Sandra Reaves-Phillips

SANDRA REAVES-PHILLIPS

 

SANDRA REAVES-PHILLIPS  received  a Drama League Recognition Award for Outstanding Performer in  ROLLIN’ ON THE T.O.B.A. on Broadway was also  an NAACP Image Award  Nominee in California.

She was born in Mullins, South Carolina, labored in tobacco, cotton, migrant worker fields, fruit orchards with her grandmother, sang in the church choir, and then entered local talent contests when she arrived in Brooklyn, New York.  Her success in singing paved the way to show business.  As a result of performing in small clubs she landed contracts with several record companies  Sue/Broadway, Epic/Okeh,  Mainstream/Brown Dog and Canyon Records.    

She attended the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble, won her first starring role in off-Broadway musical  LITTLE BIT,  garnered critical and audience acclaim with a riveting portrayal of  Mama Younger in the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical RAISIN,  recorded a  cast album in Switzerland with Howard University cast and musicians .  She also recorded and costarred  in the original production of  BLACK & BLUE  in Paris at the Chatelet Theatre. Her appearances in other productions in North America include AMERICAN DREAMS at the Negro Ensemble Company, at the National Black Theater Festival she  starred in  SWEET MAMA STRINGBEAN as Ethel Waters, CHAMPEEN  as Bessie Smith  winning an  Audelco Award  Outstanding Female  at New Federal Theater, starred in  MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM  at the Citadel Theatre in  Canada and Pittsburgh Public Theatre productions,  BEFORE IT HITS HOME at the Arena Stage  a Helen Hayes Award Nominee, was leading lady in  FURTHER MO’ at New York’s Village Gate and  the national tours of ONE MO’ TIME,  in pre-Broadway MISS MOFFAT with Bette Davis, costarred in DON’T PLAY US CHEAP  by Melvin Van Peebles, and BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS w/Dottie West at Kenly Playhouse. She was a co-star in the original production of BLUES IN THE NIGHT, BASIN STREET, STOMPIN’ AT THE SAVOY, Scott Joplin’s TREEMONISHA, co-wrote script and songs for new musical OPENING NIGHT!  Club appearances include Cotton Club, Supper Club, Village Gate, Hollywood Cinegrill,  Dangerfield’s,  Sweetwaters,  Marian’s  Jazz Room and Jaylins in Switzerland,  Groschenoper in Germany,  Meridien  and Casino in France.  Festival appearances include, Montreal Jazz Festival, International Jazz Festival of Bern, Switzerland, North Sea Jazz Festival in Holland, and the International Festival in Lyon, France.  Ms. ReAves-Phillips made her Carnegie Hall debut in Cavalcade of Stars, performed in W.C. HANDY’S Anniversary Tribute at Lincoln Center and graced Brooklyn Academy of Music stages many times and was commissioned to perform  a  LOUIS ARMSTRONG and W.C. HANDY Concert.

She continues to tour in shows she created, LATE GREAT LADIES OF BLUES & JAZZ, BOLD & BRASSY BLUES,  ME MYSELF & YOU and  GLORY HALLELUJAH GOSPEL!

Ms. ReAves-Phillips’ film credits include ‘ROUND MIDNIGHT  actress-singer featured as Buttercup an  NAACP Image Award Nominee with Dexter Gordon and Herbie Hancock, LEAN ON ME  with Morgan Freeman as Mrs. Powers and sang the title song.  She’s featured on two television  episodes  of  LAW and ORDER, acted in the recurring role of Esther on soap opera ANOTHER WORLD,  HOMICIDE, COMEDY CENTRAL, seen  with Michael J. Fox in CONCIERGE,  sang country western  and co-starred with Ann-Margret in the N.B.C. Movie of the Week  FOLLOWING HER HEART.  Radio and television audiences have heard her voice as the “Honey Suckle Rose” scat singer  in the  popular  Entenmann’s Bakery  commercial and a guest-star appearance on  Garrison  Keillor’s Prairie Home Companion Show, Jerry Lewis  Muscular Distrophy Telethon. She’s toured extensively in America and throughout Europe  with her Gospel Concert,  sang before  an audience of 8000 in  the televised  CHRISTMAS AT THE VATICAN,  shared  a private  audience with Pope John Paul II,  produced  CDs for each of her shows including  A Tribute to “THE QUEEN OF GOSPEL…MAHALIA JACKSON”.  She appeared as Mamma  Zanni  in Seattle and  San Francisco’s TEATRO ZINZANNI  was invited by the Honorable Willie Brown to sing at a private VIP Party for the President of China,  was guest star  with the late RAY CHARLES in concert at West Point Military Academy  and  State Theater in New Jersey.  In her self-penned show LATE GREAT LADIES of BLUES & JAZZ  won a Woodie Award for Best Independent Theatrical Production at  St. Louis Black Repertory  where she gave what is a definitive performance of Lena Younger in the Tony Award winning musical RAISIN   receiving the Woodie Award for Best Female Lead, a Black Theater Network Excellence Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from Tony Award winning Crossroads Theater where she also  performed in the Broadway hit IT AIN’T NOTHIN BUT THE BLUES. She received numerous Recognition Awards and has  a  Keys  to the City of Mullins, SC.,  her hometown   and  Oklahoma City.

 

 

1.      Star of the National Tour of ONE MO TIME,  FURTHER MO’  and RAISIN

2.      Star and creator of the internationally acclaimed LATE GREAT LADIES OF BLUES & JAZZ  celebrating 30+  years as  the “longest running” one-woman show still touring

3.      Guest star on numerous television shows including LAW AND ORDER , HOMICIDE, COMEDY CENTRAL, NBC MOVIE OF THE WEEK

4.       Sang gospel  in  televised  concert  CHRISTMAS AT THE  VATICAN for Pope John Paul II  before an   audience of over 8,000.

5.       Co-starred  and sang in acclaimed film  ROUND MIDNIGHT w/Dexter Gordon and Herbie  Hancock

6.       Featured and sang title song  in film  LEAN ON ME  w/Morgan Freeman

7.       Acclaimed by Holland American  Cruise  Lines   “Diva of  the High Seas!”

8.       Engagements at numerous International  Festivals and Cabarets

9.       Sang at Houston Astrodome, Wrigley Field and Oakland Park