Biography
Award-winning soprano Gay Willis won critical acclaim when she performed in the world tour of The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman. She performed to sold out houses in six countries including two weeks at Londons' Royal Albert Hall and two weeks at Radio City Music Hall. Her moving performances of the Pie Jesu (Reqiuem) received rave reviews from critics worldwide. Gay then starred as Christine Daae in The Phantom of the Opera opposite Colm Wilkinson.
"As Christine, Willis' voice has an almost ethereal quality...transporting the audience to unexpected heights emotionally as well as vocally."(Maui News) Other performances include Rapunzel in Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods (Kennedy Center), Mabel in Pirates of Penzance (Carbonell Award for Best Actress), Bloomer Girl (City Center), Funny Girl (with Whoopi Goldberg), and Nothing Like a Dame (raves from Liz Smith-New York Post). She completed over 1000 performances as Magnolia in Hal Prince's production of Showboat on Broadway, in Chicago, and on tour starring with such legends as Cloris Leachman, Anita Gillette, Elaine Stritch, Dorothy Loudon, Marilyn McCoo, Dick Van Patten, Pat Harrington, John McMartin, and Dean Jones. She received the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress in a Touring Musical for this role.
"Willis' Magnolia ages from bubbly ingenue to knowing matron and mother with great finesse and a strong emotional edge."(Variety). Gay's recent concert career has taken her throughout the United States including four soldout performances at Carnegie Hall. She was also featured in the PBS special, "From Galway to Broadway" which aired throughout the United States. Gay appeared on "Seth Rudetsky's Live on Broadway" in August 2009 which aired nationally on Sirus/XM radio, appeared in Seth's Broadway 101" at Ars Nova in New York City and again with Seth in November 2010 in "Give My Regards To Broadway" at Westbury Music Fair. Gay is proud to hail from Beaufort, North Carolina.