Lindsay Mendez

Lindsay Michelle Mendez 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.

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.

Life and career
Mendez was born in Norwalk, California. Her father is of Mexican descent and her mother is of Russian Jewish ancestry. Her brother, Michael Mendez, is also a Broadway performer. 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.

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. 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. 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.

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.

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. The production also starred Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry.

Mendez plays Mary in the first Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, for which she received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical nomination.

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)


 * 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)

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)
 * 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)