Backstage Bistro Award-winning recording artist and Broadway actress Rebecca Spencer (JEKYLL AND HYDE, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) recently co-starred as Jack's Mother in INTO THE WOODS at the iconic Hollywood Bowl, in a production that Charles McNulty praised in the LA Times, saying "I almost feel guilty for being one of the lucky ones to have caught what deserves to become a legendary Los Angeles memory." She recently moved to Las Vegas, after ten years in LA.
With a stage career based out of New York for four decades, Rebecca starred as Madame Giry in the 25th anniversary world tour of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, and stood by for Broadway legend Betty Buckley in GREY GARDENS at the Ahmanson Theatre in LA. Rebecca created the role of Madame Giry in the $35 million production of PHANTOM - THE LAS VEGAS SPECTACULAR, under the direction of Harold Prince. Her acclaimed performances at the Venetian Hotel and Casino continued for over two years. A review in the Las Vegas Review Journal noted: “There's lots of talent on display at 'Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular,' but the person I can never stop watching is Rebecca Spencer”. The role returned Rebecca to the haunts of the Paris Opera House, fifteen years after her debut as Carlotta in DAS PHANTOM DER OPER, performed in German for six months at the Neue Flora Theatre in Mr. Prince’s Hamburg, Germany Company.
As an early collaborator, Rebecca was an original Broadway cast member of JEKYLL AND HYDE and created the role of Lisa (Emma) Carew in the Alley Theatre world premiere, a role she had the opportunity to revisit on Broadway ten years later. She was an original company member of the Toronto workshop production of RAGTIME, directed by Frank Galati. Rebecca has performed principal roles in over 60 opera, national tour, regional and Off-Broadway productions ranging from Cunegonde in Bernstein’s CANDIDE to Dolly Levi in Jerry Herman’s HELLO DOLLY. Her television credits include Solve, Third Watch and Law and Order: SVU.
Ms. Spencer is recognized both nationally and internationally in the recording, cabaret and concert worlds for her signature contemporary art song, lyric driven interpretations that seamlessly fuse classical and contemporary composers. Her self-produced debut recording, WIDE AWAKE AND DREAMING, was honored with the BackStage Bistro Award for Most Outstanding Recording. Her many New York City solo appearances include the venerable Birdland Jazz Club, The Laurie Beechman Theatre at The West Bank, Encore Panache!, Le Belle Epoque, Green Street Cafe, B. Smith's and the historic Don't Tell Mama's. Her sophmore CD, FAIR WARNING, marked her Las Vegas concert debut presented by the Performing Arts Society of Nevada, and was named the top concert event of the month by Las Vegas Magazine. She was featured on the cover of the Las Vegas Review Journal's NEON Entertainment Magazine. In Los Angeles, she has performed concerts at Vitello's, and The Sorting Room in Beverly Hills at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts.
Rebecca also appeared in five Encores! concerts at the City Center and was featured at the Mabel Mercer Foundation’s Cabaret Conventions with appearances at Town Hall and Rose Hall/Lincoln Center. In Las Vegas, she conceived the script for the Liberace Piano Competitions and co-hosted the international competition. As a crossover Artist Rebecca has been a guest soloist with numerous American opera companies, and American symphony engagements that include guest soloist with the Syracuse, New Haven, Detroit, Florida, Indianapolis and Naples Symphonies and Carnegie Hall's "Gershwin Centennial" recorded for PBS. She toured as guest soloist with the award-winning composer, Marvin Hamlisch, and with his blessing Rebecca recorded a re-imagined arrangement by Philip Fortenberry of his song, ‘The Girl Who Used to Be Me’ (Shirley Valentine) with lyrics by Alan and Marilyn Bergman.
Rebecca recently released her third recording on the LML Music label, entitled STILL, STILL, STILL. The album, celebrating the spirit of Christmas, is currently available, along with her previous releases, on Apple Music, Amazon, Spotify, Pandora, and numerous music platforms. Ms. Spencer also served as Executive Producer, and recorded in Hollywood at both East West Studios and the historic Studio A at Capitol Studios, working with Sound Engineer and co-Producer Michael Stern (The Shack), with additional instrumental arrangements recorded at UNLV Recording Studios in Las Vegas. The recording was mastered at venerable Bernie Grundman Mastering by Patricia Sullivan (John Williams scores). As an LML Vocal Artist, the recording also marks her third collaboration with Musical Director, Broadway conductor and impressionistic concert pianist, Philip Fortenberry (HBO's Behind the Candelabra). Featured guest artists are cellist Moonlight Tran (Las Vegas Phil) and Eric Tewalt (Celion Dion) on the soprano saxophone. She has recorded for numerous record labels ranging from Broadway First Cast albums to collectable compilations.
Rebecca has co-starred alongside a myriad of Awarding Winning Film and Television Stars. Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winning Actor, Richard Jenkins (Olive Kitteridge, The Visitor) cast and directed Rebecca in Adrian Hall’s adaptation of A Christmas Carol for the Trinity Repertory Theatre. She toured nationally in the musical, Man of La Mancha that starred both Hal Linden (Barney Miller) and John Cullum (Northern Exposure), played the role of Marietta, the daughter to Rudolfo played by the 1930’s musical film star, Alan Jones (1936 Showboat, Marx Brothers - The Night At The Opera) in Naughty Marietta, and was chosen by the composer and lyricist team of George Forrest and Robert Wright (Kismet) for the role of Marsinah in the Off- Broadway production of Kismet. Rebecca was the first cast to launch the inaugural season of City Center Encores! in Call Me Madam starring Tyne Daly (Cagney & Lacey).
Rebecca holds a Bachelor of Music Degree from Ithaca College with an emphasis on classical vocal performance. Sought after as a Teaching Artist, her Master Classes have been taught at AMDA in LA, Southern Methodist University, Ithaca College, and the Governor’s School For The Arts in Norfolk, VA, among others. She was the assistant director to NY Director, Richard Sabellico, for Leonard Bernstein’s Wonderful Town, and was the Creative Consultant for a concert at the Moore Theatre in Seattle featuring collaboration between the Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre and the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra.
Rebecca chooses to utilize a diverse repertoire derived from the leading composers and lyricists of Broadway, the American Art Song and the American Songbook. While in performance, she continues to participate, whenever possible, in education outreach and talk backs.
MASTER CLASSES
Martha Graham to Agnes DeMille
"There is vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique."
Rebecca offers Master Classes, Song Interpretation, and Audition Preparation for Musical Theatre and Cabaret Artists designed for singers and actors who are classically and theatrically trained in pursuit of a professional career in the live performing arts. Rebecca’s coachings target how to build an audition book tailored for Broadway and Regional Theatre auditions. With her expansive knowledge of repertoire, she also prepares young artists for college audition requirements.
Rebecca’s unique approach offers a healthy vocal technique through carefully chosen repertoire of all genres, exploring appropriate key signatures, and encouraging versatility to step out of an Artist’s comfort zone. In this influential pop culture, Rebecca guides each artist to find their real voice, embrace their essence, and to learn a discipline to study a song through lyric driven storytelling while respecting the musicality of how the song style unfolds. Very quickly, she physically gets the Artist up on their feet breathing life into a song with the confidence to own the room.
In 2022, Las Vegas became her home, and she is excited to announce that for select coachings she will be joined by her longtime Musical Director - esteemed Broadway Conductor, and one of the leading musicians in Las Vegas, concert pianist Dr. Philip Fortenberry.
While based in LA, she joined the AMDA – LA Conservatory as an adjunct Faculty member for their competitive musical theatre training program for three years. She later opened her Rebecca Spencer Studio with composer and pianist, Ben Ginsberg. Fire Starter Entertainment Talent Agency placed her on their referral list, where she was energized to usher new clients from the college scene to the professional world. She has taught Master Classes for Southern Methodist University, the Governor’s School for the Arts in Norfolk, VA and the educational consortium across Montana. For the Seattle based, Broadway Bound Children’s Theatre, she taught song interpretation workshops and served as their Program Advisor for ‘A BROADWAY SYMPHONIC SPECTACULAR,’ a joint venture with the Seattle Youth Symphony Orchestra that featured nine vocalists, conducted by Stephen Radcliffe. For Broadway Bound’s outreach program, she served as the Music Coordinator for the concert musical, GOD LIVES IN GLASS composed by Keith Thompson, one of the leading conductors and producers in Las Vegas, conducted by Barbara Jamison (Kentucky Opera, General Director) at the Paul Robeson Performing Arts Center. Rebecca holds a BFA degree in Classical Voice Performance from the Ithaca College School of Music.
For further information, please see the attached Rebecca Spencer Studio brochure.