Born in Amsterdam, studied dance at the Brooking School of Ballet in London. Singing lessons in London, Hamburg, and Vienna. Musical theatre courses with Susi Nicoletti and Sam Cayne.
Born in Amsterdam, studied dance at the Brooking School of Ballet in London. Singing lessons in London, Hamburg, and Vienna. Musical theatre courses with Susi Nicoletti and Sam Cayne.
After the German-language premiere of Little Shop of Horrors (in Vienna), she played Grizabella in Cats in Amsterdam, Vienna, and Moscow and as a guest for the Vienna premiere of the European Cats tour, then Maria in West Side Story in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Amstetten, and Fantine in Les Misérables in Amsterdam. In the world premiere of Elisabeth she was in the title role of the Empress and brought a new dimension to this character. In 1994/95 she played Rizzo in Grease in Vienna, in the summer of 1996 and 96 the role of Sally in Cabaret in Bad Hersfeld, Germany's largest summer festival.
In 1996 she was awarded the audience prize for this role. In 1995/96 she played Evita in a Dutch/Belgian tour produced by the top Dutch producer, Joop van den Ende. She sang the title role for the Dutch release of the Disney film Pocahontas.
In the summer of 1997 she played Janet in the Rocky Horror Show in Bad Hersfeld, in April 1997 she received the first IMAGE award for her portrayal of Elisabeth at the Theater an der Wien.
Pia Douwes has already sung on 15 CDs and appeared on countless TV shows. Beginning fall 1997 she can be seen in Jane Eyre, her second non-musical role.
...and in November of 1998, she did another straight play, Savannah Bay, in the middle of nowhere (Almere).
After that, she played Velma in Chicago in Utrecht, which opened 09 May 1999 (and what an amazing Velma she must have been!); an article about the production/interview with Douwes can be found at http://www.telegraaf.nl/krant/archief/19990113/teksten/bin.piadouwes.html, for those who don't mind struggling through the Dutch. After Chicago came the Dutch production of Elisabeth; I'll just leave my opinions on her performance for my review of the production. Here, I'll simply say that she was marvellous!
On February 13, 2000, she sang the role of the Beggar Woman in London's 20th Anniversary concert of Sweeney Todd.
Most recently, she once again played Elisabeth, this time in Essen, Germany.
From a Chicago review (apologies for the rough translation; I've never studied Dutch):
"In particular, Pia Douwes as Velma Kelly delivers an absolutely record performance. From the opening number Al die jazz to the finale, she is almost constantly onstage and in motion. She sings subdued numbers right after having danced energetically and makes it seem effortless....After the summer the public will have to make do with another Velma Kelly, however, as Pia Douwes will begin rehearsals for Elisabeth, which follows Miss Saigon in Scheveningen. It should be difficult to adequately replace her...." --De Volkskrant, 10 May 1999
Many thanks to Kimberley for sending me reviews and such, and Liselotte and Tineke for answering silly linguistic questions in what's supposed to be Jane Austen chat! :)
Fan club:
c/o Verena Daubal
Postfach 602
A-1210 Wien
(Austria)
