Ackerman was born in New York City to
Cyma Rubin, a theatre and film producer, and Martin Ackerman, an ophthalmologist. Her stepfather was
Samuel Rubin. She made her
Broadway debut in
George M! in 1968, Ackerman's other Broadway credits include the roles of Betty Brown in the 1971 revival of
No, No, Nanette, Charmin in
The Magic Show (1974), and Wanda in
So Long, 174th Street (1976). In 1977, she was in the original cast of
Starting Here, Starting Now. She played the title role in the first U.S. national tour of
Evita (1980–1983) and was later a replacement in the title role of the Broadway production (from April to May 1983). The following year she was in the off-Broadway show
Diamonds. Her last Broadway credit was as a replacement for
Grizabella in
Cats in September 1991. She appeared in the off-Broadway production of
The Petrified Prince in 1994. She then retired to raise her two sons. In 2011, she returned to performing at
Gateway Playhouse in
Bellport, Long Island, starring as Norma Desmond in the musical
Sunset Boulevard. She later starred in two plays,
My Mother, My Sister, and Me (2016) and
To Life (2019). ==Personal life==