Vanessa Sears is a Canadian actress and singer. She originated the role of Nicola in the Canadian premiere production of Kinky Boots, which played at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. In 2022, Sears originated the role of Anaia in the Canadian premiere production of Is God Is, for which she was nominated for a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role. Sears is currently starring as Juliet in the Canadian production of & Juliet, which is playing at the Royal Alexandra Theatre.

Early life Sears was born and raised in Deep River, Ontario. She is of Guyanese and Jamaican heritage, since her father was born in Guyana and her mother was born in Jamaica. She has two brothers and one sister. As a child, Sears contracted flesh-eating disease, where she stayed at the Ronald McDonald House while receiving treatment at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

Growing up, Sears performed in community theatre productions of Beauty and the Beast and My Fair Lady. She also performed as an entertainer at Canada's Wonderland. In 2014, Sears advanced to the semi-finals of an international singing competition to become the Voice of McDonald's.

Although she considered pursuing studies to become a veterinarian, Sears decided to pursue musical theatre and graduated from the Honours Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance program at Sheridan College. As of 2023, Sears started studying to also become a musical theatre director.

Career Shortly after graduating, Sears made her professional stage debut in the Canadian premiere production of Kinky Boots, where she played Nicola. The musical began an open-ended run at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on June 16, 2015, before closing on May 15, 2016.

In 2016, Sears starred as Dorothy in a production of The Wizard of Oz by Young People's Theatre in Toronto, for which she won a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Musical.

In 2017, Sears played Edwina in a production of Passing Strange, produced by the Musical Stage Company and Obsidian Theatre. For her performance, Sears won the Toronto Theatre Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical.

Sears made her Shaw Festival debut in 2017. After appearing in the ensemble of two productions, Sears appeared as Zoe in the Canadian premiere of An Octoroon, which played between July 16 and October 14, 2017.

In 2018, Sears starred as Mary Poppins in the Young People's Theatre production of Mary Poppins, which opened on November 8, 2018, and closed on January 6, 2019. At the 2019 Dora Awards, Sears was nominated in the Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role category for her performance as Mary Poppins.

During the 2019 Stratford Festival season, Sears appeared as Ronnette in their production of Little Shop of Horrors and as Dead Mum in Billy Elliot the Musical.

In 2020, Sears played Emmie Thibodeaux in a production of Caroline, or Change by the Musical Stage Company and Obsidian Theatre. The musical, which starred Jully Black and Measha Brueggergosman, played at the Winter Garden Theatre between January 30 and February 15, 2020. For her performance, Sears won the Dora Award for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role.

Sears starred as Anaia in the Canadian premiere of the play Is God Is, which was presented by the Canadian Stage Company between May 6–22, 2022. She was nominated for a Dora Award for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role. Later that year, she played Regan in the world premiere production of Queen Goneril by the Soulpepper Theatre Company, for which she won the Dora Award for Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role. Sears also played Red Queen / Ruby in a regional production of Alice in Wonderland, which earned her a Dora Award nomination for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role.

In 2022, Sears starred in her first Hallmark movie, 14 Love Letters.

In 2023, Sears made her Broadway debut in New York, New York. She was a standby for the lead role of Francine Evans in the musical, which played at the St. James Theatre between March 24, 2023, and July 30, 2023.

In 2024, Sears returned to Stratford Festival where she will star as Juliet in a production of Romeo and Juliet. Following this, Sears starred as the Witch in a pantomime production of The Wizard of Oz, presented by Ross Petty Productions and the Canadian Stage Company. It played at the Winter Garden Theatre between December 6, 2024, and January 5, 2025.

Sears is currently starring as Juliet in the original Canadian production of & Juliet. The musical began performances at the Royal Alexandra Theatre on December 3, 2025.

Theatre credits Year Production Role Theatre Category 2015–2016 Kinky Boots Nicola Royal Alexandra Theatre Mirvish Productions 2016 The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Regional: Young People's Theatre 2016 Million Dollar Quartet Dyanne Shoctor Theatre Citadel Theatre 2017 Passing Strange Edwina The Opera House Musical Stage Company, Obsidian Theatre Me and My Girl Ensemble Festival Theatre Shaw Festival 1837: The Farmers' Revolt Ensemble Court House Theatre An Octoroon Zoe Royal George Theatre Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Narrator Regional: Theatre Aquarius 2018 The Magician's Nephew Polly Festival Theatre Shaw Festival Grand Hotel Flaemmchen 2018–2019 Mary Poppins Mary Poppins Regional: Young People's Theatre 2019 Little Shop of Horrors Ronnette Avon Theatre Stratford Festival Billy Elliot the Musical Dead Mum Festival Theatre 2020 Caroline, or Change Emmie Thibodeaux Winter Garden Theatre Musical Stage Company, Obsidian Theatre 2022 Is God Is Anaia Berkeley Street Theatre Canadian Stage Company, Obsidian Theatre Queen Goneril Regan Young Centre for the Performing Arts World premiere: Soulpepper Theatre Company King Lear Regan Soulpepper Theatre Company Alice in Wonderland Red Queen / Ruby Regional: Bad Hats Theatre 2023 New York, New York Francine Evans (standby) St. James Theatre Broadway 2024 Romeo and Juliet Juliet Festival Theatre Stratford Festival Twelfth Night Olivia The Wizard of Oz: A Holiday Musical Panto Witch Winter Garden Theatre Canadian Stage Company / Ross Petty Productions 2025–2026 & Juliet Juliet Royal Alexandra Theatre Mirvish Productions

Filmography Television Year Title Role Notes 2016 Suits Young Jessica S6.E10: "P.S.L." 2017The Beaverton Various characters S1.E7; S1.E10 2020 Too Close for Christmas Amy Parker-Barnett TV movie 2021 TallBoyz Various characters 4 episodes Sex/Life Kyla S1.E7: "Small Town Saturday Night" Odd Squad Reporter #5 S3.E21: "Odd Off the Press" Y: The Last Man Steph S1.E5: "Mann Hunt" Royally Wrapped for Christmas Monica TV movie 2022 14 Love Letters Kallie TV movie My Little Pony: Make Your Mark Additional voices Voice role, S2.E1: "Izzy Does It" Sappy Holiday Joy Johnson TV movie 2024 My Little Pony: Tell Your Tale Sunny's Mom Voice role, S2.E11: "Written In The Starscouts"

Film Year Title Role Notes 2021 Romance in the Wilds Abi Christmas in the Wilds

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Nominated work Result 2015 BroadwayWorld Award Best Featured Female in a Musical Kinky Boots 2016 Dora Awards Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble The Wizard of Oz 2017 Toronto Theatre Critics Award Best Supporting Actress Passing Strange 2019 Dora Awards Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role Mary Poppins 2020 Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role Caroline, or Change 2022 Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role Is God Is 2023 Outstanding Performance in a Featured Role Queen Goneril Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role Alice in Wonderland 2025 Outstanding Performance by an Individual in a Play Shedding a Skin Outstanding Performance by an Individual in a Musical The Wizard of Oz: The Toto-ly Awesome Family Musical

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