Pamela Myers (b. July 15, 1947 in Hamilton, Ohio) is an American actress who made her Broadway debut as Marta in Stephen Sondheim's musical Company. For this role, in which she introduced the show-stopping number, "Another Hundred People," she was nominated at the 1971 Tony awards for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. In 1975, she appeared in the Broadway cast of the musical Snoopy!!. She has also been known for her appearances in television. She was a main supporting player on the show Sha Na Na (she also did the announcing) and made two turns on the show Alice one playing a tour guide named Bobbi who falls for Mel and playing a dental assistant, Ms. Dubro, who sang Broadway songs, rather off-key. in 2002 she appeared in the Broadway revival of Into the Woods as Cinderella's Stepmother.
George Furth wrote eleven one-act plays planned for Kim Stanley as each of the separate leads. Hollywood actor Anthony Perkins, interested in directing, asked Stephen Sondheim to read the material. After Sondheim read the plays, Sondheim asked Harold Prince for his opinion; Harold Prince thought the plays would make the basis for a musical. The theme would be New York marriages with a central character to examine those marriages. Originally titled "Threes," its plot revolves around Bobby, a single man unable to commit fully to a steady relationship, let alone marriage, four married couples, and one single couple, who are his best friends, and the musical's additional roles include Bobby's three free-wheeling girl friends. Unlike most book musicals, which follow a clearly delineated plot, "Company" is a concept musical composed of short vignettes, presented in no particular chronological order, linked by a celebration for Bobby's 35th birthday. "Company" was among the first musicals to deal with adult themes and relationships. As Sondheim puts it, "Broadway theater has been for many years supported by upper-middle-class people with upper-middle-class problems. These people really want to escape that world when they go to the theatre, and then here we are with 'Company' talking about how we're going to bring it right back in their faces." "Company" opened in Boston in out-of-town tryouts, receiving mixed reviews, from the Boston Evening Globe "Brilliant", to Variety Magazine "The songs are for the most part undistinguished" and "As it stands now it's for ladies' matinees, homos and misogynists." The book was by George Furth; Lyrics and music was by Stephen Sondheim; Direction was by Harold Prince. "Company" opened on April 26, 1970, at the Alvin Theatre in New York City, where it ran for 705 performances after seven previews. Musical staging was by Michael Bennett, assisted by Bob Avian. The set design by Boris Aronson consisted of two working elevators and various vertical platforms that emphasized the musical's theme of isolation. The role of Robert, originally performed by Dean Jones, is the central character; his 35th birthday brings the group together. The original cast included Dean Jones, who had replaced Anthony Perkins early in the rehearsal period when Perkins departed to direct a play. Shortly after opening night, Jones withdrew from the show, allegedly due to illness, but actually due to stress he was suffering from ongoing divorce proceedings. He was replaced by his understudy Larry Kert, who had created the role of Tony in Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim's 1957 Broadway musical "West Side Story." Larry Kert earned rave reviews for his performance when the critics were invited to return soon after opening night. The original Broadway cast included Donna McKechnie, Susan Browning, Pamela Myers, Barbara Barrie, Charles Kimbrough, Merle Louise, Beth Howland, and Elaine Stritch. "Company" was honored with the following theatre awards: the 1971 New York Drama Desk Award for (1) Outstanding Book of a Musical awarded to George Furth; (2) Outstanding Director of a Musical awarded to Harold Prince; (3) Outstanding Lyrics and (4) Outstanding Music awarded to Stephen Sondheim; (5) Outstanding Set Design was awarded to Boris Aronson. The New York Theatre World Award was presented to actor Susan Browning. In an unusual move, the Tony Awards committee deemed Larry Kert eligible for a nomination, an honor usually reserved for the actor who technically originates a role. The musical was nominated for a record setting 14 Tony Award Nominations and won six. "Company" won the (1) Tony Award for Best Musical; (2) Tony Award Best Score (music) and (3) Tony Award Best Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; (4) Tony Award Best Book of a Musical by George Furth; (5) Tony Award Best Direction for a Musical by Harold Prince; (6) Tony Award Best Scenic Design by Boris Aronson; Nominated for Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (7) Larry Kert; Nominated for Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (8) Elaine Stritch and (9) Susan Browning; Nominated for Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical (10) Charles Kimbrough; Nominated for Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical (11) Barbara Barrie and (12) Pamela Myers; Nominated for Tony Award Best Choreography (13) Michael Bennett; Nominated for Tony Award Best Lighting Design (14) Robert Ornbo. Note: In the early 1990s, Furth and Sondheim revised the libretto, cutting and altering dialogue that had become dated and rewriting the end to act one.
2
Was nominated for Broadway's 1971 Tony Award as Best Featured (Supporting) Actress in a Musical for "Company."
Actress
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Possession Experiment
2016
Psychic Julie
Major Dad
1993
TV Series
Ms. Cooksey
St. Elsewhere
1985
TV Series
Protocol
1984
Gloria
Alice
1979-1984
TV Series
Nurse / Patty / Bobbi / ...
CHiPs
1982
TV Series
Mrs. Stewart
Murder in Texas
1981
TV Movie
Mary
Perfectly Frank
1981
TV Movie
The Big Show
1980
TV Series
Regular Performer
The Misadventures of Sheriff Lobo
1979
TV Series
Waitress
Starsky and Hutch
1977
TV Series
Waitress
America, You're On
1975
TV Movie
Margaret Campbell
Happy Days
1975
TV Series
Mitzi
Soundtrack
Title
Year
Status
Character
Great Performances
1985
TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Day of the Locust
1975
performer: "SING YOU SINNERS"
Self
Title
Year
Status
Character
The Reel Show with Kristina Michelle
2015
TV Series
Herself
In Performance at the White House: A Salute to Broadway - The Shows
$1.3 Million
