Jennifer Laura Thompson

Jennifer Laura Thompson (born December 5, 1969^[1]) is an American stage actress. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan and graduated in 1987.

Thompson made her Broadway debut in 1998 as Ariel Moore in the original cast of Footloose. She also originated the role of Hope Cladwell in both the off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Urinetown. She received a Tony Award nomination for the 2002 Best Leading Actress in a Musical category for her performance as Hope in Urinetown; the award went to Sutton Foster for her performance in Thoroughly Modern Millie. In 2004, she was cast as Kristin Chenoweth's replacement (for the role of Glinda) in the smash hit musical Wicked. Thompson played the role for ten months and left the cast on May 29, 2005 along with co-stars Carole Shelley and George Hearn. She was replaced by Glinda standby, Megan Hilty.

Off-Broadway, Thompson played the lead role of Charlotte in the Michael John LaChiusa musical, Little Fish at the Second Stage Theatre. She also appeared in A Doll's Life at the York Theatre, Good News at the Westchester Broadway Theatre (as Connie), Pardon My English, Strike Up the Band!, and most recently, Of Thee I Sing for City Center Encores!, and Tip-Toes at Carnegie Hall. She played Julie Jordan in the first national tour of Carousel, and appeared in national tours for Jesus Christ Superstar (as Mary) and The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Regionally, she has played roles such as Laura in The Glass Menagerie, Corie in Barefoot in the Park and Luisa in The Fantasticks. She has also made a guest appearance on television's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.