Photo: Philip Romano / CC BY-SA 4.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
LaChanze is a singer, film actor and stage actor. LaChanze was born in St. Augustine, Florida, United States on December 16, 1961. That works out to 64 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes The University of the Arts. Recorded honors include Theatre World Award (1991), Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical (2006), Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress (2005) and 2 more.
My Take
What strikes me most about LaChanze is the rare arc of her career. Winning the 2006 Tony for Best Actress in The Color Purple would be a career peak for most, but she didn't stop there. Pivoting into producing, she has since collected multiple Tonys for shows like Kimberly Akimbo and Purpose. That ability to dominate as a performer and then succeed all over again as a creator speaks to a deep, restless intelligence about theater itself. I admire artists who refuse to coast on past triumphs, and her decades of stage devotion since Florida make her, to me, a genuine institution of Broadway.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- LaChanze
- Name (Japanese)
- ラ・チャンズ
- Reading
- ら・ちゃんず
- Born
- December 16, 1961 (age 64)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Sagittarius / Ox
- Origin
- St. Augustine, Florida, United States
- Occupation
- singer / film actor / stage actor / actor / television actor
2. Background
- University
- The University of the Arts
Awards & achievements
- 1991 Theatre World Award
- 2006 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical
- 2005 Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress
- 2023 Tony Award for Best Musical
- 2023 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play
3. Links
- Official sitehttps://mslachanze.com/
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LaChanze
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q3820592
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-21
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was LaChanze born?
Born December 16, 1961 (age 64).
Where is LaChanze from?
LaChanze is from St. Augustine, Florida, United States.
What does LaChanze do?
LaChanze works as singer, film actor, stage actor, actor, television actor.
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