Jenna Leigh Green
Encyclopedia
Jenna Leigh Green is an American
actress and singer best known for her performances as Libby Chessler on the television show Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and on Broadway
and on tour in the musical Wicked
.
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
and participated in other Nickelodeon
events such as The Big Help
and the game show Figure It Out
.
, The Fantasticks
, Romeo and Juliet
and Into the Woods
and West Side Story.
In 1999, Green was cast as Ivy in Bare: a pop operabare. She performed in the original reading for the musical and the 2000-01 Los Angeles production. 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. In 2007, the cast album of Bare was released, featuring Green. 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 role Elphaba
, and as a result, played the role over 40 times. She left the tour on March 5, 2006, and transferred to the Broadway
production of the show, marking her Broadway debut. 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 is scheduled to appear in Jawbreaker: The Musical on July 29, 2010, an adaptation of Darren Stein
's 1999 film of the same name
.
at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood which ran from June 18 - July 6, 2008.
In 2008, Green recently starred as Violet Golding'64 in the series of Cold Case the episode "Wednesday 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. 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 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
.
She currently appears at Show at Barre. It opened February 12, 2011, and will close June 30, 2011. Also starring are Tracie Thoms
, Arielle Jacobs
and Kate Reinders
.
She Also Appeared in a Bones episode, The Change In The Game.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actress and singer best known for her performances as Libby Chessler on the television show Sabrina, the Teenage Witch and on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
and on tour in the musical Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
.
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, CaliforniaSimi Valley, California
-2010:The 2010 United States Census reported that Simi Valley had a population of 124,237. The population density was 2,940.8 people per square mile...
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
Simi Valley High School
Simi Valley High School is a secondary school located in Simi Valley, California, nestling in the shadow of the Santa Susana Mountains, adjacent to the San Fernando Valley. It was established in 1920 as the valley's first high school. Simi Valley High School has undergone several configurations...
, 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
ER (TV series)
ER is an American medical drama television series created by novelist Michael Crichton that aired on NBC from September 19, 1994 to April 2, 2009. It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Entertainment, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
and Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg
Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24, 1997, to April 30, 2002.It starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, a couple who married instantly on their first date despite being complete opposites...
and participated in other Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon (TV channel)
Nickelodeon, often simply called Nick and originally named Pinwheel, is an American children's channel owned by MTV Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom International. The channel is primarily aimed at children ages 7–17, with the exception of their weekday morning program block aimed at preschoolers...
events such as The Big Help
The Big Help
The Big Help is a community outreach program made famous in the mid-1990s by Nickelodeon. It was a yearly event in which kids from around the country would call in to try to get one of their local parks refurbished by Nickelodeon, the ten with the most votes would get refurbished by Nickelodeon in...
and the game show Figure It Out
Figure It Out
Figure It Out is an American children's game show hosted by Summer Sanders that aired on Nickelodeon for four seasons from July 7, 1997 to December 12, 1999....
.
Theatre career and later work
Her Los Angeles theatre experience includes The Wizard of Oz, The Secret GardenThe Secret Garden (musical)
The Secret Garden is a musical based on the 1911 novel of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The musical's book and lyrics are by Marsha Norman, with music by Lucy Simon...
, The Fantasticks
The Fantasticks
The Fantasticks is a 1960 musical with music by Harvey Schmidt and lyrics by Tom Jones. It was produced by Lore Noto. It tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the play "The Romancers" by Edmond Rostand, concerning two neighboring fathers who trick their children, Luisa and Matt, into...
, Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet
Romeo and Juliet is a tragedy written early in the career of playwright William Shakespeare about two young star-crossed lovers whose deaths ultimately unite their feuding families. It was among Shakespeare's most popular archetypal stories of young, teenage lovers.Romeo and Juliet belongs to a...
and Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife brought acclaim...
and West Side Story.
In 1999, Green was cast as Ivy in Bare: a pop operabare. She performed in the original reading for the musical and the 2000-01 Los Angeles production. In 2002, she appeared in the TV movie First Shot. She also performed with the Pussycat Dolls
Pussycat Dolls
The Pussycat Dolls are an American pop girl group and dance ensemble based in Los Angeles; currently consisting of Lauren Bennett, Vanessa Curry, Kristal "Lyndriette" Smith, Tiffany "Taz" Zavala, Kia Hampton and Paula Van Oppen. The Pussycat Dolls were founded by choreographer Robin Antin in 1995...
when they were a feature burlesque show at The Roxy Theatre
The Roxy Theatre
The Roxy Theatre is a famous nightclub, on the Sunset Strip, in West Hollywood, California. The Roxy is owned by Lou Adler and Adler's son, Nic, who operates the club.- History :...
. In 2004, she moved to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
where she again played Ivy in Bare during its brief off-Broadway
Off-Broadway
Off-Broadway theater is a term for a professional venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, and for a specific production of a play, musical or revue that appears in such a venue, and which adheres to related trade union and other contracts...
run. In 2007, the cast album of Bare was released, featuring Green. 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
Musical film
The musical film is a film genre in which songs sung by the characters are interwoven into the narrative, sometimes accompanied by dancing. The songs usually advance the plot or develop the film's characters, though in some cases they serve merely as breaks in the storyline, often as elaborate...
Open House
Open House (film)
Open House is a 2004 real estate musical film starring Hedy Burress, Ann Magnuson, Anthony Rapp, Sally Kellerman, Jenna Leigh Green and Kellie Martin, and directed by Dan Mirvish, a co-founder of the Slamdance Film Festival. It played on the film festival circuit in 2004-2005 and was released on...
.
Green then became a cast member of the musical Wicked
Wicked (musical)
Wicked is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Winnie Holzman. It is based on the Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West , a parallel novel of the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz and L. Frank Baum's classic story The Wonderful Wizard...
. She opened the role of Nessarose
Nessarose
Nessarose Thropp is the name of the woman who becomes the Wicked Witch of the East in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway adaptation, Wicked...
, on the First North American Tour, which opened March 2005. She also understudied the role Elphaba
Elphaba
Elphaba Thropp is a fictional character in Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West by Gregory Maguire, as well as in the Broadway and West End adaptations, Wicked. In the original L. Frank Baum book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Wicked Witch of the West is unnamed and little...
, and as a result, played the role over 40 times. She left the tour on March 5, 2006, and transferred to the Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
production of the show, marking her Broadway debut. She reprised the role of Nessarose through December 31, 2006, before playing the role once again in the original Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
production from February through December 2007.
She is scheduled to appear in Jawbreaker: The Musical on July 29, 2010, an adaptation of Darren Stein
Darren Stein
Darren Stein is an American film director, screenwriter, and film producer who grew up in the San Fernando Valley. Among his works include the documentary Put the Camera on Me, the upcoming summer 2010 horror comedy All About Evil, and the satirical major motion picture Jawbreaker - which has been...
's 1999 film of the same name
Jawbreaker (film)
Jawbreaker is an American black comedy satire film, directed by Darren Stein. It was released February 19, 1999. The film stars Rose McGowan, Rebecca Gayheart, Julie Benz, and Judy Greer as girls in an exclusive clique in their high school. Charlotte Ayanna has a non-speaking cameo role as a...
.
Recent work
Green recently starred as Sally Simpson in a production of The Who's TommyThe Who's Tommy
The Who's Tommy is a rock musical by Pete Townshend and Des McAnuff based on The Who's 1969 double album rock opera Tommy, also by Pete Townshend, with additional material by John Entwistle, Keith Moon and Sonny Boy Williamson.-Productions:...
at the Ricardo Montalban Theatre in Hollywood which ran from June 18 - July 6, 2008.
In 2008, Green recently starred as Violet Golding'64 in the series of Cold Case the episode "Wednesday Women".
On September 21, 2008, Green made her West End debut in "Never Neverland" a benefit concert that helped in aid of Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer is a cancerous growth arising from the ovary. Symptoms are frequently very subtle early on and may include: bloating, pelvic pain, difficulty eating and frequent urination, and are easily confused with other illnesses....
and NCH. The concert was at the Duchess Theatre
Duchess Theatre
The Duchess Theatre is a West End theatre in the City of Westminster, London, located in Catherine Street, near Aldwych.The theatre opened on 25 November 1929 and is one of the smallest 'proscenium arched' West End theatres. It has 479 seats on two levels....
in London. Alongside Green was fellow Wicked alumni Eden Espinosa
Eden Espinosa
Eden Erica Espinosa is an American singer and stage actress, who is best known for her performances as Elphaba for the Broadway, Los Angeles and San Francisco productions of the musical Wicked....
and Scott Alan. On February 27, 2009 she guest starred on the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
series Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer
Ghost Whisperer is an American television supernatural drama, which ran on CBS from September 23, 2005 to May 21, 2010.The series follows the life of Melinda Gordon , who has the ability to see and communicate with ghosts...
as Carrie in episode 4.16 "Ghost Busted".
In the fall of 2010 she appeared in the concert revue "For The Record: Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Tarantino
Quentin Jerome Tarantino is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, cinematographer and actor. In the early 1990s, he began his career as an independent filmmaker with films employing nonlinear storylines and the aestheticization of violence...
" in Los Angeles, presented by ROCKLA for Show at Barre. It ran from August 12, 2010, to October 30, 2010. Also starring Tracie Thoms
Tracie Thoms
Tracie Nicole Thoms is an American television, film, and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in Rent, Cold Case, The Devil Wears Prada, Death Proof, and the short-lived Fox television series Wonderfalls....
, Autumn Reeser
Autumn Reeser
Autumn Alicia Reeser is an American actress and blogger. She has portrayed Taylor Townsend on the Fox series The O.C., Lizzie Grant on HBO's Entourage and most recently appeared as Katie Andrews on ABC's No Ordinary Family....
, Ty Taylor
Ty Taylor
Ty Taylor is an American musician best known for being the guitarist and vocalist of R&B group Dakota Moon and was also a contestant on the reality TV show Rock Star: INXS. He is currently the lead singer and guitarist for Los Angeles based Soul/Rock band, Vintage Trouble...
, and Audra Mae
Audra Mae
Audra Mae is an American singer-songwriter from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Audra Mae is the great-great-niece of Judy Garland, who was her great-grandmother's sister....
.
She currently appears at Show at Barre. It opened February 12, 2011, and will close June 30, 2011. Also starring are Tracie Thoms
Tracie Thoms
Tracie Nicole Thoms is an American television, film, and stage actress. She is best known for her roles in Rent, Cold Case, The Devil Wears Prada, Death Proof, and the short-lived Fox television series Wonderfalls....
, Arielle Jacobs
Arielle Jacobs
Arielle Jacobs is a Filipino-American actress, mostly seen on stage in musicals.- Biography :Jacobs was born in San Francisco, with a Filipino mother and an American father. She later moved to Half Moon Bay, California, and then to New York...
and Kate Reinders
Kate Reinders
Kate Reinders is an American musical theatre actress, who has performed as lead and understudy in several Broadway shows. Reinders was born in Seattle, Washington, but raised in Muskegon, Michigan...
.
She Also Appeared in a Bones episode, The Change In The Game.