Joan Diener was an American actress.
Biography
Born in Columbus, Ohio, Lawrence studied at Sarah Lawrence College during which time she developed a taste for acting, making her Broadway debut in the 1948 revue Small Wonder. She subsequently became known as a musical theatre actress and singer.
Diener did not often appear onscreen, but still made appearances in Androcles and the Lion as well as guesting on several variety programmes, including The Ed Sullivan Show.
She passed away in 2006.
Singing
Diener was best known for her musical theatre roles, making her big break originating the role of Lalume in Kismet, later going on to originate the role of Aldonza in Man of La Mancha, a part she would reprise on several occasions.
Diener also appeared in a number of smaller productions, including Cry for Us All, and Home Sweet Homer, a musical based on Homer's Odyssey, as Penelope.
Stage
Small Wonder (1948)
- Count Your Blessings
- Badaroma
- Nobody Told Me (contains solo lines)
- Just An Ordinary Guy
Kismet (1953)(originated the role)
- Not Since Nineveh (contains solo lines)
- Rahadlakum (contains solo lines)
At the Grand (1958)(originated the role)
- Blest? (solo)
- La Saracena (contains solo lines)
- What You Need (duet)
- Crescendo (duet)
- Press Conference (contains solo lines)
- What You Need (reprise) (solo)
- Blest! (solo)
La Belle (1962)(originated the role)
Purple Dust (1965)(originated the role)
- Come From the Dyin'
Man of La Mancha (1965)(originated the role)
- It's All the Same (solo)
- What Does He Want of Me? (solo)
- The Dubbing (contains solo lines)
- Aldonza (solo)
- Dulcinea (reprise)(solo)
- The Impossible Dream (reprise)(duet)
- Man of La Mancha (reprise)
- Finale Ultimo: The Impossible Dream (reprise)(contains solo lines)
Cry for Us All (1970)(originated the role)
- How Are Ya, Since? (contains solo lines)
- That Slavery Is Love (solo)
Home Sweet Homer (1976)
- The Sorceress (contains solo lines)
- I Never Imagined Goodbye (solo)
- Did He Really Think (solo)
- The Rose (solo)
Regina (1977)
- Small Talk (contains solo lines)
- Goodbyes (contains solo lines)
- Big Rich (contains solo lines)
- I Don't Know (contains solo lines)
- My, My (contains solo lines)
- Away (duet)
- The Best Thing of All (duet)
- These Cee-gars What You Looking For, Son? (contains solo lines)
- Greetings (contains solo lines)
- Horace and Regina (duet)
- The Business (contains solo lines)
- Waltz (solo)
- Gallop (contains solo lines)
- Horace and Regina (duet)
- Regina's Aria (duet)
- Melodrama (contains solo lines)
- Greedy Girl (duet)
- Horace's Death (contains solo lines)
- Finale (contains solo lines)
