Finally, a page devoted entirely to Nicole Sullivan's theatrical appearances. The medium of theater was the one in which Ms. Sullivan initially cut her teeth as an actress: as early as age 7, she was appearing in off-Broadway children's theater productions. Although I do not know of any extracurricular drama club being in existence at Middleburgh High School when she attended (1983-87), she was voted "Most Dramatic" in her graduating class. She appeared in several theater productions at Northwestern University, and in more than a few productions during her "struggling actress" phase in Los Angeles (1991-95). Ms. Sullivan has achieved fame primarily through the medium of television, especially as the breakout cast member of the Saturday night sketch comedy series Mad TV. But since then, she has not abandoned theater entirely, and has appeared in several productions in the Los Angeles area.
The following is a shamefully incomplete listing of Ms. Sullivan's theatrical appearances. I will post more information as my research progresses.
Ennui appeared in a double bill (with Love Letters) at Theatre/Theater in Hollywood during February-March 1995, Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8:00 PM. [It ended its run on March 2nd.] Nicole Sullivan appeared as Mavis, a "befuddled Gen X-er" with a boyfriend who won't commit to a relationship, a sly, manipulative psychotherapist and an argumentative mother. Critics didn't think much of this play - the Los Angeles Times' review was largely negative, although they did like Jane Lynch as Mavis's mother.
Faith appeared at the Powerhouse Theater in Santa Monica during September-October 1997 on Sundays. [It ended its run on October 12th.] Nicole Sullivan appeared as Barb, the fiancee of Phil (Rob Benedict). The two have had an essentially monogamous relationship for several years and are considering marriage. The only problem is that together, they are about as harmonious as Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland. The Los Angeles Times liked this play, referring to it as a "wacky comedy about tortured relationships." The review also stated that "[t]he comedically astute cast is uniformly outrageous." This can only be seen as a vote of confidence in Sullivan's (and Benedict's) comedic talent.