{{Short description|American theatre actress}} '''Jonalyn Saxer''' is an American theatre actress. She is best known for her roles in ''Mean Girls'' and for performing in ensemble and swing roles in multiple Broadway productions.

== Early life == Saxer grew up in Agoura Hills, a suburb of Los Angeles, California, and attended Oak Park High School.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=The Future Is Now! Jonalyn Saxer Dons the Robe for 'Back to the Future' · Actors' Equity Association |url=https://www.actorsequity.org/aboutequity/awards/Robe/RobeRecipientsBlog/BacktotheFuture/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=www.actorsequity.org}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Ginell |first=Cary |date=July 3, 2022 |title=Prodigal Daughter Returns Home: Jonalyn Saxer Stars in 5-Star's "Newsies" |url=https://vconstage.com/prodigal-daughter-returns-home-jonalyn-saxer-stars-in-5-stars-newsies/}}</ref> Saxer comes from a family of musicians and performers known for local performances.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Staff |first=TO Acorn |date=2018-01-25 |title=Saxer clan builds musical legacy |url=https://www.toacorn.com/articles/saxer-clan-builds-musical-legacy/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Thousand Oaks Acorn -}}</ref>

She graduated from Syracuse University in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 20, 2019 |title=Cuse Conversation Jonalyn Saxer '14 |url=https://cusecommunity.syr.edu/s/1632/images/gid2/editor_documents/podcast_transcripts/cuse_conversation_jonalyn_saxer__14_transcript.pdf?gid=2&pgid=61&sessionid=76996fc0-7324-406e-93b3-d9981a981a43&cc=1 |access-date=July 30, 2024}}</ref>

== Career == In 2013, Saxer earned her Actors Equity card performing in ''42nd Street'' at the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.<ref name=":0" />

Saxer made her Broadway debut in 2014 as a swing in ''Bullets Over Broadway''.<ref name=":1" /> She also opened Broadway productions as an ensemble member in ''Honeymoon in Vegas'' and ''Holiday Inn''.

In 2016, Saxer covered five different roles, or "tracks," in ''Cats''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kircher |first=Madison Malone |date=2019-12-17 |title=Is Cats Actually a Good Broadway Gig? 3 Former Cats Weigh In. |url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/12/is-cats-a-good-broadway-gig-three-former-cats-weigh-in.html |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Vulture |language=en}}</ref>

In 2018, Saxer joined the cast of ''Mean Girls''. She was with the cast during its Washington, DC previews and was in the original Broadway cast as a member of the ensemble.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-11 |title=Jonalyn Saxer Talks About Her Return to the Stage and the Enduring Nature of "Mean Girls" |url=https://encorespotlight.com/jonalyn-saxer-talks-about-her-return-stage-enduring-nature-mean-girls/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Encore Spotlight |language=en-US}}</ref> Saxer understudied the roles of Regina George, Karen Smith, and Cady Heron.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Medeiros |first=Linnae |title=VIDEO: MEAN GIRLS' Jonalyn Saxer Takes Over Instagram! |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/VIDEO-MEAN-GIRLS-Jonalyn-Saxer-Takes-Over-Instagram-20190923 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref> Saxer starred as Karen Smith in the North American national tour.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Broadway Podcast Network - #141 - Jonalyn Saxer - MEAN GIRLS / WEST SIDE STORY MOVIE |url=https://broadwaypodcastnetwork.com/podcasts/built-for-the-stage-podcast/141-jonalyn-saxer-mean-girls-west-side-story-movie/141 |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=broadwaypodcastnetwork.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2021, Saxer performed as a Jet girl in ''West Side Story'' directed by Steven Spielberg.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Mike Faist to Bring 'Cool' Factor to Steven Spielberg's West Side Story Film as Riff |url=https://www.broadway.com/buzz/195492/mike-faist-to-bring-cool-factor-to-steven-spielbergs-west-side-story-film-as-riff/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Broadway.com |language=en}}</ref>

In 2023, Saxer joined the original Broadway cast of ''Back to the Future''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Back to the Future™ Trilogy — Announcing the Complete Broadway Cast of Back to the Future: The Musical Who Are Destined to Change Musical Theatre History |url=https://www.backtothefuture.com/news/2023/3/22/announcing-the-complete-broadway-cast-of-back-to-the-future-the-musical-who-are-destined-to-change-musical-theatre-history |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Back to the Future™ Trilogy |language=en-US}}</ref> In keeping with a longtime Broadway opening tradition, Saxer donned the Legacy Robe.<ref name=":0" />

Saxer participated in a workshop of ''Smash'' in 2024.<ref>{{Cite web |last=jessezolisnki |date=2024-01-04 |title=Smash Continues Broadway Development With Six-Week Workshop |url=https://columbus.broadway.com/buzz/smash-continues-broadway-development-with-six-week-workshop/ |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=Columbus |language=en-US}}</ref>

== Personal life == Saxer is close friends with Ashley Park, with whom she performed in ''Mean Girls''; during the COVID-19 pandemic, Park lived with Saxer's family for a period of time.<ref>{{Cite web |title='Emily in Paris Star' Ashley Park on Season 2 — Interview Broadway Mean Girls Netflix |url=https://www.lofficielusa.com/film-tv/ashley-park-emily-in-paris-season-2-mindy-movies-tv |access-date=2024-07-31 |website=L'Officiel USA |language=en}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [https://playbill.com/person/jonalyn-saxer-vault-0000125303 Playbill.com page] * {{IMDb name|id=3347682}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saxer, Jonalyn}} Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Place of birth missing (living people) Category:American stage actresses Category:Syracuse University alumni Category:People from Agoura Hills, California Category:Actresses from Los Angeles County, California