Nancy Travis was born in New York City, to Theresa, a social worker,
and Gordon Travis, a sales executive. She lived in Baltimore and Boston
before returning to her birthplace to study drama at New York
University. Her first job out of school was with New York's American
Jewish Theater, after which she hit the road, joining the national tour
of Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach
Memoirs." She has maintained a connection to the stage throughout her
career. A founding member of the New York-based off-Broadway theater
company Naked Angels, she appeared in their production of
Frank Pugliese's play "Aven-U Boys, " as
well as "King of Connecticut" with
Frances McDormand. She also performed
in the Broadway run of the award-winning play "I'm Not Rappaport" with
Cleavon Little and
Judd Hirsch. More recently, she appeared in
Athol Fugard's "My Children, My Africa,"
which the author directed at the La Jolla Playhouse. No stranger to
television, Travis starred with
Peter Gallagher and
Isabella Rossellini in the
Tom Cruise-directed segment of the Showtime
anthology series
Fallen Angels (1993).
