Janine LaManna

Janine LaManna
Born (1966-06-14) June 14, 1966
Rochester, New York, U. S.
Other nameJanine McDermott
EducationWagner College
Occupations
  • Actress
  • Singer
  • Voice actress
  • Vocal couch
Years active1988 – present
Spouse
Mike McDermott
​
(m. 2005)​
Children2

Janine LaManna (born June 14, 1966) is an American actress and singer.[1][2] She is known for her extensive work in Broadway musicals and she is the first actress to portray the live-action character of Carmen Sandiego on the PBS series Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego?.[3][4][5][6]

Early life and education

Janine LaManna was born in Rochester, New York.[7] She graduated from Wagner College and she was honored with the Wagner College Fellows Award in recognition for her professional achievements.[1]

Career

LaManna has worked in many Broadway productions.[8][6][5] Her performance in Seussical as Gertrude McFuzz earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination.[6]

LaManna's Broadway credits include roles in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1994–1996), Chicago (1997–2000), Ragtime (1998–2000), Kiss Me, Kate (1999–2001), Seussical (2000–2001) for which she received a Drama Desk Award nomination, Sweet Charity (2005), and The Drowsy Chaperone (2007).[5][6] She has also appeared in numerous regional and Off-Broadway productions, such as Evita, Aida (IRNE-nominated), Noises Off, and The Prom.[1]

LaManna originated the live-action role of Carmen Sandiego in the first season of the PBS series Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? in 1996.[7][1][9] Her other screen credits include appearances in the film Two Weeks Notice, she voiced The Sirens for Samurai Jack, a role as Paquette in Great Performances, and a role in Devious Maids.[1][10][11]

As a singer, LaManna has performed in solo concerts and as a guest artist internationally.[5] A highlight of her career was singing at the White House in 2007 for the National Military Spouse Appreciation Day event.[1] She debuted her solo concert "Black & Gold" in New York in 2023.[12]

Personal life

LaManna is married to retired U.S. Army Major Mike McDermott, with whom she has two children including a daughter Mia McDermott and a son Liam McDermott.[7][6] As a military spouse, she has spoken about balancing her acting career with military family life, relocating to North Carolina near Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg).[5] In addition to performing, LaManna works as a vocal coach.[1]

Filmography

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1996 Where in Time Is Carmen Sandiego? Carmen Sandiego PBS series[3]
2005 59th Tony Awards Herself TV special
2005 Great Performances Paquette Episode: Leonard Bernstein's Candide, a Comic Operetta in Two Acts
2015 Devious Maids Party Goer Episode: Awakenings[1]
2020 Wait in the Wings Gertrude McFuzz Episode: The Fall & Redemption of Seussical

Animation

List of voice performances in animation
YearTitleRole(s)Notes
2003Samurai JackThe SirenEpisode: The Scotsman Saves Jack: Part II[13]

Web series

Year Title Role Notes
2020Stars in the HouseJanineEpisode: Seussical Cast Reunion

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Two Weeks Notice Elaine Cominsky [1]
2004 Flops 101: Lessons from the Biz Janine

Stage

Theatre

Year Title Role(s) Venue(s) Notes
1993EvitaEva PerónPittsburgh Musical Theater[14]
1994Kiss of the Spider WomanSpider Woman / AuroraBroadhurst Theatre[1]
1997ChicagoVelma Kelly / JuneWest End[1]
1998RagtimeEvelyn NesbitBroadway[1]
1999Swing!Ms. Callaway & Ms. BenantiSt. James Theatre[1]
2000SeussicalGertrude McFuzzBoston TryoutDrama Desk Award nomination[6]
2001Kiss Me, KateLois Lane / BiancaVictoria Palace Theatre[1]
2003HarmonyPerformerForrest Theatre[15]
2003The Look of LovePerformerBrooks Atkinson Theatre[1]
2004CandidePaquettePhilharmonic concert[1]
2004AidaAmnerisNorth Shore Music Theatre[16]
2005Sweet CharityNickieAl Hirschfeld Theatre[1]
2007The Drowsy ChaperoneJanet Van De GraaffWest End production[1]
2019Noises OffBelinda BlairThe Cape Playhouse[17]
2022The PromDee Dee AllenWhite Plains Performing Arts Center[18]
2023Black & GoldPerformerThe Green Room 42[19]
2024In the SpotlightSeussical354 West 54th Street
2025Regency GirlsLady Catherine & Madame RestellThe Old Globe[20][21]
2026Oedipus!Jocasta54 Below

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryResultTitleRef.
2001Drama Desk AwardsDrama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a MusicalNominatedSeussical[6]
200244th Annual Grammy AwardsBest Musical Show AlbumNominated[1]
2004Independent Reviewers of New England (IRNE)Outstanding Actress in a MusicalNominatedAida[1]
2006Wagner CollegeWagner College Fellows AwardsHonouredFor Professional Achievement[1]
2019BroadwayWorld Jackson AwardsBest Lead Actress in a MusicalWonThe Sweet Potato Queens[22]
2023BroadwayWorld Regional AwardsBest Performer In A MusicalNominatedThe Prom[23]
2025San Diego Theater Critics Circle AwardsOutstanding Featured Performance in a MusicalNominatedRegency Girls[24]
2026Leonidas A. Nickole Award of DistinctionStandout PerformanceHonouredSeussical and Sweet Charity[25]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 "Janine LaManna". Wagner College. October 4, 2025.
  2. ↑ Who was Who on TV - Volume 3. Norman Chance. p. 464.
  3. 1 2 Van Luling, Todd (2016-08-16). "My 20-Year Quest To Find Carmen Sandiego". The Huffington Post. Archived from the original on August 16, 2016. Retrieved August 16, 2016.
  4. ↑ "Who In the World Was Carmen Sandiego? We Finally Know the Answer". 18 August 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Army Wife, Broadway star". The Fayetteville Observer. June 4, 2014.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "The Great Wagner Way". Wagner Magazine. November 10, 2025.
  7. 1 2 3 "From Broadway to Fort Bragg". The Fayetteville Observer. September 25, 2013.
  8. ↑ American Musical Theatre: A Chronicle - Page 844. Oxford University Press. p. 844.
  9. ↑ "Carmen Sandiego Finally Found After 20 Years". People Magazine. February 6, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Janine LaManna (visual voices guide)" (A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.). Retrieved February 20, 2025.
  11. ↑ "Voice of Siren - Samurai Jack | Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors (Check marks indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources). Retrieved March 8, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Interview: Janine LaManna of BLACK AND GOLD at The Green Room 42 June 10th". Broadway World. June 6, 2023.
  13. ↑ "Samurai Jack". Behind the Voice Actors. May 1, 2025. Retrieved January 7, 2022.
  14. ↑ "EVITA: PMT PRODUCTION IS SHAPING UP TO BE THE LOCAL BLOCKBUSTER FOR 1993". Deseret News. April 25, 1993.
  15. ↑ "Harmony Starts Dec. 2 in Philadelphia, a Week Later Than Expected". Playbill. November 3, 2003.
  16. ↑ "LaManna and Schiappa Join North Shore Aida". Playbill. August 26, 2004.
  17. ↑ Gans, Andrew (August 7, 2019). "Jeremy Webb, Janine LaManna, Jennifer Cody Join SNL's Heidi Gardner in Noises Off at Cape Playhouse". Playbill. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  18. ↑ "West Milford native to star in 'The Prom' in White Plains". West Milford Messenger. October 4, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Janine LaManna to Make New York Solo Concert Debut With BLACK & GOLD at The Green Room 42". Broadway World. May 16, 2023.
  20. ↑ "In the new musical 'Regency Girls,' young women in trouble discover empowerment on a road trip". Los Angeles Times. April 14, 2025.
  21. ↑ "From Staten Island to San Diego: Wagner alums bring Regency Girls to life". Wagner College. August 8, 2025.
  22. ↑ "Winners Announced For 2019 BroadwayWorld Jackson, MS Awards". Broadway World. January 14, 2020.
  23. ↑ "BroadwayWorld Rockland / Westchester Awards; SEUSSICAL, POPCORN FALLS, Westchester Sandbox Theater & More Lead!". Broadway World. December 11, 2023.
  24. ↑ "San Diego theater critics announce 2025 Craig Noel Award nominees". San Diego Union-Tribune. January 1, 2026.
  25. ↑ "Janine LaManna". Emerson Stage. May 23, 2026.
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