Kendra Kassebaum
Encyclopedia
Kendra Kassebaum is an American theatre
actress who has performed in many different musicals (both Broadway
and non-Broadway), and is most noted for her role as Glinda
in the first national tour, Broadway
, and San Francisco casts of Wicked
.
. Her parents are Susie and Dave Kassebaum, and she has one brother, Nicholas. Kendra went to St. Martin of Tours Catholic Elementary School for grades kindergarten to eighth grade.Kendra pursued sports and dancing and did not begin performing until she entered Notre Dame High School
. She graduated from high school in 1991. On her graduation day, she received the "Best Actress" award.
Kassebaum then attended Southwest Missouri State University, where she received her B.F.A. in Performing Arts. Afterwards, she toured with Grease
briefly before moving to New York City
. She received her Equity
card while on a regional tour of "A Chorus Line
" at the Gateway Playhouse
and began to pursue acting, but she also earned money by working as a nanny.
Kassebaum debuted on Broadway on September 5, 2000 in Rent
(as Mark's Mom, understudying Maureen Johnson). She was also in the 2004 Broadway revival of Assassins
, and has toured with Grease
and A Chorus Line
. She has performed in numerous regional shows.
Kassebaum originated the role of Glinda
in the first national tour of Wicked
. She was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award
for Best Actress in a Regional Performance for her role in Wicked, but lost to then co-star Stephanie J. Block
. Kassebaum left the tour in September 2006 after spending a year and a half in the role and was replaced by Megan Hilty
.
Kassebaum was seen as Amy in the Seattle production of the Stephen Sondheim
musical Company at the 5th Avenue Theatre
, starring alongside actor Hugh Panaro
. The production ran from October 17, 2006 through November 5, 2006.
On January 9, 2007, Kassebaum reprised her role as Glinda in the Broadway production of Wicked, replacing Kate Reinders
, alongside her former co-stars Julia Murney
, Sebastian Arcelus
, David Garrison
, and Logan Lipton. She and co-star Julia Murney
had their final performances with the Broadway company on October 7, 2007. Kassebaum was replaced by Annaleigh Ashford
.
Kendra appeared as Lorraine in Adam Bock's The Receptionist with former Wicked co-star, Jayne Houdyshell
. The show took place at stage 1 of The Manhattan Theater Club. The Receptionist opened October 30, 2007, and closed on December 30, 2007.
On May 13, 2008 Kassebaum once again returned to the role of Glinda in the Broadway company of Wicked where she starred alongside former Wicked tour co-star Stephanie J. Block
and then Kerry Ellis
. She ended her run on November 9, 2008 and was succeeded by former Broadway Glinda standby Alli Mauzey
.
Kassebaum most recently reprised the role of Glinda
in the San Francisco production of Wicked originally alongside Teal Wicks
, and most recently Eden Espinosa
as Elphaba. The production began performances January 27, 2009, with an opening night of February 6, 2009, at the Orpheum Theatre
. She left the production on June 26, 2010 and was once again succeeded by Alli Mauzey
.
Kendra will play the role of Sam in the upcoming musical, Leap Of Faith, opposite Brooke Shields
and Raul Esparza
at the Ahmanson Theatre
, for a out-of-town tryout running from September 11 through October 24, 2010. The show will then transfer to Broadway.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
actress who has performed in many different musicals (both 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...
and non-Broadway), and is most noted for her role as Glinda
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
in the first national tour, 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...
, and San Francisco casts of Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
.
Biography
Kendra Kassebaum was born May 12, 1973, in St Louis, MissouriMissouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
. Her parents are Susie and Dave Kassebaum, and she has one brother, Nicholas. Kendra went to St. Martin of Tours Catholic Elementary School for grades kindergarten to eighth grade.Kendra pursued sports and dancing and did not begin performing until she entered Notre Dame High School
Notre Dame High School (St. Louis)
Notre Dame High School is a Roman Catholic private all girls school located in St. Louis, Missouri, on the Mississippi River. It is located in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Saint Louis.-Background:...
. She graduated from high school in 1991. On her graduation day, she received the "Best Actress" award.
Kassebaum then attended Southwest Missouri State University, where she received her B.F.A. in Performing Arts. Afterwards, she toured with 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,...
briefly before moving to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. She received her Equity
Actors' Equity Association
The Actors' Equity Association , commonly referred to as Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American labor union representing the world of live theatrical performance, as opposed to film and television performance. However, performers appearing on live stage productions without a book or...
card while on a regional tour of "A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
" at the Gateway Playhouse
Gateway Playhouse
Gateway Playhouse is a summer theatre located on the eastern edge of Bellport, Long Island. The street address is 215 South Country Road. It's the oldest of three professional theatres on the island and nationally recognized as one of the top ten summer theatres in the nation. Gateway Playhouse...
and began to pursue acting, but she also earned money by working as a nanny.
Kassebaum debuted on Broadway on September 5, 2000 in Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
(as Mark's Mom, understudying Maureen Johnson). She was also in the 2004 Broadway revival of Assassins
Assassins (musical)
Assassins is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by John Weidman, based on an idea by Charles Gilbert, Jr. It uses the premise of a murderous carnival game to produce a revue-style portrayal of men and women who attempted to assassinate Presidents of the United States...
, and has toured with 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,...
and A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
. She has performed in numerous regional shows.
Kassebaum originated the role of Glinda
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
in the first national tour of Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
. She was nominated for a Helen Hayes Award
Helen Hayes Award
A Helen Hayes Award is a theater award named for the famed actress Helen Hayes to recognize excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are managed by Linda Levy Grossman. and presented by the Washington Theatre Awards Society.-Awards:The Helen Hayes...
for Best Actress in a Regional Performance for her role in Wicked, but lost to then co-star Stephanie J. Block
Stephanie J. Block
Stephanie J. Block is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her work on the Broadway stage. She has additionally been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Drama League Award. She released her debut solo album through PS Classics in June 2009...
. Kassebaum left the tour in September 2006 after spending a year and a half in the role and was replaced by Megan Hilty
Megan Hilty
Megan Kathleen Hilty is an American stage and television actress.- Early years :Hilty was born in Bellevue, Washington and is the daughter of Jack and Donna Hilty. She attended Sammamish High School in Bellevue and the Washington Academy of Performing Arts Conservatory High School in Redmond,...
.
Kassebaum was seen as Amy in the Seattle production of the 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...
musical Company at the 5th Avenue Theatre
5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theater building located in Seattle, Washington, USA. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land is owned by the University of Washington and was once part of the original campus...
, starring alongside actor Hugh Panaro
Hugh Panaro
-Life and career:Panaro was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and resided in the East Oak Lane section of the city with his family. As a schoolchild, he attended St. Helena’s parochial school in the adjoining Philadelphia neighborhood of Olney. He played organ for the parish church from age twelve...
. The production ran from October 17, 2006 through November 5, 2006.
On January 9, 2007, Kassebaum reprised her role as Glinda in the Broadway production of Wicked, replacing Kate Reinders
Kate Reinders
Kate Reinders is an American musical theatre actress, who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Reinders was born in Seattle, Washington, but raised in Muskegon, Michigan...
, alongside her former co-stars Julia Murney
Julia Murney
Julia Kathleen Murney is an American actress, singer and theatre performer, primarily featured in theatre and television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway...
, Sebastian Arcelus
Sebastian Arcelus
Sebastian Arcelus is an American actor. He has made a career in theatre on Broadway, regionally, and internationally. He made his Broadway debut in Rent, first as a swing, covering the male ensemble roles as well as Mark and Roger, and then as Roger...
, David Garrison
David Garrison
David Gene Garrison is an American actor. His primary venue is live theatre, but he may be more widely known for his numerous television roles, particularly that of Steve Rhoades on Married... with Children...
, and Logan Lipton. She and co-star Julia Murney
Julia Murney
Julia Kathleen Murney is an American actress, singer and theatre performer, primarily featured in theatre and television commercial voice-overs. Until 2005, she was commonly known as the Broadway actress who had technically never appeared on Broadway...
had their final performances with the Broadway company on October 7, 2007. Kassebaum was replaced by Annaleigh Ashford
Annaleigh Ashford
Annaleigh Ashford is an American actress known for her Broadway credits in Wicked, Legally Blonde, and Hair.-Early life:Annaleigh Ashford was born Annaleigh Swanson in Denver, Colorado to Holli Swanson, a gym teacher...
.
Kendra appeared as Lorraine in Adam Bock's The Receptionist with former Wicked co-star, Jayne Houdyshell
Jayne Houdyshell
Jayne Houdyshell is a Tony Award–nominated American theater actress.-Life and career:Raised in Topeka, Kansas, she is the youngest of four daughters born to Galen "Buzz" Houdyshell and Louella Taylor...
. The show took place at stage 1 of The Manhattan Theater Club. The Receptionist opened October 30, 2007, and closed on December 30, 2007.
On May 13, 2008 Kassebaum once again returned to the role of Glinda in the Broadway company of Wicked where she starred alongside former Wicked tour co-star Stephanie J. Block
Stephanie J. Block
Stephanie J. Block is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her work on the Broadway stage. She has additionally been nominated for a Drama Desk Award and a Drama League Award. She released her debut solo album through PS Classics in June 2009...
and then Kerry Ellis
Kerry Ellis
Kerry Jane Ellis is an English stage actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music...
. She ended her run on November 9, 2008 and was succeeded by former Broadway Glinda standby Alli Mauzey
Alli Mauzey
Alli Mauzey is an American actress from Anaheim Hills, California.She made her Broadway debut as Brenda in Hairspray in 2003. Her "big break" came when she starred as Lenora in the Broadway musical Cry Baby for which she won a Theatre World Award and was nominated for a Drama League Award.In...
.
Kassebaum most recently reprised the role of Glinda
Glinda
Glinda is a fictional character in the Land of Oz created by American author L. Frank Baum. She is the most powerful sorceress of Oz, ruler of the Quadling Country south of the Emerald City, and protector of Princess Ozma.- Literature :Baum's 1900 children's novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
in the San Francisco production of Wicked originally alongside Teal Wicks
Teal Wicks
Teal Wicks is an American singer and stage actress, best known for her performance as Elphaba in the Broadway, San Francisco, and Los Angeles productions of the musical Wicked.-Education:...
, and most recently Eden Espinosa
Eden Espinosa
Eden Erica Espinosa is an American singer and stage actress, who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles and San Francisco productions of the musical Wicked....
as Elphaba. The production began performances January 27, 2009, with an opening night of February 6, 2009, at the Orpheum Theatre
Orpheum Theatre (San Francisco)
The Orpheum Theatre is a performance venue located at 1192 Market at Hyde Street in the Civic Center district of San Francisco, California. The theatre first opened in 1926 as one of the many designed by architect B. Marcus Priteca for theater-circuit owner Alexander Pantages. The interior features...
. She left the production on June 26, 2010 and was once again succeeded by Alli Mauzey
Alli Mauzey
Alli Mauzey is an American actress from Anaheim Hills, California.She made her Broadway debut as Brenda in Hairspray in 2003. Her "big break" came when she starred as Lenora in the Broadway musical Cry Baby for which she won a Theatre World Award and was nominated for a Drama League Award.In...
.
Kendra will play the role of Sam in the upcoming musical, Leap Of Faith, opposite Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields
Brooke Christa Shields is an American actress and model. Some of her better-known movies include Pretty Baby and The Blue Lagoon, as well as TV shows such as Suddenly Susan, That '70s Show and Lipstick Jungle....
and Raul Esparza
Raúl Esparza
Raúl Eduardo Esparza is an American stage actor, singer, and voice artist noted for his award winning performances in Broadway shows...
at the Ahmanson Theatre
Ahmanson Theatre
The Ahmanson Theatre is one of the four main venues that comprise the Los Angeles Music Center.Through the generosity of philanthropist Robert H. Ahmanson, construction began on March 9, 1962. The theatre opened on April 12, 1967 with a production of More Stately Mansions starring Ingrid Bergman,...
, for a out-of-town tryout running from September 11 through October 24, 2010. The show will then transfer to Broadway.