Karenssa LeGear
Karenssa LeGear is an American actress, filmmaker and SAG/AFTRA member who appeared in musical theatre plays including Les Misérables as Cosette and Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. She has Best Actress nominations at Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema for Carving a Life and at GI Film Festival San Diego for Refuge.
Karenssa LeGear | |
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Alma mater | |
Occupations | |
Years active | 2001–present |
Known for | Musical theatre performances throughout California, Arkansas, Arizona and film roles for television network Lifetime |
Notable credits |
Early life
LeGear grew up in Oceanside, California, starting her career as a singer at age 13. She graduated from Vista High School and holds a bachelor of arts degree in music-voice at University of California, Los Angeles. In 2015, LeGear graduated from Ruskin School of Acting where she studied Meisner technique. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association and has dual citizenship in the United States and Australia.[1]
Career
In 2004, LeGear portrayed Margarita Fischer for a recreation of the historical past at Rancho Buena Vista Adobe.[2] She has performed in several musicals and plays including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Les Misérables[1] and has conducted interviews with Geena Davis, Adrien Brody and John Boyega for That's My Entertainment at the San Diego International Film Festival.[1] In 2017, LeGear starred as Lauren in Carving a Life. The film was not well received but Adam Keller at Film Threat said her performance was "solid"[3] and Katie Walsh at Los Angeles Times called her presence "empathetic."[4] LeGear has supporting roles in the Lifetime films Killer Caregiver and Killer Contractor, guest starred in Veronica Mars[5] and co-directed a short film called Capture.[6]
Stage credits
Year | Title | Role | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001 | The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling | — | Vista High School, Vista, California | High school performance[7] |
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Woman in White | Encore Youth Theater, Vista, California | [1] | |
2003 | Annie | Lily | Moonlight Youth Theatre, Vista, California | [8] |
2007 | A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Puck | Schoenberg Hall, Los Angeles, California | [9] |
2008 | The Medium | Mrs. Nolan | Schoenberg Hall, Los Angeles, California | |
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Encore Youth Theater, Vista, California | Director[10] | ||
The Threepenny Opera | Lucy (matinee) / Whore | Los Angeles Theater Center, Los Angeles, California | [11] | |
2009 | Music and Memories | Angel | Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California | [12] |
2010 | The Pirates of Penzance | Mabel | Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California | [13] |
The House of Yes | Lesly | Compass Theatre, San Diego, California | [14] | |
Into the Woods | Rapunzel | New Village Arts Theatre, Carlsbad, California | [15] | |
2011 | The Phantom of the Opera | Christine Daaé | McKinney Theatre, Mission Viejo, California | |
Phantom | Carlotta | Candlelight Pavilion, Claremont, California | ||
Man of La Mancha | Antonia | Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California | [16] | |
2012 | Man of La Mancha | Antonia | Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach, California | Musical Theatre West[17] |
2014 | Les Misérables | Cosette | Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Little Rock, Arkansas | [1][18][19] |
Les Misérables | Cosette | The Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona | [1] | |
2015 | Gianni Schicchi | Nella | Cowell Theater, San Francisco, California | Merola Opera Program |
2016 | On The Twentieth Century | Imelda Thornton | Los Angeles Theatre, Los Angeles, California |
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2017 | Carving a Life | Lauren | [20] |
2018 | Killer Caregiver | Patty | Lifetime TV Movie |
The Calling | Holly Jensen | ||
Christmas Harmony | Pamela | Lifetime TV Movie | |
2019 | Killer Contractor | Claire | Lifetime TV Movie |
2022 | Starf*cker | Karen |
Year | Title | Role | Actor | Director | Producer |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | The Recency Effect | Trixy | Yes | No | Yes |
2016 | Remember Me | Leslie | Yes | No | Co-producer |
Valhalla | Naomi King | Yes | No | No | |
2017 | Refuge | Diane | Yes | No | No |
Jordan Hates the Writing | Marilyn Monroe | Yes | No | No | |
One Good Day | Diana | Yes | No | No | |
2019 | Capture | Dana | Co-director | Yes | Co-producer |
In the Absence of Eden | Kalissa 'Lissy' | Co-director | Yes | Yes | |
2021 | Moving Out[21] | Joanne | Yes | No | Executive |
Accolades
Event | Year | Award | Title | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GI Film Festival San Diego | 2017 | Best Actress | Refuge | Nominated | [22] |
Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema | 2018 | Best Actress Feature Film | Carving a Life | Nominated | |
Best Ensemble Cast Feature Film | Carving a Life | Nominated | |||
Horrible Imaginings Film Festival | 2020 | Best Home Grown Local Film | Capture | Won |
References
- Sherman, Lola (2015-12-03). "Films coming back to county". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2022-09-11.
- Kabbany, Jennifer (2004-05-16). "Volunteers to recreate adobe's past". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2023-06-19.
- Keller, Adam (2018-05-09). "Carving A Life | Film Threat". Film Threat. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- Walsh, Katie (2017-10-13). "Review: Indie drama 'Carving a Life,' about addiction, means well but is ineptly made". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- "Karenssa LeGear - Rotten Tomatoes". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- Accomando, Beth (2019-04-10). "Third Annual San Diego Film Week Looks To Local Filmmakers". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2022-07-03.
- Reed, Candice (2001-11-10). "Vista students perform unusual play". North County Times. pp. B-1, B-8. Retrieved 2023-06-19 – via Newspapers.com.
- Scott-Blair, M. (2003-06-22). "'Sun will come out' at moonlight | youth theater brings 'Annie' to local stage". San Diego Union Tribune. pp. N-7. ISSN 1063-102X. ProQuest 272126848 – via ProQuest.
- Sanders, Kim (2007-01-31). "Heating Up "˜Midsummer'". Daily Bruin. Retrieved 2023-04-19.
- "National Youth Theatre - Reviews". National Youth Theatre. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
- "3pennyopera". University of California. 2008. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
- Baldridge, Charlene (2009-01-22). "Pickard channels Mr. Lee with 'Music and Memories'". La Jolla Village News. 14 (12): 10 – via Issuu.
- "The Pirates of Penzance, Must See Theatre for All Ages!". La Jolla Village News. 15 (30): 5. 2012-04-08 – via Issuu.
- Lowerison, J. (2010-01-28). A tone-deaf diva and the twisted rich. Gay & Lesbian Times, 1153, 42.
- Kragen, Pam (2010-09-29). "Theater Review: New Village's 'Woods' a solid musical debut". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2023-05-08.
- Eadie, Bill. "Talkin' Broadway Regional News & Reviews: San Diego - "Man of La Mancha" - 9/14/11". Talkin Broadway. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- Rosas, Jackie (2012-02-16). "'Man of La Mancha' 'enthralls,' audiences". Daily 49er. 59 (456): 6 – via Internet Archive.
- Stephenson, Will (2014-03-06). "'Les Mis' returns to Rep". Arkansas Times. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- Maxwell, Stephanie (2014-03-04). "Les Mis back on The Rep stage". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- Olson, Chris (2017-12-12). "Carving a Life indie film". UK Film Review. Retrieved 2023-04-27.
- "Moving Out". Film Independent. Retrieved 2023-09-20.
- "GI Film Festival San Diego Selects 12 Titles for Local Film Showcase". GI Film Festival San Diego. Retrieved 2023-04-22.
External links
- Karenssa LeGear at About the Artists
- Karenssa LeGear at IMDb
- Karenssa LeGear at Moviefone
- Karenssa LeGear at TV Guide