Hollis Resnik

Hollis Resnik (June 1, 1955 – April 17, 2022) was an American actress and singer whose career centered on stage musicals, with Broadway appearances spanning from 1987 to 2012. Born and raised in Euclid, Ohio, a suburb of Cleveland, she began her musical training early, studying piano, taking voice lessons, and singing with the Cleveland Symphony Children's Choir. She attended Russell H. Erwine Elementary School and Shore Junior High School before graduating from Euclid High School in 1973. She later earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Denison University.

Resnik built much of her professional reputation as a Chicago-based theatre actress. In 1992 she received the Sarah Siddons Award, a distinction given to outstanding performers in the Chicago theatrical community. Her stage work in the city included a 2001 Ravinia Festival concert production of Sweeney Todd, in which she played the beggar woman, and a 2002 Ravinia Festival concert of A Little Night Music, where she appeared as Countess Charlotte Malcolm. At Chicago's Court Theatre, she played the roles of Escalante, Aldonza, and Dulcinea in Man of La Mancha from September 29 to November 13, 2005. She starred as both middle-aged Edies in the Midwest premiere of Grey Gardens at Northlight Theatre in Skokie, Illinois, running from November 12 to December 21, 2008, under the direction of artistic director BJ Jones. In 2009 she played Velma Von Tussle in Hairspray at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois. The following year she appeared as the Old Woman in the Goodman Theatre's production of Leonard Bernstein's Candide, and starred as Margaret in the Arena Stage production of The Light in the Piazza in Washington, D.C.

Her Broadway credits included roles in Les Misérables, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Sister Act. She also performed these productions on tour: she played Fantine in the first U.S. National Tour of Les Misérables in 1988, Mrs. Meers in the U.S. tour of Thoroughly Modern Millie in 2003, Muriel in the U.S. tour of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels in 2006, and Mother Superior in the touring production of Sister Act. In March 2007 she toured in Man of La Mancha as Aldonza, also known as Dulcinea. In 2014 she played Judy Garland in the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre production of End of the Rainbow.

Beyond the stage, Resnik appeared three times on the television series Cupid and had supporting roles in the films Backdraft and the independent production Little Big Top. In 1993 she appeared in the Off-Broadway musical Wings as Amy, described in the production as a sympathetic therapist. In 2002 she released a compact disc titled Make Someone Happy, featuring Broadway, pop, jazz, and original songs.

Resnik died of heart failure in Chicago on April 17, 2022.