Life IS A Soap Opera with Actor, Singer & Songwriter Ilene Kristen
This week’s guest is best known for her roles as Delia Ryan from the soap opera, Ryan’s Hope and her two-time Emmy-nominated performance as Roxy Balsom on another soap, One Life To Live and she is…Ilene Kristen.
Ilene is an actress, singer, songwriter, cabaret performer, and one-time cinema owner.
Even though she may be better known for her soap opera roles, Ilene has many Broadway, Off and Off-Off Broadway credits as well as primetime television shows and movie credits. She originated the role of Patty Simcox in “Grease” and portrayed the infamous Leona Helmsley in “Mayor”.
Her album of original songs “I’m Not Done With U Yet” is available on Amazon and iTunes.
A native New Yorker, Ilene is perhaps best known for her portrayal of Delia Ryan on “Ryan’s Hope,” and her ten-year stint as the gambling, beer-guzzling and always-inappropriate hairdresser Roxy Balsom on “One Life to Live”. She received two Emmy nominations for Best Supporting Actress for that role.
Ilene portrayed the de, dems and do Norma Gilpin on “Loving” and wannabe socialite Madeleine Thompson on “Another World.” Currently she is reprising the role of Delia Ryan in a character crossover on “General Hospital.”
Ilene made her Broadway debut as a dancer in Henry, Sweet Henry. She originated the role of Patty Simcox in Grease and portrayed the infamous Leona Helmsley in Mayor. Off-Broadway shows include Acts of Providence, All That Glitters, Light Up the Sky, The Dolphin Position, Cowboy, and Trust.
She also appeared in The Gig at Goodspeed and Marvin’s Room at the Helen Hayes in Nyack. An Ensemble Studio Theatre member since 1984, Ilene has performed in five of their Marathon of One-Act Plays including Saxophone Music, Naomi in the Livingroom, Cosmo’s in Love, Degas, C’est Moi, A Dead Man’s Apartment and the comedy revue Strange Behavior. Recent film appearances include Tinseltown, Signs of the Cross, Mattie Fresno and the Holoflux Universe, Luscious, Knock, Knock, and Manhattanites.
Night time TV sightings include “Deception,” “Unforgettable,” HBO’s “Show Me A Hero,” “Law and Order,” “Law and Order: SVU,” “The Good Policeman,” “Third Watch,” “The Sopranos,” “Family,” and “The Black Donnellys.”
In addition to a full-time performing career, Ilene also co-founded of The Jean Renoir Cinema, a film theatre showing independent and foreign films. While affiliated there, she produced the award-winning short The Aftermath. In 1997 she was a producer of the feature Angels with Angles, starring Frank Gorshin and Rodney Dangerfield.
As a songwriter, Ilene has penned album cuts for teenage phenom Kaitlyn Lusk and jazz guitarist Chuck Loeb, as well as producing for the label Tuxedo Records. A regular on the club circuit, Ilene has recently recorded her first CD of her own original songs, which is expected to be released sometime this year.
Click here for Ilene’s album, I’m Not Done With U Yet
Ilene Kristen on IMDB
Instagram: @ilenekristen
Twitter: @ilenekristen
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