# Renee Brna > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Renee_Brna > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Renee_Brna.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renee_Brna > Source revision: 1301385730 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) **Renee Brna** is an American actress and singer. Brna is best known as Meg in the 1st national Broadway tour of [*Little Women*](/source/Little_Women_(musical)) the musical starring [Maureen McGovern](/source/Maureen_McGovern) with [Autumn Hurlbert](/source/Autumn_Hurlbert) as Beth, Katie Fisher as Jo and Gwen Hollander as Amy.[1] She went on to [understudy](/source/Understudy) the leading role of Young Alex/Aaron Ashbrook and Young Thomas Ledbury in the 2007 London transfer to [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) *[Coram Boy](/source/Coram_Boy)* at the [Imperial Theatre](/source/Imperial_Theatre). Under the direction of [Melly Still](/source/Melly_Still)[2] the production garnered six [Tony Award](/source/61st_Tony_Awards) nominations.[3] ## Career Brna is a member of [Actors Equity Association](/source/Actors'_Equity_Association) and has numerous regional and touring credits, including: the first national tour of [Oklahoma!](/source/Oklahoma!), starring as Magnolia in *[Show Boat](/source/Show_Boat),*[4] *[Closer Than Ever](/source/Closer_Than_Ever)* at the [Edinburgh Fringe Festival](/source/Edinburgh_Festival_Fringe)*,* Rosemary in [*How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying*](/source/How_to_Succeed_in_Business_Without_Really_Trying_(musical)), and Juliet in *[Romeo and Juliet](/source/Romeo_and_Juliet)*.[5] For [South Coast Repertory](/source/South_Coast_Repertory) Brna originated the starring role of Jane in the world premiere of *Jane of the Jungle* which opened on May 25, 2012[6] In 2005 Brna played Meg in the first national Broadway tour of the musical *[Little Women](/source/Little_Women_(musical))* written by [Jason Howland](/source/Jason_Howland) and [Mindi Dickstein](/source/Mindi_Dickstein) and directed by [Susan Schulman](/source/Susan_H._Schulman).[7] In the role she was described by the [San Francisco Chronicle](/source/San_Francisco_Chronicle) as "a lovely, composed Meg...sweetly empathetic with Jo. She and Michael Minarik [were] particularly appealing in the 'More Than I Am' duet."[8] The tour opened at the San Diego Civic Center and made stops at the [Kennedy Center](/source/John_F._Kennedy_Center_for_the_Performing_Arts)'s Opera House (Washington D.C.), [Pantages Theatre](/source/Pantages_Theatre_(Hollywood)) (Los Angeles), [Cadillac Palace Theatre](/source/Cadillac_Palace_Theatre) (Chicago), [Shubert Theatre](/source/Shubert_Theatre_(New_Haven)) (New Haven, CT), Opera House (Boston), and [Paramount Theatre](/source/Paramount_Theatre_(Seattle)) (Seattle) to name a few of the 31 tour stops.[9] After making her [Broadway](/source/Broadway_theatre) debut in *[Coram Boy](/source/Coram_Boy_(play))*,[10] Brna went on to play Cosette in the regional premiere of [Les Misérables](/source/Les_Mis%C3%A9rables_(musical)) at [North Shore Music Theatre](/source/North_Shore_Music_Theatre) starring Fred Inkley. She was commended for bringing a "fine soprano to the demanding role of the adult Cosette, who soars into the vocal stratosphere".[11] In November 2009 Brna appeared alongside Tony-nominated [Brad Oscar](/source/Brad_Oscar) in the joint production of [*Barnum*](/source/Barnum_(musical)) at [Asolo Repertory Theatre](/source/Asolo_Repertory_Theatre) and [Maltz Jupiter Theatre](/source/Maltz_Jupiter_Theatre), directed by [Gordon Greenberg](/source/Gordon_Greenberg).[12][13] She was praised as a "soaring soprano" for her performance of Swedish nightingale Jenny Lind.[14] She went on to star as Eliza Doolittle in the 2009 production of *[My Fair Lady](/source/My_Fair_Lady)* at the West Virginia Public Theatre directed by Broadway veteran Michael Licata.[15] She teamed up with *[It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia](/source/It's_Always_Sunny_in_Philadelphia)* director Heath Cullens and writer Cormac Bluestone to play the title role in the musical short, *The Botanist's Wife* for the [48 Hour Film Project](/source/48_Hour_Film_Project) which won the festival award for Best music in 2010.[16][17] That year she starred opposite Michael Brian Dunn in the [York Theatre](/source/York_Theatre)'s staged reading of the musical *Rogues to Riches*.[18] Brna starred as Julia in the 2011 Regional Premiere of *[The Wedding Singer](/source/The_Wedding_Singer_(musical))* musical directed by Larry Raben. She was reviewed being "marvelous as Julia, as adorable as can be—and with vocal pipes to match".[19] The cast included Derek Keeling from [NBC](/source/NBC)'s *[Grease: You're the One That I Want!](/source/Grease:_You're_the_One_That_I_Want!)*, [Mary Jo Catlett](/source/Mary_Jo_Catlett) as Rosie and *[American Idol](/source/American_Idol)* finalist [Todrick D. Hall](/source/Todrick_Hall).[20] She was reviewed as "a charmer, boasting a wonderful singing voice and an endearing quality that helps anchor the broadly funny shenanigans with genuine heart" as Julia.[21] ## References 1. ["Oh, Sister! Some Casting Announced for Tour of Little Women-The Musical | Playbill"](http://www.playbill.com/article/oh-sister-some-casting-announced-for-tour-of-little-women-the-musical-com-126522). *Playbill*. Retrieved 2018-09-04. 1. ["Coram Boy Original Broadway Cast - 2007 Broadway"](https://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/cast.php?showid=11366). *www.broadwayworld.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-04. 1. ["Tony Award Nominations and Winners - Theater"](https://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/14/theater/theaterspecial/15tony.list.html). *[The New York Times](/source/The_New_York_Times)*. Retrieved 2018-09-04. 1. Burns, Gail M. ["Review: Showboat at The Mac-Haydn"](https://berkshireonstage.blog/2004/07/26/review-show-boat-at-the-mac-haydn/). *Berkshire On Stage* 1. ["Little Women the Musical"](http://www.littlewomenonbroadway.com/brna.html). *www.littlewomenonbroadway.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-04. 1. Gordon, David. ["Renee Brna to Star in South Coast Repertory's Jane of the Jungle"](https://www.theatermania.com/los-angeles-theater/news/renee-brna-to-star-in-south-coast-repertorys-jane-_56563.html). *Theatre Mania*. Retrieved 7 July 2022. 1. ["Visiting the Astonishing Cast of the Little Women Tour"](https://www.broadway.com/photos/visiting-the-astonishing-cast-of-the-little-women-tour/43575/little-women-tour-rehearsal-renee-brna-michael-minarik/). *Broadway.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. ["REVIEW / A little is lost in adaptation of 'Women'"](https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/REVIEW-A-little-is-lost-in-adaptation-of-Women-2564875.php). *SFGate*. 2005-10-14. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. League, The Broadway. ["Little Women – Broadway Musical – Tour | IBDB"](https://www.ibdb.com/tour-production/little-women--507340/#tourstops). *www.ibdb.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. Mulick, Michael. ["What to Do With Your Life, High School Relationships, and Tools to Manage Emotions with Broadway Actor Renée Brna"](http://www.physiciantravels.com/2018/08/i-wish-they-taught-that-in-school-episode-1/). *Physician Travels Podcast*. Retrieved 7 July 2022. 1. Applegate, Sally. ["North Shore's 'Les Mis' a masterful masterpiece"](http://provincetown.wickedlocal.com/x481172091). *Wicked Local Provincetown*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. ["Brad Oscar Is 'Prince of Humbug' in Barnum at Sarasota's Asolo Rep Beginning Nov. 12 | Playbill"](http://www.playbill.com/article/brad-oscar-is-prince-of-humbug-in-barnum-at-sarasotas-asolo-rep-beginning-nov-12-com-155096). *Playbill*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. ["Brad Oscar Takes Center Ring in Barnum for Maltz Jupiter Theatre in 2009 | Playbill"](http://www.playbill.com/article/brad-oscar-takes-center-ring-in-barnum-for-maltz-jupiter-theatre-in-2009-com-156224). *Playbill*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. ["Theater review: Maltz Jupiter's 'Barnum' offers three rings of entertainment"](http://palmbeachartspaper.com/theater-review-maltz-jupiters-barnum-offers-three-rings-of-entertainment/). *palmbeachartspaper.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. BWW News Desk. ["West Virginia Public Theatre's Summer 2009 Season Runs From 6/23-8/9, MY FAIR LADY And HSM Among The Lineup"](https://www.broadwayworld.com/west-virginia/article/West-Virginia-Public-Theatres-Summer-2009-Season-Runs-From-62389-MY-FAIR-LADY-And-HSM-Among-The-Lineup-20090809). *BroadwayWorld.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. ["CORMAC BLUESTONE - Atlantic Theater Company"](https://atlantictheater.org/atlantic-for-kids-2/velveteenrabbit/cormac-bluestone/). *Atlantic Theater Company*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. ["Musical Theater"](http://www.cormacbluestone.com/musical-theater/). *Cormac Bluestone*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. BWW News Desk. ["Leisy, Brna, Applegate et al. Set to Star in York's New Musicals in June"](https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Leisy-Brna-Applegate-et-al-Set-to-Star-in-Yorks-New-Musicals-in-June-20100602). *Broadway World*. Retrieved 7 July 2022. 1. Stanley, Steven. ["The Wedding Singer"](https://stagescenela.com/2011/07/the-wedding-singer/). *StageSceneLA*. Retrieved 7 July 2022. 1. ["Musical Theatre West's WEDDING SINGER Opens 7/8"](https://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/Musical-Theatre-Wests-WEDDING-SINGER-Opens-78-20110703). *BroadwayWorld.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. 1. ["The Wedding Singer"](https://www.backstage.com/review/la-theater/the-wedding-singer_2/). *Backstage.com*. Retrieved 2018-09-05. ## External links - [Renee Brna](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3040766/) at IMDb --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Renee Brna](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renee_Brna) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renee_Brna?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.