Lisa Brescia Explained

Lisa Brescia
Birth Date:	12 May 1970
Birth Place:	Sioux Falls, South Dakota, U.S.
Occupation:	Actress
Spouse:	Craig Carnelia

Lisa Brescia (born May 12, 1970) is an American musical theatre actress who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin,^[1] she went on to pursue acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. She taught Acting I and IV at Missouri State University and is now set to be the head of the Musical Theatre department at Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.

On August 7, 2018, Brescia began a run as Heidi Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway.

Career

Brescia was lead singer in The New Mamas and The Papas from 1993 to 1998 with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty.

Brescia has played the role of "Amneris" in Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida in several productions. Brescia joined the first national touring production in 2002 as the standby for Kelli Fournier. She assumed the role of Amneris in September 2002 when Fournier left the production. Disney later moved her to the Broadway production as the standby for Mandy Gonzalez. Brescia assumed the role on January 4, 2004, upon Gonzalez's departure. She remained in the role until the musical's final performance on September 5, 2004.^[2] Brescia returned to the role for one week in 2006 at The Muny in St. Louis along with Simone and Will Chase, both of whom also appeared in the Broadway production.^[3]

On February 13, 2007, she assumed the role of standby for Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked, playing the role during the absence of Julia Murney and then Stephanie J. Block.^[4] She left the production on May 18, 2008, and transferred to the Chicago production from June 3, 2008, replacing Dee Roscioli in the lead role of Elphaba.^[5] She gave her final performance in Chicago on August 24, 2008, after which Roscioli returned to the role.^[6]

Brescia then starred in the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' Broadway: Three Generations, a three-act evening featuring condensed versions of Girl Crazy, Bye Bye Birdie, and Side Show. The show was presented at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater October 2–5, 2008.^[7]

She appeared in The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown as Mom in The Orange County Performing Arts center, Orange County, California in 2009. The "work-in-progress" was written by Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk.^[8]

She starred as Claire in the new musical, Ordinary Days which was presented at the Black Blox Theatre in Manhattan from October 2 to December 13, 2009.^[9] She is featured on the Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording which was recorded on April 9, 2010, and was released in the summer of 2010.

Brescia replaced Beth Leavel as Donna Sheridan in the Broadway production of Mamma Mia!. Her first performance took place on October 22, 2010.^[10] Her final performance took place on June 2, 2012.^[11]

On July 16, 2018, it was announced that Brescia would return to Broadway in Dear Evan Hansen as Heidi Hansen on August 7. She succeeded Rachel Bay Jones, who played her final performance on August 5.^[12] Brescia starred in the show until November 24, 2019, and was replaced by Jessica Phillips.^[13]

Brescia is currently teaching for the Musical Theatre Department of Missouri State University.^[14]

Personal life

Her husband is actor Craig Carnelia.^[15]

Theatre roles

Broadway

Source: PlaybillVault^[4]

• Dear Evan Hansen (2018–19) as Heidi Hansen
• Mamma Mia! (2010–12) as Donna Sheridan
• Wicked (2007–08) as Standby for Elphaba
• The Times They Are a-Changin' (2006) as Cleo
• The Woman in White (2005) as Marian Halcombe
• Aida (2004) as Amneris
• Jesus Christ Superstar (2000) as Disciple

Off-Broadway

• Ordinary Days (2009) as Claire

Chicago

• Wicked (2008) as Elphaba

Touring

• Aida (2002) as Amneris

Regional

• Mary Poppins (2016) as Winifred Banks (Raleigh, NC)^[16]
• A Comedy of Tenors (2015) as Tatiana (Cleveland, OH)^[17]
• Victor/Victoria (2015) as Victoria Grant/Count Victor Grazinski (Ogunquit, ME)^[18]
• Into the Woods (2014) as Witch (Chapel Hill, NC)^[19]
• Cabaret (2013) as Sally Bowles (Chapel Hill, NC, PlayMakers Repertory Company)^[20]
• (2012) as Ivy Weston (Raleigh, NC, Theatre Raleigh)^[21]
• Hamlet (2012) as Gertrude (Notre Dame, IN)^[22]
• The Unauthorised Autobiography of Samantha Brown (2009) as Mom (Orange County, CA)
• Aida (2006) as Amneris (St Louis, MO, The Muny)
• Evita (2005) as Eva Perón (Bellport, NY, Gateway Playhouse)^[23]
• The Last Five Years (2005) as Cathy (Milwaukee, WI, Skylight Opera Theater)^[24]
• Actor, Lawyer, and Indian Chief (2002) as Jenny (Chester, CT, Goodspeed Musicals)^[25]
• A Little Night Music (2001) as Petra (East Haddam, CT, Goodspeed Musicals)^[26]
• Brigadoon (2001) as Meg (East Haddam, CT, Goodspeed Musicals)^[27]

External links

• Official site

Notes and References

1. Blank, Matthew. "Playbill.Com's Cue & A: 'Mamma Mia!' Star Lisa Brescia" Playbill, January 18, 2011
2. [Simonson, Robert]
3. http://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/backstage.php?showid=10725#content "'Aida', Muny, 2006"
4. http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/90186/Lisa-Brescia "Lisa Brescia Broadway"
5. Gans, Andrew. "Brescia, Ashford and Cusick Will Join Chicago's 'Wicked' June 3" Playbill, June 2, 2008
6. Gans, Andrew. "Roscioli Returns to Chicago's 'Wicked' Aug. 26" Playbill, August 26, 2008
7. Gans, Andrew. "Steggert, Kritzer, Snyder and More Join Kennedy Center's Three Generations; Jones to Host" Playbill, September 16, 2008
8. Smith, Chrisopher. "'Samantha Brown,' a musical in the making" Los Angeles Times, April 22, 2009
9. http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Foster_Brescia_Gertner_And_Wetherhead_To_Star_In_Roundabouts_ORDINARY_DAYS_Runs_1021213_20090819 Ordinary Days
10. Gans, Andrew. "Broadway's 'Mamma Mia!' to Welcome Lisa Brescia, Liana Hunt and Clarke Thorell" Playbill, September 23, 2010
11. Staff, Broadway.com. "Judy McLane Set to Star as Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia!" Broadway.com, May 7, 2012
12. Rickwald, Bethany Lisa Brescia Will Return to Broadway in Dear Evan Hansen Theater Mania, July 16, 2018
13. Gans, Andrew. "Jessica Phillips Joins Cast of Broadway’s Dear Evan Hansen November 26" Playbill, November 26, 2019
14. Web site: Lisa M. Brescia.
15. Henderson, Kathy. "What's Up, Lisa Brescia? The Real-Life Newlywed Steps Into the Lead in 'Mamma Mia!'" broadway.com, October 22, 2010
16. BWW News Desk. "Kara Lindsay and Nicolas Dromard To Star in MARY POPPINS at North Carolina Theatre'" broadwayworld.com, June 9, 2016
17. BWW News Desk. "McCarter Theatre Center to Stage World Premiere of Ken Ludwig's A COMEDY OF TENORS'" broadwayworld.com, October 2, 2015
18. BWW News Desk. "Ogunquit Playhouse's VICTOR / VICTORIA, Starring Lisa Brescia, Hits the Stage Tonight'" broadwayworld.com, June 24, 2015
19. McNeely, Robert. "PlayMakers opens 'Into the Woods' to rotate with 'Midsummer'" dailytarheel.com, October 31, 2014
20. http://www.broadwayworld.com/raleigh/article/Photo-Flash-First-Look-at-Taylor-Mac-Lisa-Brescia-and-More-in-PlayMakers-Reps-CABARET-20130404 "Photo Flash: First Look at Taylor Mac, Lisa Brescia and More in PlayMakers Rep's 'Cabaret'"
21. Hetrick, Adam. "'August: Osage County', Starring Dorothy Lyman, Lauren Kennedy, Lisa Brescia, Begins Raleigh Run Nov. 29" Playbill, November 29, 2012
22. http://news.nd.edu/news/32530-notre-dame-shakespeare-festival-presents-hamlet/# "Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival presents 'Hamlet'"
23. http://www.gatewayproductionarchives.com/2005/evitareviews.html "'Evita' Reviews"
24. http://www.totaltheater.com/?q=node/2446 "Review. 'Last Five Years, The'"
25. Jones, Kenneth. "Craig Carnelia Featured in Goodspeed's 'Actor, Lawyer, Indian Chief' May 15 – June 9" Playbill, April 23, 2002
26. Jones, Kenneth. "The Waltzes Wane Dec. 16, as Goodspeed Puts Night Music to Bed" Playbill, December 16, 2001
27. Jones, Kenneth and Lefkowitz, David. "Goodspeed Musicals' 'Brigadoon' Fades in the Mist June 23" Playbill, June 23, 2001