Tina Maddigan
Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design
Degree: Bachelor of Music Theatre Performance
Year of graduation: 1997
Award nominated actress, Tina Maddigan is best known for the rave reviews she received for originating the lead role of Sophie in the Broadway smash hit, Mamma Mia! Maddigan is currently hosting a new TV series called Road Trip on the Travel Channel. Every friday night at 8 p.m. EST, you can watch Tina traveling the U.S.—whitewater rafting, surfing and even singing at the Grand Ole Opray!
Growing up on the Rocky shores of Newfoundland, Tina was always putting on skits for the family, which either left them entertained or longing for a little piece and quiet. After performing the role of Scrooge in The Christmas Carol at her all-girls elementary school, she knew that stage was where she felt most at home. After high school, she promptly moved to Toronto to study musical theatre at Sheridan. She graduated from the triple threat program (singing, acting and dancing) where she recently received the Premiers Award of Ontario. The award is bestowed upon a graduate that has excelled in her chosen career. She performed on Holland America Cruise lines and starred in numerous stage productions, such as Sally Smith in Me and My Girl, Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Aldonza in Man of LaMancha, Cinderella in Cinderella, as well as Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense before winning the coveted lead role of the Bride Sophie in the Toronto production of Mamma Mia! (Ironically, she was turned down to be an usher at very same theatre she would pick up her Mamma Mia! script from no more then three weeks after she had applied for the job at the Royal Alexandra theatre.)
Needless to say, Mamma Mia was a hit and Maddigan traveled with the First North American Touring Company to San Francisco, Los Angles and Chicago before she was asked to take her role to Broadway in 2001, her dream come true. As Sophie in Mamma Mia, Tina was nominated for a National Star Award, RoBBy Award and an Audience Award.
On October 18, 2003, the Abba-inspired musical, which made her dreams come true, would become but a memory. With close to 3,000 shows, Tina left Broadway for the highway and is currently hosting Road Trip.