Jenni Barber

Jenni Barber is an American actress and singer born on July 22, 1983, in Mansfield, Ohio. She studied at the University of Michigan School of Music, graduating summa cum laude in 2005 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre and earning an Earl V. Moore award during her time there. Prior to her university studies, she trained vocally with Lori Turner. Her Broadway career spans from 2003 to 2025, encompassing starring roles and ensemble credits across both plays and musicals.

Barber made her Broadway debut in 2007 as Olive Ostrovsky in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, a role she had previously performed in productions in San Francisco and Boston. In 2012, she starred as porn actress Sundown LeMay in The Performers, appearing opposite Henry Winkler and Cheyenne Jackson. The following year, she played stripper Joan alongside Nathan Lane in the award-winning production of The Nance. In 2014, she joined the Broadway cast of Wicked in the role of Glinda. The 2017 Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George featured Barber as Celeste #2/Elaine, with her also understudying Annaleigh Ashford. Additional Broadway credits include All My Sons and Beetlejuice.

Beyond Broadway, Barber appeared as Audrey in As You Like It at the Brooklyn Academy of Music's Harvey Theatre in 2010, and in 2008 took part in From Up Here at New York City Center. In 2011, she starred as Toni Simmons in an Off-Broadway revival of Cactus Flower at the Westside Theatre. Regional credits include playing Sibyl in Private Lives at Hartford Stage in early 2015, and Elizabeth, a Mormon wife, in the Encores! revival of Paint Your Wagon later that year.

On television, Barber is recognized for portraying Lisa Heffenbacher on The Electric Company from 2009 to 2011. She has also made guest appearances on Law & Order: SVU, Smash, Elementary, Master of None, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, among other programs.