Maria Friedman

Maria Friedman (née Freedman; born 19 March 1960) is a Swiss-born British actress and director, best known for her work in musical theatre. She is a seven-time Laurence Olivier Award nominee, winning three times for acting. Her first win was for her 1994 one-woman show, By Special Arrangement. She twice won as Best Actress in a Musical—for Fosca in the original London production of Passion (1997), and for Mother in the original London production of Ragtime (2004). Friedman played the narrator in the 1999 straight to video version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She played Elaine Peacock in the British television series EastEnders from 2014 to 2017. In 2023 the role was recast with Harriet Thorpe taking over as Elaine. Friedman directed the 2013 West End revival of Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along, which won the 2014 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival. She directed the 2023 Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, which won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, the 2024 Drama League Award for Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and a 2024 Special Citation from the New York Drama Critics Circle.

musicals

The Best of West End Musicals - 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000000Z

Showstoppers - A Collection of Timeless Hits from The Musicals - 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000000Z

Showtime! - 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000000Z

From The Musicals With Love - 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000000Z

The Best of Hollywood - 2025-03-10T00:00:00.000000Z

My Favorite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert (Live from Theatre Royal Drury Lane / 2023) - 2024-05-31T00:00:00.000000Z

Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends: A Celebration (Live at the Sondheim Theatre) - 2023-12-08T00:00:00.000000Z

Blues in the Night (Original London Cast Recording) - 2021-04-22T00:00:00.000000Z

Anyone Can Whistle (First Complete Recording) - 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

A Little Night Music (All Star Cast Recording) [2020 DigiMIX Remaster] - 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

The Love Songs of Stephen Sondheim - 2014-02-03T00:00:00.000000Z

The Best Romantic Baroque Music - 2011-12-13T00:00:00.000000Z

Vivaldi: The Great Concertos - 2011-07-05T00:00:00.000000Z

Vivaldi - 2011-01-17T00:00:00.000000Z

The 99 Most Essential Vivaldi Masterpieces - 2009-10-23T00:00:00.000000Z

Vivaldi in High Definition: The Four Seasons and Concertos - 2009-04-14T00:00:00.000000Z

Vivaldi: The Four Seasons (Le Quattro Stagioni) and Oboe Concerto - 2008-08-19T00:00:00.000000Z

The Woman In White - 2004-11-15T00:00:00.000000Z

The Witches of Eastwick (Original London Cast Recording) - 2000-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Sondheim Tonight (Live From The Barbican Centre London) - 1999-09-14T00:00:00.000000Z

Cabaret (Complete Recording of the Score (Original Studio Cast) - 1999-02-09T00:00:00.000000Z

Lady In The Dark (Original London Cast) - 1998-05-05T00:00:00.000000Z

Hey Mr. Producer: The Musical World of Cameron Mackintosh (A Live Recording at the Lyceum Theatre) - 1998-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Passion (1997 London Cast Recording) - 1997-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z

Now and Then - 1970-01-01T00:00:00.000000Z