Nikki Crawford
Nikki Crawford | |
|---|---|
| Born | Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Alma mater | Carnegie Mellon University (BFA) |
| Occupation | Actress |
Nikki Crawford is an American stage, film, and television actress. Crawford is best known for her Tony-nominated portrayal of Tedra in James Ijames' 2022 Pulitzer Prize-winning play Fat Ham, first at the Public and then at the American Airlines Theatre.
Career
Crawford was born and raised in Washington, D.C.[1] After graduating from Carnegie Mellon University's drama program with her BFA in 1993[2], Crawford was offered a leading role in the European Tour of Bubbling Brown Sugar, which launched her career.[1]
In the theater world, Crawford starred opposite Leslie Uggams in Stormy Weather[3] at the Pasadena Playhouse, playing the young Lena Horne and winning the NAACP Theatre Award. She also received a Helen Hayes Award Best Supporting Actress nomination for Play On!.[4]
Between the Public and Broadway iterations of Fat Ham, Crawford starred in James Ijames' The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington[5] at Chicago's Steppenwolf Theatre.
In late 2025, Crawford recently wrapped on the pilot Very Young Frankenstein starring Zack Galifianakis and directed by Taika Waititi for FX/Hulu.[6]
Theatre credits
| Year(s) | Production | Role | Location | Category | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Play On! | Lady Liv | Pasadena Playhouse | Regional | [7][8] |
| 2002 | A Class Act | Felicia | Pasadena Playhouse | Regional | [9] |
| 2004 | The Ten Commandments | Ensemble | [10] | ||
| 2007 | Spamalot | Lady of the Lake | Wynn Las Vegas | [11] | |
| 2008 | Respect: The Girl Em-Powered Musical | El Portal Forum Theatre | [12] | ||
| 2009 | Stormy Weather | Young Lena | Pasadena Playhouse | Regional | [13] |
| 2013 | Show Boat | Julie | Wells Fargo Pavilion | [14] | |
| 2017 | Man of La Mancha | Aldonza/Dulcinea | La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts | [15] | |
| 2019 | Fairview | Beverly | Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company | [16] | |
| 2020 | The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington | Ann Dandrige | Steppenwolf Theatre Company | [17] | |
| 2022 | Fat Ham | Tedra | The Public Theater | Off-Broadway | [18] |
| 2023 | American Airlines Theatre | Broadway | |||
| 2024 | Geffen Playhouse | Regional | [19] |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Award | Category | Role | Show | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Helen Hayes Awards[20] | Outstanding Supporting Performer, Resident Musical | Lady Liv | Play On! | Nominated | |
| 2010 | NAACP Theatre Awards | Best Lead Actress-Equity | Young Lena | Stormy Weather | Won | [21][22] |
| 2023 | Tony Awards | Best Featured Actress in a Play | Tedra | Fat Ham | Nominated | [23] |
| 2024 | Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards | Featured Performance | [24] |
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Wag the Dog | Mom | Feature film | |
| 2000 | Retiring Tatiana | Tatiana | Feature film | |
| 2005 | Duck | Bus Driver | Feature film | |
| 2009 | Applause for Miss E | Sista Burns | Feature film | |
| 2012 | Contradictions of the Heart | Patrice | DTV | |
| 2016 | 96 Souls | Nina Orleans | Feature film | |
| 2016 | Dance Night Obsession | Detective Brecht | Feature film | |
| 2019 | Desperate Waters | District Attorney Grace | Feature film | |
| 2020 | How to Deter a Robber | Officer Martin | Feature film | |
| 2022 | A Country Christmas Harmony | Carole Dukes | TV film | [25] |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | A Different World | Girl | Guest appearance | |
| 1994 | Living Single | Renatta | Guest appearance | |
| 1995 | Dream On | Colette Perry | Guest appearance | |
| 1996 | Martin | Woman #3 | Guest appearance | |
| 1996 | Homeboys in Outer Space | Heather | Guest appearance | |
| 2001 | The District | Reporter #2 | Guest appearance | |
| 2004 | Malcolm in the Middle | Nell | Guest appearance | |
| 2006 | Numb3rs | ER Doctor | Guest appearance | |
| 2013 | Happily Divorced | Monica | Guest appearance | |
| 2014 | Legit | Dr. Pollitt | Guest appearance | |
| 2015 | Switched at Birth | Kendall Booth | Guest appearance | |
| 2016 | Pretty Little Liars | Agent Leigh | Guest appearance | |
| 2017 | Criminal Minds | Marla Grace | Guest appearance | |
| 2019 | 9-1-1 | Leticia Barry | Guest appearance | |
| 2019 | Crown Lake | Valerie St. Martin | Recurring role | |
| 2020 | Two Degrees | Nikki | Guest appearance | |
| 2021 | Selena: The Series | Tina Knowles | Recurring role | |
| 2022 | United States of Al | Barbara | Guest appearance | |
| 2024 | Cruel Intentions | Mrs. Grover | Guest appearance | |
| 2024 | Elsbeth | Solani Mani | Guest appearance | [26] |
| 2024 | Tracker | Miggy | Guest appearance | |
| 2026 | Days of Our Lives | Lexie Carver | Recurring role | |
| TBA | Very Young Frankenstein | TBA | TBA | [27] |
Web
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–2013 | H+ | Julie Martin | 10 episodes (web series) | [28] |
References
- 1 2 "Broadway Actress, Nikki Crawford, Competes for Highest Honor Tonight at Tony Awards". Los Angeles Sentinel. 2023-06-11. Archived from the original on August 20, 2025. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ↑ "Four Carnegie Mellon Alumni Nominated for Seven Tony Awards". Carnegie Mellon University. May 2, 2023. Retrieved April 25, 2026.
- ↑ "Stormy Weather, Musical of Horne's Life, Starring Uggams, Begins West…". Playbill. 2012-09-06. Archived from the original on 2024-12-11. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ↑ "Nikki Crawford". Broadway.com. 2025-08-21. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ↑ "The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington (Regional, Steppenwolf -- Upstairs Theatre, 2022)". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2025-06-21. Retrieved 2025-09-07.
- ↑ Otterson, Joe (2025-09-30). "'Very Young Frankenstein' Lands FX Pilot Order, Zach Galifianakis, Kumail Nanjiani, Dolly Wells Among Cast". Variety. Retrieved 2026-03-03.
- ↑ Manus, Willard (8 July 1999). "Pasadena Playhouse Celebrates Duke Ellington's 100th Birthday". Playbill. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ↑ Jones, Kenneth (21 June 2000). "Play On! Finds Its Way to Small Screen, on PBS, June 21". Playbill. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ↑ Jones, Kenneth (3 May 2002). "A Class Act Has Post-Bway Bow in CA May 3-June 16; Price Directs Picardo, Bullock". Playbill. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ↑ Hernandez, Ernio (27 September 2004). ""Let My People Go...": Kilmer Is Moses as The Ten Commandments Musical Opens, Sept. 27". Playbill. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ↑ "Spamalot, Starring O'Hurley, Opens in Vegas March 31". BroadwayWorld.com. 30 March 2007. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Gans, Andrew (26 June 2008). "Crawford, George, Seiden and Taylor to Star in Respect: The Girl Em-Powered Musical". Playbill. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ↑ "Stormy Weather, Powerhouse Evening in Pasadena". BroadwayWorld.com. 3 February 2009. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Mancuso, Christina. "Photos: First Look at Ron Bohmer, Jennifer Hope Wills, Nikki Crawford and More in SHOW BOAT at Music Circus". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Grigware, Don (5 June 2017). "Review: Davis Gaines Steals MAN OF LA MANCHA at La Mirada". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Smith, Paul (17 September 2019). "Review Roundup: What Did Critics Think of FAIRVIEW at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company?". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Cristi, A. A. "Steppenwolf Announces Complete Casting for The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington and Catch As Catch Can". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe (19 May 2022). "Photos: First Look at the Pulitzer Prize-Winning Fat Ham at The Public Theater". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Henerson, Evan. "Review: FAT HAM at Geffen Playhouse". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Jones, Kenneth (8 May 2001). "Judith Light, Side Show, The Dead Among D.C. Helen Hayes Winners". Playbill. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
- ↑ Sierra, Gabrielle (27 July 2010). "Kim Coles, Quinton Aaron Annouce [sic] Nominees For 20th Annual Naacp Theatre Awards". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ "Obba Babatunde, Levar Burton, Nikki Crawford, et al. Win NAACP Theatre Awards". 2010-09-02. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Sherman, Rachel; Cohn, Gabe (2023-05-02). "Tony Awards Nominations 2023: The Complete List". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-05-02.
- ↑ Rabinowitz, Chloe. "The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Reveals 2024 Season Award Finalists and Special Award Honorees". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ "A Country Christmas Harmony - Full Cast & Crew". TVguide.com. 22 November 2022. Retrieved 2025-08-21.
- ↑ Sharpe, Josh. "Comprehensive Guide to Broadway Actors in CBS's Hit Series ELSBETH". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2025-08-23.
- ↑ Andreeva, Nellie (May 18, 2026). "Very Young Frankenstein Starring Zach Galifianakis Gets Series Order, FX Exec Calls It "A Completely Original Take" On Mel Brooks Classic". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 18, 2026. Retrieved May 19, 2026.
- ↑ "In "H+" a possible blueprint for digital series". Deseret News. September 4, 2012. Retrieved August 21, 2025.