Lea Michele

Lea Michele made her Broadway debut as Young Cosette in Les Misérables (1995–1996), subsequently performing as the Little Girl in the original Broadway cast of Ragtime (1998) and Shprintze in the Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof (2004). She originated the critically acclaimed role of Wendla Bergmann in the Broadway production of Spring Awakening in December 2006, a performance that earned her a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actress in a Musical in 2007. Michele achieved widespread recognition as Rachel Berry on the Fox comedy-drama series Glee, which premiered in May 2009 and concluded in 2015. Her acclaimed portrayal garnered a 2009 Satellite Award for Best Actress in a Series – Comedy or Musical, alongside nominations for a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award.

In 2022, Michele made a triumphant return to Broadway, taking on the lead role of Fanny Brice in the acclaimed revival of Funny Girl (2022–2023). Her performance received widespread critical acclaim and led to her recognition by Time magazine in their 2023 list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. She also made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2023 and is set to star as Florence Vassy in the 2025 Broadway revival of Chess.