From California homecoming queen to three-time Tony nominee
In short: Before she was a mainstay of the New York stage, Linda Emond was a high school queen in Orange County. Her journey from a graduate student in Seattle to one of Broadway's most respected dramatic forces is a masterclass in theatrical versatility.
Born in New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1959, Emond’s path to the spotlight began in California. After attending Loara High School, she pursued formal training, earning a BA from California State University, Fullerton in 1982 and an MFA from the University of Washington, Seattle. Her professional career officially launched during her final semester of graduate school with a performance in Seattle's 'On the Verge' at The Empty Space Theatre. Her early education included Loara Elementary School and Ball Junior High. Her first stage appearance occurred in high school, playing the role of Jean Brodie.
Emond’s career is defined by her ability to inhabit complex, often written-for-her roles. Her Chicago career included two Joseph Jefferson Awards, earned for portraying Paulina in 'The Winter's Tale' and Eliza Doolittle in 'Pygmalion'. In New York, she became a celebrated figure in both Off-Broadway and Broadway productions. Notably, she received both an Obie Award and a Lucille Lortel Award for her work in Tony Kushner's 'Homebody/Kabul', a production she performed in across New York, Los Angeles, and Brooklyn between 2001 and 2004. She also earned a Drama Desk Award nomination for her 1996 New York debut in Nine Armenians. Additionally, she won an Outer Critics Circle Award for her 2003 performance.
Her Broadway legacy includes three Tony Award nominations: for 'Life (x) 3' in 2003, 'Death of a Salesman' in 2012, and 'Cabaret' in 2014. Beyond the stage, Emond has transitioned seamlessly into film and television, appearing in 'Julie & Julia' and 'The Gilded Age', and holding recurring roles in series like 'The Good Wife' and 'Law & Order: SVU'. She has also established herself as a premier voice for audiobooks, earning four Audiofile Earphones Awards. Her television credits include playing Georgia O'Keeffe in a 2009 Lifetime film. She was also recognized as one of the Best Voices of the Year by Audiofile.
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