Testamonials
What it's like to work with Janine and see her in performance from those who know best.
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AUDIENCE MEMBERS 
"Heartbreaking, beautiful and lovely. . . Just a few to describe the wonder that is you and your dedication to the craft . . . Such strength and tenacity in your "Lucille". Your smooth and sweet drawl reminded me of Blanche Devereaux ( in the best possible way )."
- Jill Rittenger "Beautiful and haunting production of "Parade" @ JCC. Feeling very thankful for art in its ability to bring awareness and compassion to the sins of the past. Janine Mercandetti and Matt Tappon brought me to tears. Thank you to everyone involved, this will not be forgotten." - Jake Holliday Purcell "A flawless and moving performance in The Who's Tommy." - Michael Ciaccia "Words cannot express how magnificent you are. I know you to be a monumental talent, but each time I see you I am astounded at the depth and nuance of what you bring to a song. One of the rare times I can honestly say, YOU ARE A TRUE ARTIST. Beyond words. And DAMN YA', you make it look effortless." - Peter Doyle "I was in the audience on Thursday January 13. Your performance of 'Marieke' brought tears to my eyes and chills up my spine. I saw the original cast performance of Jacques Brel in NYC in the '60s, and Elly Stone was a miracle to behold, and in the ensuing years I played the LP many times. Each time was an emotional experience. Having said that, I think your performance was even better. Your dramatic talent as well as your vocal talent was put to superb use. For the record, the shout of BRAVO came from me. Growing up in NYC I had an uncle whose life centered around the theater. He saw the same show every time they changed the lead. He was never shy with his enthusiasm, and I remember his shouts of BRAVO rising above often-frenzied applause. He taught me well, and I was honored to be able to demonstrate my appreciation for your deeply-felt and superbly-executed performance. On behalf of your fans here, I'm sorry to hear that you will be leaving us. Lastly, I would like to boldly suggest that you were born to play the Aldonza/Dulcinea role in Man Of La Mancha. I hope you will have that opportunity one day. I wish you the future success you have earned. Best wishes from your new fan." - Don Robins "Congratulations to the incredibly talented cast of Jacques Brel. Have loved this show forever and have never seen it performed better. Such excellent voices to tell his stories. Incredible. Janine Mercandetti, "Marieke" was written for you..it is your song...you need to record it. Most heartbreaking and powerful performance we have seen in a long time." - Linda & John Murphy "Highest compliments to you for your performance in "Jacques Brel...". I was especially impressed with your rendition of "Merieke" and how you went directly from that to the next vingette where you were the major voice. What stamina! Brave of you to tackle singing in Flemish!!" - Joan VanNess "We attended the 01/16 2 p.m. performance of Jacques Brel and want to tell you it was outstanding!! We began going to Jacques Brel performances back in the 60's and have seen about 9 performances through the years, including NYC. Today was by far the best we have seen.The voices were remarkable and the way each song was presented captured our entire beings. Tears spewed forth on one or two occasions. Thank you and heartfelt applause to all the members of the cast. We'll never forget today." - Ed & Mary Ann Erickson "I saw you Off-Broadway in Edges and you were just incredible. Even 2 years later, I still speak of your performance. Your voice blew me away and your comic timing was impeccable. I see a lot of theatre in NYC and you stood out as a rare talent. My wife and I thank you for a great night at the theatre!" - Dave McPhell "I attended Edges: The Musical last night thought it was great! You have such a great voice and I loved listening to you sing. Good luck in the future!" - James Cataldo "Debbie Does Dallas was HILARIOUS! Your song and performance stole the show. Great job!" - Julie Calder "I saw you in Shipwrecked a few weeks ago and wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed the show. It was beautiful. I don't know how you were able to play so many different characters and change in and out of them so quickly. I think you and the rest of the cast are very very talented. It was a fantastic show! I look forward to seeing you onstage again." - Diane Timett PERFORMERS
“It is Janine’s honesty that gives her such talent. She inhabits her characters by being an advocate for them. By telling their story with truth. Gifted as a listening and selfless scene partner, it was my great joy to work with her at DePaul University. Janine also possesses an unsurpassed work ethic, a powerful presence, and a honed connection to the present moment.”
- Matt Lowe "Working with Janine is a true pleasure. From her powerhouse of a voice to her imaginative characterizations, she is absurdly talented and generous. Her dedication and perseverance are exemplary. Looking forward to working with her again." - Nick Rogers "Janine Mercandetti is a burgeoning vessel of explosive talent! She is a compelling actress, a vividly dynamic vocalist, and an all-around beautiful person. This site does an exceptional job of capturing Janine's many skills, but nothing truly compares to witnessing her brilliance first-hand. I am deeply honored to be able to count Janine among my closest friends. Janine Mercandetti is a colossal force to be reckoned with, and I am eager to watch her continue to grow, thrive, and succeed. You rock Janine!" - Ted Limpert "Janine is like a chameleon in that whatever role she plays, no matter how diverse from other roles, she will come across as natural, believable, and totally immersed in that character. Despite her impressive capabilities, she will sometimes seek out and soak up suggestions as to how she can improve her interpretation of her character, always striving to elevate her performance. Janine's voice floats like a bird. She can handle all ranges and has had various and sundry songs to sing, and has enchanted her audiences each time. Janine never fails to delight! Her choreography is above par. She has very willingly helped teach others dance routines in various shows. Also, during Zorba rehearsals, she was very instrumental in helping to choreograph and stage very difficult and complicated fight scenes. As a performer, Janine is a team player, meshing with her cast, and always willing to help out anyone who might need a little assistance or might be struggling a bit. She gives of herself freely wherever needed." - Joyce Szatkowski "I have known Janine for over 10 years and have had the pleasure of performing with her in various productions and watching her perform in other shows. I have seen Janine grow and mature as a performer as she continuously works to take her talent and gifts to the next level. She is hard working , dedicated, and extremely professional in her approach to her work and has a great sense of humor!! I'm also proud to call Janine my friend. She would be an asset to any theater that takes advantage of her talent!" - Ken Harrington "Janine is a treat to work with. Not only is she a consummate professional, but she is fun, is always ready to work, and has a mind like a steel trap. She is never late and always knows her stuff." - Sarah Peters CREATIVE | BEHIND THE SCENES
"Janine is an incredibly versatile actress with an outstanding vocal range. She's dedicated and works hard at delivering what you want from her in any particular scene or part, and is a pleasure to work with."
- Jay Falzone, director "Janine is a self-motivated, well-prepared, enormously capable and reliably consistent performer with a collaborative spirit - a director's dream! She is an exceptional vocalist and actress - a precise technician whose artistry is entirely realized in her highly inventive and engaging characterizations. This is also true of her choreography - which is imaginative, clever and visually appealing. Janine is a genuine pleasure to work with - and a truly remarkable performer." - Mark Alan DeWaters, musical director "Janine is focused, serious and creative as both an actress & director, but also has the spirit of play. She collaborates with cast members & technicians, & brought her fight choreographer skills to our aid in “Zorba” – for her own death scene! To paraphrase an old chestnut – she knows there is no “I” in “ensemble.” As a stage mgr, I am thrilled to have her in the company of any production, & I know my crew would not be tempted to drop a Leko on her!!!" - Carrie Grinstead, stage manager 
" Janine is the ultimate performer and funnest person in the dresing room! It's always an amazing and laugh filled experience working with her!"
- Lana Momano, costume designer "It is an absolute pleasure to work with Janine. The songs she sings bring the house down. I am also impressed with how well she prepares for each entrance, and is always "spot-on" with her performance. I look forward to seeing her move into even bigger things!" - Ray Gust, designer "It was my pleasure having met Janine for the first time while working with Blackfriars Theatre production of Zorba. I worked backstage crew during the run. Janine was the consummate professional with all her fellow actors and technicians. Janine exhibited the kind of behavior any director, cast member, choreographer, and crew member could dream of. Janine always arrived early to prepare herself for her performance. She made sure all of her props and costumes were where they were supposed to be. Janine walked the stage prior to each show to be sure she had the timing of entrance and exit issues clear in her head. Janine had multiple costume changes that required critical time exchanges; she and I worked very closely to make sure things went smoothly. She was easy to work with and assist and was always back out on stage with time to spare. I cannot say enough about how Janine conducted herself. She is a team player, committed to her profession, and always striving to be better. Her talents far exceed... a beautiful voice, exquisite acting, and believable character(s). She happens to be a beautiful person from the inside out. Janine has it all." - Marie Long, stage crew |