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LaChanze attends The 78th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 8, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
LaChanze attends The 78th annual Tony Awards at Radio City Music Hall on June 8, 2025, in New York City. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images)
Matt Palm, Orlando Sentinel staff portrait in Orlando, Fla., Tuesday, July 19, 2022. (Willie J. Allen Jr./Orlando Sentinel)
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Multi-hyphenate — and multi-Tony winner — LaChanze will perform a one-night-only concert at Orlando’s Renaissance Theatre this month, the theater will announce today.

Fresh off her latest Tony Award win — she picked one up as a producer of best play “Purpose” on Sunday — LaChanze will headline a June 30 show in Orlando that celebrates highlights of her career.

Born in St. Augustine as Rhonda Sapp, LaChanze graduated from the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, where she studied theater and dance. Her first Broadway credit came in 1986 when she tap danced in the ensemble of ” Uptown… It’s Hot,” a revue of African-American music that was derided by critics and lasted just 24 performances.

But her stage name means “the charmed one” in Creole, and that proved true in her career — which has lasted far longer than that first Broadway role.

LaChanze originated the leading role of Ti Moune in the 1990 Broadway production of “Once on This Island,” resulting in her first Tony nomination. She would later play Sarah in the original production of “Ragtime” after the departure of original cast member Audra McDonald, who also knows a thing or two about Tony awards.

In 2005, LaChanze played runaway slave Dessa Rose in an off-Broadway production of the same name and received an Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress. The following year she finally won the Tony after a knockout performance as Celie in the Broadway adaptation of “The Color Purple.”

LaChanze (as Celie, left) and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes (as Shug Avery) are pictured in the 2005 Broadway production of "The Color Purple." (Courtesy Paul Kolnik)
LaChanze (as Celie, left) and Elisabeth Withers-Mendes (as Shug Avery) are pictured in the 2005 Broadway production of "The Color Purple." (Courtesy Paul Kolnik)

She would go on to be Tony-nominated again and again — for “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” and “Trouble in Mind” — while appearing in everything from the Idina Menzel vehicle “If/Then” to “A Christmas Carol,” in which she portrayed the Ghost of Christmas Present.

Other notable performances include singing the national anthem at a joint session of Congress and performing “Amazing Grace” at the 2014 dedication of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York City, as a tribute to her late husband who was killed in the terrorist attack.

But as of late LaChanze has been focused on producing work, which has added to her trophy case. Among the plays in which she has been on the producing team: “Top Dog/Underdog” and “Kimberly Akimbo,” which were named best revival of a play and best musical respectively in 2023 — making her the first woman to win two Tonys on the same night.

LaChanze will perform this month at the Renaissance Theatre in Orlando. (Courtesy Renaissance Theatre Company)
LaChanze will perform this month at the Renaissance Theatre in Orlando. (Courtesy Renaissance Theatre Company)

She also co-produced “The Outsiders,” which was named best musical at the 2024 Tonys. In addition to this season’s Tony-winning “Purpose,” she is a producer of the acclaimed musical “Buena Vista Social Club.”

In a statement, LaChanze said she was looking forward to returning to the Sunshine State.

“Performing is always a joy, but getting to perform for Florida audiences brings a warm welcome and a special kind of energy,” she said.

Orlando’s ‘Ren’ Theatre pushes boundaries to make its artistic mark

The Renaissance Theatre Company, which was established in 2021, has been bringing more nationally known performers to town as of late. Recent appearances have included Laura Bell Bundy, the Tony-nominated actor who starred in Broadway’s “Legally Blonde,” viral sensation Natalie Weiss and drag superstars such as Kennedy Davenport. “RuPaul’s Drag Race” star Alyssa Edwards will perform at the theater on June 28.

“We’ll always celebrate the incredible local talent we have here in Orlando,” said Donald Rupe, co-founder of the Ren. “But we’re also thrilled to continue introducing nationally recognized performers like LaChanze to our audiences.”

LaChanze’s performance, sponsored by Harold and Rosy Mills of the William Daniel Mills Theatre Company and Florida Theatrical Association, also will feature the Ren’s live house band.

A goal of the evening is to raise money so the theater can continue to develop and present new works that champion local talent, Rupe said.

“Now in our fourth year, the Ren is reaching a new age in our development, and we’re shifting to a more concentrated effort toward fundraising,” he said. “In addition to being an incredible evening of music with LaChanze, we’re also hoping to raise some funds to help us continue our mission.”

LaChanze’s concert will take place at 8 p.m. June 30 at the theater, 415 E. Princeton St. General admission tickets start at $30, with a number of $20 discount tickets also available. For more information, go to rentheatre.com.

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more entertainment news and reviews at orlandosentinel.com/entertainment or sign up to receive our weekly emailed Entertainment newsletter.

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