Jenn Gambatese

Jenn Gambatese (born September 10, 1975) is an American actress and singer. Gambatese originated the role of Jane in the original Broadway production of Disney's Tarzan. Gambatese also played Glinda on the first National Tour of Wicked.

Early life and education Gambatese was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, and grew up in Richmond Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. Her passion for acting began during the summer of fourth grade at the Willoughby Fine Arts Center where she attended theater classes. Her first performance was "playing a 'whitewasher'" in the story of Tom Sawyer. She continued taking acting classes, and in her senior year of high school attended Beck Center as well as Cleveland State University. She graduated in 1997 with a double major in sociology and drama and received an "Artist & Scholar" award. After graduation her first professional job was performing with Theatre for Young Audiences, a touring children's theater company. Uncle Vanya Sonya Student production at NYU 1999 Romeo and Juliet the Musical Juliet Regional 2000 Little Women Amy March Workshop 2001 Reefer Madness Mary Lane u/s Off-Broadway Devil in the Flesh Marthe York Theatre developmental production 2003 A Year with Frog and Toad Bird/Mouse/Squirrel/Mole/Young Frog Broadway 2005 All Shook Up Natalie Haller Broadway 2006 Tarzan Jane Porter Broadway 2007 Is He Dead? Marie Leroux Broadway 2008 Little House on the Prairie Mary Ingalls Regional (Guthrie Theater) 2010 Annie Get Your Gun Annie Oakley Regional (Goodspeed Opera House) 2012 Carousel Carrie Pipperidge Regional (Goodspeed Opera House) 2013 Wicked Glinda First U.S. national tour 2014 The Sound of Music Maria Rainer Regional (Lyric Opera of Chicago) 2016 School of Rock: The Musical Principal Rosalie Mullins Broadway 2019

Pre-Broadway tryout (5th Avenue Theatre) 2021 Broadway Broadway performances Gambatese made her Broadway debut in Footloose in October 1998. She played the role of Urleen and also as an understudy to the female lead actress. "Footloose" was directed by Walter Bobbie and ran on Broadway from October 2, 1998 through July 2, 2000. Gambatese followed "Footloose" with the musical Hairspray, directed by Jack O’Brien that ran on Broadway from August 2002 through January 2009. She played the role of Penny Pingleton. Featured on the cast recordings of Broadway musicals Tarzan and All Shook Up, which are currently on iTunes

Personal life She married Curtis Cregan, who was a member of a children’s television show Hi-5 and also a Broadway performer. They wed in June 2007. In January 2009, it was announced that she and her husband were expecting their first child together in May 2009. On May 12, 2009, they welcomed a daughter, Josephine. She likes to keep active by practicing yoga and bike riding as well as playing on the field as second base with her Broadway Show League.

When she is not in Manhattan she likes to spend time with her family in their home in the Catskill Mountains.