Lindsay Mendez

Lindsay Michelle Mendez (born March 1, 1983 ) is an American actress and singer, best known for her work in American musical theatre. She won the 2018 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance as Carrie Pipperidge in a Broadway revival of Carousel. Her other credits on Broadway include Elphaba in Wicked (performing during the production's tenth anniversary), Godspell, and Jan in Grease. Mendez starred alongside Jonathan Groff and Daniel Radcliffe in the first Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along, which opened to critical acclaim on Broadway in October 2023.

From September 2019 to November 2023, Mendez co-starred on the CBS drama series All Rise as court stenographer Sara Castillo.

Early life and career Mendez grew up in Norwalk, California. Her father is of Mexican descent and her mother is of Russian Jewish ancestry. Her brother, Michael Mendez, is also a Broadway performer. She played Lizzie in a preview of A Little More Alive, written by Nick Blaemire, in Kansas City. Other credits include roles in The Marvelous Wonderettes, 35MM, Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris, and Princesses.

She made her Broadway debut in 2007 as part of the second Broadway revival of the musical Grease. She appeared in “Spare Some Change: NYC Artists for Barack Obama” directed by Ryan Mekenian in 2008 alongside Shaina Taub, Carrie Manolakos, Joe Iconis, Seth Rudetsky, & Celia Keenan-Bolger.

In 2012, Mendez appeared opposite Derek Klena in the off-Broadway musical Dogfight as Eddie and Rose, and from May 2013 in Wicked as Fiyero and Elphaba respectively. She was nominated for her role as Rose in Dogfight for the 2013 Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance, the 2013 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical, and the 2013 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical. Mendez and Klena frequently perform together at the Broadway supper club 54 Below. They released a jazz album entitled This Time in 2013. Mendez also sings jazz and blues at other cabarets and dining clubs with pianist Marco Paguia.

While performing in Wicked, Mendez filmed a series of video blogs for Broadway.com entitled "Fly Girl: Backstage at Wicked with Lindsay Mendez", giving an inside look at the smash musical, including interviews with current cast members, glimpses of costumes, sets, props, and how Mendez herself was transformed into the musical's protagonist, Elphaba, the green-skinned girl who becomes the Wicked Witch of the West.

Mendez, along with composer Ryan Scott Oliver, founded and runs Actor Therapy: a five-week training experience for young actors in NYC.

In 2014, Mendez played Naomi Rodriguez in Lin Manuel Miranda's one-act musical 21 Chump Street and then in 2015, Laura in the play Significant Other.

In early 2016 she was set to star in the Broadway premiere of the musical Nerds alongside Rory O'Malley, Patti Murin and others. The show was cancelled during a rehearsal session two weeks before the first preview due to not having the financial resources for a Broadway mount.

Mendez played Carrie in the 2018 Broadway revival of Carousel, for which she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. The production also starred Jessie Mueller and Joshua Henry.

In the 2022 she played Mary Flynn in the off-Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along at New York Theater Workshop alongside Daniel Radcliffe and Jonathan Groff as well as former Wicked co-star Katie Rose Clarke. Mendez reprised the role in 2023 in the first Broadway revival of Merrily We Roll Along. She received a second nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance.

Mendez had a main role as a court reporter on the legal drama series All Rise which ran from 2019 to 2023. She appeared in the Ryan Murphy produced anthology series American Sports Story.

Personal life Mendez has one daughter named Lucy from a previous relationship. Mendez married her All Rise co-star J. Alex Brinson in April 2024 in Central Park. The ceremony included Merrily castmates Jonathan Groff as the officiant and Daniel Radcliffe as the ring bearer. Their daughter Ruby Beck Brinson was born on September 19, 2024.

Theatre Year Title Role Notes 2004 Princesses Dena Reading 2006 Reading 2006 Go the Distance, and the Lyrics of David Zippel Performer Concert 2007–08 Grease Jan Broadway 2008 Princesses Dena Regional 2008 Footloose Regional 2009 The Marvelous Wonderettes Betty Jean (replacement) Off-Broadway 2009 Everyday Rapture Performer Off-Broadway 2009 Band Geeks! Regional 2009 Rated RSO; The Music and Lyrics of Ryan Scott Oliver Performer Concert 2010 35MM: A Musical Exhibition Performer Concert 2010 The Trouble with Doug Regional 2010 Everyday Rapture Mennonite/Dance Captain Broadway 2011 Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris Regional 2012 Dogfight Rose Fenny Off-Broadway 2011–12 Godspell "Bless The Lord" Performer Broadway 2013 Footloose Regional 2013–14 Wicked Elphaba (replacement) Broadway 2014 A Little More Alive Lizzie Regional 2014 21 Chump Street Naomi Rodriguez Regional 2014 The Winter's Tale Hermione Off-Broadway 2015 Significant Other Laura Off-Broadway 2016 Nerds Myrtle Reading 2016 35MM: A Musical Exhibition Performer Concert 2016 The Rose Tattoo Folk Singer/Giuseppina Regional 2017 The Golden Apple Helen Encores! 2017 Significant Other Laura Broadway 2018 Carousel Carrie Pipperidge Broadway 2022–23 Merrily We Roll Along Mary Flynn Off-Broadway 2023–24 Broadway 2026 Man of La Mancha Aldonza / Dulcinea Broadway Concert

Filmography Year Title Role Notes 2013 Smash Herself Episode: "The Transfer" 2018 Murphy Brown Rachel Episode: "The Wheels on the Dog Go Round and Round"2019 Modern Family Bel Air Black Widow Episode: "SuperShowerBabyBowl" Helpsters Doctor Devin Episode: "Rita Reader / Cody Gets a Cold" Elementary Dr. Angela Hardy Episode: "The Latest Model" 2019–2023 All Rise Sara Castillo 58 episodes 2021 Station 19 Lawyer Episode: "A House Is Not a Home" 2024 American Sports Story Tanya Singleton 8 episodes 2025 Elsbeth Officer Grace Hackett 2 episodes Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Attorney Andrea Vargas Episode: "Feed the Craving"The American Revolution Catharine Macaulay (voice) 3 episodes Merrily We Roll Along Mary Flynn Live stage recording of musical

Discography

Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult 2013 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a MusicalDogfight Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical 2014 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Favorite Replacement (Female) Wicked 2017 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Favorite Featured Actress in a Play Significant Other 2018 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Carousel Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical 2019Grammy AwardBest Musical Theater Album 2023 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Lead Performance in a MusicalMerrily We Roll Along Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical 2024 Tony Award Best Featured Actress in a Musical Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Broadway.com Audience Award Favorite Featured Actress in a Musical 2025 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album