# Karenssa LeGear

Karenssa LeGear is an American actress, filmmaker and SAG/AFTRA member who appeared in musical theatre plays including Les Misérables (2014) as Cosette and Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream (2007). She has Best Actress nominations at Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema for Carving a Life (2017) and at GI Film Festival San Diego for Refuge (2017).

## Early life

LeGear grew up in Oceanside, California, starting her career as a singer at age 13. She graduated from Vista High School and holds a bachelor of arts degree in music-voice at University of California, Los Angeles. In 2015, LeGear graduated from Ruskin School of Acting where she studied Meisner technique. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA and Actors' Equity Association and has dual citizenship in the United States and Australia.

## Career

In 2004, LeGear portrayed Margarita Fischer for a recreation of the historical past at Rancho Buena Vista Adobe. She has performed in several musicals and plays including The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and Les Misérables and has conducted interviews with Geena Davis, Adrien Brody and John Boyega for That's My Entertainment at the San Diego International Film Festival. In 2017, LeGear starred as Lauren in Carving a Life. The film was not well received but Adam Keller at Film Threat said her performance was "solid" and Katie Walsh at Los Angeles Times called her presence "empathetic". LeGear has supporting roles in the Lifetime films Killer Caregiver and Killer Contractor, guest starred in Veronica Mars and co-directed a short film called Capture.

## Stage credits

| Year | Title | Role | Location | Notes |
| 2001 | The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling | — | Vista High School, Vista, California | High school performance |
| 2001 | The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | Woman in White | Encore Youth Theater, Vista, California | |
| 2003 | Annie | Lily | Moonlight Youth Theatre, Vista, California | |
| 2007 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Puck | Schoenberg Hall, Los Angeles, California | |
| 2008 | The Medium | Mrs. Nolan | Schoenberg Hall, Los Angeles, California | |
| 2008 | The Legend of Sleepy Hollow | | Encore Youth Theater, Vista, California | Director |
| 2008 | The Threepenny Opera | Lucy (matinee) / Whore | Los Angeles Theater Center, Los Angeles, California | |
| 2009 | Music and Memories | Angel | Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California | |
| 2010 | The Pirates of Penzance | Mabel | Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California | |
| 2010 | The House of Yes | Lesly | Compass Theatre, San Diego, California | |
| 2010 | Into the Woods | Rapunzel | New Village Arts Theatre, Carlsbad, California | |
| 2011 | The Phantom of the Opera | Christine Daaé | McKinney Theatre, Mission Viejo, California | |
| 2011 | Phantom | Carlotta | Candlelight Pavilion, Claremont, California | |
| 2011 | Man of La Mancha | Antonia | Welk Resorts Theatre, Escondido, California | |
| 2012 | Man of La Mancha | Antonia | Carpenter Performing Arts Center, Long Beach, California | Musical Theatre West |
| 2014 | Les Misérables | Cosette | Arkansas Repertory Theatre, Little Rock, Arkansas | |
| 2014 | Les Misérables | Cosette | The Phoenix Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona | |
| 2015 | Gianni Schicchi | Nella | Cowell Theater, San Francisco, California | Merola Opera Program |
| 2016 | On The Twentieth Century | Imelda Thornton | Los Angeles Theatre, Los Angeles, California | |

## Filmography

Feature films :
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2012 | The Kult | Natasha Snow | |
| 2017 | Carving a Life | Lauren | |
| 2018 | Killer Caregiver | Patty | Lifetime TV Movie |
| 2018 | The Calling | Holly Jensen | |
| 2018 | Christmas Harmony | Pamela | Lifetime TV Movie |
| 2019 | Killer Contractor | Claire | Lifetime TV Movie |
| 2022 | Starf*cker | Karen | |
Short films :
| Year | Title | Role | Actor | Director | Producer |
| 2015 | The Recency Effect | Trixy | Yes | No | Yes |
| 2016 | Remember Me | Leslie | Yes | No | Co-producer |
| 2016 | Valhalla | Naomi King | Yes | No | No |
| 2017 | Refuge | Diane | Yes | No | No |
| 2017 | Jordan Hates the Writing | Marilyn Monroe | Yes | No | No |
| 2017 | One Good Day | Diana | Yes | No | No |
| 2019 | Capture | Dana | Co-director | Yes | Co-producer |
| 2019 | In the Absence of Eden | Kalissa 'Lissy' | Co-director | Yes | Yes |
| 2021 | Moving Out | Joanne | Yes | No | Executive |

## Accolades

| Event | Year | Award | Title | Result |
| GI Film Festival San Diego | 2017 | Best Actress | Refuge | Nominated |
| Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema | 2018 | Best Actress Feature Film | Carving a Life | Nominated |
| Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema | 2018 | Best Ensemble Cast Feature Film | Carving a Life | Nominated |
| Horrible Imaginings Film Festival | 2020 | Best Home Grown Local Film | Capture | Won |