The female singers of Broadway are a diverse lot. From Patti LuPone to Lea Salonga to Julie Andrews and Kristin Chenoweth, the female singers on Broadway have a lot to offer. Each has her own talents and is well-regarded for their work.
Patti LuPone
Patti LuPone is a Broadway female singer who has performed in numerous productions. She has also appeared on television, including in the Netflix series “Hollywood.” Her stage credits include the role of Avis Amberg in the musical “Hamilton” and her Tony Award-winning performance as Joanne in the Stephen Sondheim-George Furth musical “Company.”
Before making her Broadway debut, Patti LuPone trained in ballet and dance. She was also a member of a sibling trio in the 60s, the Lupone Trio, which included older brothers William and Robert. Her brother Robert went on to make a successful career, while William continued his studies at Juilliard. After graduating from Northport High School, LuPone enrolled in The Juilliard School’s Drama Division. She was one of only 14 students in her first graduating class.
Lea Salonga
Lea Salonga is an award-winning Broadway female singer and actress of Filipino descent. She has appeared in numerous stage productions and earned multiple awards, including the Olivier Award. She is a member of the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle. She also has a long list of credits as a voice artist, including her work as the voice of Princess Jasmine in Disney’s “Pixar’s “Toy Story” films.
Salonga began her career as a child star in the Philippines. Her first professional appearance was at age seven, where she starred in several musical productions. At age 10, she began recording her own music and was awarded gold certification for her first album. In 1988, she released her second album, which was certified platinum. As a young adult, she began performing on Broadway and in cabarets, and her 2010 cabaret performance at the Cafe Carlyle in New York was a sell-out. In 2011, she released a live recording of her concert series at the Cafe Carlyle.
Julie Andrews
Julie Andrews is a Broadway female singer who has toured the world with her musicals. She was born in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, England, and has performed in many productions, including My Fair Lady, Camelot, and The Boy Friend. Her parents divorced when she was a young child, and she grew up with her mother and stepfather. She had a talent for singing and performing, and her mother was a professional singer. As a young child, she joined the family musical act, which was a success. She began taking singing lessons when she was seven and was soon a regular performer on Broadway and in many other productions. She also began studying acting at the Cone-Ripman School in London.
Following her performance in The Pink Panther, Andrews began an effort to change her image as a dramatic actress. She appeared in Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller Torn Curtain, as well as in The Americanization of Emily (1964). Andrews continued to appear in television shows, and she starred in a CBS special called Julie Andrews, One Step Into Spring. She continued her career by appearing in several films and books.
Kristin Chenoweth
The award-winning Broadway actress began her career in regional productions. She made her Off-Broadway debut in 1994 and starred in Box Office of the Damned and Scapin for the Roundabout Theatre Company. In 1997, she made her Broadway debut in Steel Pier. Her performance earned her a Theatre World Award.
The Oklahoma native studied at Broken Arrow Senior High School and Oklahoma City University, earning a bachelor’s degree in musical theatre and a master’s in opera. During college, she performed in regional productions of musicals, and she later performed in operas. Her love of opera led her to pursue a career in musical theatre.
Audra McDonald
Audra McDonald is a Broadway female singer and actress who has enjoyed a successful career spanning more than 30 years. The award-winning performer has been nominated for five Tony Awards and has earned recognition as one of the most versatile actresses of her generation. She has performed in a number of musicals and has appeared in many television shows and movies. She also has a number of bestselling record albums to her credit.
Audra McDonald was born in West Berlin, Germany, but grew up in the United States. Her parents served in the United States Army, and her family moved to the United States in the 1970s. She started performing in elementary school and went on to attend Juilliard School in New York City to further her training.
Idina Menzel
Idina Menzel is a Broadway star who has achieved a wide range of success. She first gained recognition in the 1996 hit Broadway musical Rent, for which she received a Tony Award nomination. She later starred as Elphaba in the hit musical Wicked and won the Tony for Best Actress. Menzel also has enjoyed a successful film and television career, including a role as Elizabeth Vaughan in If/Then, which won her a third Tony Award nomination.
Menzel has performed in several films, including “Frozen” and “Let It Go.” Her role as Maureen was reprised for the 2005 film adaptation of Rent. In 2007, she starred in Disney’s Enchanted. Menzel later went on to play Shelby Corcoran on the television show Glee. She is also known for her role as Elsa in the Disney animated movie franchise Frozen.