Laurie Beechman

Laurie Hope Beechman was an American actress and singer who starred in several Broadway musicals. For her role as the narrator in the 1982 original Broadway production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

She played Grizabella in the first US national touring production of Cats in 1983, before replacing Betty Buckley in the Broadway production in 1984. She would play the role on Broadway continuously for over four years. She returned to the role of Grizabella several times, including in 1997 when Cats became the longest running musical in Broadway history. Laurie died the following year at the age of 44, after a long battle with cancer.

Cats Credits
US Tour 1 - 12/1983 - 02/1984 - Grizabella Broadway - 09/04/1984 - 09/1988 - Grizabella

Broadway - 10/1991 - Grizabella

(Left by 12/1991)

Broadway - 06/1992 - Grizabella

(Left by 08/1992)

Broadway - 01/1993 - Grizabella

(Left by 05/1993)

Broadway - 16/05/1997 - 14/09/1997 - Grizabella

Biography (1987)
Laurie Beechman (Grizabella) received Tony and Drama Desk nominations and won the 1982 Theatre World Award for her role as the Narrator in the Broadway production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She made her Broadway debut in Annie creating five different roles, and appeared in the film Hair. Her recordings include "Laurie and the Sighs" for Atlantic Records and "After the Fall" on Epic Records.