Lisa Brescia
Encyclopedia
Lisa Brescia, born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
, is an American musical theatre actress who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
, Lisa went on to pursue acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her husband is Craig Carnelia
.
Brescia was lead singer in The New Mamas and The Papas
from 1993-1998 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 Gonzales' departure. She remained in the role until the final performance on September 5, 2004. 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.
On February 13, 2007, she became the standby for Elphaba
in the Broadway production of Wicked
, playing the role during the absence of Julia Murney
and later Stephanie J. Block
. 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. She left Chicago on August 24, 2008, when Roscioli returned to the role.
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.
Lisa was recently seen in The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown as Mom in Orange County, California
.
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.http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Foster_Brescia_Gertner_And_Wetherhead_To_Star_In_Roundabouts_ORDINARY_DAYS_Runs_1021213_20090819 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 recently replaced Beth Leavel
as Donna Sheridan in the Broadway production of Mamma Mia!. Her first performance took place on October 22, 2010.
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
, is an American musical theatre actress who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
, Lisa went on to pursue acting and graduated from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Her husband is Craig Carnelia
Craig Carnelia
Craig Carnelia is an American musical theater composer and singer, known for his collaboration on the musicals Working and Sweet Smell of Success.-Biography:...
.
Brescia was lead singer in The New Mamas and The Papas
The New Mamas and The Papas
The New Mamas & The Papas was an American vocal group. It was John Phillips recreation of his earlier band, The Mamas & the Papas, as its name implies. Its membership fluctuated over the years, but initially consisted of frontline vocalists John Phillips, Denny Doherty, Mackenzie Phillips and...
from 1993-1998 with original members John Phillips and Denny Doherty.
Brescia has played the role of Amneris in Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Tim Rice
Tim Rice
Sir Timothy Miles Bindon "Tim" Rice is an British lyricist and author.An Academy Award, Golden Globe Award, Tony Award and Grammy Award-winning lyricist, Rice is best known for his collaborations with Andrew Lloyd Webber, with whom he wrote Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus...
's Aida
Aida (musical)
Aida is a musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical....
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
Mandy Gonzalez
Mandy Gonzalez is an American actress and singer, who most recently finished a 10-month run as Elphaba in the Broadway musical Wicked.-Early life and education:...
. Brescia assumed the role on January 4, 2004 upon Gonzales' departure. She remained in the role until the final performance on September 5, 2004. Brescia returned to the role for one week in 2006 at The Muny
The Muny
The Muny, short for The Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis, is an outdoor musical theatre, located in Forest Park, St. Louis, Missouri...
in St. Louis along with Simone
Simone
Simone is a female given name derived from Simon, Hebrew Simeon, meaning "one who hears". It first appears in Iberia from the 10th century, as Jimena, Ximena, feminine eponym of Jimeno II of Pamplona, founder of the Jiménez dynasty...
and Will Chase
Will Chase
Will Chase is an American actor and singer, best known for his work in Broadway musicals.Chase was born in Frankfort, Kentucky to Jerry and Betty Chase and is the youngest of three boys...
, both of whom also appeared in the Broadway production.
On February 13, 2007, she became the standby for Elphaba
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
in the Broadway production 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...
, playing the role during the absence of 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...
and later 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...
. She left the production on May 18, 2008 and transferred to the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
production from June 3, 2008, replacing Dee Roscioli
Dee Roscioli
Dee Roscioli is an American singer and actress, who is known for her performances as "Elphaba" in the Chicago, San Francisco, Broadway and national touring productions of the musical Wicked.-Education:She graduated from Wilson Area High School in 1995 and DeSales University in 1999...
in the lead role of Elphaba. She left Chicago on August 24, 2008, when Roscioli returned to the role.
Brescia then starred in the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts' Broadway: Three Generations, a three-act evening featuring condensed versions of Girl Crazy
Girl Crazy
Girl Crazy is a 1930 musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. Ethel Merman made her stage debut in this musical production....
, Bye Bye Birdie, and Side Show
Side Show
Side Show is a musical about Daisy and Violet Hilton, conjoined twins who make a change from being a circus act to becoming famous stage performers in the 1930s. The show was written by Bill Russell and Henry Krieger . The show starred Alice Ripley as Violet and Emily Skinner as Daisy...
. The show was presented at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater October 2–5, 2008.
Lisa was recently seen in The Unauthorized Autobiography of Samantha Brown as Mom in Orange County, California
Orange County, California
Orange County is a county in the U.S. state of California. Its county seat is Santa Ana. As of the 2010 census, its population was 3,010,232, up from 2,846,293 at the 2000 census, making it the third most populous county in California, behind Los Angeles County and San Diego County...
.
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.http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Foster_Brescia_Gertner_And_Wetherhead_To_Star_In_Roundabouts_ORDINARY_DAYS_Runs_1021213_20090819 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 recently replaced Beth Leavel
Beth Leavel
-Biography:Leavel was born in Raleigh, North Carolina. She attended Meredith College, earning a degree in social work. She completed a graduate theatre degree at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in 1980. She acted during college, appearing in productions such as Cabaret and Hello,...
as Donna Sheridan in the Broadway production of Mamma Mia!. Her first performance took place on October 22, 2010.
Broadway
- Mamma Mia! (2010–present) as Donna Sheridan
- WickedWicked (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...
(2007–08) as Standby for ElphabaElphabaElphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little... - The Times They Are a-Changin'The Times They Are a-Changin'The Times They Are a-Changin opens with the title track, one of Dylan's most famous songs. Dylan's friend, Tony Glover, recalls visiting Dylan's apartment in September 1963, where he saw a number of song manuscripts and poems lying on a table. "The Times They Are a-Changin'" had yet to be recorded,...
(2006) as Cleo - The Woman in WhiteThe Woman in White (musical)The Woman in White is a musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Zippel with a book by Charlotte Jones, based on the novel The Woman in White written by Wilkie Collins...
(2005) as Marian Halcombe - AidaAida (musical)Aida is a musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical....
(2004) as Amneris - Jesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ SuperstarJesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
(2000) as Disciple
Regional
- The Unauthorised Autobiography of Samantha Brown (2009) as Mom (Orange County, CA)
- AidaAida (musical)Aida is a musical with music by Elton John, lyrics by Tim Rice, and book by Linda Woolverton, Robert Falls, and David Henry Hwang, and produced by Walt Disney Theatrical....
(2006) as Amneris (St Louis, MO) - Evita (2005) as Eva Peron (Bellport, NY)
- The Last Five YearsThe Last Five YearsThe Last Five Years is a one-act musical written by Jason Robert Brown. It premiered in Chicago in 2001 and was then produced off-Broadway in March 2002. Since then it has had numerous productions both in the United States and internationally....
(2005) as Cathy (Milwaukee, WI) - Actor, Lawyer, and Indian Chief (2002) as Jenny (Chester, CT)
- A Little Night MusicA Little Night MusicA Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade...
(2001) as Petra (East Haddam, CT) - Brigadoon (2001) as Meg (East Haddam, CT)