Erika Henningsen facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Erika Henningsen
Henningsen in 2021
Born	Erika Leigh Henningsen (1992-08-13) August 13, 1992 (age 32) Moraga, California, U.S.
Education	University of Michigan (BFA)
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	2007–present
Spouse(s)	Kyle Selig ​ (m. 2023)​

Erika Leigh Henningsen (born August 13, 1992) is an American actress and singer. She is well-known for her work on Broadway. She played the main role of Cady Heron in the musical Mean Girls. This show was nominated for a Tony Award. Since 2024, she has also voiced Charlie Morningstar in the animated series Hazbin Hotel.

Growing Up and School

Erika Henningsen was born and grew up in Moraga, California. She is the youngest of three daughters.

Erika started acting when she was young. Her parents noticed she loved talking and being in front of people. When she was seven, she read a poem called “The Turkey Shot out of the Oven.” The audience loved her performance, and this made her interested in theater. At 14, Erika was cast in a local show called Grey Gardens. After this, she knew she wanted to be a musical theater actress.

Erika finished high school at Campolindo High School in 2010. Then, she went to the University of Michigan. She earned a special degree in musical theater in 2014. During college, she also studied acting in London. Erika won an award for her amazing talent in musical theater.

Her Acting Career

In 2010, when Erika was 17, she got her first professional acting job. She played Penny Pingleton in the musical Hairspray. This was at the Woodminster Amphitheater in Oakland, California.

In 2014, she performed with the New York Philharmonic orchestra. She played Kim Ravenal in a concert version of Show Boat. This performance was later shown on PBS television.

Broadway Debut

Erika made her big Broadway debut on March 3, 2015. She played Fantine in the famous musical Les Misérables. She was the youngest actress ever to play Fantine on Broadway! She had played this same role in college just 11 months before.

Starring in Mean Girls

In 2017, Erika was cast as Cady Heron in the new musical Mean Girls. This show is based on the popular movie. It first opened in Washington, D.C.. Erika then brought the role to Broadway in New York City. The show started previews on March 12, 2018, and officially opened on April 8, 2018.

During her time with Mean Girls, Erika made fun video blogs. They were called "Too Grool for School: Backstage at Mean Girls with Erika Henningsen." These videos showed fans what it was like behind the scenes. She left the show on February 22, 2020.

Other Roles

Erika has performed in many other musicals. These include Diner, South Pacific, and Mamma Mia!. In 2022, she starred as Joy Mangano in the new musical Joy in New Jersey.

Helping Others

Erika loves to help others through the arts. When she was in college, she helped lead a group called the Michigan Performance Outreach Workshop. This group brought performing arts lessons to students in Michigan. It helped kids express themselves and feel good about themselves.

Erika also works with Sing For Hope. This group helps bring arts education to children in New York City. She teaches classes and workshops to encourage kids to be creative.

She has also supported many other charities. These include Artists Striving to End Poverty and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. In 2018, she helped at Broadway Barks. This event helps shelter animals find homes.

Building a Library in Kenya

In 2019, Erika worked with the African Library Project. She helped create a library for a school in Migori County, Kenya. This was special because her character Cady Heron in Mean Girls also lived in Africa. Erika raised money for shipping and collected over 1,100 books. She sent the "library" to Kenya in just over a month.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Erika held an online concert. She raised over $4,000 for She's the First. This group helps girls around the world get an education.

Personal Life

Erika Henningsen started dating her Mean Girls co-star, Kyle Selig, in 2018. They got engaged on July 1, 2021. Erika and Kyle got married on May 22, 2023, in New York City.

Theatre Roles

Here are some of the theater shows Erika has been in:

Film and TV Roles

Here are some of the movies and TV shows Erika has appeared in:

Film

Television

Music Albums

Erika has recorded music for several cast albums and soundtracks:

• The Theory of Relativity – Original Cast Recording (2016)
• Mean Girls – Original Broadway Cast Recording (2018)
• Girls5eva (Music From the Peacock Original Series) (2021)
• Hazbin Hotel (Original Soundtrack) (2024)

Awards and Nominations

Erika has won and been nominated for several awards:

Special Honors

• 2014 – Alan Eisenberg Award Scholarship
• 2018 – Broadway.com Star of the Year