Pia Douwes (born on August 5, 1964 in Amsterdam, North Holland) is a Dutch musical actress who is very successful in Europe.

Biography

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Douwes was born as a daughter to an arts dealer and a social worker. Initially Douwes wanted to become a nurse for mentally handicapped children. Then she danced in a disco when she was 19 years old and realized that she wants to dance. So she went to London and searched a dance school in the Yellow Pages. She chose the Brooking School of Ballet. Without any prior dance education she auditioned with a sprained ankle and they accepted her. One year later she attended a musical workshop with Susi Nicoletti and Sam Cane in Vienna. Sam Cane is said to have told to Douwes' father at that time: "If she will not become a star, I'll hung myself!"

In 1986 she got her first small part in Little Shop of Horrors in Vienna. More small parts followed afterwards. In 1987 she got her first part in a larger production. She was a swing on Cats in Amsterdam. With this production she toured in 1988 in Russia, now as Grizabella and Jellylorum.

More parts followed, but the great break through came not until 1992, when the actress got the leading part at the world premiere of Elisabeth in Vienna, Austria. Though the Viennese papers wrote a lot of scathing criticism, such as "Munter geht die Sisi unter" ("Blithely Sisi perishs") and they denied Douwes singing and acting talent of any kind, Douwes became along with Uwe Kröger an acclaimed musical star; by the way, the musical Elisabeth is today the most successful German language musical of all-time.

Until 1994 she played Elisabeth, then followed more parts like Rizzo in Grease or Eva Perón in Evita in the Dutch touring production.

She was also active in other areas; she sang and spoke the leading part of the Dutch version in the movies Pocahontas 1&2. Additionally she did the gala evenings In love with Musical along with her collegues Uwe Kröger, Marika Lichter and Viktor Gernot.

In 1999 she played Velma Kelly in the Dutch premiere of Chicago. But Douwes went back to her roots and played the leading part of Elisabeth again in the Dutch and German premieres of the musical. After all in all 900 performances as Austrian empress she went back to Holland in February 2002 to take along with Dutch musical stars Vera Mann and Stanley Burleson part in the Broadway musical Fosse.

In March 2003 she got the chance to play Milady de Winter at the world premiere of the Dutch musical De drie musketiers (The Three Musketeers). The musical was later recorded (with her) and is now available on DVD.

In 2004 she played again Velma Kelly in Chicago. But this time she performed at first in the West End of London and then on Broadway.

Back again in Holland she played Clara in Passion. Then she went back to Germany to play again Milady de Winter at the German premiere of Die Drei Musketiere in Theater des Westens in Berlin. She played the part until October 30, 2005.

Now Pia Douwes is the most famous European musical actress alongside Ute Lemper. She took part at over 25 CD productions and was a duet partner of José Carreras. By the way, she is a great niece of Doris Day.

As of now (March 2006), Pia Douwes is on stage as Sally Bowles in a Dutch production of Cabaret.

Musical Engagements

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1986 Little Shop of Horrors, Chrystal in Vienna 1986 - 1987Sammy Mario and Dancers, Dancer in Vienna 1987 Cats, Swing, Grizabella, Jellylorum in Amsterdam 1988 - 1989 Cats, Grizabella, Jellylorum, Demeter in Vienna 1988 Cats, Grizabella, Jellylorum at the tour through Russia 1990 West Side Story, Maria at the tour through Belgium and the Netherlands 1991 - 1992 Les Misérables, Fantine in Schevenigen 1992 - 1994 Elisabeth, Empress Elisabeth in Vienna 1994 Other People´s Money, Kate Sullivan in Prague 1994 West Side Story, Maria in Summer of Musical Amstdetten 1994 - 1995 Grease, Rizzo in Vienna 1995 / 1996 Cabaret, Sally Bowles in Bad Hersfeld, Germany August 10, 1995 Cats, Grizabella and guest at the premiere in Vienna 1995 - 1996 and January 1997 Evita, Eva Péron at the tour through the Netherlands 1997 Rocky Horror Show, Janet in Bad Hersfeld, Germany 1997 - 1999 Dance! Dance! Dance!, Soloist in Vienna 1997 - 1998 Jane Eyre, Jane Eyre at the tour through the Netherlands November 1998 Savanah Bay, Young Woman in the Netherlands Dezember 1999 The Andrew Lloyd Webber Musical Gala, Soloist at the tour through Germany 1999 Chicago, Velma Kelly in Utrecht 1999 - 2000 Elisabeth, Elisabeth in Schevenigen 2000 Sweeney Todd, Beggar Woman, Debut in the West End of London Dezember 2000 Cole Porter´s Songbook, Soloist 2001 - 2002 Elisabeth, Empress Elisabeth in Essen 2002 Fosse, Soloist at the tour through the Netherlands 2003 - 2004 De Drie Musketiers, Milady de Winter in Rotterdam 2004 Chicago, Velma Kelly in London 2004 Chicago, Velma Kelly, Debut on broadway 2004 - 2005 Passion, Clara at the tour through the Netherlands 2005 Die drei Musketiere, Milady de Winter in Berlin since February 2006 Cabaret in Amsterdam

Discography

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1987 Cats, Cast recording 1989 It´s time to say we care, Single for the benefit of the Aids-Gala in Vienna 1991 Les Misérables, Cast recording 1992 Hier sta ik, Single 1992 Ich gehör nur mir / I belong to me, Single 1992 Elisabeth, Cast recording 1994 Aidan Bell: Time Warp Duett: Maybe we can make it 1994 Grease, Live recording 1995 Living Water, Benefit CD 1995 Musical Christmas in Vienna, Sampler 1995 Pocahontas, Original Soundtrack Holland 1995 Evita, Cast recording 1995 Cabaret, Cast recording 1996 Stars singen Weihnachtslieder, Sampler 1996 Rocky Horror Show, Cast recording 1997 Still in love with Muiscal, Live recording 1997 Shades of night, Musicals go rock, Sampler 1998 10 für Zehn, Benefit CD 1998 Pocahontas II, Original Soundtrack Holland 1998 Joop van den Enden presenteert: De beste uit de musicals, Sampler 1998 Chicago, Cast recording 1999 Elisabeth, Cast recording (Netherlands) 1999 Mijn leven is van mij, Single (Dutch version of Ich gehör nur mir / I belong to me) 2000 Die fantastische Welt des Musicals, Sampler 2000 Alles Musical, Sampler 2000 Hoogtepunten uit de musicals, aangeboden door Persil, Sampler 2000 Hilversum Calling, Sampler 2000 Zing dan! Luisterliedjes, Sampler 2001 Ernest Daniel Smit e amici: Una voce particulare Duet, Sampler 2001 Elisabeth, Cast recording in Essen, Germany 2001 3 CD-Track: "Ich gehör nur mir", Single 2001 In love with musical again, Live recording 2001 Steve Barton memorial concert, Live recording 2001 Uwe Kröger: Only the best 2001 Uwe Kröger: Musical Moments 2002 Het mooiste uit de nederlandse musicals, Sampler 2002 Fosse (Bye bye, blackbird), Promotional single 2003 De drie Musketiers, Cast recording 2003 De drie Musketiers - Special Edition, Cast recording, extra's CD & DVD 2003 Uwe Kröger: Musical Moments 2 2004 Het mooiste uit de nederlandse musicals II, Sampler 2004 Passion, Cast recording 2005 Die drei Musketiere, Cast recording

Links

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http://www.pia-douwes.de

Douwes, Pia Douwes, Pia Douwes, Pia Douwes, Pia

nl:Pia Douwes de:Pia Douwes