{{Short description|American actress}} {{Infobox person | name = Karenssa LeGear | image = Karenssa LeGear (cropped).jpg | caption = LeGear in 2019 | birth_place = | birth_date = | education = | alma_mater = {{Plainlist| * Vista High School * University of California, Los Angeles }} | occupation = {{hlist|Actress|filmmaker}} | years_active = 2001–present | known_for = Musical theatre performances throughout California, Arkansas, Arizona and film roles for television network Lifetime | credits = {{Plainlist| * ''Carving a Life'' * Cosette in ''Les Misérables'' * Puck in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' * ''Man of La Mancha'' * ''The House of Yes'' * ''Veronica Mars'' }} | website = }}
'''Karenssa LeGear''' is an American actress, filmmaker and SAG/AFTRA member who appeared in musical theatre plays including ''Les Misérables'' (2014) as Cosette and Puck in ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' (2007). She has Best Actress nominations at Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema for ''Carving a Life'' (2017) and at GI Film Festival San Diego for ''Refuge'' (2017).
==Early life==
LeGear grew up in Oceanside, California, starting her career as a singer at age 13. She graduated from Vista High School and holds a bachelor of arts degree in music-voice at University of California, Los Angeles. In 2015, LeGear graduated from Ruskin School of Acting where she studied Meisner technique. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association and has dual citizenship in the United States and Australia.<ref name=":0" />
== Career == In 2004, LeGear portrayed Margarita Fischer for a recreation of the historical past at Rancho Buena Vista Adobe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kabbany |first=Jennifer |date=2004-05-16 |title=Volunteers to recreate adobe's past |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-volunteers-to-recreate-adobes-past-2004may16-story.html |access-date=2023-06-19 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> She has performed in several musicals and plays including ''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'' and ''Les Misérables''<ref name=":0" /> and has conducted interviews with Geena Davis, Adrien Brody and John Boyega for That's My Entertainment at the San Diego International Film Festival.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Sherman |first=Lola |date=2015-12-03 |title=Films coming back to county |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-lola-sherman-karenssa-legear-2015dec02-story.html |access-date=2022-09-11 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2017, LeGear starred as Lauren in ''Carving a Life''. The film was not well received but Adam Keller at Film Threat said her performance was "solid"<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keller |first=Adam |date=2018-05-09 |title=Carving A Life |url=https://filmthreat.com/reviews/carving-a-life/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Film Threat |language=en-US}}</ref> and Katie Walsh at Los Angeles Times called her presence "empathetic".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Walsh |first=Katie |date=2017-10-13 |title=Review: Indie drama 'Carving a Life,' about addiction, means well but is ineptly made |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-capsule-carving-a-life-review-20171013-story.html |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> LeGear has supporting roles in the Lifetime films ''Killer Caregiver'' and ''Killer Contractor'', guest starred in ''Veronica Mars''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Karenssa LeGear |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/karenssa_legear |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |language=en}}</ref> and co-directed a short film called ''Capture''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Accomando |first=Beth |author-link=Beth Accomando |date=2019-04-10 |title=Third Annual San Diego Film Week Looks To Local Filmmakers |url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/arts-culture/2019/04/09/third-annual-san-diego-film-week-looks-local-filmm |access-date=2022-07-03 |website=KPBS Public Media |language=en}}</ref>
== Stage credits == {| class="wikitable sortable" !Year !Title !Role !Location !Notes |- | rowspan="2" |2001 |''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'' |{{n/a}} |Vista High School, Vista, California |High school performance<ref>{{Cite news |last=Reed |first=Candice |date=2001-11-10 |title=Vista students perform unusual play |pages=B-1, B-8 |work=North County Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-county-times-vista-students-perfor/126738931/ |access-date=2023-06-19 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> |- |''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'' |Woman in White |Encore Youth Theater, Vista, California |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2003 |''Annie'' |Lily |Moonlight Youth Theatre, Vista, California |<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scott-Blair |first=M. |date=2003-06-22 |title='Sun will come out' at moonlight {{!}} youth theater brings 'Annie' to local stage |pages=N-7 |work=San Diego Union Tribune |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/272126848 |issn=1063-102X |id={{ProQuest|272126848}} }}</ref> |- |2007 |''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' |Puck |Schoenberg Hall, Los Angeles, California |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sanders |first=Kim |date=2007-01-31 |title=Heating Up 'Midsummer' |url=https://dailybruin.com/2007/01/31/heating-up-midsummer/ |access-date=2023-04-19 |website=Daily Bruin}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" |2008 |''The Medium'' |Mrs. Nolan |Schoenberg Hall, Los Angeles, California | |- |''The Legend of Sleepy Hollow'' | |Encore Youth Theater, Vista, California |Director<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Youth Theatre – Reviews |url=http://www.nationalyouththeatre.com/reviews/reviews_eyt_sleepyhollow.html |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=National Youth Theatre}}</ref> |- |''The Threepenny Opera'' |Lucy (matinee) / Whore |Los Angeles Theater Center, Los Angeles, California |<ref>{{Cite web |date=2008 |title=3pennyopera |url=http://users.design.ucla.edu/~acolubri/home/Group/3penny/3penny.html |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=University of California}}</ref> |- |2009 |''Music and Memories'' |Angel |Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California |<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Baldridge |first=Charlene |date=2009-01-22 |title=Pickard channels Mr. Lee with 'Music and Memories' |url=https://issuu.com/sdcng/docs/ljvn_01-22-09 |journal=La Jolla Village News |volume=14 |issue=12 |pages=10 |via=Issuu}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" |2010 |''The Pirates of Penzance'' |Mabel |Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California |<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2012-04-08 |title=The Pirates of Penzance, Must See Theatre for All Ages! |url=https://issuu.com/sdcng/docs/ljvn_04-08-10 |journal=La Jolla Village News |volume=15 |issue=30 |pages=5 |via=Issuu}}</ref> |- |''The House of Yes'' |Lesly |Compass Theatre, San Diego, California |<ref>Lowerison, J. (2010-01-28). A tone-deaf diva and the twisted rich. ''Gay & Lesbian Times'', ''1153'', 42.</ref> |- |''Into the Woods'' |Rapunzel |New Village Arts Theatre, Carlsbad, California |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kragen |first=Pam |date=2010-09-29 |title=Theater Review: New Village's 'Woods' a solid musical debut |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-theater-review-new-villages-woods-a-solid-musical-2010sep29-story.html |access-date=2023-05-08 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" |2011 |''The Phantom of the Opera'' |Christine Daaé |McKinney Theatre, Mission Viejo, California | |- |''Phantom'' |Carlotta |Candlelight Pavilion, Claremont, California | |- |''Man of La Mancha'' |Antonia |Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eadie |first=Bill |title=Talkin' Broadway Regional News & Reviews: San Diego – "Man of La Mancha" - 9/14/11 |url=https://www.talkinbroadway.com/page/regional/sandiego/sd77.html |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Talkin Broadway}}</ref> |- |2012 |''Man of La Mancha'' |Antonia |Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach, California |Musical Theatre West<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Rosas |first=Jackie |date=2012-02-16 |title='Man of La Mancha' 'enthralls,' audiences |url=https://archive.org/details/clobs_000123/clobs_000123_access?q=%22karenssa+legear%22 |journal=Daily 49er |volume=59 |issue=456 |page=6 |via=Internet Archive}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |2014 |''Les Misérables'' |Cosette |Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Little Rock, Arkansas |<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Stephenson |first=Will |date=2014-03-06 |title='Les Mis' returns to Rep |url=https://arktimes.com/entertainment/ae-feature/2014/03/06/les-mis-returns-to-rep |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Arkansas Times |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Maxwell |first=Stephanie |date=2014-03-04 |title=Les Mis back on The Rep stage |url=https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2014/mar/04/les-mis-back-rep-stage/ |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=Arkansas Democrat-Gazette |language=en}}</ref> |- |''Les Misérables'' |Cosette |The Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona |<ref name=":0" /> |- |2015 |''Gianni Schicchi'' |Nella |Cowell Theater, San Francisco, California |Merola Opera Program |- |2016 |''On The Twentieth Century'' |Imelda Thornton |Los Angeles Theatre, Los Angeles, California | |}
== Filmography == {| class="wikitable" |+Feature films !Year !Title !Role !Notes |- |2012 |''The Kult'' |Natasha Snow | |- |2017 |''Carving a Life'' |Lauren |<ref>{{Cite web |last=Olson |first=Chris |date=2017-12-12 |title=Carving a Life indie film |url=https://www.ukfilmreview.co.uk/post/carving-a-life-indie-film |access-date=2023-04-27 |website=UK Film Review |language=en}}</ref> |- | rowspan="3" |2018 |''Killer Caregiver'' |Patty |Lifetime TV Movie |- |''The Calling'' |Holly Jensen | |- |''Christmas Harmony'' |Pamela |Lifetime TV Movie |- |2019 |''Killer Contractor'' |Claire |Lifetime TV Movie |- |2022 |''Starf*cker'' |Karen | |}
{| class="wikitable" |+Short films !Year !Title !Role !Actor !Director !Producer |- |2015 |''The Recency Effect'' |Trixy |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{yes}} |- | rowspan="2" |2016 |''Remember Me'' |Leslie |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{partial|Co-producer}} |- |''Valhalla'' |Naomi King |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |- | rowspan="3" |2017 |''Refuge'' |Diane |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |- |''Jordan Hates the Writing'' |Marilyn Monroe |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |- |''One Good Day'' |Diana |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{no}} |- | rowspan="2" |2019 |''Capture'' |Dana |{{partial|Co-director}} |{{yes}} |{{partial|Co-producer}} |- |''In the Absence of Eden'' |Kalissa 'Lissy' |{{partial|Co-director}} |{{yes}} |{{yes}} |- |2021 |''Moving Out''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Moving Out |url=https://www.filmindependent.org/programs/fiscal-sponsorship/moving-out/ |access-date=2023-09-20 |website=Film Independent |language=en-US}}</ref> |Joanne |{{yes}} |{{no}} |{{partial|Executive}} |}
== Accolades == {| class="wikitable" !Event !Year !Award !Title !Result !Ref. |- |GI Film Festival San Diego |2017 |Best Actress |''Refuge'' |{{nom}} |<ref>{{Cite web |title=GI Film Festival San Diego Selects 12 Titles for Local Film Showcase |url=https://gifilmfestivalsd.org/2023/media-room/2017-media-releases/gi-film-festival-san-diego-selects-12-titles-for-local-film-showcase/ |access-date=2023-04-22 |website=GI Film Festival San Diego |language=en-US}}</ref> |- | rowspan="2" |Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema | rowspan="2" |2018 |Best Actress Feature Film |''Carving a Life'' |{{nom}} | |- |Best Ensemble Cast Feature Film |''Carving a Life'' |{{nom}} | |- |Horrible Imaginings Film Festival |2020 |Best Home Grown Local Film |''Capture'' |{{won}} | |}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * [https://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/318791-karenssa-legear Karenssa LeGear] at About the Artists * {{IMDb name|1851093}} * [https://www.moviefone.com/celebrity/karenssa-legear/20042183/main/ Karenssa LeGear] at Moviefone * {{TV Guide person | 3030396908 }}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:LeGear, Karenssa}}
Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:American musical theatre actresses Category:American stage actresses Category:American film actresses Category:Actresses from San Diego County, California Category:Actresses from Los Angeles Category:Filmmakers from California Category:21st-century American actresses Category:SAG-AFTRA people Category:University of California, Los Angeles alumni Category:Actors from Oceanside, California Category:People from Vista, California Category:American women film producers
{{DEFAULTSORT:LeGear, Karenssa}}