Asmeret Ghebremichael is an American actress, director, and singer, known for her work in The Notebook, Submissions Only, and The Book of Mormon.
Early life and education Ghebremichael grew up in Churchill, Pennsylvania, with her parents and younger sister. As a child, she trained in dance and musical theatre at the Abby Lee Dance Company and was taught by Abby Lee Miller. Ghebremichael attended Woodland Hills High School and earned a B.S. in communications from New York University.
Career Ghebremichael made her Broadway debut in 1999, playing Rusty, Wendy Jo, Urleen, and the Ensemble (varying) in Footloose. She later appeared in the ensembles of Wicked and Spamalot (she also played the minstrel) on Broadway, as well as Lone Star Love and In the Heights (for which she won a Drama Desk Award) off-Broadway. In 2007, she played Pilar in Legally Blonde on Broadway. The show was filmed for TV, and in 2008 she began also understudying the roles of Shandi and Brooke Wyndham.
Ghebremichael also appeared on the reality competition show Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods twice. The show closed in 2008, and after appearing in the film Confessions of a Shopaholic, she began playing Raina Pearl in the web series Submissions Only. She also played Shawanda in the original Broadway cast of Elf: The Musical.
In 2011 she appeared in the ensemble of The Book of Mormon on Broadway. She later played Nabulungi on Broadway, and in the show's West End production, which she started in February 2016. In 2015, she appeared as a munchkin in The Wiz Live! on NBC. In 2017 she joined the West End cast of Dreamgirls as Lorrell Robinson.
Theatre credits YearShowRoleNotes1999FootlooseRusty/Wendy Jo/Urleen (u/s) (replacement)Broadway, Feb 14 – August 25, 19992004Lone Star LoveEnsembleoff-BroadwayUnknownWickedEnsemble (replacement)BroadwaySpamalotMinstrel (replacement)Broadway2007In the HeightsEnsembleoff-BroadwayLegally BlondePilar/Shandi/Brooke Wyndham (u/s)Broadway, July 2, 2007 – October 19, 20082010ElfShawandaBroadway, November 14, 2010 – January 2, 20112011The Book of MormonAssistant Dance Captain/Nabulungi (u/s)Broadway, March 24, 2011 – November 25, 20122013NabulungiBroadway, Aug 6 – December 1, 20132015West End, Nov. 2015–20162016Sweet CharityNickieOff-Broadway, November 2, 2016 - January 8, 20172017DreamgirlsLorrell RobinsonWest End, March 23, 2017 - January 12, 20192024The NotebookAssociate DirectorBroadway2025Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)Associate Director/Associate ChoreographerBroadway
Television YearTitleRoleNotes2007Legally Blonde: The MusicalPilarFilmed stage production2008Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle WoodsSelf2 episodes2010–14Submissions OnlyRaina Pearl14 episodes2014Los Feliz, 90027Selfunaired pilot2015Trevor Moore: High in ChurchSingerTV movieThe Adventures of Lillian KateAlexi3 episodesThe Wiz Live!MunchkinTV movie2022WeCrashedRenee
Film YearTitleRoleNotes2008The DrummerIvyShort2009Confessions of a ShopaholicAlette ReceptionistRed HookAsmeret2014Russian Broadway Shut DownLesbianShort2015Sad StudsBlood DonorShort
Discography YearTitleNotes2010Elf (Original Broadway Cast Recording)Featured vocals
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominee Result2007Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Ensemble PerformanceIn the Heights 2017Lucille Lortel AwardsOutstanding Featured Actress in a MusicalSweet CharityChita Rivera AwardsOutstanding Outstanding Female Dancer in an Off-Broadway Show
References
External links
Asmeret Ghebremichael at Internet Off-Broadway Database