Donna is accompanied by a world-class jazz quartet led by her father Jerry Vivino – longtime member of Conan O'Brien's house band – and pianist/arranger Mitch Forman. She interprets songs by Rodgers and Hart, George and Ira Gershwin, Antônio Carlos Jobim, Randy Newman, and other legendary writers. Below is the track list:
1. When Day Is Done
2.Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered
3. Over The Rainbow
4. When She Loved Me
5. Castle On A Cloud
6. Rainy Days and Mondays
7. How Insensitive
8. Never Never Land
9. My Romance
10. I Wish You Love
11. Once You Lose Your Heart
12. They Can't Take That Away From Me
13. Beautiful Dreamer
All songs performed by Donna Vivino, arrangements by Mitchel Forman. Featuring Jerry Vivino on flute, alto flute, tenor saxophone and clarinet; Mitchel Forman on piano and keyboards; Kevin Axt on upright bass and acoustic bass guitar; and Ray Brinker on drums and percussion. The album is available on iTunes, Amazon, and Sh-K-Boom Records.

''Stars of David''

Vivino performed in Stars Of David, which opened November 12 at the Daryl Roth Theatre. The show ran until December 15, and Donna was seen in roles such as Mandy, Ruth Ginsberg and Fran Drescher.

''Wicked''

Vivino played a 20-month stint as Elphaba on the first national tour of hit musical Wicked. She joined the tour on October 30, 2007, serving as the standby for Carmen Cusack. Her first ever performance took place on December 26, 2007, and her first in the lead role on November 5, 2008. She starred alongside Katie Rose Clarke and later Chandra Lee Schwartz as Glinda. Her final performance took place on July 4, 2010. On August 23, 2011, Donna took over the position of Elphaba standby on Broadway, replacing Jennifer DiNoia. She first covered during the absence of lead Teal Wicks on the matinee of September 14. Jackie Burns replaced Wicks once her contract ended. Incidentally, Burns was Vivino's replacement on the national tour. Vivino has been re-united with Clarke while performing as standby. Vivino went on for Burns the last two weeks of Burns' contract while she was suffering from the flu. She then went on standby for Willemijn Verkaik and then for Lindsay Mendez. She left the show on November 3, 2013, and will be seen soon in Stars of David off-Broadway at the Daryl Roth Theatre.

Theatre credits

Broadway

--National Tour--
'Cats' as Grizabella -- closed due to the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic
--National Tour--
'Cats' as Grizabella -- closed due to the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic
Donna also originated the role of Enid Hoopes in all of the pre-Broadway workshops of Legally Blonde but was unable to do the show because of scheduling conflicts with .

Off-Broadway