Kerry Butler was born in Brooklyn, New York, and from the tender age of three, she harbored a profound passion for the performing arts, with acting being her ultimate aspiration. As a youngster, she began landing commercials, but her mother, in an effort to provide a more conventional childhood, ultimately decided that Kerry was too young to pursue her acting dreams.
However, Kerry's innate talent and dedication to her craft proved to be more than just a fleeting childhood fancy. After much persuasion and begging, her mother relented, allowing Kerry to return to acting at the age of ten. Since then, she has been actively involved in the industry, taking on various roles in television, film, and theater.
Kerry's early television credits include appearances on Sesame Street, Another World, and One Life to Live. She has also made notable appearances in the horror movie Campfire Stories and the independent film Brooklyn Sonnet. However, it is her work on the stage that has garnered her the most recognition.
Throughout her illustrious career, Kerry has enjoyed extended runs on Broadway, bringing to life iconic characters such as Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Eponine in Les Miserables, Ms. Jones in Blood Brothers, and Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors. Moreover, she created the role of Penny Pingleton in the Tony Award-winning musical Hairspray, and her voice can be heard on both the Little Shop of Horrors and Hairspray soundtracks.
More recently, Kerry has taken on the role of DeDe Truitt in The Opposite of Sex in San Francisco and has also starred as the Principal in The Miracle Brothers. Despite her relatively petite stature, Kerry's powerful voice is nothing short of astonishing, leaving audiences in awe of her incredible talent.
