An accomplished actor and stage director, Phylicia Rashad became a household name when she portrayed Claire Huxtable on The Cosby Show, a character whose enduring appeal has earned her numerous honors and awards for over two decades. She has appeared as Carol on NBC’s This Is Us (2019 and 2020 Emmy nominations), Diana Dubois on the popular Fox TV series Empire, and as Dr. Woods-Trap in Tarrell Alvin McCraney's Peabody Award-winning series David Makes Man, on the OWN Network.

Phylicia Rashad-

While television was a catalyst in the rise of Rashad's career, she has also been a force on the stage, appearing both on and Off-Broadway, often in projects that showcase her musical talent such as Jelly's Last Jam, Into the Woods, Dreamgirls and The Wiz.
In 2016, Ms. Rashad was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame and received the 2016 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play for her performance as Shelah in Tarell Alvin McCraney's Head of Passes at the Public Theater, a role which she reprised at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. Rashad performed the role of the Duchess of Gloucester in Richard II, the 2020 Shakespeare on the Radio collaboration between The Public Theater and New York public radio station, WNYC.
On Broadway, Ms. Rashad has performed as Violet Weston in August Osage County, Big Mama in Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (a role that she reprised on the London stage), Aunt Ester in August Wilson’s Gem Of The Ocean, and more.

Brenda talks about years of stability, losing everything: My home, marriage, and business - without a regular paycheck to keep me afloat! The cherry on the cake? Finding out that no one in Hollywood wanted someone her age for their projects either. Everything can change so quickly but this 'Now What?' moment became an opportunity for her to start anew with a different perspective - giving women like herself (and beyond) an even louder voice than before!?

Brenda Braxton was destined for the stage. While most of her classmates at the famed High School of Performing Arts dreamed that their talents would one day be recognized, Brenda, a year after graduation, was cast in the hit Broadway show Guys & Dolls. But her real claim to fame was her performance in Broadway’s musical revue SMOKEY JOE’S CAFÉ which earned her a Tony Award nomination, the NAACP Theater Award, the city of Chicago’s Jefferson Award and a Grammy Award for Best Cast Album. She went on to star as Velma Kelly in Broadway’s hit musical CHICAGO opposite USHER, BeBe Neuwirth, Rita Wilson and Brian McKnight. . Her other Broadway credits include, Jelly’s Last Jam with Gregory Hines and Savion Glover, Cats, Legs Diamond and the original production of DREAMGIRLS with Jennifer Holiday. Her TV credits include Nurse Jackie, SMASH. She most recently is costarring as Partner Madeline Gilford on The Good Fight on CBS All Access.
In realizing the importance of giving back she founded a not -for profit organization called, Leading Ladies Just for Teens (LLJFT), seminars geared toward empowering young girls to be the best they can be. Leading Ladies began in 1996 at the Virginia Theater with a series of seminars designed to encourage, challenge and inspire young girls to dream and set goals.