Karen Akers

She first appeared on Broadway in the original 1992 production of NINE directed by Tommy Tune and playing the part of Luisa Contini. She won a Theatre World Award for her performance and was one of three actresses in the show nominated for the Tony Award for Featured Actress in a Musical, losing to her fellow cast member Liliane Montevecchi. She appeared again on Broadway in another Tommy Tune show, GRAND HOTEL, a musical adaptation of the novel and film, with a score by Robert Wright, George Forrest, and Maury Yeston. The show opened November 12, 1989, for a successful run of 1,018 performances through April 19, 1992. She appeared in the Woody Allen film The Purple Rose of Cairo as a celluloid chanteuse, and in Heartburn as the mistress of Jack Nicholson's character. She appeared in one episode of "Cheers" as Cliff's shy, friend.