Nikki Renée Daniels
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Nikki Renée Daniels is a stage actress best known for her performances in musicals on Broadway, including as Nabulungi in The Book of Mormon.
Daniels was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to a mother who taught preschool and a father who managed a meat packing company.[1] She started singing at the age of 13 and attended a performing arts high school in Atlanta.[2] She earned a BFA in Musical Theatre from the University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music.[3]
Career
Daniels moved to New York City[4] and made her Broadway debut in the musical Aida in 2000.[5] Over the next decade, her Broadway credits included Nine (2003) as Renata, The Look of Love (2003) as Pit Singer, Little Shop of Horrors (2004) as the understudy for Chiffon, Crystal and Ronnette, Lestat (2006) as Eleni.[5] Les Misérables (2007) as Fantine.[6] Further Broadway roles were in |Promises, Promises (2010) as Barbara, Anything Goes (2011) as the understudy for Hope,[5] Porgy & Bess (2012) as Clara,[5][7] The Book of Mormon (2014–2018) as Nabulungi,[8] Company (2021–2022) as Jenny and understudy for Bobbie (the first Black actor to play Bobbie on Broadway)[9] and Once Upon a Mattress (2024), as Lady Larken.[5]
Her other theatre credits include Ragtime as Sarah (2002; North Shore Music Theatre, Massachusetts),[10] Dorian as Celia Vane (2002, Denver Center, Colorado),[11] Anything Goes as Hope (2006, Williamstown Theatre Festival, Massachusetts),[12] Ray Charles Live! as Della B (2007, Pasadena Playhouse, California),[13] Beauty and the Beast as Belle, (2008, American Musical Theatre of San Jose, California),[14] Caroline, or Change as Emmie (2009, The Gunthrie, Minnesota),[15] 1776 as Martha Jefferson (2016, Encores!, New York)[16] and Hamilton as Angelica Schuyler (2019, CIBC Theatre, Chicago).[17]
Theatre credits
| Year | Production | Role | Location | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Aida | Nehebka, Ensemble, u/s Aida | Broadway, Palace Theatre | [5] |
| 2002 | Ragtime | Sarah | Massachusetts, North Shore Music Theatre | [10] |
| 2002 | Dorian | Celia Vane | Colorado, Denver Center | [11] |
| 2003 | Nine | Renata | Broadway, Eugene O'Neill Theatre | [18] |
| 2003 | The Look of Love | Pit Singer | Broadway, Brooks Atkinson Theatre | [5] |
| 2004 | Little Shop of Horrors | u/s Chiffon, Crystal, Ronette | Broadway, Virginia Theatre | [19] |
| National tour | [20] | |||
| 2006 | Lestat | Eleni | Broadway, Palace Theatre | [5] |
| 2006 | Anything Goes | Hope Harcourt | Massachusetts, Williamstown Theatre Festival | [12] |
| 2006 | Les Misérables | Factory Worker/Madeleine/Whore, u/s Fantine | Broadway, Broadhurst Theatre | [5] |
| 2007 | Fantine | |||
| 2007 | Ray Charles Live! | Della B | California, Pasadena Playhouse | [13] |
| 2008 | Beauty and the Beast | Belle | California, American Musical Theatre of San Jose | [14] |
| 2009 | Caroline, or Change | Emmie | Minnesota, The Gunthrie | [15] |
| 2010 | Promises, Promises | Barbara, Orchestra Voice | Broadway, Broadway Theatre | [5] |
| 2011 | Anything Goes | Passenger, u/s Hope Harcourt | Broadway, Stephen Sondheim Theatre | [5] |
| 2011 | Porgy and Bess | Clara | Boston, American Repertory Theater | [7] |
| 2012 | Broadway, Richard Rodgers Theatre | [5] | ||
| 2014 | The Book of Mormon | Nabulungi | Broadway Eugene O'Neill Theatre | [5] |
| 2019 | Hamilton | Angelica Schuyler | Chicago, CIBC Theatre | [17] |
| 2021 | Company | Jenny, u/s Bobbie | Broadway, Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | [21][9] |
| 2024 | Once Upon a Mattress | Lady Larken | Broadway, Hudson Theatre | [22] |
Film
Recordings
Her debut solo album, Home, was released in 2012, to generally positive reviews. Tituss Burgess and Jeff Kready each featured on a song.[26][27]
Concerts
- Children and Art (Stephen Sondheim 75th birthday tribute; New Amsterdam Theatre, 2005)[5]
- The Secret Garden as Rose Lennox (Lincoln Center, David Geffen Hall, 2016)[28]
- 1776 as Martha Jefferson (Encores!, New York City Center, 2016)[16]
- I’m Still Here: Celebrating Sondheim (Carnegie Hall, 2022)[29]
- Do You Hear the People Sing? (Hollywood Bowl, 2024)[30]
- Children of Eden as Eve/Mama Noah (Lincoln Center, David Geffen Hall, 2024)[31]
- Follies (Carnegie Hall, 2024)[32]
- Broadway Backwards (Gershwin Theatre, 2025)[33]