Brandi Lynn Burkhardt (born June 25, 1979) is an American television
and film actress, and former Miss New York. She grew up in Pasadena,
Maryland and lives in Los Angeles.She attended New York University
Tisch School of the ArtsShe attended New York University Tisch School
of the ArtsBurkhardt first hit the small screen in 1997, when she
competed in the Miss Teen USA pageant as Miss Maryland Teen USA. The
National Pageant was won by Shelly Moore of Tennessee. She later moved
to New York to attend New York University, where she won the Miss
Manhattan pageant, the Miss New York pageant and competed for Miss
America 2000. Burkhardt performed vocal talent at that pageant,
singing "Take Me As I Am", which she would later record as Emma on the
concept album for the film and national tour concert version of Jekyll
& Hyde, Jekyll & Hyde: Resurrection.Burkhardt's first major credit was
the Jekyll and Hyde: Resurrection Tour, in the starring role of Emma
Carew. This version of Jekyll and Hyde was told in concert form. A new
song, "If You Only Knew", was written for her by Leslie Bricusse and
Frank Wildhorn, which is featured on the cast recording. She
eventually left the tour after accepting a contract role on the
daytime drama Passions on NBC. Her Broadway debut came when she was
cast as Lucie Manette in the Broadway musical adaptation of A Tale of
Two Cities, which opened for previews on August 19, 2008 at the Al
Hirschfeld Theatre in New York and had an official opening of
September 18, 2008. She was persuaded to audition for the show by star
James Barbour, who was at a dinner meeting with her. The production
announced on November 4 that it would be closing on November 16, but
the producers announced on November 7 that due to poor ticket sales
the following week, the production would close on November 9, 2008.
She then immediately went into another show, and played Sophie
Sheridan in the Broadway production of Mamma Mia. She began her run on
January 27, 2009 replacing Allison Case. Burkhardt played her final
performance on September 20, 2009 and was succeeded by Alyse Alan
Louis. Brandi Burkhardt Top Movies & Young Movies