Jenny Powers
Encyclopedia
Jennifer Diane Powers (born August 29, 1979) is an American
actress, singer, and beauty pageant contestant. She won the title of Miss Illinois
in 2000, and has had major roles in Broadway productions such as Little Women
and Grease
.
Powers appeared on Broadway
as Meg, the eldest March sister, in the musical version of "Little Women
." She garnered critical accolodes for her performance as Diana Devereaux in 2006 during an Encores series production of "Of Thee I Sing
." In his review in the New York Times, Charles Isherwood said Powers "gives a breakthrough performance here as the outraged Southern belle who sashays in and out of the proceedings, quivering with outrage in her slinky red satin."
Powers also appeared in the 2007 revival of Stephen Sondheim
's "Follies
," the story of aging chorus girls confronting their past lives and unwise choices at a reunion. Ben Brantley
, the New York Times chief theater critic wrote: ..."you believe in the connections between these characters and their younger selves, who are embodied by a first-rate team of newcomers: Jenny Powers, Colin Donnell, Katie Claus and Curtis Holbrook." He goes on to single out the performances of Donna Murphy
and Powers: "To understand what “Follies” is meant to be — and too rarely is — you need only look at Ms. Murphy’s expression when she first sees the actress [Powers] playing her 19-year-old self."
In August 2007, Powers opened in the role of Rizzo in the Broadway revival of "Grease
." The casting of the two lead roles in this revival was subject of the reality television show "Grease: You're The One That I Want:" the roles were won in March 2007 by Laura Osnes
(Sandy) and Max Crumm
(Danny). While panning the show overall, Variety
noted: "Jenny Powers' Rizzo seems more hard and bitter than tough and trashy but she plays it with the requisite jaded attitude and delivers the show's best song, the rueful yet unapologetic "There Are Worse Things I Could Do," with conviction." Associated Press
theater critic, Michael Kuchwara
echoed this sentiment: "Dramatic and vocal honors go to Jenny Powers as Rizzo, the quintessential tough girl who refuses to let the other Pink Ladies see her cry. Rizzo's philosophy is explained in "There Are Worse Things I Could Do," the one song in "Grease" that attempts to define character. Powers makes it work."
She grew up in Andover, MA, and attended Northwestern University
in Evanston, IL, where earned a Bachelor's degree. She was a member of the Upsilon chapter of Delta Delta Delta
.
In 2000, Jenny Powers was crowned Miss Illinois
. She went on to win the talent competition during the Miss America
competition. An ardent Democrat, she was asked by Massachusetts Senator John Kerry
to sing the National Anthem
during the 2000 Democratic National Convention
.
Powers is the granddaughter of David Powers
(1912–1998) who served as Special Assistant to President John F. Kennedy
and later as Curator of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum from 1964 until his retirement in May 1994. David Powers, a close personal friend of Kennedy, rode in the Dallas motorcade when he was assassinated.
She has a sister, Jacqueline Powers, and a brother, David Powers III. Her father, David Powers, Jr, is an attorney. Her mother, Mary Ellen (Dee) Powers is a Professor of Nursing.
In August 2009, she married Broadway
leading man Matt Cavenaugh
. In summer 2010, she starred with Cavenaugh in a revival of the musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman at the Dallas Theater Center.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress, singer, and beauty pageant contestant. She won the title of Miss Illinois
Miss Illinois
The Miss Illinois competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Illinois in the Miss America pageant. The Miss Illinois pageant started in 1927, several years after the initial Miss America pageant. The first "Miss Illinois" sent to the national pageant, Lois Delander,...
in 2000, and has had major roles in Broadway productions such as Little Women
Little Women
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
and Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
.
Powers appeared on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
as Meg, the eldest March sister, in the musical version of "Little Women
Little Women
Little Women is a novel by American author Louisa May Alcott . The book was written and set in the Alcott family home, Orchard House, in Concord, Massachusetts. It was published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869...
." She garnered critical accolodes for her performance as Diana Devereaux in 2006 during an Encores series production of "Of Thee I Sing
Of Thee I Sing
Of Thee I Sing is a musical with a score by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and a book by George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind. The musical lampoons American politics; the story concerns John P. Wintergreen, who runs for President of the United States on the "love" platform...
." In his review in the New York Times, Charles Isherwood said Powers "gives a breakthrough performance here as the outraged Southern belle who sashays in and out of the proceedings, quivering with outrage in her slinky red satin."
Powers also appeared in the 2007 revival of Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
's "Follies
Follies
Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The story concerns a reunion in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition, of the past performers of the "Weismann's Follies," a musical revue , that played in that theatre between the World Wars...
," the story of aging chorus girls confronting their past lives and unwise choices at a reunion. Ben Brantley
Ben Brantley
Benjamin D. "Ben" Brantley is an American journalist and the chief theater critic of The New York Times.-Life and career:...
, the New York Times chief theater critic wrote: ..."you believe in the connections between these characters and their younger selves, who are embodied by a first-rate team of newcomers: Jenny Powers, Colin Donnell, Katie Claus and Curtis Holbrook." He goes on to single out the performances of Donna Murphy
Donna Murphy
Donna Murphy is an American stage, film, television actress and singer.Murphy has won two Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for her roles in Passion as Fosca and in The King and I as Anna Leonowens...
and Powers: "To understand what “Follies” is meant to be — and too rarely is — you need only look at Ms. Murphy’s expression when she first sees the actress [Powers] playing her 19-year-old self."
In August 2007, Powers opened in the role of Rizzo in the Broadway revival of "Grease
Grease (musical)
Grease is a 1971 musical by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey. The musical is named for the 1950s United States working-class youth subculture known as the greasers. The musical, set in 1959 at fictional Rydell High School , follows ten working-class teenagers as they navigate the complexities of love,...
." The casting of the two lead roles in this revival was subject of the reality television show "Grease: You're The One That I Want:" the roles were won in March 2007 by Laura Osnes
Laura Osnes
Laura Ann Osnes is an American stage actress, and the winner of the role of "Sandy" on the televised Grease: You're the One that I Want! competition. She played Sandy in the 2007 Broadway run of Grease, which opened August 19, 2007, starring alongside the other winner, Max Crumm, who played the...
(Sandy) and Max Crumm
Max Crumm
Aaron Maximillian "Max" Crumm is an American actor, singer, and the winner of the role of "Danny" on the televised Grease: You're the One that I Want! competition. He played Danny in the 2007 Broadway run of Grease...
(Danny). While panning the show overall, Variety
Variety (magazine)
Variety is an American weekly entertainment-trade magazine founded in New York City, New York, in 1905 by Sime Silverman. With the rise of the importance of the motion-picture industry, Daily Variety, a daily edition based in Los Angeles, California, was founded by Silverman in 1933. In 1998, the...
noted: "Jenny Powers' Rizzo seems more hard and bitter than tough and trashy but she plays it with the requisite jaded attitude and delivers the show's best song, the rueful yet unapologetic "There Are Worse Things I Could Do," with conviction." Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
theater critic, Michael Kuchwara
Michael Kuchwara
Michael Charlies Kuchwara was an American theater critic, columnist and journalist. Kuchwara worked as both a critic and journalist for the Associated Press for more than from 1984 until 2010, writing pieces that were read worldwide...
echoed this sentiment: "Dramatic and vocal honors go to Jenny Powers as Rizzo, the quintessential tough girl who refuses to let the other Pink Ladies see her cry. Rizzo's philosophy is explained in "There Are Worse Things I Could Do," the one song in "Grease" that attempts to define character. Powers makes it work."
She grew up in Andover, MA, and attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
in Evanston, IL, where earned a Bachelor's degree. She was a member of the Upsilon chapter of Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta
Delta Delta Delta , also known as Tri Delta, is an international sorority founded on November 27, 1888, the eve of Thanksgiving Day. With over 200,000 initiates, Tri Delta is one of the world's largest NPC sororities.-History:...
.
In 2000, Jenny Powers was crowned Miss Illinois
Miss Illinois
The Miss Illinois competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of Illinois in the Miss America pageant. The Miss Illinois pageant started in 1927, several years after the initial Miss America pageant. The first "Miss Illinois" sent to the national pageant, Lois Delander,...
. She went on to win the talent competition during the Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
competition. An ardent Democrat, she was asked by Massachusetts Senator John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
to sing the National Anthem
National anthem
A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that evokes and eulogizes the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognized either by a nation's government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people.- History :Anthems rose to prominence...
during the 2000 Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
.
Powers is the granddaughter of David Powers
David Powers
David Francis Powers was Special Assistant and assistant Appointments Secretary to President of the United States John F. Kennedy. Powers served as Museum Curator of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum from 1964 until his retirement in May 1994. Powers was a military veteran who had served in...
(1912–1998) who served as Special Assistant to President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and later as Curator of the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum from 1964 until his retirement in May 1994. David Powers, a close personal friend of Kennedy, rode in the Dallas motorcade when he was assassinated.
She has a sister, Jacqueline Powers, and a brother, David Powers III. Her father, David Powers, Jr, is an attorney. Her mother, Mary Ellen (Dee) Powers is a Professor of Nursing.
In August 2009, she married Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
leading man Matt Cavenaugh
Matt Cavenaugh
Matt Cavenaugh is an American stage, film, and television actor. He graduated from Ithaca College with a BFA in 2001. Cavenaugh's film debut was in Little Monsters as a child actor, and has more recently played starring roles on Broadway and Off Broadway...
. In summer 2010, she starred with Cavenaugh in a revival of the musical It's a Bird, It's a Plane, It's Superman at the Dallas Theater Center.
Sources
- New York Times review of Of Thee I Sing http://theater2.nytimes.com/2006/05/13/theater/reviews/13sing.html
- New York Times review of Follies http://theater2.nytimes.com/2007/02/10/theater/reviews/10foll.html?pagewanted=1
- Variety review of Grease http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117934453.html?categoryid=33&cs=1
- Kuchwara review of Grease http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/08/20/ap4034028.html
- USA Today Review of Grease http://www.usatoday.com/printedition/life/20070822/d_grease22.art.html