In Broadway, after They're Playing Our Song (1979), she was an understudy in the musical/opera The Human Comedy in April 1984 and played various roles in The Mystery of Edwin Drood from 1985 to 1987. She also played Audrey in Alan Menken's Little Shop of Horrors. In 1994, she played the role of Fosca in Stephen Sondheim's and James Lapine's Passion, winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance. In 1996, she played Anna Leonowens in the revival of The King and I alongside Lou Diamond Philips. The role earned her a second Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical. She appeared as Ruth Sherwood in a revival of Wonderful Town from 2003 to 2005 (having previously performed in the New York City Center Encores! 2000 staged concert of that musical), and was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Actress in a Musical and won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. In 2007, she appeared in Lovemusik as Lotte Lenya, opposite Michael Cerveris as Kurt Weill, receiving nominations for Tony and Drama Desk Awards. She appeared in the 2007 New York City Center Encores! staged concert of Follies as Phyllis.[9] Her next announced role is in the Roundabout Theatre production of a new musical, The People in the Picture, opening on April 28, 2011 and closing on June 19, 2011.[10]
Murphy's film roles include, most recently, the role of Mother Gothel in the animated musical film Tangled (2010).[11] She also has appeared as Anij, Captain Jean-Luc Picard's love interest, in Star Trek: Insurrection (1998), Scarlett Johansson's mother in The Nanny Diaries and Rosalie Octavius, wife of Dr. Otto Octavius, the film's villain, in Spider-Man 2 (2004). She appeared in the film Center Stage as a ballet teacher in 2000 and in Darren Aronofsky's 2006 film The Fountain as Betty, a surgical research assistant.
On television, Murphy has appeared in the NBC soap opera Another World from 1989 through 1991 as District Attorney Morgan Graves. She has also had roles in a number of television series. She played a recurring character in Liberty! The American Revolution (as Abigail Adams) (1997), Murder One (1995–1996), Law & Order as Carla Tyrell in a recurring role (2000), Hack (2002–2003) and Trust Me (2009).
prologue
Donna Murphy Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let your power shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine
The lyrics of Donna Murphy's song Prologue are an invocation of powerful magic, calling upon the flora to allow its light to illuminate and turn back time. The singer seeks to revert the past to a time in which she held possession of something, which was once hers. The magic invoked in the lyrics is potent enough to bring back lost treasures and restore what has been lost, effectively altering destiny.
The lyrics employ vivid imagery, suggesting the transformative powers of magic. The lines, "Heal what has been hurt, change the Fates' design, save what has been lost," convey the potent potency of the incantation. The chant puts the singer in a position of power over fate itself, giving the impression that what once was lost is now within reach, as though it were always meant to be hers.
Overall, the song is about wishing for the past, for something that was lost, to be recovered. The singer invokes ancient magic to turn back the clock and reverse fate so that she can reclaim what was once hers. The past convoluted in this song, is portrayed as something pure that could be retrieved if the power of magic is invoked.
Line by Line Meaning
Flower, gleam and glow
Oh magical flower, with your dazzling radiance
Let your power shine
Show me your true powers, with a dazzling shine
Make the clock reverse
Turn back time, to undo the past that was once mine
Bring back what once was mine
Restore all that I once had, all that I loved and cherished
Heal what has been hurt
Fix all the damage that has been caused by those who hurt me
Change the Fates' design
Alter the course of destiny, making it work in my favor
Save what has been lost
Rescue all that has been taken away, all that I hold dear
Bring back what once was mine
Restore everything that was once mine, all that defines me
What once was mine
All that I had, all that I've lost and miss dearly
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: MARK ISHAM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind