Lindsay Mendez

Lindsay Michelle Mendez^[5] is an American actress and singer, best known for her work in American musical theatre. She won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in a Broadway revival of Carousel. Her other credits on Broadway include Elphaba in Wicked (performing during the production's tenth anniversary), Godspell, and Jan in Grease.^[6]

Lindsay Mendez
Mendez in 2018
Born	Norwalk, California, U.S.
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Actress, singer
Known for	Wicked, Dogfight, Band Geeks, 21 Chump Street, Godspell, Grease, Carousel, 35MM, Actor Therapy NYC
Spouses	Michael Borth ​ ​ (m. 2008; div. 2014)​ ^[1] Philip Wakefield ​ ​ (m. 2016; div. 2021)​ ^[2] J. Alex Brinson ​ (m. 2024)​ ^[3]
Children	1^[4]
Awards	Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical (for Carousel)

From September 2019 to November 2023, Mendez co-starred on the CBS drama series All Rise as court stenographer Sara Castillo.

The first Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, starring Mendez, Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe, opened on Broadway in October, 2023.^[7]

Life and career

Mendez was born in Norwalk, California. Her father is of Mexican descent and her mother is of Russian Jewish ancestry.^[8] Her brother, Michael Mendez, is also a Broadway performer. ^[9] She played Lizzie in a preview of A Little More Alive, written by Nick Blaemire, in Kansas City. Other credits include roles in The Marvelous Wonderettes, 35MM, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, and Princesses.^[10]

In 2012, Mendez appeared opposite Derek Klena in Dogfight as Eddie and Rose, and in Wicked as Fiyero and Elphaba. The two frequently perform together at the Broadway supper club 54 Below.^[11] Mendez sings jazz and blues at other cabarets and dining clubs with pianist Marco Paguia. The two released a jazz album entitled This Time in 2013. Mendez, along with composer Ryan Scott Oliver, founded and runs Actor Therapy: a five-week training experience for young actors in NYC.^[12] For her role as Rose Fenny in Off-Broadway's Dogfight, she was nominated for the 2013 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, the 2013 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, and the 2013 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.^[13][14][15]

In 2014, Mendez played Naomi Rodriguez in Lin Manuel Miranda's one-act musical 21 Chump Street and then in 2015, Laura in the play Significant Other.^[16][17]

While performing in Wicked, Mendez filmed a series of video blogs for Broadway.com entitled "Fly Girl: Backstage at Wicked with Lindsay Mendez", giving an inside look at the smash musical, including interviews with current cast members, glimpses of costumes, sets, props, and how Mendez herself was transformed into the musical's protagonist, Elphaba, the green-skinned girl who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

Mendez played Carrie in the 2018 Broadway revival of Carousel, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.^[18] The production also starred Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry.^[19]

Mendez plays Mary in the first Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along.^[20]

Credits

Broadway Grease as Jan (2007–08) Everyday Rapture as Mennonite/Dance Captain (2010) Godspell as "Bless The Lord" Performer (2011–12) Wicked as Elphaba (replacement) (2013–14) Significant Other as Laura (2017) Carousel as Carrie Pipperidge (2018) Merrily We Roll Along as Mary Flynn (2023–24) Off-Broadway The Marvelous Wonderettes as Betty Jean (replacement) (2009) Everyday Rapture as Performer (2009) Dogfight as Rose Fenny (2012) The Winter's Tale (2014) Significant Other as Laura (2015) Merrily We Roll Along as Mary Flynn (2022–23) Readings Princesses, Goodspeed Opera House (2004) Princesses, National Alliance of Musical Theatre (2006) Nerds as Myrtle (2016)

Regional Theater Princesses, 5th Avenue Theater (2008) Footloose, Sacramento Music Circus (2008) Band Geeks!, National Alliance of Musical Theatre (2009) The Trouble with Doug, National Alliance of Musical Theatre (2010) Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, Two River Theater Company (2011) Footloose, Kansas City Starlight Theatre (2013) A Little More Alive as Lizzie, Kansas Repertory Theatre (2014) 21 Chump Street as Naomi Rodriguez, Brooklyn Academy of Music (June 7, 2014) The Rose Tattoo as Folk Singer/Giuseppina, Williamstown Theater Festival (2016)^[21] Encores! The Golden Apple as Helen (2017) Concerts Go the Distance, and the Lyrics of David Zippel, Performer, Lincoln Center/Kaufman Center (2006) Rated RSO; The Music and Lyrics of Ryan Scott Oliver (2009) 35MM as Voice 2, Urban Stages (2010) 35MM: A Musical Exhibition, The TimesCenter (2016)

Filmography

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes	Ref.
2013	Smash	Herself	Episode: "The Transfer"
2018	Murphy Brown	Rachel	Episode: "The Wheels on the Dog Go Round and Round"
2019	Modern Family	Bel Air Black Widow	Episode: "SuperShowerBabyBowl"
2019	Elementary	Dr. Angela Hardy	Episode: "The Latest Model"
2019–2023	All Rise	Sara Castillo	Main cast	^[22]
2019	Helpsters	Doctor Devin	Episode: "Rita Reader / Cody Gets a Cold"
2021	Station 19	Lawyer	Episode: "A House Is Not a Home"
TBA	American Sports Story	Tanya Singleton	Upcoming series

Discography

• Grease Revival – New Broadway Cast Recording (2008)
• New York City Christmas, ASTEP Benefit album (2009)
• Everyday Rapture – Original Broadway Cast Recording (2010)
• Godspell – The New Broadway Cast Recording (2011)
• 35MM: A Musical Exhibition – Original Cast Recording (2012)
• This Time, with Marco Paguia (2013)
• Kerrigan-Lowdermilk Live (2013)
• Dogfight – Original Cast Recording (2013)
• "Circus" – I Could Use a Drink: The Songs of Drew Gasparini (2013)
• 21 Chump Street – The Musical – EP (2014)
• Carousel – 2018 Broadway Cast Recording (2018)^[23]
• Band Geeks: A New Musical – Studio Cast Recording (2018)
• The Other Josh Cohen: A Musical With Songs – Studio Cast Recording (2018)
• Three Points of Contact – Ryan Scott Oliver (2019)
• Merrily We Roll Along – New Broadway Cast Recording (2023)

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
2013	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Actress in a Musical	Dogfight	Nominated
	Drama League Award	Distinguished Performance		Nominated
	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding Actress in a Musical		Nominated
2014	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award	Favorite Replacement (Female)	Wicked	Won
2017	Broadway.com Audience Choice Award	Favorite Featured Actress in a Play	Significant Other	Won
2018	Tony Award	Best Featured Actress in a Musical	Carousel	Won
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical		Won
	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical		Won
2019	Grammy Award	Best Musical Theater Album^[24]		Nominated
2023	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical	Merrily We Roll Along	Nominated
	Lucille Lortel Award	Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical		Nominated
	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical		Won

References

1. "Lindsay Mendez". Retrieved 11 June 2018.
2. "After 5 years of marriage, 'Wicked' actress Lindsay Mendez files for divorce from her husband. ⋆ Ceng News". 7 January 2022. Retrieved 14 January 2022.
3. "Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff Take Part In 'Merrily We Roll Along' Co-Star Lindsay Mendez's Wedding". Entertainment Tonight. April 23, 2024.
4. "@lindsaymendez on Instagram: "This year has been….challenging, to say the least. It's also been the greatest of my life, because through these challenges, I was given the gift of a lifetime. I became a mommy. My sweet daughter was born during a pandemic and carried being hidden behind big bags and desks on a tv series (A #lifegoalz situation). She makes me happier than anything in the world. And I now know the deepest love there is. Lucille, you make my heart burst everyday. The holidays will never be the same again, and I am so excited for all the magical days ahead of us. Thank you for choosing me to be your mom! Hoping everyone's holidays are filled with joy, family, and love. I know mine are. ❤️🎁🎄"".
5. Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff & Lindsay Mendez Take Lie Detector Tests | Vanity Fair, retrieved 2024-03-08
6. "Lindsay Mendez". Playbill. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
7. Green, Jesse (2023-10-10). "Review: 'Merrily We Roll Along,' Finally Found in the Dark". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
8. Wong, Curtis M. (5 June 2018). "In 'Carousel,' Broadway's Lindsay Mendez Helps Raise The Bar For Latina Inclusion". Huffington Post. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
9. "Photos! Walk Down the Aisle with Significant Other Stars Lindsay Mendez & Gideon Glick on Opening Night". Broadwaycom. Retrieved 17 January 2024.
10. . LindsayMendez.net. Archived from the original on 2014-06-12. Retrieved 2014-06-08.
11. "Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena: #Klendez". Time Out. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
12. "Home". Actor Therapy. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
13. Evans, Suzy (23 April 2013). "2013 Drama League Awards Nominees Announced". Backstage. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
14. Gans, Andrew (29 April 2013). "Nominations Announced for 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards; Giant and Hands on a Hardbody Lead the Pack". Playbill. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
15. Cox, Gordon (22 April 2013). "'Pippin' Hot With Outer Critics Circle Nominators". Variety. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
16. "VIDEO: Anthony Ramos and Lindsay Mendez Star In Lin-Manuel Miranda's 21 CHUMP STREET". Broadway World. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
17. Levitt, Hayley (20 April 2017). "Final Bow: Lindsay Mendez Parts With Significant Other — and That's the Way It Is". TheaterMania. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
18. Lefkowitz, Andy (10 June 2018). "Carousels Lindsay Mendez Wins Her First Tony Award: 'Be Your True Self and the World Will Take Note'". Broadway.com. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
19. "Official: Lindsay Mendez and John Douglas Thompson Join Broadway's CAROUSEL!". Broadway World. October 12, 2017.
20. Green, Jesse (2023-10-10). "Review: 'Merrily We Roll Along,' Finally Found in the Dark". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
21. "The Rose Tattoo - Williamstown Theatre Festival". wtfestival.org. Retrieved 11 June 2018.
22. Lefkowitz, Andy (March 25, 2019). "Lindsay Mendez & Ruthie Ann Miles Join CBS Legal Drama Pilot Courthouse". Broadway.com.
23. McPhee, Ryan (June 8, 2018). "Carousel Revival Cast Recording Available Digitally June 8". Playbill.
24. Kaitlin, Milligan (7 December 2018). "The Band's Visit, Carousel & More Nominated for 2019 Grammy Awards". Broadway World. Retrieved 7 December 2018.

External links

• Lindsay Mendez at IMDb
• Lindsay Mendez at the Internet Broadway Database
• Lindsay Mendez at the Internet Off-Broadway Database