Lauren Molina

Lauren Molina is an award-winning Broadway actress, musician, and singer-songwriter. She made her mark on Broadway starring as the cello-playing Johanna in the critically acclaimed actor-musician revival of John Doyle’s Sweeney Todd starring Patti LuPone and Michael Cerveris. She went on to originate the role of Regina in the hit 80′s rock musical Rock of Ages Off-Broadway, when it began at New World Stages and transferred with the production to Broadway. She was most recently seen playing Golde in Asolo Rep’s actor-musician production of Fiddler on the Roof.

She loves coaching songs, teaching vocal technique, working on monologues, scenes with students and professionals of all ages. Whether it's preparing for an audition for an upcoming production, applying to colleges and universities or focusing on improving one's craft, Lauren is an effective, nurturing, productive and helpful coach. She has given masterclasses at places like University of Michigan, New York University, Broadway Evolved, Pace University, and the Florida Thespian Festival.

She can often be found singing in New York City and across the country performing with her highly popular, comedic, band, The Skivvies. Hailed by the Wall Street Journal as “highly original…smart…sophisticated…ingenious”, The Skivvies have also been featured in People Magazine, NY Times, Out Magazine, NY1, Buzzfeed, Time Out NY, and Sports Illustrated. The Skivvies have shot pilots for A&E, Fox, and WE.

Lauren departed from Rock of Ages to play a dream role; Cunegonde in Candide, directed by Mary Zimmerman at the Goodman Theatre, Shakespeare Theatre in Washington DC and Huntington Theatre. Lauded as ”…a petite firecracker with comic brilliance and a soaring voice” by the Chicago Sun Times, Lauren received a 2011 Helen Hayes award for Best Actress, and an Irene nomination. She reunited with Zimmerman in 2016 to play Eileen in Wonderful Town at the Goodman Theatre and in 2024 to play Lady 1 and Papagena in The Matchbox Magic Flute.

Lauren was also a part of the Drama League Nominated, two person revival of Stephen Sondheim’s Marry Me a Little with Jason Tam, Off-Broadway at the Clurman Theatre with Keen Company. The cast album was recorded by Ghostlight/Sh-K-Boom and released November 2013.

In 2019, Lauren co-conceived a new actor-instrumental production of You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. She also played the role of Lucy in the production.

In 2022, Lauren played the title role of Goldie, in the New York premiere of the play “Goldie, Max, and Milk.” She also was a part of the world premiere of Suzan Lori-Park’s “Plays for the Plague Year” at the Public Theatre, and the New York off-Broadway premiere of “Predictor.”

She originated Bella Rose in Desperate Measures off-Broadway at the York Theatre and transferred with the show to New World Stages. For this role she received award nominations including the 2018 Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actress.

Other favorite roles include: Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Bristol Riverside Theatre, Squeaky Fromme in Assassins at Yale Rep, Countess Charlotte Malcolm in A Little Night Music at The Huntington Theatre, Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at the Cleveland Playhouse, Janet in The Rocky Horror Show at The Bucks County Playhouse, Sara in the first regional production of Murder Ballad at TUTS, Megan in the world premiere musical, Nobody Loves You at The Old Globe and Off-Broadway at Second Stage. Television includes The Good Wife and Light’s Out.

Other original roles include, Miss Jones 1 in Ten Cents a Dance, with Donna McKechnie and Malcolm Gets at the Williamstown Theatre Festival (This original musical, created by John Doyle, utilized actor/singer/musicians, Lauren playing cello, bass, guitar, ukulele and saxophone, and expressed the story thru the music of Rodgers and Hart); Liza in The Fortress of Solitude at a workshop thru The Public Theatre. She has performed at the Bucks County Playhouse in Meet Me in St. Louis: A Radio Play (World Premiere), It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play. 

Described as a “sweet-voiced soprano who…plays the cello beautifully” by The New York Times, and “perfect as Johanna” by the Wall Street Journal, she received the Independent Reviewers of New England Award for Best Supporting Actress, while performing on the first national tour, and was named as one of the celebrated “30 Under 30″ featured on Broadwayspace.com.

While working on Rock of Ages, she created the comedic mocumentary web series “ROA Productions” with castmates Mitchell Jarvis and Wesley Taylor. She continues to create comedic sketch and webseries content with her ROA collaborators. She also directed "Taking Sides" a new musical by Peter Kellogg and Steven Weiner.

She was a featured singer at “The Ladies Who Sing Sondheim” concert with Barbara Cook and Patti Lupone at the Westport Playhouse. She also was a soloist at the “Tribute for Angela Lansbury” with Tyne Daly and Christine Ebersole held at the Bucks County Playhouse. In addition, she was a back-up singer for Sarah Brightman on her La Luna tour.

She is also a singer/songwriter, releasing her first album in 2007, entitled “Doo-Be-Doo” and sophomore album “Sea For Two.”

She has performed in various workshops and master classes along with Broadway composers, colleagues, and New York City Opera artists. She has also sung with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra.

A Detroit native, Lauren received her BFA from The University of Michigan in musical theatre. She resides in New York City.