Before she was Beca Mitchell in Pitch Perfect, before she was nominated for an Oscar in Up in the Air, and long before she mastered the “Cups” routine, Anna Kendrick began her career by making genuine Broadway history. At the remarkably young age of 12, the actress, fueled by long bus rides from Maine to New York City, landed a starring role that launched her into the entertainment elite.
The Role and The Record
Kendrick’s professional debut came in the 1998 Broadway revival of the classic Cole Porter musical, High Society. She was cast in the pivotal role of Dinah Lord, the witty, mischievous 11-year-old sister of the main character, Tracy Lord. It was her exceptional performance in this role that earned her immediate critical acclaim and secured her place in the history books. Kendrick was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 1998. At just 12 years old, she became the second-youngest nominee ever in the history of the Tony Awards in a competitive acting category. (The youngest was Daisy Eagan, who won the award in 1991 for The Secret Garden at age 11). Beyond the Tony nod, she was also the recipient of the prestigious Theatre World Award and received a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.
The Notable Event: Auditioning and Life on Broadway
Kendrick’s journey to the Broadway stage was a testament to her fierce ambition. She has often recounted the notable event of her audition process, which involved her taking a grueling Greyhound bus from her hometown in Portland, Maine, to New York City with her older brother, Michael. This fierce ambition at such a young age set the stage for her future career. During the run of High Society, which opened on April 27, 1998, and ran through August 30, 1998, Kendrick’s father temporarily moved to New York to support her, homeschooled her, and ensured her education continued alongside her theatrical obligations.
The Legacy of Dinah Lord
While Kendrick did not win the Tony Award that year (it went to Audra McDonald for Ragtime), her nomination marked the true start of her versatility. Her ability to hold her own on a demanding Broadway stage as the role of Dinah Lord, delivering complex vocals and sharp comedic timing, established the foundation for her later successes. This early triumph demonstrated the rare combination of acting chops and vocal talent that would eventually make her a Hollywood star, defining her early career long before she went on to earn an Academy Award nomination for role of Natalie Keener in the 2009 film Up in the Air.