Lauren Kennedy

ALMA MATER: Broughton High School, Raleigh, Class of '91.

TEACHER: Kraig McBroom, choral director (now a high school choral director and independent arranger and musical consultant in Myrtle Beach, S.C.).

PROFESSIONAL CREDITS: On Broadway, "Monty Python's Spamalot," "Side Show," "Sunset Boulevard" and "Les Miserables." Seen locally in "Beauty and the Beast" and other recent shows for N.C. Theatre and Hot Summer Nights at the Kennedy.

FIRST GLIMPSE: Kennedy played cranky orphanage director Miss Hannigan in "Annie" at Daniels Middle School, where McBroom often helped with productions.

"She was hysterical. Miss Hannigan was not the star of the show -- Annie was the star of the show. But it was Lauren that you couldn't wait to have come out on the stage. Every show I worked on with her, she just stole the show. It didn't matter if she had the lead, she was the lead."

In the spring showcase soon afterward, McBroom choreographed solos for Kennedy.

"I could see right away that she was going to be something very special and something that a teacher doesn't always get an opportunity to work with. Sometimes, it's just once in a lifetime."

ADVANCE PLACEMENT: That summer, in N.C. Theatre's youth program, Kennedy beat her older peers out for the role of the Narrator in "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat."

"She had a wonderful voice for it and a natural quality of storytelling and expressiveness. And of course her voice was always very clear. It would just ring like a bell when she would sing."

STAYING IN CHARACTER: One of McBroom's favorite Kennedy performances was on opening night of the song-and-dance spectacular "42nd Street" at Broughton.

"Lauren's toe tap came loose from her shoe and flew out into the audience. What was so neat about it was she never missed a step. She wasn't embarrassed -- that was the thing. You never saw it on her face."

OTHER LEADING ROLES: Kennedy was the dance captain at Broughton, running many rehearsals.

"The kids had a great deal of respect for her and for her talent. Sometimes when kids are very talented, other students put them off; they're jealous of the talent or leadership roles they get placed into. She managed to balance that. She was always part of the group but the one kids turned to when they needed help. Her work ethic was phenomenal."

POST-GRAD: Kennedy starred in N.C. Theatre's "Evita" right after high school graduation. Broadway roles followed. Most recently, she took over the coveted female lead, the Lady of the Lake, in "Spamalot." Many theater fans were surprised at her comedic skills. Not McBroom.

"This role she had in 'Spamalot' was the kind of character role that I thought she would be famous for. I thought that she was going to be a character actress -- not the one who sings the love songs but the one who does the funny bits, sort of a Lucille Ball or Carol Burnett.

"Her talent covers every aspect. She can do the funny gags. She can sing the beautiful love songs. She can do dramatic scenes. And she can dance beautifully. She's just sincerely a good person, and she does remember what she learned, and what she learned to love, while she was in high school."