California native Alyson Reed started honing her skills as a performer in high school, where she appeared in school plays like {+Oliver!} Two years after graduating, she made her Broadway debut with a role in the 1978 production of {+Dancin'}, and it would prove to be the first of many. Over the next few decades, Reed would appear in such shows as {+Dance a Little Closer}, {+A Grand Night for Singing}, and {+Cabaret} -- for which she won a Tony.
She's also enjoyed a successful film career, appearing in the role of Cassie in the big-screen adaptation of {+A Chorus Line}, and making appearances in numerous TV shows like L.A. Law, Without a Trace, and Crossing Jordan. In 2006, she added the High School Musical franchise to her resumé, playing Ms. Darbus in the popular tween hit, and reprising the role for 2008's High School Musical 3: Senior Year. ~ Cammila Albertson, All Movie Guide. 