Brenda talks about years of stability, losing everything: My home, marriage, and business - without a regular paycheck to keep me afloat! The cherry on the cake? Finding out that no one in Hollywood wanted someone her age for their projects either. Everything can change so quickly but this 'Now What?' moment became an opportunity for her to start anew with a different perspective - giving women like herself (and beyond) an even louder voice than before!?
Brenda Braxton was destined for the stage. While most of her classmates at the famed High School of Performing Arts dreamed that their talents would one day be recognized, Brenda, a year after graduation, was cast in the hit Broadway show Guys & Dolls. But her real claim to fame was her performance in Broadway's musical revue SMOKEY JOE'S CAFÉ which earned her a Tony Award nomination, the NAACP Theater Award, the city of Chicago's Jefferson Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Album. She went on to star as Velma Kelly in Broadway's hit musical CHICAGO opposite USHER, BeBe Neuwirth, Rita Wilson and Brian McKnight. . Her other Broadway credits include, Jelly's Last Jam with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, Cats, Legs Diamond and the original production of DREAMGIRLS with Jennifer Holiday. Her TV credits include Nurse Jackie, SMASH. She most recently is costarring as Partner Madeline Gilford on The Good Fight on CBS All Access.
In realizing the importance of giving back she founded a not -for profit organization called, Leading Ladies Just for Teens (LLJFT), seminars geared toward empowering young girls to be the best they can be. Leading Ladies began in 1996 at the Virginia Theater with a series of seminars designed to encourage, challenge and inspire young girls to dream and set goals.
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