Dawnn Lewis is a multitalented and multifaceted individual. Perhaps best known for her roles on the hit TV shows A Different World (composer of show's theme song) and Hangin' with Mr. Cooper, she is also a Grammy Award-winning singer, a multiple ASCAP & BMI Award-winning songwriter, a TV creator/producer for ABC, and an actress who has appeared in such films as I'm Gonna Get You Sucka and DreamGirls. She now has recurring roles on hit series One Tree Hill and The Secret Life of An American Teenager, and is starring in the Warner Bros. feature film, The Preachers Kid, and the Fox animated film, Futurama: Into The Wild Green Yonder. Lewis is currently starring with Olympic Gold Medalist Greg Louganis in the stage production of The Little Dog Laughed at the Indian Wells Theatre in California. She also starred in the 2009 NYC City Center "Encore's" presentation of The Wiz as "Addapearle."

Lewis is on the SAG Hollywood Board of Directors, serves as Chairman of its Singers Committee, and was honored with the 2008 Integrity Award from the Los Angeles Women's Theatre Festival. Often called upon to create and establish characters in successful shows in a variety of genres, she recently starred as "The Voice Of God" in the world premiere musical Norman's Ark at the Ford Theatre, and also starred in the world premiere of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David musical Love Sweet Love. Prior to that she received rave reviews as well as the Best Actress: Fred Award (Los Angeles) and a nomination for the 2007 Best Actress: Suzi Award (Atlanta, Alliance Theatre), for her "knock your socks off!!!" performance in the world premiere of the Broadway-bound musical Sister Act as the "outrageous, nun-on-the-run," "Deloris Van Cartier." Last summer she recreated her spell-binding performance in Donald Welch's star-studded cast of The Divorce. Both The Divorce and Sister Act were nominated for multiple 2008 NAACP Image Awards. In 2000 Lewis won the Best Actress Image Award for her transforming performance in The Marriage.

Lewis started her own record label, Morning Jewel Music, and released her first album entitled Worth Waiting For. The title track was featured in the Disney movie The Poof Point, in which she starred. She has given voice to animated characters for various TV series including The Cleveland Show, The Life of Tim, Futurama, King of the Hill, The Boondocks, The X-Men and Spiderman to name a few.

Outside of her singing and acting career, Lewis dedicates her time to teaching master classes, mentoring youth across the country, giving motivational lectures and lending her support to: The United Negro College Fund; American Cancer Society; The March of Dimes; Youth Entertainment Studios; the Inner City Games; Campfire Boys and Girls; the United States Conference on AIDS; The K.I.S. Foundation for Sickle Cell Disease; the NBA/WNBA and other important causes.

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