Warren originated the role of Danielle at Atlanta's Alliance Theatre and played it on the subsequent national tour.
Her major credits include Lorrell in Dreamgirls (Apollo/U.S. tour) and The Wiz (Encores!).
Her EP is currently available on iTunes. Twitter: @adriennelwarren
| Full given name: | Adrienne Lefon Warren |
| Where you were born/where you were raised: | Born and raised in Chesapeake, Virginia |
| Zodiac Sign: | Taurus |
| What your parents did/do for a living: | Both of my parents were school administrators for years but now, my father is the Pastor of Sycamore Hill AME Zion Church, CIAA football official and Head of Custodial Services of Chesapeake Public Schools. (He stays busy!) My mom is the Executive Director of Virgina's Governor's School for the Arts. (She runs things!) |
| Siblings: | I have one half brother and a cute dog name Roxy! |
| Special skills: | Sleeping late |
| Something you're REALLY bad at: | Waking up early |
| First Broadway show you ever saw: | The Lion King |
| If you could go back in time and catch any Broadway show, what would it be? | Anything with Gregory Hines. And Purlie... just to see Melba Moore sing "I Got Love." |
| Current show other than your own you have been recommending to friends: | I have yet to see it but I love the music and the movie... Once. |
| Some favorite modern musicals: | Bring It On, Smokey Joe's Cafe, Lippa's Wild Party, In the Heights, Ragtime and Once On This Island. |
| Some favorite classic musicals: | The Wiz, Dreamgirls, Cabaret, Gypsy, How to Succeed..., A Chorus Line, Jelly's Last Jam and anything Fosse. |
| Broadway or screen stars of the past you would most have loved to perform with: | Gene Kelly, Marlon Brando, Lena Horne and Gregory Hines |
| What performers inspired you when you were a kid? | Non-Broadway: Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Janet/Michael Jackson Broadway: Audra McDonald, Heather Headley, Linda Eder and Phylicia Rashad |
| The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: | Chita Rivera's last performance of A Dancer's Life. I was in college with no money and I spent 100 dollars to get a ticket. That had to have been all the money I had for that week. I remember thinking, "My parents are going to kill me!" But I had to see her. |
| Music that makes you cry, any genre: | Anything with autotune.... WHYYYY???? |
| MAC or PC? | What's a PC?? (although I can't cross over to the iPhone... Blackberry lover!!!) |
| Most played song on your iPod: | Not sure but I feel like it's probably an Aerosmith song or Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" |
| Most-visited websites: | Gilt.com and onekingslane.com |
| Must-see TV show(s): | "International House Hunters"… and I also like "Smash." |
| Last book you read: | "The Hunger Games" |
| Some films you consider classics: | There are many but definitely "The Big Lebowski" |
| Performer you would drop everything to go see: | Tina Turner. I know she's not Broadway... but she is the ONLY person I would drop everything to see! |
| Three favorite cities: | New York, Chicago, Portland (Oregon) |
| Favorite sport/team/player: | Football/ Philadelphia Eagles |
| Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: | Annie |
| Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living: | I went to see Van Hughes in The Governor's School for the Arts performance of The Who's Tommy. Before that I was going to be a basketball player! LOL |
| How you got your Equity card: | My sophomore year of college Jennifer Holliday cast me in the 25th Anniversary of Dreamgirls at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA. |
| Favorite pre-/post- show meal: | Chop't wraps before show and Brazil Brazil after!  |
| Favorite liquid refreshment: | Everyone who knows me knows I love a good beer! |
| Pre-show rituals or warm-ups: | I do my vocal warmups which can sometimes include "Queen of the Night." I always do an ab and arm workout before every show and occasionally I dance around my room with my dresser Cate! |
| Most challenging role you have ever played: | Danielle in Bring It On. (I've got the battle wounds to prove it!) |
| Worst flubbed line/missed cue/onstage mishap: | I don't think this is the worst line I've ever flubbed but once during a rap I did in the show I said, "Beyonce is my business" and the correct line was "With Beyonce as my witness!" Oh Lin-Manuel Miranda! |
| Worst costume ever: | In Dreamgirls during "One Night Only" we wore these incredible costumes designed by William Ivey Long... but we wore glitter all over our bodies. I called it "diamond skin"... it got everywhere... my apartment... my bed... my hair. I sneezed glitter... it was ridiculous!! |
| Worst job you ever had: | One year in college I worked at The Little Gym on the Upper West Side. I loved working with kids but I hated working the birthday parties. Entertaining 30 two-year-olds can be very challenging... too much pizza and too much birthday cake! |
| If you could trade roles with anyone in the cast for a week, who would it be? | I would trade tracks with Elle McLemore, who plays Eva! She is by far my favorite character in the show. And somehow I doubt I would be the only person who would pay big bucks to see Elle play Danielle!! |
| Were you ever a cheerleader, or play any sports in high school? | My dad, an ex football player and coach, would never let me cheer. When I got to high school I attended The Governor's School for the Arts, which didn't leave much time for sports. However, I played basketball and ran track up until then. |
| Most memorable stage door experience from the road: | When we played Chicago there were three adorable little girls who attacked me with hugs at the door, then did a cheer for me and let me record it on my phone! I still have that recording  |
| Leading lady role you've been dying to play: | Dorothy in The Wiz and Kate in Lippa's Wild Party |
| Leading man role you wish you could play: | Pippin |
| Something about you that surprises people: | I sing with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and have my own rock & soul EP available on iTunes. |
| Something you are incredibly proud of: | My parents |
| Something you're embarrassed to admit: | I'm not really embarrassed by much. |
| Career you would want if not a performer: | Interior decorator |
| Three things you can't live without: | Family, Faith and Music |
| Words of advice for aspiring performers: | Dream big, work hard, get to know your backstage crew (they are the backbone to every show), and believe in yourself! "If you don't believe in yourself.. you can't expect anyone else to." |
