PRESS /
See a feature on Kristen from The San Diego Union Tribune:
Perfect Wedding
"...it’s Mengelkoch as the housemaid who is simply brilliant in her comic delivery — like a Lucille Ball cocktail filled with truth serum."
Marcia Morphy, Democrat and Chronicle
"The real star of the show, however, is Kristen Mengelkoch as the kooky chambermaid Julie. Mengelkoch is consistently hilarious throughout the show, perfectly suited for the over-the-top nature of farce. From her bizarre play-acting bits to her de facto role as the appalled moral center of the show, she excels at everything given to her."
Eric Rezsnyak, Rochester City Newspaper
Five Course Love- North Coast Repertory Theatre
"Any show featuring Kristen Mengelkoch already has something going for it...
Here, she’s in her ebullient comic element, zipping irresistibly through characters from a saucy cowgirl to a doubt-plagued dominatrix to a very in-demand senorita."
James Hebert, The San Diego Union Tribune
"North Coast Rep vet Kristen Mengelkoch makes a welcome return as the show's sole female star. The doe-eyed comic belter is terrific in every role, but steals the show as Gretchen, the German dominatrix, in the show-stopping solo 'No Is a Word I Don't Fear.'"
Pam Kragen, North County Times
"Mengelkoch is astonishing in her roles...her accents, her songs – from operatic to silly – and each character in between are all exceptional."
Diana Saenger, La Jolla Light
"Mengelkoch is a delightful and dynamic performer who throws herself completely into each of her various roles."
Donnie Matsuda, Arts N Fashion Magazine
Five Course Love- Geva Theatre Center
"Mengelkoch has a huge Broadway voice and is game for everything the show throws at her...She appears to be having an almost criminal amount of fun...and in response, so does the audience."
Eric Rezsnyak, Rochester City Newspaper
"No one gives Tony Awards for erotic role playing. But Kristen Mengelkoch surely deserves one for her side-splitting turn as a German woman with a whip and pointy breastplates. Mengelkoch could have played it strictly for laughs, but she gave this lust-weary Fräulein real depth."
Stuart Low, Democrat and Chronicle
I Love You Because
"The capable and likable cast is topped by Mengelkoch, who’s especially adept with musical comedy roles."
Don Braunagel, San Diego Magazine
"Mengelkoch, much missed since she moved to New York, is a power-voiced comedienne..."
Pat Launer, San Diego News Network
"She was a comic mainstay of several local stages before moving to New York a few years ago and she's lost none of her big-eyed, high-spirited radiance and crack timing."
Anne Marie Welsh, North County Times
"As Diana, vivacious, charismatic Kristen Mengelkoch is...a splendid comedienne..."
Steven Stanley, StageSceneLA
"As love interest Diana, Kristen Mengelkoch is particularly interesting; she’s terribly funny..."
Martin Jones Westlin, San Diego City Beat
“The Actuary Song” [is] one of the best moments for Mengelkoch, a gifted comic actress and singer."
James Hebert, The San Diego Union Tribune
Meshuggah-Nuns
"The Mugging Award of the century goes to the squeaky voiced Kristen Mengelkoch, one of the best Sister Amnesias this critic has experienced. Her constantly mobile face and body are always at warp speed and never less than inventively hilarious."
Lee Davis, The Southampton Press
Forbidden Broadway- Gateway Playhouse
"If you like Sarah Brightman, I challenge you to not laugh your head off at Mengelkoch's portrayal."
Roy Bradbrook, Dan's Papers
"The show consists of more than two dozen musical numbers from Broadway shows, interpreted by four sparkling performers."
Anita Gates, The New York Times
Forbidden Broadway- West Palm Beach
"The image of Kristen Mengelkoch as Patti LuPone, bleating on a tuba with tiny cymbals strapped to her inner thighs is justification for the entire evening.”
Hap Erstein, Palm Beach Post
Forbidden Broadway- San Diego
"…I made a second visit to Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit, to catch mega-talented Kristen Mengelkoch...And she’s fantastic – funny, versatile and vocally mind-boggling."
(And then upon her third visit:)
"...she’s now doing all the big, belt-‘em numbers, from Annie to Ethel Merman, Sarah Brightman, at which she is absolutely hilarious, to Carol Channing (a hoot) and that good/bad, green witchy woman, Idina Menzel. She really has become a musical mega-talent, and soon, our loss will be New York’s (maybe even Broadway’s) gain. But meanwhile, she’s here and she’s uproarious, so don’t miss her."
Pat Launer, KPBS
The Most Happy Fella
"...stealing the show out from under them are
secondary leads Kristen Mengelkoch and Eric Vest
as the flirtatious young Texans Cleo and Herman...
Mengelkoch is a bold, buoyant star in the making
with a big voice and an even bigger stage
presence."
Pam Kragen, North County Times
Pam Kragen, North County Times
"As Cleo, Rosabella's pal from the diner, Kristen
Mengelkoch steals about every scene she's in,
popping her eyes and flaunting a Texas twang."
James Hebert, The San Diego Union Tribune
James Hebert, The San Diego Union Tribune
"By all reports, Kristen Mengelkoch nearly steals
the show in the gritty, high-spirited comic role
of Cleo"
Pat Launer, KPBS
Pat Launer, KPBS
The Nerd
"Mengelkoch has real radiance, a keen comedic sense, and shows commitment to animating [The Nerd]..."
Anne Marie Welsh, The San Diego Union Tribune
"Mengelkoch has real radiance, a keen comedic sense, and shows commitment to animating [The Nerd]..."
Anne Marie Welsh, The San Diego Union Tribune
Tomfoolery
"But all the vocal heavy-lifting is done by the multi-talented David S. Humphrey and the knockout Kristen Mengelkoch (she of the putty face, sultry moves and killer voice). They’re terrific together and exceedingly entertaining alone...Tom Lehrer’s satirical songs are timeless…Kristen Mengelkoch makes them sing!... and versatile, irresistible performer Kristen Mengelkoch is definitely someone to watch!"
Pat Launer, KPBS
"She is nimble, pert, perky, personable and powerful of voice."
Charlene Baldridge, North County Times
Uncommon Women and Others
"Kristen Mengelkoch was wonderful as Holly (the Wendy character), with her slight dishevelment, quick wit and outstanding comic timing. But she nailed the undertone of melancholy, too."
Pat Launer, KPBS
Pat Launer, KPBS
Pete 'n' Keely
"As [Keely], as willing to kill [Pete] as kiss him, is Kristen Mengelkoch, an alum of the SDSU musical theater MFA program, fast becoming one of our local musical comedy treasures. She also displays a huge vocal range and versatility, from an alto growl to a stratospheric soprano. She’s definitely got the comic chops..."
Pat Launer, KPBS
"Kristen Mengelkoch [as Annie] sings "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" with the ennui of a "child" actor fretting about her hair turning gray. Later, Mengelkoch wows us with dead-on impressions of Sarah Brightman (nasty) and Liza Minnelli (deserved)."
Steve Parks, Newsday
"[Forbidden Broadway] is blessed with a cast of four that are, every one of them, dynamic comic geniuses with glorious singing voices…[they are] uniformly sublime, milking every situation for every drop of its satirical possibilities, mugging, dancing, and indulging in body bruising physical comedy in huge quantities…Of the old favorites, Kristen Mengelkoch’s sendup of an aging “Annie” and a mannered Sarah Brightman are side splitters…and Ms. Mengelkoch’s sendup of [Patti LuPone], down to the trademark twisting of the lips, is treasurable."
Lee Davis, The Southampton Press
"She is nimble, pert, perky, personable and powerful of voice."
Charlene Baldridge, North County Times
