Jenna Leigh Green

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Jenna Leigh Green
Jenna Leigh Green.jpg
Green at the Henry Fonda Theater in 2008
Born
Jennifer Leigh Greenberg

(1974-08-22) August 22, 1974 (age 50)
Other namesJenna J. Leigh
Occupation(s)Actress, singer
Years active1994–present

Jenna Leigh Green (born August 22, 1974) is an American actress and singer best known for her performances as Libby Chessler on the television show Sabrina the Teenage Witch , as well as for roles on tour in the musical Wicked and later in the Broadway production.

Contents

Early life and career

Green was born Jennifer Leigh Greenberg in West Hills, California to an actress mother and a musician father. She was raised in Simi Valley, California with her twin sister Jessica and younger sister Becca in a family of actors and musicians. She began to perform in school and community theatre productions by age 12 and later began to appear in commercials and television programs, as well as a few made-for-TV movies.

After graduating from Simi Valley High School, Green appeared for several seasons as Libby Chessler in the television series Sabrina, the Teenage Witch beginning in 1996. She also performed in guest spots on television shows like ER and Dharma & Greg [1] and participated in other Nickelodeon events such as The Big Help and the game show Figure It Out . [2]

Theatre career and later work

Her Los Angeles theatre experience includes The Wizard of Oz, The Secret Garden , The Fantasticks , Romeo and Juliet , Into the Woods , and West Side Story . [3]

In 1999, Green was cast as Ivy in Bare: A Pop Opera . She performed in the original reading for the musical as well as the original Los Angeles Productions. [4] [5] In 2002, she appeared in the TV movie First Shot . She also performed with the Pussycat Dolls when they were a feature burlesque show at The Roxy Theatre. In 2004, she moved to New York City where she again played Ivy in Bare during its brief off-Broadway run. [5] In 2007, the cast album of Bare was released, featuring Green. [6] Also in 2004, she performed in concerts and benefits with other cast members as well as on her own. She performed as Diana in a workshop of a new musical, Mask. In 2005, Green played Betty in the musical film Open House .

Green then became a cast member of the musical Wicked . She opened the role of Nessarose, on the First North American Tour, which opened March 2005. She also understudied the lead role of Elphaba, and as a result, played the role over 40 times. [1] She exited the tour on March 5, 2006, and transferred to the Broadway production of the show, marking her Broadway debut. [7] She reprised the role of Nessarose through December 31, 2006, before playing the role once again in the original Los Angeles production from February through December 2007. She was replaced by Marcie Dodd, who later became the Elphaba standby.

Green starred as Sally Simpson in a production of The Who's Tommy at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood which ran from June 18 – July 6, 2008. [8]

In 2008, Green appeared as Violet Golding in the episode of Cold Case titled "Wednesday's Women".

On September 21, 2008, Green made her West End debut in "Never Neverland" a benefit concert that helped in aid of Ovarian cancer and NCH. [9] The concert was at the Duchess Theatre in London. Alongside Green was fellow Wicked alumni Eden Espinosa and Scott Alan. On February 27, 2009, she guest starred on the CBS series Ghost Whisperer as Carrie in episode 4.16 "Ghost Busted". In the summer of 2010, Green appeared as Heather Chandler in the concert workshop of Heathers: The Musical .

In the fall of 2010 she appeared in the concert revue "For The Record: Quentin Tarantino" in Los Angeles, presented by ROCKLA for Show at Barre. It ran from August 12, 2010, to October 30, 2010. Also starring Tracie Thoms, Autumn Reeser, Ty Taylor, and Audra Mae. [10]

She appeared at Show at Barre. It opened on February 12, 2011, and closed on June 30, 2011. Also starring were Tracie Thoms, Arielle Jacobs and Kate Reinders. [11]

In 2014 she starred in the Off-Broadway musical The Anthem. Co-starring with Green were Randy Jones, Remy Zaken, Ashley Kate Adams, and Jason Gotay. The production was directed and choreographed by Rachel Klein, with a book by Gary Morgenstein, lyrics by Erik Ransom, and music by Jonnie Rockwell. The production performed at the Lynn Redgrave Theatre in New York City. [12] [13]

She also appeared in a Bones episode [14] "The Change in the Game", and in Castle in the episode "Sucker Punch".

Filmography

Film and television
YearTitleRoleNotes
1994 A Friend to Die For Meridith LaddTV movie
1995Captain Nuke and the Bomber BoysGirl
1996–1999 Sabrina the Teenage Witch Libby ChesslerSeasons 1–3
Credited for 75 episodes (appearing in 46 episodes only)
1997 Friends 'Til the End RisaTV movie
1997 Extreme Ghostbusters Persefineathious
Wanda
Episode: "Mole People"
Episode: "Witchy Woman"
1998SandmanWanda
1999 Cover Me Tara MathersTV miniseries
2000 The Bogus Witch Project HeatherSegment: The Bel Air Witch Project"
2001 Cover Me: Based on the True Life of an FBI Family Tara MathersEpisode: "Borerline Normal"
2002 Dharma & Greg Kelly KincaidEpisode: "She's with the Band"
2002 First Shot Jess HayesTV movie
2002 ER Tammy GribbsEpisode: "Dead Again"
2004 Open House Betty
2008 Cold Case Violet GoldingEpisode: "Wednesday's Woman"
2009 Ghost Whisperer CarrieEpisode: "Ghost Busted"
2010 Castle MollyEpisode: "Sucker Punch"
2010 You Again Heather
2011 Bones HeatherEpisode: "The Change in the Game"
2012The Outrageously Fabulous Weekly Parody Talk ShowEnsembleEpisode: "Glitz"
2012Fifty Grades of ShayWaitressShort film
2014My EleventhCourtney Ullman
2015The ResidualsHeidiEpisode: "The Dark Side"
2015 I Am Michael Dr. O'Connor
2016 Hard Sell Priscilla
2016Are You Afraid of the 90'sKimmieShort film
2017 Quantico Emily MeyersEpisode: "LNWILT"
2017Wisco QueensKelly3 episodes
2018 Skin Rebecca Ramos
2017GlimpsePamEpisode: "Sparky"
2019YesAnnie Caden
2019 The Loudest Voice Irena Briganti4 episodes
2021 Wild Indian Ivy
2021 The Survivalist MarleyDirect-to-video
2021 Gossip Girl Nancy VogelEpisode: "Blackberry Narcissus"
2021 NCIS: Hawai'i Morgan DavenportEpisode: "Legacy"
2022 Magnum P.I. Heather NixEpisode: "Run, Baby, Run"
2022 Blue Bloods Robin PruittEpisode: "Long Lost"

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References

  1. 1 2 Riegel, Katie (August 31, 2006). "Fresh Face: Jenna Leigh Green". Broadway.com. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  2. BWW News Desk. "'Yes' Co-stars Jenna Leigh Green And Tim Realbuto Tapped To Be Celebrity Guest Judges at Sketchfest 2018". BroadwayWorld.com.
  3. "BroadwayWorld International Theatre DB (BroadwayWorld.com)". broadwayworld.com.
  4. "Are You There? – TheaterMania". theatermania.com.
  5. 1 2 Blank, Matthew (September 17, 2012). "PHOTO SPECIAL: Looking Back at Bare's Off-Broadway Debut, With Michael Arden and John Hill". Playbill.
  6. Performers on the Bare album
  7. "David Garrison and Jenna Leigh Green Join Broadway's Wicked". Broadway.com.
  8. Gans, Andrew (June 25, 2008). "The Who's Tommy, with Ripley, Hendryx and Pevec, Extends Hollywood Run". Playbill. Retrieved February 11, 2022.
  9. Joy (November 1, 2016). "Q&A with Jenna Leigh Green".
  10. "'For the Record' series: Cutting-edge cabaret in L.A.? Believe it". Entertainment Weekly. April 8, 2011.
  11. Cassell, Amber. "Show at Barre launches weekly tribute to TARANTINO concert series this weekend with 'Death Proof' star Tracie Thoms". BroadwayWorld.com.
  12. "BWW Reviews: Our State, My Anthem".
  13. Webster, Andy (May 30, 2014). "Songs, Jokes and Twirls? Just Don't Tell Ayn Rand". The New York Times.
  14. "Sabrina's Enemy Libby Chessler Is All Grown Up". Evoke.ie. April 22, 2016. Retrieved May 13, 2019.