Juliana Lustenader
Bay Area Actress and Singer-Songwriter
Reviews
Merrily We Roll Along at 42nd Street Moon
"As Beth, Juliana Lustenader bookends the later-in-the-musical but earlier-in-her-life (1960) Not a Day Goes By with a moving, powerful solo in a 1967 scene where she realizes she has lost but will continue to love her philandering husband. - TheatreEddys
"Lustenader, a pellucid vocalist who brought similar stirring emotion to recent local productions of "Violet" and Sondheim's "Passion," perfectly shifts tone across her two renditions of Not a Day Goes By, one imbued with embitterment, the other brimming with optimism. – Jim Gladstone, Bay Area Reporter
Into the Woods at Broadway by the Bay
"Equally affecting and vocally sound is Juliana Lustenader as the Baker’s wife. Lustenader’s solid acting helps keep the storyline moving, and she’s perfectly delightful when she has a brief romantic encounter in the woods with handsome, arrogant Prince Charming (a poker-faced, steady John Melis)." - Joanne Engelhardt, Mercury News
"Sam Faustine and Juliana Lustenader played the perfect couple that does not always fight like that... Thanks to Lustenader's performance (and diction) in "Moments in the Woods," I found myself truly enjoying and reflecting on one of the songs that was formerly one of my least favorite in the show. " - The Happy Talent
Passion at Custom Made Theatre
"(Georgio's) thoughts turn to letters between him and his far-off Clara (a lyrically voiced, sensuously tempting Juliana Lustenader).... Director, cast, and production team have triumphed in staging a musically enrapturing, visually compelling, and dramatically captivating Passion that is a summer-must for all theatregoers, but especially for the hoards of San Francisco’s Sondheim fanatics." - TheatreEddys
"Lustenader has a gentle soprano that aligns nicely with Sondheim's melodies, and plays Clara with a subtle superiority that feels in tune with an attractive woman who knows she can usually get what she wants simply by the virtue of her beauty."
- Patrick Thomas, Talkin' Broadway
"John Melis is perfect for the role of Georgio. He is equally matched by local favorite soprano Juliana Lustenader who brings radiance to the stage on her entrances using her gorgeous voice to match Melis." - Kedar Adour, ForAllEvents CustomMade.org
Violet at Bay Area Musicals
"Juliana Lustenader stars as Violet, with a lovely voice that captures the expectations, hopes and drive of a woman on a life-changing mission." - Steve Murray, For All Events
"Her vocal prowess is clear from the inaugural scene and maintained throughout the numerous musical numbers that follow... Lustenader always has the audience in her back pocket.” - Grace Orriss, TheDailyCalifornian.org
"Played by a revelatory Juliana Lustenader — imagine young Laura Linney, with luscious pipes — Violet dodges sticky-sweetness with more than a pinch of salt in her character." - Jim Gladstone, Bay Area Reporter
"Lustenader shows immense abilities to deliver in every bend of the journey’s road the country, bluegrass, honky-tonk rock, and blues melodies of Jeanine Tesori with striking clarity of purpose and tone. She also gives us a Violet that we never question her internal strength, her natural likeability, her sure-fired wit, or her deep-held hurt from an outward wound she dares not look in a mirror to see." - Eddie Reynolds, TheatreEddys BAMsf.org
Where the Boys Are at Faultline Theatre
"(Playwright) Vanessa Flores and the Faultline crew have a ball with this chaotic, colorful comedy of surprises. These women don’t mind taking on every male role imaginable and doing it with glee and abandon." - Barry David Horwitz, Theatrius
"Juliana Lustenader and her sisters sing some lovely old blues and pop ballads. They take over the air waves for women.
Their talent shines brightly in the absence of the Other." - Barry David Horwitz, Theatrius
"Colón and Lustenader execute their setups perfectly, and Ortega drives the humor home.” SomewhereSF
Tinderella at Custom Made Theatre with Faultline Theatre
“Meg scores Juliana Lustenader’s best number of the night in “Any Minute” as she waits for the morning-after IM from Marcus." - Eddie Reynolds, Theatre Eddys
“Director Ken Savage is blessed with a talented ensemble. Tinderella is Meg (Juliana Lustenader), an awkward, naïve waitress with big dreams of falling in love, but no clue how.” – Steve Murray, For All Events
“Tinderella has two standout performers … Lustenader stays in character and sings beautifully, while Thomas has a big, gospely voice." SF Theatre Blog
The House of Yes at Custom Made Theatre
"Juliana Lustenader is a Lesly who is not-too-smart but soon smart-enough and who brings a sunny, optimistic innocence just asking to be chewed up and spit out for fun by this family engrossed in its insularity." - Eddie Reynolds, Theatre Eddys
"Juliana Lustenader hits the right notes as the non-sophisticated Lesly." - Kedar Adour, For All Events
"All of the company are skilled at comic timing... Juliana Lustenader is very good as she gradually discovers that her future in-laws have more in common with the Munsters than the Rockefellers." - Charles Kruger, TheatreStorm
Avenue Q at New Conservatory Theatre
"...The show, a kind of “Sesame Street” for adults, has become an unlikely holiday tradition for the 35-year-old LGBTQ theater company..." - Lily Janiak, SFGate
“Particular kudos goes to Juliana Lustenader and Brendon North as they become two hilarious Bad Idea Bears (in contrast to their Care Bear relations). They fly in with high, squeaky voices and temptations galore to convince Princeton, Kate, and others to do all the things they know they should not do” - Theatre Eddy's
Chess at Custom Made Theatre
"Showing up as a talk-show star among the chess stars is a wide-smiling, appropriately obnoxious TV hostess played by Juliana Lustenader. Her bright soprano shoots forth her sung questions and commentary with a force that stays true to pitch in its powerful punch." -TheatreEddys
"The rest of the cast includes ... Juliana Lustenader who (is) melodiously stimulating." - Richard Connema, Talkin' Broadway
Hello Dolly, In Concert at Feinstein's at the Nikko
"Joseph Wicht got together some very talented local singer/actors to sing the Jerry Herman score ... Juliana Lustenader with her effervescent vocal chops joined in as well, including one number not in the show: "Sunflower," which caused a plagiarism lawsuit against composer Jerry Herman and producer David Merrick." - Richard Connema, Talkin' Broadway
On A Clear Day You Can See Forever at New Conservatory Theatre
"Everything about this production comes together joyfully and seamlessly... Special applause for the wonderful ensemble cast, with even minor characters having complex personalities and circumstances." - Christine Okon, TheatreStorm
"The songs/score from the original show are winningly sung, staged and danced (choreography by Jayne Zaban) by the energetic cast... Recommend as a “should see” show." - Kedar Adour, ForAllEvents
"The talented ensemble keeps the show moving with some wonderful company numbers including 'Opening Your Eye’s Mark' and the classic closing number 'On a Clear Day You Can See Forever'." - Vince Mediaa, VMedia NCTC.org
To Kill a Mockingbird at Hillbarn Theatre
"Things open promisingly with clear-voiced Juliana Lustenader, accompanying herself on acoustic guitar to some era-setting songs while the audience settles in.... (She) provides emotional anchor points as a warm and wise Maudie Atkinson."
- Robert Sokol, The Examiner
"Juliana Lustenader delivers a lovely version of "Alabama Bound" while accompanying herself on guitar."
- Joanne Engelhardt, The Daily News
The Taming of the Shrew at Curtain Theatre
"The parts are awfully well cast. Juliana Lustenader is a slyly manipulative but sweet-seeming Bianca, Kate’s younger sister, whom pretty much everyone else in the play wants to marry." - Sam Hurwitt, Marin Independent Journal
"The marvelous ensemble is too large to give proper credit to all, but notable standouts include a brilliant Heather Cherry as Petruchio’s frazzled servant Grumio, Tom Reilly as Kate’s gracefully befuddled father, [and] Juliana Lustenader as Kate’s shallow-but-winsome sister Bianca." - David Templeton, Pacific Sun
Grey Gardens at Custom Made Theatre
"First act's little Edie comes to life from Juliana Lustenader, who is a beautiful young woman with a voice to match. She is quite believable as a debutante with an edge." - Kevin M. Thomas, The Examiner
“The refreshing Juliana Lustenader… shows off a gorgeous soprano voice.” - Robert Sokol, The SF Examiner
"Juliana Lustenader gives a standout performance... She has pitch perfect vocal cords." - Richard Connema, Talking Broadway
“Orth and Lustenader are marvelous singers and convincing actors with large clear voices and magnetic presence.”
- Mark Rudio, A Beast in a Jungle CustomMade.org
Yeast Nation at Ray of Light Theatre
"Add to the mix the heir's scheming and power-hungry but cute-as-a-button little sister Jan-the-Sly (Teresa Attridge, with a squeaky voice and gusto to spare); the always hungry and easily manipulated Jan-the-Famished (innocently pliable Juliana Lustenader); and a couple of wild card newspawns (near feral Mary Kalita and goofily boyish David Glazer) and you have a recipe for all kinds of havoc." - Sam Hurwitt, The Idiolect
Millicent Scowlworthy at 99 Stock Productions
"Juliana Lustenader is haunting as the title character, shellshocked and all dolled up in a party dress, whose response to any attempt at small talk is to blurt out horrifically inappropriate details of the atrocities to which she was subjected."
- Sam Hurwitt, KQED Arts
The Crucible at Custom Made Theatre
"The capable cast offers many fine performances, with especially good work by Peter Townley as John Proctor and Juliana Lustenader as Abigail Williams." - Charles Kruger, Theatre Storm
"Taughtly directed by Stuart Bousel... this is a production worthy of any serious theatregoer's attention." - George Heymont, Huffington Post
Red Virgin at Central Works
"With Juliana Lustenader as Louise's student, Clemence Enjolras... a sextet of actors did a miraculous job of staging a civil war within the confines of a glorified living room under the skilled direction of John Patrick Moore." - George Heymont, Huffington Post
"Moore has done an amazing job with his ensemble of six actors, convincing us to suspend our disbelief and imagine we are watching thousands in the midst of a massive uprising. The fervor is almost irresistible... and the cast of singing actors are all in superb voice." - Charles Krueger, Theatre Storm
Spring Awakening at Foothill Music Theatre
"Lustenader’s first song, “Mama Who Bore Me”, is lovely. Her sweet voice is clear, and she embodies the right emotion of the confused adolescent she’s playing." - Ande Jacobson, AGoodReedReview.com
"Juliana Lustenader as Wendla is also outstanding. She not only has a beautiful clear voice, but she played innocent, confused Wendla to perfection. Her final, terrified scream made it very clear to the audience exactly where she was going and exactly what was going to happen to her. I still get chills at the memory of that scream." - Cynthia Corral, SanJose.MetBlogs.com
FoothillMusicTheatre.edu
Othello at San Francisco State University
"Lustenader's Desdemona exudes sweetness, goodness, and, in one particularly felicitous choice, the strength that comes from righteous anger." - Lily Janiak, LilyJanak.Blogspot.com
God's Plot at Shotgun Players
"Lustenader snaps up the role of Tryal with gusto; embodying women then, now, and forevermore as an intelligent, sensual, courageous creature. Jackson squeezes out every drop of her spectacular talent..." - Lou Fancher, Berkeley Side
"Juliana Lustenader displays great energy and precocious intelligence as Tryal." - Sam Hurwitt, The Idiolect
"Juliana Lustenader's seductive warblings and driven banjo (Josh Pollack) and bass (Travis Kindred) energize the action (musical direction by Beth Wilmurt)." - Robert Hurwitt, San Francisco Chronicle