Valisia LeKae

Valisia LeKae, born September 25, 1979, in Memphis, Tennessee, is an American actress and singer whose Broadway career spanned from 2006 to 2013. Growing up in Memphis, LeKae was exposed to Motown music through records played at her grandfather's barbershop. She began singing in church at age six and later performed at the Dollywood theme park. She went on to earn a degree in Psychology with a minor in Child and Family Studies from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

LeKae's Broadway career began in 2006 with The Threepenny Opera, in which she served as a swing and understudy. She subsequently appeared in 110 in the Shade in 2007 and returned to Broadway as a swing and understudy in Ragtime in 2009, a production for which she received a Joseph Jefferson Award. In 2011, she took on a swing and understudy role in The Book of Mormon before landing the starring role that would define her Broadway tenure.

LeKae originated the role of Diana Ross in Motown: The Musical, which opened on Broadway in April 2013. The performance earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Lead Actress in a Musical, a Drama League Award nomination for Distinguished Performance, an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, and the Theatre World Award for Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut performance. She also received a Grammy Award nomination in 2014 in connection with the production. LeKae left the show in December 2013 following a diagnosis of ovarian cancer.

In February 2014, LeKae was named a spokesperson for the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition.