Beth Fowler
Beth Fowler is an American actress and singer, best known for her performances on Broadway and for her role as Sister Ingalls, on Orange Is the New Black. She is a two-time Tony Award nominee, as well as two-time winner for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for her role as Sister Ingalls in the ensemble cast of Orange is the New Black.
Beth Fowler

Drama League from USA · Beth Fowler · CC BY 2.0
- Name
- Elizabeth Fowler
- Birthplace
- Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S.
- Education
- Caldwell University
- Occupation
- Actress, singer
- Spouse
- Jack Witham
- Born
- 1940. · Jersey City.
- Nationality
- United States.
- Languages
- English.
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Documentary summary
Beth Fowler is an American actress and singer, best known for her performances on Broadway and for her role as Sister Ingalls, on Orange Is the New Black. She is a two-time Tony Award nominee, as well as two-time winner for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series for her role as Sister Ingalls in the ensemble cast of Orange is the New Black.
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wikidata · Q4897497 · wikipedia · Beth Fowler
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Elizabeth Fowler • Birthplace — Jersey City, New Jersey, U.S. • Education — Caldwell University • Occupation — Actress, singer • Years Active — 1970–present • Spouse — Jack Witham
Life and career
Life and career
Born in Jersey City, New Jersey, Fowler attended Caldwell University in New Jersey and was a music teacher for several years, as well as performing in community theater. Fowler attended Catholic schools and planned to enter a convent before becoming a music teacher. She had a fondness for Broadway theatre when she decided to audition for Gantry in 1970. She was signed for the chorus and as understudy for the lead, but the show closed on opening night. She had better luck with her next outing, Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. Additional Broadway credits include 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue; Peter Pan; Baby; Take Me Along; Teddy & Alice; the 1989 revival of Sweeney Todd, in which she portrayed Mrs. Lovett; Beauty and the Beast, in which she originated the role of Mrs. Potts; Bells Are Ringing; and The Boy from Oz, where she portrayed Peter Allen's mother Marion. Fowler has been nominated for two Tony Awards: as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for The Boy From Oz and as Best Actress in a Musical for Sweeney Todd, which garnered her a Drama Desk Award nomination as well. During her career, Fowler appeared in a number of films, including Sister Act and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit, Friends & Family, Did You Hear About the Morgans?, I Don't Know How She Does It, and Mulan, in which she sang "Honor to Us All". On television, Fowler guest-starred on Law & Order, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Ed, and Gossip Girl. In 2013, she began appearing in the recurring role as Sister Jane Ingalls in the comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. Along with cast, Fowler received the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series.
Personal
Personal
Since 2000, Fowler has been a resident of New Milford, New Jersey, having previously resided in Rutherford, Teaneck, Hawthorne, and Glen Rock. Fowler married Jack Witham in 1976.
Filmography
Filmography
• Year — Title — Role — Notes • 1991 — In the Line of Duty: Manhunt in the Dakotas — Joan Kahl — TV movie • 1992 — Sister Act — Choir Nun • 1993 — Law & Order — Mrs. Wrenn — Episode: "Virus" • 1993 — Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit — Choir Nun • 1998 — Mulan — Bather — Voice • 2000 — Ed — Molly's Mom — Episode: "The Whole Truth" • 2001 — Friends & Family — Mrs. Torcelli • 2006 — Law & Order: Criminal Intent — Margaret Collo — Episode: "On Fire" • 2008 — Back to Me — Beth — Short • 2009 — Did You Hear About the Morgans? — Ma Simmons • 2010 — The Extra Man — Ms. Marsh • 2011 — Silhouette — Paige • 2011 — I Don't Know How She Does It — Clark's Secretary • 2007–2012 — Gossip Girl — Mistress of Ceremonies — 3 episodes • 2013–2016 — Orange Is the New Black — Sister Jane Ingalls — 32 episodes Recurring role Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015, 2016)
Stage credits
Stage credits
• Year — Title — Role — Venue — Ref. • 1970 — Gantry — Deaf Man's Wife — Broadway, George Abbott Theatre • 1973 — A Little Night Music — Mrs. Segstrom — Broadway, Shubert Theatre • 1976 — 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — Ensemble — Broadway, Mark Hellinger Theatre • 1979 — Peter Pan — Mrs. Darling — Broadway, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre • 1983 — Baby — Arlene McNally — Broadway, Ethel Barrymore Theatre • 1985 — Take Me Along — Lily Miller — Broadway, Martin Beck Theatre • 1987 — Teddy & Alice — Edith Roosevelt — Broadway, Minskoff Theatre • 1989 — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street — Mrs. Lovett — Broadway, Circle in the Square Theatre • 1994 — Beauty and the Beast — Mrs. Potts — Broadway, Palace Theatre • 2001 — Bells are Ringing — Sue — Broadway, Plymouth Theatre • 2003 — The Boy from Oz — Marion Woolnough — Broadway, Imperial Theatre • 2007 — Inherit the Wind — Mrs. Brady — Broadway, Lyceum Theatre
Awards and nominations
• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result — Ref. • 1989 — Drama Desk Awards — Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical — Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street • 1990 — Tony Awards — Best Actress in a Musical • Outer Critics Circle Awards — Outstanding Actress in a Musical • 2004 — Tony Awards — Best Featured Actress in a Musical — The Boy from Oz • 2015 — Screen Actors Guild Awards — Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series — Orange is the New Black • 2016
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.League, The Broadway. Beth Fowler – Broadway Cast & Staff - IBDB. www.ibdb.com.
- 2.'Orange Is the New Black' star talks about Jersey City roots in podcast. 8 August 2015.
- 3.Delhauer, Patricia. omagdigital.com, September 5, 2018
- 4."Actress Beth Fowler Visits Her Alma Mater Caldwell University" caldwell.edu, March 24, 2015
- 5.From parish to prison, N.J. actress Beth Fowler can't escape the convent. 27 July 2015.
- 6.The Boy From Oz IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information. www.ibdb.com.
- 7.Michelle McCue. BIRDMAN, DOWNTON ABBEY Big Winners At 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards. We Are Movie Geeks. 26 January 2015.
- 8.Beckerman, Jim. "Fowler draws on salon ties for role" , The Record (Bergen County), March 12, 2008. Accessed March 12, 2008. "Born in Jersey City, raised in Rutherford (she cut her acting teeth with the Bergen County Players in Oradell), she lived in Teaneck, Hawthorne and Glen Rock before settling, eight years ago, in New Milford."
- 9.Klein, Alvin. "Theater; A Musical Powerhouse Returns to the Stage" The New York Times, November 26, 2000
- 10.Beth Fowler – Performer. Playbill.
- 11.SAG Award Winners 2015: Screen Actors Guild Awards Winner List. TVLine.
- 12.SAG Awards 2016 Highlights & Winners. Variety.
References
Citations
References
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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