Orfeh

Orfeh (born March 28, 1971 She attended the LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts and received a record deal shortly after graduation. Her first release was Life in the Movies, which she released as a part of the group Genevha with her musical partner Mike More in 1987. After the release, the duo formed the group Or-N-More and signed with EMI Records.

In 1991, the duo released a self-titled album, their single "Everyotherday" reached number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was awarded gold status, but shortly after the album's success, the duo found out their business manager had mis-managed their finances. She has been quoted about the situation, "My recording career went wrong. Really, really wrong. We had the business manager that stole all the money, the hit record that was about to become a mega-hit record and suddenly the rug was pulled out from under us. After being on the road for years and devoting my life to recording, I found myself at home saying, 'What do I do now?'"

After Or-N-More disbanded, Orfeh signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music and continued to write and produce songs for other artists.

Career Theatre Orfeh made her Broadway debut in 1998 as a swing in Footloose. She then starred in the Original Broadway Company of London musical of Saturday Night Fever as Annette, and in addition to winning positive reviews, Orfeh met her former husband, Andy Karl, while playing the role. In 1999, she appeared on The Rosie O'Donnell Show to promote the musical and perform her solo from the show, If I Can't Have You.

After Saturday Night Fever closed, Orfeh starred in Me and Mrs. Jones and Bright Lights, Big City at the Prince Theatre in Philadelphia. In 2001, she played Janis Joplin in the off-Broadway show, Love, Janis. In 2005, she starred in the off-Broadway musical The Great American Trailer Park Musical as Pippi, a stripper from the wrong side of the tracks.

In 2007, Orfeh was nominated for a Tony Award for her performance in the Legally Blonde musical. She played the role of Paulette, a down on her luck hairdresser who helps Elle on her journey, while finding love of her own. She also received Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk nominations for her performance. Her husband at the time, Andy Karl, starred opposite her as her UPS man, Kyle. Orfeh stayed with the show until it closed on October 19, 2008. From July 20, 2018, through August 18, 2019, she played the role of Kit De Luca in Pretty Woman on Broadway. In February 2020, she played in an Off-Broadway 50th anniversary concert version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as Potiphar's Wife, playing opposite her former husband Andy Karl who played Potiphar.

In August 2024, she joined the cast of Chicago on Broadway as Matron "Mama" Morton for a limited engagement.

On May 27, 2025, it was announced that Orfeh would make her West End debut, originating the role of Tess in the musical Burlesque. The show was staged at London's Savoy Theatre, beginning on July 10, 2025.

Television and film Orfeh has guest starred in several television shows, appearing in episodes of Gossip Girl, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, and Sex and the City. In addition to television appearances, she is a frequently used voiceover artist and has voiced characters for the video games Max Payne 2: The Fall of Max Payne (2003), Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004) and The Warriors (2005). In 2014, Orfeh recorded a song for Michael Mott's album, Where the Sky Ends which was later released as a dance mix. In 2015, she released the Christmas-themed single Christmas (Baby Please Come Home). In 2016, Orfeh and her former husband performed at the Lincoln Center's American Songbook series. That same year, she was featured on the single What the World Needs Now is Love with other Broadway artists and released the solo single, Forget My Name. She also released a mash-up single of "Yesterday"/"Time After Time"/"Shallow" with Karl and American singer/songwriter, Andrew Logan in 2021. She released a cover single of the Eagles' song, "Hotel California", on October 20, 2023.

Personal life In 2001, Orfeh married actor and singer Andy Karl, who she met during her time in Saturday Night Fever, and who played opposite her as Paulette's UPS man, Kyle, in the original cast of Legally Blonde. Orfeh and Karl performed together in Me and Mrs. Jones, Nights on Broadway II, Bright Lights, Big City, Legally Blonde, Pretty Woman: The Musical, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. In May 2024, Karl announced they had separated after 23 years of marriage.

Discography Releases Artist/album Date Label CreditsGenevha with Mike More/Life in the Movies(1987)CBS Associated RecordsVocals Or-N-More/Or-N-More(1991)EMI AmericaVocals/writing The O'Jays/Emotionally Yours(1991)EMI AmericaVocals Freedom Williams/Freedom(1993)Columbia RecordsVocals Various Artists/Model Behavior Soundtrack(2000)DisneyWriter Deborah Gibson/M.Y.O.B(2001)Golden Egg RecordsVocals Actors Fund of America/Dreamgirls(2002)Nonesuch RecordsVocals, photography Actors Fund of America/Hair (Benefit recording)(2004)Ghostlight RecordsVocals The Great American Trailer Park Musical/ Cast Recording(2005)Ghostlight RecordsVocals Various Artists/Carols For a Cure Volume 7(2005)Rock-it Science RecordsVocalsLegally Blonde/Cast Recording(2007)Ghostlight RecordsVocals Various artists/Carols For a Cure Volume 9(2007)Rock-it Science RecordsVocalsOrfeh/What Do You Want From Me(2008)Ghostlight RecordsVocals, executive producer Various artists/Carols For a Cure 14(2012)Rock-it Science RecordsVocals Michael Mott/Where The Sky Ends(2014)Broadway RecordsWritingMichael Mott/Where the Sky Ends:The Dance Remixes(2014)Broadway RecordsVocals, writing Broadway for Orlando/What the World Needs Now is Love(2016)Broadway RecordsVocals Orfeh/Forget My Name(2016)Self-releasedVocals Orfeh/Forever I Do(2023)Self-releasedVocals Orfeh/Hotel California(2023)Self-releasedVocals Orfeh/Peep Show(2025)Self-releasedVocals Orfeh/Hurt Me(2025)Self-releasedVocals Orfeh/Live My Life(2025)Self-releasedVocals Orfeh/Back in Love Again(2025)Self-releasedVocals

Stage credits

Awards and nominations