Melissa Hart is an American actress, singer, and teacher. She made her Broadway debut in 1966 as an ensemble member in Jerry Bock's The Apple Tree. As Barbara Harris's understudy, she replaced the actress as the various heroines in that musical for several performances. In 1969 she took over the role of Sally Bowles in the original production of John Kander's Cabaret; a role she had previously performed in the musical's first National Tour. In 1970 she created the role of Meredith in the original Broadway cast of Tom Mankiewicz's Georgy; a performance for which she garnered a Tony Award nomination. She soon after performed the role of Fran Kubelik in the National Tour of Burt Bacharach's Promises, Promises.
During the 1970s and 1980s, Hart was highly active in Regional Theatres throughout the United States and in Off-Broadway productions. She won a Joseph Jefferson Award for her portrayal of Amy in Stephen Sondheim's Company at the Forum Theatre in Chicago. After a 27-year absence from Broadway, she returned to portray Baroness Von Thunder and serve as the Understudy for the Old Lady in the 1997 revival of Leonard Bernstein's Candide. Later that year she performed the role of Helene in the original cast of Frank Wildhorn's The Scarlet Pimpernel.