Bio
Karen Olivo is an American actress best known for her starring role as Cassie Reynolds on the second season of the legal comedy-drama television series Harry's Law, from 2011-2012.
Olivo starred as Anita in the acclaimed Broadway revival of West Side Story, directed by Arthur Laurents, a role which garnered her the 2009 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical. Olivo also earned Drama Desk, Drama League, Outer Critics Circle and Astaire Award nominations for her portrayal of the iconic character.
Olivo originated the role of Vanessa in both the Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of the Tony Award-winning musical, In the Heights.
Exploring three days in the lives of a group of Dominican-American characters living in Washington Heights, In the Heights was also the recipient of the 2007 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Off-Broadway Musical, the 2007 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and the 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble.
Olivo was also the recipient of the 2008 Astaire Award for Best Female Dancer for her role in the show. Furthermore, Olivo joined Lin-Manuel Miranda and the rest of the multi-ethnic cast in In the Heights: Chasing Broadway Dreams, a televised documentary highlighting their road to the New York stage.
Olivo made her Broadway debut in Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer and Tony Award-winning musical Rent. Additionally, she also originated the role of Faith in the Broadway production of Brooklyn The Musical, directed by Jeff Calhoun.
Olivo's additional theatre credits include the Off-Broadway production of By the Way, Meet Vera Stark by Pulitzer-winning playwright Lynn Nottage and co-starring Sanaa Lathan; The Miracle Brothers, directed by Tina Landau, at the Vineyard Theatre, the Public Theater's 40th Anniversary concert production of Hair, directed by Diane Paulus and The Ford Theatre's production of Children of Eden.
She has guest starred on a number of television series including All My Children, Law & Order, Conviction, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Chase, Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior and The Good Wife.