BROADWAY WORLD
“I greatly enjoyed the performance of Emily Jenda as Eliza Hamilton. Eliza as a character has to sit on the fringes while Hamilton begins his ascendancy into fame and glory, but Jenda did not let her remain a wallflower. She of course evoked sweetness and innocence in ‘Helpless,’ but her range and power find their place in the second act in the songs ‘Burn’ and ‘The World Was Wide Enough.’ She moved through melodies with grace and intensity and added her own variations to make them sound new and exciting all over again. She took her rightful place as a woman of power who controlled her own destiny even as she honored the legacy of her flawed husband.”
CULTURE MAP
“At the performance reviewed, standby Emily Jenda provoked sniffles (and more than a few audible sobs) with her heart-wrenching turn as middle Schuyler sister Eliza, whose marriage to Alexander Hamilton endures plenty of trials.”
BROADWAY WORLD
“The sixth heat, ‘Round Midnight,’ included one of the evening's highlights with Emily Jenda (Y '10) singing "Out Here On My Own" (Michael Gore, Y' 73, with sister Lesley) like a bonafide star with multiple Grammys to her name. Joshuah Campbell (H '16) did a nice job with ‘Don't You Remember’ by Dan Wilson (H '83) and Adele, but Jenda's performance was unbeatable.”
BROADWAY WORLD
‘Emily Jenda turns out to have not only one of those superstar voices that give me literal goosebumps, but also to be a true vocal and acting chameleon in a way that seemed like it possibly couldn’t be the same person singing. In “Flowers” from Hadestown, Emily Jenda sounds like a young Tori Amos, and then there are times in the evening I swear she could be Whitney Houston or Denyce Graves. Emily Jenda’s voice is a wonder. Her “Heart of Stone” from SIX The Musical and “Burn” from Hamilton are scorched earth, wildfire showstoppers of naked fury and passion, with unbelievable levels of sheer power.’
DALLAS MAGAZINE
“Emily Jenda was stellar in her portrayal of Eliza Hamilton, one of the surprises of the night. Jenda, is normally the understudy for the role, but she put on full display her musical talent, especially on her solo song ‘Burn.’ If another tour of Hamilton is launched she seems ready to play the role full time.”
indianapolis monthly
“And demonstrating the depth of talent here, understudy Emily Jenda delivered beautifully, especially in the final, powerful moments when the narrative is handed to her.”
BROADWAY WORLD
“Jenda's dry reactions to her patsy's exuberance perfectly draw out the book’s wittier moments and her vivacious sexiness in defending her criminal ways with the score's best entry, the strutting tango, ‘Wild and Reckless,’ sizzles with comical heat.”
INDIANAPOLIS STAR
“Emily Jenda earned everyone's heart when her character Eliza Hamilton, in her robin's egg-colored finery, beat-boxed to her son's poetry. The mingling of Jenda's and Ta'Rea Campbell's (Angelica Schuyler) voices alone make the ticket price worth it.”
DALLAS NEWS
“Four understudies appeared in major roles Wednesday, and amazingly two of them were the best singers in the cast. Hamilton's wife Eliza (Emily Jenda) and George Washington (Conroe Brooks) are assigned the most traditionally songful tunes, delivering them with outsized, spine-tingling voices.”
BACKSTAGE
“There's no greater rush for a critic than encountering a blazing new talent. The terrific Emily Jenda is still non-Equity, but I'm sure that won't continue for long. From the moment she and her equally delightful co-star Mark Emerson finished Ira Levin and Milton Schafer's sly comic duet ‘Holmes and Watson,’ it was clear that Jenda was the real deal. As Alice Van Guilder, a bored rich girl–turned–cat burglar in early-20th-century New York City, Jenda showed an astonishing facility with a musical comedy style she's far too young to know anything about. She served Levin's twinkling wit impeccably, burst with intelligence, and sang like a dream. Hello, Emily!”