Carole Demas

Carole Demas accompanied by a music director on piano or electric piano depending on availability, will provide a performance tailored to your event and audience. Also available with additional performers and musicians. A delightful, powerful and enchanting show full of music and stories that is certain to charm and thrill your audience.

Carole Demas’ 60+ year ongoing career as an actress and singer has taken a surprisingly diverse path. In the world of the Broadway Theatre, Carole is loved and remembered for her acclaimed creation of the female lead “Sandy” in GREASE, one of Broadway’s longest running musicals. To a generation of young people who grew up watching TV’s THE MAGIC GARDEN, she will always be their beloved childhood hero, “Carole”. Through her work in the various media, this lovely, talented actress continues to enthrall audiences with her gracious charm and wonderful voice (“shimmering, versatile… great warmth…sweetness…surprising power.” “A vocal champion…”).
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Carole Demas holds a B.A. in English from the University of Vermont and continued her studies at the New York University Graduate School of Education.
Carole made her professional show business debut with the Champlain Shakespeare Festival in 1960. Later, she was featured for four seasons with the New York Shakespeare Festival Elizabethan Singers as one of a quartet consisting of Paula Janis (who was to become her co-star on WPIX-TV's THE MAGIC GARDEN) and their brothers, Jonathan Rosen and Alex Demas.
Off-Broadway, Carole was the ingenue lead in Fred Ebb's MORNING SUN (with Patricia Neway and Bert Convy). She also created starring roles in the Off-Broadway productions of RONDELAY and HOW TO STEAL AN ELECTION. She played “The Girl” in THE FANTASTICKS, one of her favorite parts, at the Sullivan Street Playhouse for almost 2 years. Carole's association with Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt, creators of THE FANTASTICKS (the longest running Off-Broadway show in theatre history), led to her participation in the “Portfolio” workshop where she was seen Off-Off-Broadway as the original female lead in PHILEMON.
On Broadway, Carole stole the hearts of audiences and critics alike with her captivating portrayal of “Sandy”, the female lead, in the smash hit musical, GREASE. As Clive Barnes said, “Carole Demas could not have been better.” This enduringly popular show spawned 2 movies and countless productions all over the world and has returned to Broadway in numerous revivals. On Broadway, at The New Amsterdam Theatre, for GYPSY OF THE YEAR, Carole was re-united with many fellow GREASE original cast members for a special featured performance by all of them, to sold out houses and standing ovations.
In another new show headed towards Broadway, Carole originated the title role and opened to critical acclaim, once again, in the Los Angeles production of David Merrick’s ill fated, THE BAKER’S WIFE. Ron Pennington, in Stage Reviews, Los Angeles wrote, “CAROLE DEMAS . . . has a fascinating quality that conveys an interesting combination of jaded sexuality and affecting innocence”
No stranger to Stock and Regional Theatre her credits include major roles in BAREFOOT IN THE PARK (with Joan Bennet), ENTER LAUGHING, ABSENCE OF A CELLO (as Hans Conried's daughter), A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM as “Philia”, OH, WHAT A LOVELY WAR, and her favorites, “Regina” in ANOTHER PART OF THE FOREST at the Pennsylvania State Repertory Theatre, and “Angel” in CELEBRATION at ACT in Seattle.
The winding path of Carole’s career, which has been highlighted in Schirmer, Citadel, Applause and Chicago Review Books chronicling the trials and triumphs of Broadway, has taken her from her early days as Miss Vermont in the 1960 Miss Universe Pageant, to major dramatic and comic roles in theatres from coast to coast, including the Las Vegas run of her zany “Singing Chicken” voice in the Lido Show at the Stardust! Carole was chosen as one of “150 Stars of the Musical Theatre remembering 50 years on Broadway” whose triumphs and heartbreaks fill the Schirmer book SING OUT, LOUISE! by Dennis McGovern and Deborah Grace Winer. Broadway insiders are also familiar with Carole’s misadventures as the “first” Nanette, in the now infamous Broadway revival, as meticulously chronicled by David Dunn in his Citadel book, THE MAKING OF NO, NO, NANETTE. And more recently featured in the Stephen Schwartz Biography, Defying Gravity: The Creative Career of Stephen Schwatrz From Godspell to Wicked.
For the popular PBS Series GREAT PERFORMANCES, Carole joined other stars of the Great White Way for Lorimar’s “SHOWSTOPPERS - THE BEST OF BROADWAY” -- in which memorable moments from Broadway musicals were recreated by the original stars. Carole has guest-starred on many TV shows, among them BARNABY JONES, KOJAK, MANNIX, FANTASTIC JOURNEY, THE MAN FROM ATLANTIS, etc., playing every¬thing from victims to girlfriends to murderers. She played recurring roles on AS THE WORLD TURNS and THE EDGE OF NIGHT. Recently Carole guest starred on BLUE BLOODS (CBS-TV) and ALLEGIANCE (NBC-TV). In films, Carole appeared with William Devane in the 300 YEAR WEEKEND. Her other films include THE SPACE WORKS for Trans-Lux Corp. and A LOVELY WAY TO DIE for Universal Films.
Carole's wonderful versatility has been seen and heard in over 200 commercials for television, promoting everything from Men’s Cologne to Peanut Butter and often singing the jingles as well as appearing in the commercials.
Her engaging, exciting cabaret and concert performances have brought funds and attention to many worthy causes. In New York (at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Eighty-Eights, and The Westchester Broadway Theatre) and in Los Angeles (at The Improv), Carole has been seen in her Cabaret Act, which is an ongoing project and has received exemplary reviews. Throughout her musical and multi-faceted career, her singing has been described as ”shimmering… versatile.…combining great warmth and sweetness with surprising power”; “A Knockout”; “Heavensent”; “Riveting”; “A Powerhouse”; “Captivating”. She has been featured in dozens of Concerts and Cabaret Performances in New York, Barbados and St. Croix. She was the featured guest star in Broadway To Barbados (Frank Collymore Hall, Barbados); One Enchanted Evening, Caribbean Theatre (St. Croix USVI); Town Hall Broadway By The Year; Merkin Hall Off-Broadway Close-Up; 50th Anniversary Concerts for Lincoln Center Library and WBAI radio. She has appeared at The Metropolitan Room, New World Stages, The Concerts for City Greens, The Ziegfeld Society, Le Poisson Rouge, Don’t Tell Mama, others. She is currently scheduled to appear at 54 Below in Broadway Originals, Tudor City Greens Concert for Arts and Greens, and at The Triad-Stage 72 in Richard Skipper Celebrates.

For the best results a stage, professional lighting and sound, plus a grand piano. If desired also a drum kit. We can provide the sound if needed. We can provide an electric piano if needed. Depending upon the venue we can get very specific technically, but main speakers, monitor speakers, high quality vocal mic (wireless is best), piano mic mics and i drums are included then drum mics as well.