Jackie Hoffman - Biography

Jacqueline Laura Hoffman (born November 29, 1960), known as Jackie Hoffman, is an American actress and stand-up comedian known for her facially-contorting expressions, and one-woman shows of Jewish-themed original songs and monologues. She is a veteran of Chicago's famed The Second City comedy improv group.

Stage work

Hoffman won the Joseph Jefferson Award, Chicago's venerable theatre award, during her eight-year tenure with the Second City troupe.

Hoffman has starred in the following solo comedy performances: "If You Call This Living," "The Kvetching Continues," "Jackie Hoffman's Hanukkah," "Jackie's Kosher Khristmas" and "Jackie's Valentine's Day Massacre," among others. Hoffman also joined the three woman comic team behind "The J.A.P. Show, Jewish American Princesses of Comedy," at the Actors' Temple in April 2007.

She performed numerous roles in David and Amy Sedaris' 2001 comic play, The Book of Liz, winning an Obie Award. Her other theatrical credits include The Sisters Rosensweig, Straightjacket, Incident at Cobbler's Knob, and One Woman Shoe, for which she won a Jeff Award. In addition, she regularly performs at Joe's Pub in one-woman concerts.

In 2002, Hoffman was cast in the musical Hairspray on Broadway, playing the roles of Prudy Pingleton, Gym Teacher, Matron and Denizen of Baltimore. She won the 2003 Theatre World Award for her performance. She co-starred as Calliope, muse of epic poetry, in the rock musical Xanadu on Broadway, from July 2007 to September 2008. Hoffman is currently starring as Grandmama in the new Broadway musical The Addams Family, which opened at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on April 8, 2010.

TV/film career

She has acted in the movies, Kissing Jessica Stein, Mo' Money, Garden State, Down, Queer Duck: The Movie, Legally Blonde 2: Red, White and Blonde, and A Dirty Shame and was the voice of the Water Cooler in Robots.

In addition to cameoing on the television show Curb Your Enthusiasm, she has appeared in many series, including Strangers with Candy, Hope and Faith, Ed, Starved, Cosby, 30 Rock, One Life to Live and was the voice of Dilmom on Dilbert.

Hoffman provided the voice of "Mary Phillips, the Talk Radio host", in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. Despite her frequent stage banter on her dislike of children, Hoffman did a surprising turn as the voices of the Gate to Fairy-tale Land and the Witch's Magic Wand in the Dora the Explorer movie Dora's Fairytale Adventure. She has also been a frequent guest on Late Night with Conan O'Brien.

Recordings

Jackie Hoffman can be heard on the original Broadway cast recordings of Hairspray, Xanadu, and The Addams Family, and the PS Classics' recording of Jackie Hoffman: Live at Joe's Pub released Fall 2008. She also appears on Scott Alan's CD, Dreaming Wide Awake, in a duet with Carly Jibson.

Personal life

At age 46, during the run of her show Regrets Only, Hoffman had to go into the hospital for a hysterectomy to remove a benign tumor. She was back in three weeks, with a cot backstage for whenever she wasn't singing or talking.

External links

• Jackie Hoffman at the Internet Broadway Database