Director: Gaylen Ross
Executive Producer: Neil Mazzella
Narrator: Rosie O'Donnell
Writer: Jesse Green

A Tony and Drama Desk nominee, Laurie was the incomparable performer with a once in a lifetime voice that hit the rafters in such celebrated musicals as Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Color Dreamcoat, Cats, and Les Miserables. Andrew Lloyd Webber praised her “not just for her extraordinary voice, but also her remarkable contribution to musical theatre” and the New York Times hailed her as “the best young emotive belter in the dramatic tradition of Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand.”

At the height of her career Laurie was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1989, the year that comedian Gilda Radner died of the same disease. Laurie faced not only a life-threatening illness, but also the prospect of never working again on the stage. Instead Laurie lived and performed with cancer for nine years. “My middle name is Hope,” Laurie said. “My mother named me well.”

Awards and Festivals

• Winner, Creative Excellence, U.S. International Film and Video Festival
• Cine Gold Eagle

"She had the kind of frailty and, in a sense, the same kind of notes as, say, Judy Garland… that extraordinary frailty, vulnerability, and warmth."Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer

"Extraordinary voice. Extraordinary vivacity. … it had a rawness and an absolute humanity, I suppose is the way that I can best define that magical voice." Sir Trevor Nunn, theater director

"Seeing her live, it was a dimension that was just incredible. Laurie on a ballad would just break your heart. I’ve never seen 'Memory' performed better than when Laurie did it. It was just wonderful. And so when I talk about Laurie’s voice, it’s her entire being that comes through… Laurie Beechman was my favorite singer."Alan Menken, composer

"Just occasionally a voice will come along and your hairs go 'ting!' And she had that.. It was an exceptional voice, but also an exceptional personality. And as her life tragically came to an end so prematurely, what she was also was an exceptional human being in the way that she lived her life… and she never once let her problems get in the way of living her life to the full and giving her all to the audience. And you know, that’s pretty remarkable. There aren’t many people I’ve known in the theater who are like Laurie."Sir Cameron Mackintosh, theatrical producer

"She had the ability to shatter you.. and also she had what I call the “raise the hairs on your arm” quotient. She had that ability to thrill. And Laurie used to love to use that. She used to love to thrill people. She loved hearing people say that nobody sings like her. "Richard Jay Alexander, musical director and producer