Theatrical Career
Josefina Gabrielle began her professional career dancing with the National Ballet of Portugal. Since she completed her formal training, she has appeared in numerous musical productions, in the West End and on Broadway.
Her early West End appearances include Fame, The Woman in White, The Marriage of Figaro, A Chorus Line and The Goodbye Girl. In 1992, she was part of the ensemble in Nicholas Hytner's acclaimed revival of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Carousel. This production opened at the Royal National Theatre and transferred in 1993 to the Shaftesbury Theatre. She continued her association with Rodgers and Hammerstein in 1998 when she was chosen by director Trevor Nunn to star as Laurey Williams in his new production of Oklahoma! which was also staged at the National Theatre. It later transferred to the Lyeum Theatre in the West End. For her performance in Oklahoma!, Gabrielle received her first Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She holds the distinction of being the first ever Laurey in any production of Oklahoma! to dance her own "Dream Ballet," which was recreated especially for her by choreographer Susan Stroman. When this revival transferred to Broadway in 2002, Gabrielle travelled with the show and made her Broadway debut with the new company.
Gabrielle's other roles include Dot/Maria in Sunday in the Park With George at the Leicester Haymarket, Roxie Hart in Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre, Alexandra Spoffard in The Witches of Eastwick at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Cassie in A Chorus Line at the Sheffield Crucible, Kathy Selden in Singin' in the Rain at the Leicester Haymarket and the role of Irene Molloy in the Regent's Park Open-Air Theatre production of Hello, Dolly!, opposite Samantha Spiro.
Her most recent credit is that of Sweet Charity, which played first at the Menier Chocolate Factory and transferred to the Theatre Royal, Haymarket in the West End. Gabrielle played the roles of Nickie and Ursula, and received an Olivier Award nomination for her performance.
In 2012, she will tour the UK in the role of Mrs. Anna Leonowens in a new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I, her third musical by this duo.
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