Mara Davi
Born (1984-01-22) January 22, 1984
Alameda County, California, U.S.
Alma materCalifornia State University, Fullerton
Occupations
  • Actress
  • dancer
  • singer
SpouseAaron Gaines (married 2008–present)

Mara Davi (born January 22, 1984, Alameda County, California) is an American actress, singer, and dancer; she made her Broadway debut as Maggie Winslow in the 2006 revival of A Chorus Line.

Biography

Mara Davi grew up in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.[1] She began dance lessons at three years old at a local studio but later transferred to the Academy of Theatre Arts in Englewood, Colorado.[1] She studied several styles of dance, including ballet, tap, and jazz, but enjoyed tap the most.[1] Her family moved to Folsom, California, where she attended Folsom High School. During high school, Davi shifted her focus away from dance to musical theater.[1] She appeared in numerous regional productions including: Annie, The Sound of Music, Gypsy, Baby, Grease, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Davi attended California State University, Fullerton where, during her sophomore year, she was chosen for the lead in the U.S. and Japan tour of 42nd Street.[2][3][4]

Career

Davi played the role of Maggie in the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line, in 2006.[5][6] She joined The Drowsy Chaperone on Broadway on July 30, 2007, succeeding Sutton Foster in the lead role of Janet van de Graaff.[6] In March 2008, she was featured in the premiere of the musical stage version of The Band Wagon at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego, in the role played by Cyd Charisse.[7][8]

Davi returned to New York for the May 2008 Encores! concert presentation of No, No, Nanette in the title role, playing alongside Rosie O'Donnell, Sandy Duncan, Shonn Wiley, and Fred Willard.[9] In 2012 she was in a musical adaptation of The Toxic Avenger at The Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. The Toxic Avenger musical had plans on transferring on Broadway in the near future.[10]

Davi made her Birdland cabaret debut in May 2008.[11] She appeared on the Broadway stage as Judy Haynes in the 2009 New York production of Irving Berlin's White Christmas. She played Daisy Parker who blackmails Derek Wills for a role in the fictional Hit List on the second season of Smash. From 2011 to 2012 she played the role of Bianca Sanfino in "A Night on the Town",[12] "Moonlighting",[13] and "Women with Guns"[14] the 5th, 9th, and 16th episodes of the second season of the CBS police procedural drama Blue Bloods.

From 2011, Davi and pianist/composer Adam Waite have appeared as the band "Mara and the Bitter Suite" and released an album in 2012 titled Unspoken.[15][16]

Davi starred as Joan in the Broadway revival of "Dames at Sea", which ran from September 2015 to January 2016.[17]

Personal life

Davi married actor Aaron Gaines on June 8, 2008. They currently reside in New York.[18]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "On the Rise: Mara Davi". Dance Magazine. 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
  2. ↑ "Mara Davi: Showin' Off", broadwayworld.com, August 6, 2007
  3. ↑ University of Iowa 42nd Street credits uiowa.edu, January 2005 Archived September 3, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ Bornstein, Lisa."Dancing in Denver shows since age 8, Mara Davi lands Broadway role" Archived July 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, Rocky Mountain News, October 9, 2006
  5. ↑ Moore, John."Broadway break delights teachers", Denver Post, October 22, 2006
  6. 1 2 "Mara Davi Broadway" Internet Broadway Database, accessed November 16, 2016
  7. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "New Sun in the Sky: Mara Davi Will Be Dancing in the Dark in San Diego", Playbill, January 7, 2008, accessed November 17, 2016
  8. ↑ Stevens, Rob. "Dancing in the Dark" Archived 2008-09-24 at the Wayback Machine, theatermania.com, March 17, 2008
  9. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Mara Davi Is Nanette for City Center Encores! Beginning May 8", Playbill, May 8, 2008, accessed November 17, 2016
  10. ↑ Blank, Matthew. "First Look at Constantine Maroulis as 'The Toxic Avenger'" Playbill, January 11, 2012
  11. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Drowsy's Davi to Make Birdland Debut in May" Playbill, April 21, 2008
  12. ↑ "A Night on the Town" imdb.com
  13. ↑ "Moonlighting" imdb.com
  14. ↑ "Women with Guns" imdb.com
  15. ↑ "About" Mara Davi site, accessed November 16, 2016
  16. ↑ Music News Desk. "Mara Davi Releases Album" broadwayworld.com, July 1, 2012
  17. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "'Dames at Sea' Taps Its Way Onto Broadway Tonight" Playbill, September 24, 2015
  18. ↑ Fierberg, Ruthie (December 2, 2017). "Smash's Mara Davi and Husband Expecting Their First Child". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
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