Alyson Reed

Alyson Reed (born January 10, 1958) is an American dancer and actress. --- Reed grew up in Anaheim, California and attended Anaheim High School, where she graduated in 1976. She was a varsity songleader for two years, and was ASB President as a senior. She began ballet at age 4 and performing in musicals at age 7. she began working professionally at age 12. Alyson performed as Alice in Wonderland at the Disneyland theme park. Reed made her Broadway debut in Dancin' in 1978. Additional theatre credits include Dance a Little Closer, Cabaret, A Grand Night for Singing, and Marilyn: An American Fable. She was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for Cabaret and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Marilyn. In 1992, she starred opposite Michael O'Keefe in the national touring company of A Few Good Men in the role of Lt. Cmdr. Galloway, and also toured as Cassie/Val in A Chorus Line, and Catherine in Pippin. Reed's most notable screen role was Cassie in Richard Attenborough's film adaptation of A Chorus Line, and she also appeared in the comedy Skin Deep with John Ritter. Her many television credits include Matlock, L.A. Law, Murder, She Wrote, Frasier, Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER, Judging Amy, Chicago Hope, The X Files, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Nip/Tuck, Crossing Jordan, Numb3rs, Boston Legal, NYPD Blue and Desperate Housewives. Most recently, she has become known to younger viewers for the role of Ms. Darbus in the popular Disney Channel movie High School Musical and its sequel High School Musical 2 (although her role in that film was only one scene). She reprised her role as Ms. Darbus in High School Musical 3: Senior Year.