Musical theatre
In 2000, Kennedy had her first professional role when she starred as Anne Shirley in the annual production of Anne of Green Gables at the Charlottetown Festival in Prince Edward Island. [4] She reprised her role in the 2001 production. After this, Kennedy joined the first national tour of Mamma Mia! , initially as a member of the ensemble before later starring as Sophie Sheridan. [5]
In 2005, Kennedy made her Stratford Festival debut when she played Agnes in a production of Gypsy . Also with Stratford Festival, Kennedy starred as Maria in West Side Story and as Eva Perón in Evita . She also played Philia in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum and Lois Lane/Bianca in Kiss Me, Kate with Stratford Festival.
In 2011, Kennedy starred as Mary Magdalene in the Stratford Festival production of Jesus Christ Superstar . [6] The musical then had a pre-Broadway engagement at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. [6] Kennedy made her Broadway debut in 2012 when she reprised her role of Mary Magdalene in the revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, where it played at the Neil Simon Theatre. [6]
Kennedy played Phoebe D'Ysquith in the world premiere production of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder . [7] The musical premiered at Hartford Stage in October 2012, before also playing at the Old Globe Theatre.
In March 2015, Kennedy began starring in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical as Carole King, replacing Jessie Mueller. [8] Kennedy left the Broadway production of Beautiful to reprise her role of Carole King in a limited engagement production of the show which played at the Ed Mirvish Theatre in Toronto between June 27 and September 3, 2017. [9] After that production closed, she then returned to the Broadway production until leaving in 2018. Kennedy then returned to the Broadway production on January 3, 2019. [10] After taking a hiatus to temporarily join the national tour to play Carole King at the Toronto tour stop, she rejoined the Broadway cast before playing her final show on June 9, 2019. [11]
Kennedy starred as Dina in the North American tour of The Band's Visit , opposite Sasson Gabai. [12]
In 2021, Kennedy starred as Annie Lewis in Paradise Square , which had a pre-Broadway engagement at the Nederlander Theatre in Chicago. She reprised her role when the production transferred to Broadway, where it played at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. [13]
Kennedy starred as Billie Jean King in Love All, a play about the life of King. The play premiered at the La Jolla Playhouse. [14] Kennedy also starred as Cindy in the off-Broadway production of A Sign of the Times. [15]
In 2024, Kennedy played Myrtle Wilson in The Great Gatsby while Sara Chase temporarily left the show on medical leave. [16]
Eclipse Theatre Company
In 2018, Kennedy founded Eclipse Theatre Company, with the aim of presenting new and re-imagined musicals in Toronto. [17] Some of the company's early productions included Kiss of the Spider Woman and Sunday in the Park with George , to positive reviews. [18]
Kennedy has been writing the music and lyrics for an original musical called Wild About You, which is about a woman who has to put together the pieces of her life as best as she can with her limited memory. [2] A concept album was released in 2023, with songs performed by Katharine McPhee, Alex Newell, Jenn Colella, Lea Salonga, Paul Alexander Nolan, Jessie Mueller, Joaquina Kalukango, and Kennedy. [2] A concert staging was performed at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in England, with a cast that included Rachel Tucker, Eric McCormack, Tori Allen-Martin, and Oliver Tompsett. [19] Subsequently, industry presentations and workshops in October 2024, which included Jessica Vosk in the lead role, were held in New York. [20]
