Kerstin Bridget Anderson (born September 10, 1994) is an American stage actress and singer. She starred as Maria Von Trapp in the 2015–2017 U.S. national tour of The Sound of Music, for which she received critical praise. She made her Broadway debut as the alternate for Eliza Doolittle in the 2018–2019 revival of My Fair Lady. Since then, she has performed mostly in U.S. regional theatre.
Early life and education Anderson was raised in South Burlington, Vermont, the daughter of Frederick G. "Ted" Anderson, a scientist with IBM,"Kerstin Bridget Anderson", Vermont Vital Records, 1760–2008, FamilySearch, accessed January 21, 2016 and Kathleen "Kathy" Kilcoyne, a college athletic director. She grew up singing, and while attending South Burlington High School, in 2010, she played the title role in Peter Pan with the nearby Lyric Theatre Company.Hallenbeck, Brent. "From Vermont to Broadway: Kerstin Anderson takes on Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady", Burlington Free Press, July 23, 2018"Backstage: Peter Pan" , Lyric Theatre Company, 2005, accessed January 21, 2016 In high school productions, she played Asaka in Once on This Island (2011)"SBHS Drama Presents Once on This Island" , The Spotlight, Lyric Theatre Company, October 2011, accessed January 21, 2016 and Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (2012)."Legally Blonde Cast List", SBHS Drama, 2012, accessed January 21, 2016 While still in high school, she directed You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (2011), the first musical produced by a new community theatre company, Spotted Pup Productions. She then played Heidi in their production of [title of show] (2012)."Past Productions" , Spotted Pup Productions, accessed January 21, 2016 She also competed on the high school's dance team, which won the state championship her junior year."Chittenden County dance, cheerleading preview capsules", USA Today High School Sports, December 13, 2012, accessed January 25, 2016"Dance Team Wins State Championship" , The Other Paper (South Burlington, Vermont), February 23, 2012, accessed January 25, 2016
After graduating from high school in 2013, Anderson attended Pace University. There, she starred as Clara in The Light in the Piazza, directed by Victoria Clark, and as Annie in The Visit.Bios: Kerstin Anderson (Maria Rainer), The Sound of Music on Tour, accessed February 22, 2016 In 2014, Anderson played Shy in the Forestburgh Playhouse production of The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.Di Bello, J. A. "This Ain’t No Junior Prom, Ya Know", The Catskill Chronicle, July 18, 2014, accessed February 22, 2016 She interrupted her education after her second year to play Maria Von Trapp in the 2015–2017 U.S. national tour of The Sound of Music.Elkon, Gadi. "Dallas Summer Musicals – Sound of Music – Interview with Kerstin Anderson (Maria Rainer)", Selig Film News, November 3, 2015
Career The national tour of The Sound of Music began in September 2015. Reviews of Anderson's performances as Maria were strongly positive. Jordan Riefe of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Her crisp, clear soprano voice isn’t the strongest in the cast, but Anderson makes a fine fit for the tricky role."Riefe, Jordan. "The Sound of Music: Theater Review", The Hollywood Reporter, October 1, 2015 Margaret Gray of the Los Angeles Times commented, "Anderson takes charge with a spirit so joyful, a physicality so lithe and coltish, and a soprano so flawlessly soaring, that only Frau Schraeder ... could possibly resist her charm.""The Sound of Music at the Ahmanson is fresh and lively", Los Angeles Times, October 1, 2015 Tim Smith of The Baltimore Sun agreed: "She shines right from her first scene.... She is ... persuasive an actor, effortlessly connecting with the children and making Maria's spiritual struggle register. She is especially adept at conveying Maria's gradual falling in love with von Trapp".Smith, Tim. "The Sound of Music gets classy revival at Hippodrome", The Baltimore Sun, December 14, 2015 In Variety, Bob Verini commented that Anderson has a "natural glow (though she ... seems to have no control over her hands)".Verini, Bob. "L.A. Theater Review: The Sound of Music, Directed by Jack O’Brien", Variety, October 1, 2015 The tour ended in July 2017."Kerstin Anderson", Internet Broadway database. Retrieved August 1, 2025 For the role, she was nominated in 2017 for the IRNE Award: Large Theater: Best Visiting Actress."The Independent Reviewers of New England Awards: 2017", AbouttheArtists. Retrieved August 1, 2025
Anderson made her Broadway debut as Eliza in the 2018 Broadway revival of My Fair Lady. Originally an understudy for the role, she became the alternate for the role, playing Saturday matinée performances beginning on July 8, 2018, switching to Tuesday nights in October 2018 and continuing until the production closed in July 2019.
She repeated the role of Maria for Northern Stage in Vermont from November 2019 to January 2020, followed by Lucy Lemay in the musical Unknown Soldier, composed by Michael Friedman, at Playwrights Horizons in New York in February and March 2020 and again at Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. from March to May 2024; Sister James in Doubt: A Parable at Westport Country Playhouse in Connecticut in November 2021; Simone in the musical Afterwords, by Zoe Sarnak (music and lyrics) and Emily Kaczmarek (book), at 5th Avenue Theatre, Seattle, Washington, in April and May 2022; Diana Dahl Bennett in Cult of Love at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, California, from January to March 2024; Anne Egerman in A Little Night Music in concert production at Lincoln Center's David Geffen Hall in June 2024; Jenna in Waitress at 5th Avenue Theatre, Washington, and at Theatre Under the Stars in Houston, Texas, in March 2025; and Natalie Haller in All Shook Up at Goodspeed Musicals, Connecticut, from June to August 2025."Kerstin Anderson", AbouttheArtists. Retrieved August 1, 2025 She also appears on the cast recording of Unknown Soldier; a review in Musical Theatre Review stated: "The cast is excellent and includes: Kerstin Anderson"."CD Review: Unknown Soldier – Original Cast Recording", Musical Theatre Review, 11 October 2021
Of Anderson's performance as Jenna in Waitress, Natalie de la Garza of Houston Press complimented both her acting and singing, writing: "Anderson beautifully ... turns in the most grounded and the most affecting performance. [W]hen she sings, the production hits another level. ... The anticipation was high and Anderson more than delivered."De la Garza, Natalie. "A Perfectly Baked and Beautifully Sung Waitress Comes to TUTS", Houston Press, April 18, 2025 Gemma Wilson of The Seattle Times agreed: "Anderson sounds sensational. ... Listening to her, Gresham and Shaw ... is a unique pleasure, one to remind you what makes musical theater a joy."Wilson, Gemma. "Waitress at Seattle's The 5th serves up delicious musical theater", The Seattle Times, March 17, 2025 D. R. Lewis of DC Theater Arts. commented that, in Unknown Soldier, "Anderson ... deftly captures [Lucy's] mounting desperation."Lewis, D. R. "A moving and thought-provoking Unknown Soldier is recalled at Arena", DC Theater Arts, April 13, 2024
References
External links
Official website Anderson sings "One Night with You" (2015) Interview of Anderson in Backstage (2018)