Sydney Lucas

This article is about the American actress. For the English centenarian, see Syd Lucas.

Sydney Ellen Lucas (born July 11, 2003)[1] is an American actress with credits in musical theatre, film and television. She is best known for her portrayal of Small Alison Bechdel in both the original Off-Broadway and Broadway productions of Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori's musical Fun Home; she won an Obie Award and Theater World Award and received nominations for a Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance. She most recently starred in the main cast of AMC's western drama television series The Son as Jeannie McCullough.

Life and career

Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Sydney moved with her parents and two older brothers to New York City when she was two years old. Her parents run a software consulting company.[2] In 2009, at age 6, Lucas underwent heart surgery to treat an atrial septal defect. Her older brother Jake Lucas is also a professional actor, and the two have appeared together in a commercial for Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup, and alongside Jennifer Aniston in the movie She's Funny That Way, which was released in 2015.[3] She has studied acting with Diane Hardin and singing with Badiene Magaziner.[2] She has also studied singing with her mother, Karri Lucas, who has a degree in vocal performance from DePauw University.[4] She currently is a student in Manhattan.

In 2014, at the age of 10, Lucas became the youngest individual to win an Obie Award for her portrayal of Small Alison in the original Off-Broadway cast of Lisa Kron and Jeanine Tesori's musical Fun Home.[5] That same year, she was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award, among other prestigious prizes. Lucas continued with the show when it moved to Broadway, winning a Theatre World Award,[6] and receiving a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2015 at the age of 11.[7] Lucas left the company of Fun Home on October 4, 2015.[8][9]

Lucas played Mary Lennox in The Secret Garden with Manhattan Concert Productions on February 21 and 22, 2016 at Lincoln Center’s David Geffen Hall.[10]

Lucas has portrayed the younger version of two different characters played by Kristen Wiig in the films Girl Most Likely (2012) and The Skeleton Twins (2014).[11] Her television credits include guest roles on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Royal Pains, Saturday Night Live, and Team Umizoomi.[2] She has also appeared as Malcolm's Daughter in Giuseppe Verdi's Macbeth at the Metropolitan Opera in 2012.[4]

Theatre credits

Year Show Role Dates Theatre
2012 Macbeth Malcolm's Daughter Metropolitan Opera
2013–14 Fun Home Small Alison September 12, 2013 – January 12, 2014 Public Theater
2015 April 19 – October 4, 2015 Circle in the Square Theatre
2016 The Secret Garden Mary Lennox February 21–22, 2016 David Geffen Hall

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2012 Girl Most Likely Little Imogene
2013 Fool's Day Jamie Short
2014 The Skeleton Twins Young Maggie
She's Funny That Way Josie Albertson
2015 Broadway Draft 2015 Sideline Reporter Short
2018 Dude Olivia

Television

Year Title Role Notes
2011 Team Umizoomi Voice 1 episode
2012 Lalaloopsy Land 1 episode
Sesame Street Kid 1 episode
2013 Late Show With David Letterman Screaming Kid Pakistan Theme Park Segment
Saturday Night Live Jeremy Renner's daughter Segment: "The Standoff"
2014 Royal Pains Larkin 1 episode
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ryann Catalano 1 episode
How and Why Kitty TV Pilot
The Sonnet Project Actor 1 episode
2015 69th Tony Awards Performer TV special
2017–2019 The Son Jeannie McCullough Series regular

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
2014 Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical Fun Home Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
Obie Award Performance Won
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Award Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
2015 Tony Award Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated
Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Favorite Breakthrough Performance (Female)[12] Nominated
Theatre World Award Won
2016 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album Nominated

References

  1. ^ Sydney Lucas [@SydneyLucasNYC] (July 11, 2016). "Thank you to everyone for the super sweet birthday wishes!! Having a great day & hope you are, too!!" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ a b c Blank, Matthew (March 31, 2015). "Cue & A: Young Fun Home Star Sydney Lucas on Alison Bechdel, Her Showbiz Family and Learning to Burp on YouTube". Playbill. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  3. ^ Beggs, Alex (March 27, 2015). What It's Like to Be 11 Years Old on Broadway. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ a b Cohen, Stefanie (April 16, 2015). "Young Siblings Jake and Sydney Lucas Manage Life on Broadway". The Wall Street Journal.
  5. ^ Lucchesi, Nick (May 19, 2014). "Village Voice Announces Winners of 59th Annual Obie Awards, Names Tom Sellar Lead Theater Critic". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on May 21, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2014.
  6. ^ Viagas, Robert (May 5, 2015). "Broadway Siblings Megan and Robert Fairchild Among 71st Annual Theatre World Award Winners". Playbill. Retrieved June 1, 2022.
  7. ^ Kenyon, Sandy (June 4, 2015). "11-Year Old Sydney Lucas Up For A Tony Award For "Fun Home"". Eyewitness News WABC-TV.
  8. ^ Editorial Staff (September 17, 2015). "Sydney Lucas To Bid Farewell To Broadway's Fun Home". TheaterMania. Retrieved September 27, 2015.
  9. ^ Brantley, Ben (December 26, 2013). "Epiphanies at 'Home': Times Writers Share Last Chance Theater Picks". The New York Times.
  10. ^ "Breaking News: Tony Nominee Sydney Lucas to Star in Manhattan Concert Productions' The Secret Garden in 2016". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved October 8, 2015.
  11. ^ Henderson, Kathy (December 26, 2013). "Pint-Sized Powerhouse Sydney Lucas on Her Amazing Off-Broadway Debut in Fun Home". http://www.broadway.com/.
  12. ^ "Vote Now! Finding Neverland & It's Only a Play Lead 2015 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Nominations". Retrieved October 4, 2015.