Editing Nell Carter (section)

===Broadway work===
At age 19, Hardy changed her surname to Carter and left Birmingham, Alabama, moving to New York City with the Renaissance Ensemble, where she sang in coffee shops, nightclubs and bathhouses before landing her first Broadway role in 1971.<ref>{{cite journal| date=February 10, 2003| title=Stage, Television Star Nell Carter Dies at 54| journal=Jet| volume=103| issue=7| page=49| issn=0021-5996| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7r0DAAAAMBAJ&q=nell+carter+birmingham&pg=PA48}}</ref>

Carter made her Broadway debut in the 1971 rock opera ''[[Soon (musical)|Soon]]'', which closed after three performances.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Soon |url=https://playbill.com/production/soon-ritz-theatre-vault-0000010070 |access-date=21 July 2024 |website=Playbill}}</ref> She was the music director for the 1974 [[Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective]]'s production of ''What Time of Night It Is''.{{Citation needed|date=July 2024}} Carter appeared with [[Bette Davis]] in the 1974 stage musical ''Miss Moffat'', based on Davis' earlier film ''[[The Corn Is Green (1945 film)|The Corn Is Green]]'', but the show closed before reaching Broadway.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Miss Moffat (Closed on the road, 1974) {{!}} Ovrtur |url=https://ovrtur.com/public/production/2881215 |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=ovrtur.com}}</ref>

Carter became a star for her role in the musical ''[[Ain't Misbehavin' (Broadway show)|Ain't Misbehavin]]'', for which she won a [[Tony Award]] in 1978.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jr |first=Robert Mcg Thomas |date=1978-06-05 |title="Ain't Misbehavin" |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1978/06/05/archives/new-jersey-pages-aint-misbehavin-and-da-win-tonys-three-special.html |access-date=2024-07-21 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref> She later won an [[Emmy Award|Emmy]] for the same role in a televised performance in 1982.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Haylock |first=Zoe |date=2018-06-10 |title=Tonys: A Look Back at Black Actors Who Have Won |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/black-tony-awards-acting-winner-1098725/ |access-date=2024-07-21 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref>

In 1978, Carter was cast as Effie White in the Broadway musical ''[[Dreamgirls (musical)|Dreamgirls]]'' but departed the production during development to take a television role on ''[[Ryan's Hope]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Shaw |first=Helen |date=2023-04-13 |title=Soap Operas as Guiding Light |url=https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/04/24/regretfully-so-the-birds-are-theatre-review-white-girl-in-danger |access-date=2024-07-21 |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |issn=0028-792X}}</ref> When ''Dreamgirls'' premiered in late 1981, [[Jennifer Holliday]] had taken the lead role.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hetrick |first=Adam |date=26 December 2010 |title="Hard to Say Goodbye": Dreamgirls Tour Concludes in Detroit Dec. 26 |url=https://playbill.com/article/hard-to-say-goodbye-dreamgirls-tour-concludes-in-detroit-dec-26-com-174636 |access-date=21 July 2024 |website=Playbill}}</ref>

Carter's additional Broadway credits include ''[[Dude (musical)|Dude]]'' and the 20th-anniversary production of ''[[Annie (musical)|Annie]]'', in which she played Miss Hannigan.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last1=Viagas |first1=Robert |last2=Lefkowitz |first2=David |date=5 January 1998 |title=Sally Struthers Takes Over as Miss Hannigan in Annie Tour Jan. 5 |url=https://playbill.com/article/sally-struthers-takes-over-as-miss-hannigan-in-annie-tour-jan-5-com-72717 |access-date=21 July 2024 |website=Playbill}}</ref>