Terri Klausner

Terri Klausner is an American stage actress and performer active in the 1980s and the early 1990s.

Klausner is a graduate of Paul VI High School in Haddonfield, New Jersey.

Later, she studied speech and drama at Catholic University in Washington, DC.

Klausner was first noticed in the role of "Bebe" (originally played by Nancy Lane) at Shubert Theatre, New York, in A Chorus Line, a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Other performers included Tommy Aguilar ("Paul San Marco"), Kelly Bishop ("Sheila"), Stephen Bourneuf ("Al"), Gregg Burge ("Richie"), and René Ceballos ("Lois").

Klausner's big break came in 1979 in the role of "Eva Perón" in the original Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber (composer) and Tim Rice (lyricist)'s musical Evita. The play concentrates on the life of Argentine political leader Eva Perón, the second wife of the Argentine president Juan Perón. After the original member Patti LuPone played "Eva Perón", Kalusner was one of the six other actresses who alternated the character of Perón—Nancy Opel, Pamela Blake, Derin Altay, Loni Ackerman, and Florence Lacey.

In 1981, Klausner was in the opening cast of Sophisticated Ladies, a musical revue based on the music of Duke Ellington. Conducted by Duke's son Mercer Ellington and directed by Michael Smuin, the revue ran from March 01, 1981, to January 02, 1983, at Lunt-Fontanne Theatre in New York and won two awards and eight nominations at the 35th Tony Awards. Klausner shared the stage with Hinton Battle, Gregg Burge, Michael Scott Gregory, Michael Lichtefeld, Gregory Hines, Judith Jamison, Gremlinn T. Creole, P.J. Benjamin, Phyllis Hyman, Priscilla Baskerville, Claudia Asbury, Paula Lynn, Wynonna Smith, Adrian Bailey, and T. A. Stephens. In the orchestra pit were Rudy Stevenson (guitar, banjo), Kamau Adilifu, aka Charles Sullivan, Barry Lee Hall Jr., John Longo, Lloyd Michels, and Evan Solot (trumpet); Art Baron, Chuck Connors, Vince Prudente, and Britt Woodman (trombone); Al Richmond (french horn); Bill Easley, Geezil Minerve, Joe Temperley, Norris Turney, and David Young (reeds); Lloyd Mayers (piano); Dominick Fiore (bass and tuba); Charles Simons and Rocky White (percussion); and Richard Pratt (drums). The audio recording of the revue was released in 1981 on RCA Records.

Klausner's off-Broadway credits include Goblin Market, Bed & Sofa, Lies and Legends, New Tunes, The Cole Porter Review, and Oh! Coward!

In 1987, Klausner performed "Tangled Up Puppet" in Kenneth A. Simon's tribute concert Tribute to Harry Chapin to commemorate Harry Chapin's 45th birthday. The concert was held at Carnegie Hall in New York and other singers and performers included Pat Benatar, Oscar Brand, Pete Seeger, Judy Collins, Richie Havens, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, and Graham Nash.

In 2021, she was seen in the episode "Duke Ellington: The Music that Defined a Century" (aired on Mar 4, 2021) of Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley's TV series Stars in the House.

She has also performed at the White House and the 92nd St Y (New York) in the Lyrics and Lyricists Series, and the Celebrity Series, What Makes It Great? The Songs of Stephen Sondheim.

Klausner lives with her family in Tappan, New York.

Klausner has received two Drama Desk Award nominations, a New York Drama League Award, and an Obie Award. She also has nominations from the National Academy of Concerts and Cabaret Arts, and she received the Bistro Award for her performance in This Life: The Songs of Portia Nelson.