Brandi Burkhardt

Brandi Lynn Burkhardt, born June 25, 1979, is an American actress, recording artist, and songwriter who has worked in theatre, television, and film. She grew up in Pasadena, Maryland and later relocated to Los Angeles. Burkhardt attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she pursued her training in the performing arts.

Before establishing herself in theatre, Burkhardt competed in pageantry. In 1997, she represented Maryland as Miss Maryland Teen USA in the Miss Teen USA pageant, which was ultimately won by Shelly Moore of Tennessee. After moving to New York for university, she won both the Miss Manhattan and Miss New York titles and went on to compete in the Miss America 2000 pageant, where she performed "Take Me As I Am" as her vocal talent.

Burkhardt's first significant theatrical credit was the Jekyll & Hyde: Resurrection Tour, in which she starred as Emma Carew in a concert version of the story. Composer Frank Wildhorn and lyricist Leslie Bricusse wrote a new song, "If You Only Knew," specifically for her, and it was included on the production's cast recording. She also recorded "Take Me As I Am" in the role of Emma for that same album. Her run on the tour concluded when she accepted a contract role on the NBC daytime drama Passions, where she played Siren, a mermaid living on land.

Her Broadway debut came in the musical adaptation of A Tale of Two Cities, in which she was cast as Lucie Manette after being encouraged to audition by cast member James Barbour. The production began previews on August 19, 2008, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, with an official opening on September 18, 2008. Following an announcement on November 4 that the show would close on November 16, the producers moved up the closing date to November 9 due to poor ticket sales. A concert version of the production was later filmed in the summer of 2009 and broadcast on select PBS stations during the winter of 2009 and 2010, with Burkhardt reprising her role. The concert was subsequently released on DVD.

Burkhardt moved directly from A Tale of Two Cities into the Broadway production of Mamma Mia!, where she played Sophie Sheridan. She replaced Allison Case beginning January 27, 2009, and played her final performance on September 20, 2009, after which she was succeeded by Alyse Alan Louis.

Beyond her Broadway credits, Burkhardt was involved in the development of several other musical projects. Frank Wildhorn's Wonderland: Alice's New Musical Adventure was written expressly for her, though her commitment to the television series Hart of Dixie prevented her from originating the role in the Broadway cast. She did, however, premiere the song "Once More I Can See" at the Graz Theatre Festival as part of a Frank Wildhorn concert event, and her recording of "Finding Wonderland" was used in the show's commercial promotion. She also participated in workshops and demo recordings for Bonnie & Clyde and Havana, contributed to the development of Rudolf - the Last Kiss in the role of Mary Vetsera, and created the role of Mercedes on the concept album recording of The Count of Monte Cristo, which earned a double platinum certification for its European release. The musical Mary Shelley's Frankenstein was written specifically for Burkhardt, though the project has not had an official performance or recording. In 2019, she played Maria in a production of The Sound of Music at Gateway Playhouse.

On television, Burkhardt is perhaps most widely recognized for her recurring role as Crickett Watts on the CW series Hart of Dixie, a part she held from 2011 to 2015. She also appeared as a recurring character, Piper Winchester, on Bravo's Odd Mom Out. Her additional television credits include guest appearances on Mad Men, How I Met Your Mother, Boston Legal, Numb3rs, Brothers & Sisters, The Defenders, NCIS, and The Glades. In film, she appeared in Confessions of a Shopaholic and is set to appear in the 2025 film Friendship alongside Paul Rudd and Tim Robinson.

Burkhardt's discography includes the 2006 Jekyll & Hyde: Resurrection Studio Cast Recording, a 2008 Bonnie & Clyde demo recording, the 2009 Count of Monte Cristo concept album, the 2010 A Tale of Two Cities international studio cast recording, and the 2010 PBS concert DVD of the same production. She has also been at work on a solo pop EP, with a single titled "Kiss Him Outta My Head" among her recent releases.