Janie Dee
Dee inMurder Room 2004
Born	(1962-06-20)20 June 1962 (age 63) Old Windsor, Berkshire, England
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1986–present

Janie Dee (born 20 June 1962) is a British actress. She won theOlivier Award for Best Actress,^[1]Evening Standard Award^[2] andCritics' Circle Theatre Award for Best Actress in a Play, and in New York theObie^[3] andTheatre World Award for Best Newcomer,^[4] for her performance as Jacie Triplethree inAlan Ayckbourn'sComic Potential.

She also won theOlivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical^[5] for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge inNicholas Hytner's acclaimed production ofRodgers & Hammerstein'sCarousel at theNational Theatre.

In 2013, Dee won theTMA Theatre Award UK for Best Performance in a Musical for her performance as Dolly Levi inHello Dolly atCurve, Leicester.

Janie Dee was born inOld Windsor, Berkshire. She is the daughter of John Lewis and Ruth Lewis (née Miller) and the eldest of four sisters. She trained at theArts Educational School inChiswick, London. On leaving ArtsEd, Dee began her career as a dancer, subsequently moving to Rome, Italy where she taught dance, took singing lessons, and learned to speak Italian.

Dee's first West End production wasGillian Lynne's 1986 revival ofCabaret in which she played Gertie and understudied the role ofSally Bowles.^[6] This led to an invitation fromWayne Sleep, who played the Emcee in that production, to join his UK tour as The Singer.^[7] Subsequently, the choreographer Bill Deamer invited her to theSalisbury Playhouse to perform inA Chorus of Disapproval and as Jack inJack and the Beanstalk at Christmas 1987.^[8]

This led to leading roles in musical theatre, including Sarah Brown inGuys and Dolls, Ellie May Chipley in the award-winningRoyal Shakespeare Company andOpera North production ofShow Boat at theLondon Palladium, Bombalurina inAndrew Lloyd Webber'sCats,Duke Ellington'sSophisticated Ladies, Claudine inCole Porter'sCan-Can, and Ado Annie in the national tour ofOklahoma!.

Dee's portrayal ofCarrie Pipperidge in the 1993Royal National Theatre's production ofCarousel earned her anOlivier Award for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical. The role gained her an invitation fromSir Richard Eyre to play her first major straight role of Julie inJohnny on a Spot at the National Theatre.^[9] She subsequently went on to playHelen of Troy inThe Women of Troy.

Dee has had an important working relationship with the playwright and directorAlan Ayckbourn. This began with Paul Todd's fringe production ofBetween The Lines for which Ayckbourn wrote song lyrics and was followed byDreams From A Summerhouse at theStephen Joseph Theatre inScarborough. She returned to work with Ayckbourn in 1996 inNeil Simon'sThey're Playing Our Song after which Ayckbourn wroteComic Potential 'with Janie in mind'. Her performance as Jacie Triplethree at Scarborough, subsequently in the West End and then at theManhattan Theatre Club in New York, won her the aforementioned Best Actress Awards in London and New York, as well as considerable critical acclaim. InNew York Magazine,John Simon wrote "Miss Dee's creation is a spectacular achievement. I am not sure that I have ever seen its equal, but I am certain I have never seen, nor ever will see, it's superior."

Dee is known for her versatility as a performer. She was invited by opera directorDavid Pountney, to play Lidotchka in his production ofShostakovich'sParadise Moscow for Opera North. She followed this playing Masha inBrian Friel's translation ofChekhov'sThree Sisters and Edyth Herbert, oppositeTim Flavin in theGeorge Gershwin musicalMy One and Only, both at theChichester Festival Theatre.My One and Only subsequently transferred to the West End and Dee was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

As a result, in 2003,Sir Peter Hall asked Dee to star in his season at theTheatre Royal, Bath, playing Gilda inNoël Coward'sDesign for Living and Emma inHarold Pinter'sBetrayal, oppositeAden Gillett andHugo Speer.Betrayal subsequently transferred to theDuchess Theatre in the West End. Hall then invited her to play Beatrice in his production ofMuch Ado About Nothing.

In 2005 Pinter invited Dee to play Kate inOld Times at theGate Theatre, Dublin and to participate in a celebration of his work, including a reading of his playCelebration, withJeremy Irons,Derek Jacobi,Sinéad Cusack,Penelope Wilton,Michael Gambon,Stephen Rea and Stephen Brennan. Producer,Michael Colgan, subsequently transferred the piece to London'sNoël Coward Theatre, for 3 performances, withCharles Dance playing the Maitre D. Six months laterCelebration was filmed forChannel 4, withColin Firth playing the role of Russell, opposite Dee as Suki.

In 2006, Dee returned to musical theatre to playMabel Normand inJohn Doyle's production ofJerry Herman'sMack and Mabel oppositeDavid Soul at theCriterion Theatre. She followed this with the role of Lady Driver inMichael Frayn'sDonkeys' Years at theComedy Theatre. At the end of the run, Dee helped organise a reading for charity ofWilliam Nicholson's playShadowlands which deals with the relationship betweenC. S. Lewis and the American writerJoy Gresham.

In 2007, Hall, Pinter, and Dee were reunited for the National tour ofOld Times withSusannah Harker andNeil Pearson. Later that year, Dee was reunited with director Michael Barker-Caven and Charles Dance in the West End Production ofShadowlands. The production began atWyndham's Theatre and subsequently transferred to theNovello Theatre.

In 2008 Dee returned to theOpen Air Theatre, Regent's Park to play Olivia inTwelfth Night opposite herCarousel co-star,Clive Rowe. Ayckbourn then invited Dee back to Scarborough to play the title role of Susan in a revival of his playWoman in Mind for which she won critical acclaim and the production subsequently transferred to theVaudeville Theatre in London.

In 2009 Dee returned to Theatre Royal Bath to play Orinthia inGeorge Bernard Shaw'sThe Apple Cart, directed by Sir Peter Hall, and took over the role of Annie inCalendar Girls byTim Firth in the West End.

In 2010, Dee played The Countess of Roussillion inAll's Well That Ends Well atShakespeare's Globe which was filmed for DVD release by Opus Arte. She also appeared asAnna Leonowens inRodgers and Hammerstein'sThe King and I at theCurve, Leicester, and as Natalya inJonathan Kent's production ofA Month in the Country at Chichester.

In 2011 she played Belinda in theOld Vic revival of Michael Frayn'sNoises Off which was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Revival^[10] and subsequently transferred to theNovello Theatre. In 2012, Dee was offered the role of women's magazine editor, Miranda inNSFW, a new play byLucy Kirkwood at theRoyal Court Theatre for which she was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.^[11]

At Christmas 2012 Dee played Dolly Levi in Paul Kerryson's revival ofHello Dolly! at the Curve, Leicester for which she won theTMA Theatre Award UK for Best Performance in a Musical.^[12]

In 2013 she appeared in theStephen Sondheim revue,Putting It Together for four performances in Guildford, alongsideDavid Bedella, Daniel Crossley, Damian Humbly andCaroline Sheen which subsequently transferred for a three-week run at the St James Theatre, London in January 2014.

From March until June 2014, Dee co-starred in the London revival of Noël Coward'sBlithe Spirit at theGielgud Theatre, oppositeDame Angela Lansbury, who reprised her 2009Tony Award-winning Broadway performance asMadame Arcati. The London cast includedCharles Edwards,Jemima Rooper,Serena Evans,Simon Jones andPatsy Ferran.

From September until December 2014, Dee played Titania/Hippolyta inDominic Dromgoole's production ofA Midsummer Night's Dream on a tour of Asia & Russia byShakespeare's Globe. The production opened at theRose Theatre, Kingston and then toured toAylesbury Waterside Theatre before travelling to China, Taiwan, Russia, Singapore & Hong Kong. The cast includedAden Gillett asOberon/Theseus and Trevor Fox as Bottom.

In January 2015 Dee starred as Desiree Armfeldt in a Gala Concert performance of Sondheim'sA Little Night Music at London's Palace Theatre to mark the 40th anniversary of the original London production. The concert also starredAnne Reid, David Birrell,Joanna Riding,Jamie Parker, Anna O'Byrne,Fra Fee and Laura Pitt-Pulford. It was directed by Alastair Knights and the producer and musical director wasAlex Parker. Later the same year she playedHelene Hanff in a revival of84, Charing Cross Road atSalisbury Playhouse, co-starringClive Francis asFrank Doel and directed byJames Roose-Evans.^[13] In April/May she starred in a revival ofEugene O'Neill'sAh, Wilderness! at theYoung Vic. Whilst appearing in the O'Neill play, Dee also performed a special one-off show,Dream Queen in theSam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare's Globe, as part of the London Festival of Cabaret. It drew on her experiences on the Shakespeare's Globe tour of Asia and Russia with inspritations fromElizabeth I andShakespeare. She was joined by special guests,Juliet Stevenson andKit Hesketh-Harvey. In the summer she played Irina Arkadina inTorben Betts' version ofThe Seagull, directed byMatthew Dunster atRegent's Park Open Air Theatre.

In 2016 she starred in the West End transfer of Tony-nominated Broadway comedyHand to God at theVaudeville Theatre in London,^[14] alongsideHarry Melling,Neil Pearson,Jemima Rooper and Kevin Mains. The production was nominated for an Olivier Award in 2016 asBest New Comedy.

In April 2017 Dee completed a critically acclaimed run playing the title role inLinda by Penelope Skinner atManhattan Theatre Club, New York City for which she was nominated for anOuter Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Play. She also starred as Phyllis Rogers Stone inFollies at theNational Theatre in London, oppositeImelda Staunton,Tracie Bennett andPhilip Quast. The role earned her nominations for theOlivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, theEvening Standard Award for Best Musical Performance, and theWhatOnStage Award for Best Actress in a Musical.

In 2018 Dee starred inMonogamy, a dark comedy byTorben Betts. That year, she also appeared inMoonlight, directed by Lyndsey Turner andNight School, directed by Ed Stambollouian as part of theJamie Lloyd Company'sPinter at the Pinter season.

The following year Janie starred in the UK premiere ofChristopher Durang's Tony Award-winning playVanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike at Theatre Royal Bath, directed byWalter Bobbie which subsequently transferred to the Charing Cross Theatre in London. She played Fosca in Stephen Sondheim's musicalPassion at the Cantiere Internazionale d'Arte di Montepulciano, Italy directed byKeith Warner and returned to London to star in Off-Broadway playThe Niceties by Eleanor Burgess at the Finborough Theatre opposite Moronkẹ Akinola. This was followed by a revival of Sandy Wilson'sThe Boy Friend at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

In spring 2022, Dee starred oppositeGriff Rhys Jones inAn Hour And a Half Late at Theatre Royal Bath and on a UK tour. In May, Dee, along with a host of West End stars, paid tribute to the late Stephen Sondheim inStephen Sondheim's Old Friends A Celebration. The production was staged byMatthew Bourne andMaria Friedman, with choreography byStephen Mear, and produced by Cameron Mackintosh at the Sondheim Theatre. Further Sondheim tributes took place at Cadogan Hall, conceived and conducted by Alex Parker with his Luminaire Orchestra, at the Garrick Club, and the Victoria & Albert Museum, where Dee performed a cabaret as part ofThe Art of Making Art: Staging Sondheim.

From September to October 2024, Dee starred inJanie Dee's Beautiful World of Cabaret. The show featured a range of music from different artists and composer, performed by Dee. The performance mixedcabaret and spoken word, exploring the idea of being moreenvironmentally friendly.^[15][16]

Dee has appeared in numerous TV dramas, includingLove Hurts,The Bill, as Remy in 8 episodes ofLondon's Burning,Heartbeat,House of Cards,Midsomer Murders,A Tribute to Harold Pinter, theSouth Bank Show with Sir Peter Hall andIn Love With Shakespeare forSky TV.

In 2003, Dee played Emma Lavenham oppositeMartin Shaw'sAdam Dalgliesh in twoP.D. James adaptations for theBBC;Death in Holy Orders andThe Murder Room.

In 2008 she playedZac Efron's mother, Mrs Samuels inMe and Orson Welles. In 2013, Dee filmedDare To Be Wild, written and directed by Vivienne Decourcy, in Dublin for Oasis Films andThe Trouble With Dot And Harry. She starred oppositeNeil Morrissey, directed bySundance Festival Grand Prize-winner, Gary Walkow.

In January 2016, Dee appeared as Cara in comedy seriesCrashing written by and starringPhoebe Waller-Bridge. It was produced byBig Talk Productions forChannel 4.

In 2019, she appeared in the filmOfficial Secrets withKeira Knightly andMatt Smith and the Channel Four adaptation ofLucy Kirkwood'sChimerica withSophie Okonedo.

Dee made an appearance in Jamie Davis’ 2023 London-set three-part dramaYou & Me for ITV and ITVX, with Harry Lawtey, Jessica Barden and Sophia Brown. That year, she co-starred inThe Burning Girls, produced by Buccaneer Media forParamount+. The show was a 6-part adaptation of the novel by CJ Tudor, withSamantha Morton and Ruby Stokes.

Dee has recorded a number of musicals, concerts and dramas for radio, includingCarousel andFinian's Rainbow forBBC Radio 2, and she has playedIan Fleming'sMiss Moneypenny in radio dramatisations of theJames Bond classicsOn Her Majesty's Secret Service,From Russia With Love,Dr No andThunderball, as well as a role in Michael Frayn'sSkios, all directed byMartin Jarvis.

In 2013 she was invited by composerGuy Barker to be the narrator in his new orchestral workThat Obscure Hurt which was premiered at theAldeburgh Festival 2013, as part of theBenjamin Britten centenary celebrations and was broadcast live onBBC Radio 3.

She has also appeared as a guest on the quiz showQuote... Unquote forBBC Radio 4.

• Cabaret (1986 London Revival Cast, First Night Records OCRCD6010)^[17]
• Can Can (1988 London Revival Cast, Virgin CDV 2570)^[18]
• Salad Days (1994 Studio Cast, EMI Classics CDC 5 55200 2)^[19]
• The Shakespeare Revue (1998 Original London Cast, TER Records)
• Fred Astaire: His Daughter's Tribute (2001 London Cast Recording, First Night Records CASTCD81)^[20]
• Act One: Songs From The Musicals Of Alexander S. Bermange (2008 Dress Circle Records)^[21]
• Janie Dee at the BBC (2017 Auburn Jam Music)^[22]
• Follies (2018 National Theatre Cast Recording, Warner Classics 093624900955)

Janie Dee is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Theatrical Fund and supports a number of charities includingStop the War Coalition,St Mungos,Medecins Sans Frontieres andAmnesty International.

In March 2003, Dee devised and produced theLondon Concert For Peace, a charity concert celebrating the joy of life which was performed at theTheatre Royal, Drury Lane with a cast including DameJudi Dench, SirIan McKellen andDavid Tennant. Proceeds from the concert were donated to Amnesty International,CARE,Oxfam and theRed Cross.

In June 2014, Dee organised a Noël Coward charity cabaret, entitledI Went to a Marvellous Party at London's historicCafe de Paris, as a celebration of and farewell toAngela Lansbury, marking the end of the run ofBlithe Spirit in London. TheBlithe Spirit company performed songs by Noël Coward, a charity auction was hosted byChristopher Biggins and there were special guest appearances byImelda Staunton andBarry Humphries. Proceeds from the event were donated to Asylum Link Merseyside, Combined Theatrical Charities, Masterclass, Mousetrap, the Noël Coward Foundation and theRoyal Academy of Music.

In 2020, Dee organised the London Climate Change Festival to inspire, inform and bring hope around climate change. It brought together people from science, the arts, business and activism to discuss what can be done with regard to the climate crisis. The London Climate Change Festival was scheduled to commence on Monday 23 March 2020. Due to COVID-19 Pandemic it took place online.^{[23][24][25][26]}

However, Dee produced a TV programme of performances and interviews at the London Coliseum, titledSong for Nature in 2021 for Sky Arts, including many of the artists and activists who were to take part in the Festival. It can still be seen ‘on demand’ on Sky Arts.

The London Climate Change Festival is now a ‘not-for-profit’ company set up by Dee and co-director Steven Levy.

In 2024, Janie took theBeautiful World Cabaret to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where it received rave reviews, returning to London and playing to sold out audiences at the Jermyn Street Theatre, the Playground Theatre and Tabard Theatre. In September 2024 ‘'Old Friends Meet New Friends'‘ was created and produced by Dee in the Delfont Room at the Prince of Wales Theatre, to inspire young writers and performers to engage with nature and write and perform with this theme in mind.

In May 2025 Crazy Coqs will host a series of twelveBeautiful World Cabarets co-produced by Dee with world-class performers includingDame Felicity Lott,Wayne Sleep OBE,Rob Brydon (gala only),Laura Pitt-Pulford,Ian Shaw (singer),Carly Mercedes Dyer, Barlow & Smith, Josefina Ortiz Lewis, Sister Mary, Em Hoggett, and Dee herself.

• Official website
• Janie Dee atIMDb
• Janie Dee atIOBDB

• English women singers
• English musical theatre actresses
• English stage actresses
• English television actresses
• Laurence Olivier Award winners
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• Actresses from Berkshire
• Theatre World Award winners
• People from Old Windsor
• 20th-century English actresses
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• Musicians from Berkshire
• 1962 births
• Actors from the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

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