Janine LaManna

Last updated
Janine LaManna
Born
Janine LaManna

(1966-06-14) June 14, 1966 (age 59)
Rochester, New York, United States
Other namesJanine La Manna
Janice LaManna
Janine McDermott
Jeanine LaManna
Jeanine McDermott
Education Wagner College
Occupations
  • Actress
  • Singer
  • Voice actress
Years active1988 – present
Spouse
Mike McDermott
​
(m. 2005)​
Children2

Janine LaManna (born June 14, 1966) is an American actress and singer. [1] [2] She is known for her extensive work in Broadway musicals and she is the first actress to portray the live-action character of Carmen Sandiego on the PBS series Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? . [3] [4] [5] [6]

Contents

Early life and education

Janine LaManna was born in Rochester, New York. [7] She graduated from Wagner College and she was honored with the Wagner College Fellows Award in recognition for her professional achievements. [1]

Career

LaManna has worked in many Broadway productions. [8] [6] [5] [6] Her performance in Seussical as Gertrude McFuzz earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination. [6]

Janine LaManna's Broadway credits include roles in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1994–1996), Chicago (1997–2000), Ragtime (1998–2000), Kiss Me, Kate (1999–2001), Seussical (2000–2001) for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination, Sweet Charity (2005), and The Drowsy Chaperone (2007). [5] [6] She has also appeared in numerous regional and Off-Broadway productions, such as Evita , Aida (IRNE-nominated), Noises Off , and The Prom . [1]

LaManna originated the live-action role of Carmen Sandiego in the first season of the PBS series Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? in 1996. [7] Her other screen credits include appearances in the film Two Weeks Notice , she voiced The Sirens for Samurai Jack , a role as Paquette in Great Performances , and a role in Devious Maids . [1] [9] [10]

As a singer, LaManna has performed in solo concerts and as a guest artist internationally. [5] A highlight of her career was singing at the White House in 2007 for the National Military Spouse Appreciation Day event. [1] She debuted her solo concert "Black & Gold" in New York in 2023. [11]

Personal life

Janine LaManna is married to retired U.S. Army Major Mike McDermott, with whom she has three children including a daughter Mia McDermott and a son Liam McDermott. [7] [6] As a military spouse, she has spoken about balancing her acting career with military family life, relocating to North Carolina near Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg). [5] In addition to performing, LaManna works as a vocal coach. [1]

Filmography

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1996 Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? Carmen Sandiego PBS series
2005 Great Performances PaquetteEpisode: Leonard Bernstein's Candide, a Comic Operetta in Two Acts
2015 Devious Maids Party GoerEpisode: Awakenings

Animation

List of voice performances in animation
YearTitleRole(s)Notes
2003 Samurai Jack SirenEpisode: The Scotsman Saves Jack: Part II [12]

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 Two Weeks Notice Elaine Cominsky [1]

Stage

YearTitleRole(s)Venue(s)Notes
1993 Evita Eva PerónPittsburgh Musical Theater [13]
1994 Kiss of the Spider Woman Spider Woman / AuroraBroadhurst Theatre [1]
1997 Chicago Velma Kelly / JuneWest End [1]
1998 Ragtime Evelyn NesbitBroadway [1]
1999 Swing! Ms. Callaway & Ms. BenantiSt. James Theatre [1]
2000 Seussical Gertrude McFuzz Boston Tryout Drama Desk Award nomination
2001 Kiss Me, Kate Lois Lane / BiancaVictoria Palace Theatre [1]
2003 Harmony PerformerForrest Theatre [14]
2003 The Look of Love PerformerBrooks Atkinson Theatre [1]
2004 Candide PaquettePhilharmonic concert [1]
2004 Aida AmnerisNorth Shore Music Theatre [15]
2005 Sweet Charity NickieAl Hirschfeld Theatre [1]
2007 The Drowsy Chaperone Janet Van De GraaffWest End production [1]
2019 Noises Off Belinda BlairThe Cape Playhouse [16]
2022 The Prom Dee Dee AllenWhite Plains Performing Arts Center [17]
2023Black & GoldPerformerThe Green Room 42 [18]
2025Regency GirlsLady Catherine & Madame RestellThe Old Globe [19] [20]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultTitleRef.
2001 Drama Desk Awards Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated Seussical [6]
2002 44th Annual Grammy Awards Best Musical Show AlbumNominated [1]
2004 Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE)Outstanding Actress in a MusicalNominated Aida [1]
2006Wagner CollegeWagner College Fellows AwardsHonoredFor Professional Achievement [1]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 "Janine LaManna". Wagner College. October 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ Who was Who on TV - Volume 3. Norman Chance. p. 464.
  3. ↑ Van Luling, Todd (2016-08-16). "My 20-Year Quest To Find Carmen Sandiego". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Who In the World Was Carmen Sandiego? We Finally Know the Answer". 18 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Army Wife, Broadway star". The Fayetteville Observer. June 4, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Great Wagner Way". Wagner Magazine. November 10, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "From Broadway to Fort Bragg". The Fayetteville Observer. September 25, 2013.
  8. ↑ American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle - Page 844. Oxford University Press. p. 844.
  9. ↑ "Janine LaManna (visual voices guide)" (A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.). Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Voice of Siren - Samurai Jack | Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors (Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources). Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Interview: Janine LaManna of BLACK AND GOLD at The Green Room 42 June 10th". Broadway World. June 6, 2023.
  12. ↑ "Samurai Jack". Behind the Voice Actors. May 1, 2025. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  13. ↑ "EVITA: PMT PRODUCTION IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE LOCAL BLOCKBUSTER FOR 1993". Deseret News. April 25, 1993.
  14. ↑ "Harmony Starts Dec. 2 in Philadelphia, a Week Later Than Expected". Playbill. November 3, 2003.
  15. ↑ "LaManna and Schiappa Join North Shore Aida". Playbill. August 26, 2004.
  16. ↑ Gans, Andrew (August 7, 2019). "Jeremy Webb, Janine LaManna, Jennifer Cody Join SNL's Heidi Gardner in Noises Off at Cape Playhouse". Playbill . Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  17. ↑ "West Milford native to star in 'The Prom' in White Plains". West Milford Messenger. October 4, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Janine LaManna to Make New York Solo Concert Debut With BLACK & GOLD at The Green Room 42". Broadway World. May 16, 2023.
  19. ↑ "In the new musical 'Regency Girls,' young women in trouble discover empowerment on a road trip". Los Angeles Times. April 14, 2025.
  20. ↑ "From Staten Island to San Diego: Wagner alums bring Regency Girls to life". Wagner College. August 8, 2025.
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