WATCH NOW! Zooming in on the Tony Nominees: Lindsay Mendez

The Tony Awards are like Christmas in June for theatre lovers, and that makes this year's nominees the reason for the season. 2017-18 was a year or variety, as audiences cheered on Mean Girls, tall women, and fair ladies alike. Our travel destinations ranged from Bet Hatikva to Bikini Bottom; Arendelle to the Antilles. We've contemplated redemption with Billy, pondered pipe dreams with Hickey, and reexamined the past with Harry- all from the the comfort of a seat on the aisle.

This year's Tony nominees transported us with the magic of theatre, and we're saluting their work by taking a closer look at their extraordinary accomplishments. Today we're studying up on Lindsay Mendez!

Quick Facts About Lindsay:

Her Nomination: Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical

Up Against: Ariana DeBose (Summer: The Donna Summer Musical), Renée Fleming (Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel), Ashley Park (Mean Girls), Diana Rigg (My Fair Lady)

Did You Know?: Lindsay made her Broadway debut in the 2007 revival of Grease as Jan.

Photos by Walter McBride

Lindsay on her first Broadway show: "It was Showboat at the Gershwin. I was 11 years old and I just I sat there and thought, 'I have to do this. This has to be me.' And here I am!"