Amber Gray

Amber Gray is the original Broadway actress of Persephone in Hadestown.

Biography
Amber Gray was born on April 2nd, 1981 and spent her early childhood as an Army brat across Europe and The United States. She later settled down in Massachusetts and attended Wayland High School. She attended Boston University and received a BFA in Acting and New York University and received a MFA in Acting. She married Gaylen Hamilton and has two children.

In 2007, she began her career by appearing in an episode of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit titled Haystack as a character named Raye. She also worked as a photographer on Canada's Top Model in 2009 on the episode Bright Lights: No Pity. In 2012, Gray first became involved with Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812. Gray portrayed Countess Hélène Bezukhova  at the Off-Off-Broadway Ars Nova Theater. Gray continued with Great Comet when it moved to Kazino Meatpacking in 2013, Kazino Times Square in 2014, and when it opened on Broadway in late 2016. Gray was awarded a 2017 Theatre World Award for her performance as Hélène.

In 2014, Gray reprised her leading role as Zoe in An Octoroon at Soho Repertory Theatre (she also performed as Zoe in 2010). An Octoroon utilized the plot of The Octoroon, an 1859 melodrama, but turned it into a contemporary new play that discusses America's slave history and both past and present racism. In an interview with the New York Times, Gray spoke of the part's difficulty due to many intense racial scenes, saying it, "seems like an impossible role". Gray remained with the production when it went on to play at Theatre for a New Audience in 2015.

In 2016, Gray played Persephone in New York Theatre Workshop's production of Hadestown. She reprised this role in the Edmonton Citadel Theatre, London National Theatre, and Broadway productions.

Awards and Nominations

 * 2017 Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Lead Actress in a musical. (NOMINATED)
 * 2017 Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut performance. (WON)
 * 2018 Sterling Awards Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a supporting role. (WON)
 * 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. (NOMINATED)
 * 2019 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical. (WON)
 * 2020 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album. (WON)