Lisa Howard is an American actress and singer. Howard is most known for playing Siobhan in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 and Rona Lisa Peretti in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Spelling Bee went on to win many awards, including the Drama Desk Award for Best Ensemble.[1] She created the character of Jenny in the new Broadway musical It Shoulda Been You, receiving a nomination for the 2015 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.
Early life
Howard was raised in Akron, Ohio, and graduated from Firestone High School. She played softball, soccer, volleyball, and a little basketball in her youth.[2] She went on to graduate from University of Cincinnati – College-Conservatory of Music with a BFA in musical theatre.[3]
TV and film
In 2009, she appeared in the TV series Ugly Betty in the episode Plus None as Dominatrix. In 2012, she was cast as Siobhan, a member of an Irish coven, in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.
Stage roles
Howard originated the role of Jenny Steinberg in the Broadway production of David Hyde Pierce-directed It Shoulda Been You. Howard played the older sister of a Jewish bride, played by Sierra Boggess, whose wedding with David Burtka's character is disrupted when her ex-boyfriend shows up at the wedding. Additional cast members included Tyne Daly and Harriet Harris.[4] For her performance, Howard was nominated for the 2015 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical.[5] Playbill Online named her performance of Jenny's Blues at the 2015 Tony Awards one of the show's "greatest moments,"[6] and Rolling Stone called it one of the ceremony's best moments.[7]
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005) - Rona Lisa Peretti
- South Pacific (2008) - Lt. Genevieve Marshall/Ensemble
- 9 to 5 (2009) - Missy/Ensemble
- Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (2011) - Diva/Ensemble (replacement)
- It Shoulda Been You (2015) - Jenny Steinberg [8] (April 14-August 9, 2015)[9]
- Escape to Margaritaville (2018) - Tammy[10]
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (2005) - Rona Lisa Peretti
- Silence! The Musical (2005) - Catherine Martin
- Cinderella (St. Louis MUNY, 2003) - Stepsister
- The Gift of the Magi (Olney Theatre Center, 2003) - City Her
- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Barrington Stage Company, 2004) - Rona Janet
- Les Miserables (St. Louis MUNY, 2007) - Madame Thérnadier
- Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas (Goodspeed Opera House, 2008) - Mrs. Gretchen Fox
- 9 to 5 (Ahmanson Theatre, 2008) - Missy/Ensemble
- Jim Henson’s Emmet Otter (Goodspeed Opera House, 2009) - Mrs. Gretchen Fox
- Legally Blonde (St. Louis MUNY, 2011) - Paulette
- The Sound of Music (Pittsburgh CLO, 2011)
- It Shoulda Been You (George Street Playhouse, 2011) - Jenny Steinberg