Makeup artist and actress Jenine Galante proudly gets in touch with her inner Gaga
MARK STOKES | Illustrator
mark@markdrawsfunny.com
Name: Jenine Galante
Occupation: Lady Gaga impersonator, dancer, singer, actress and makeup artist
Spotted in: Junius Heights
A transplant from Fairlawn, N.J., Jenine grew up in Arlington, where she started dancing at age 6 at the Creative Arts Theatre & School (CATS). Jenine received an associates degree in musical theater from the Performing Arts Musical Theatre Conservatory, then continued her studies in New York. She is part of the never-ending national tour of Tony N’ Tina’s Wedding, but works mainly as a special effects makeup and hair/wig designer.
How Gaga came to be: “Well, it was this one night at karaoke. My best friend’s husband asked if I would get up and sing ‘Paparazzi,’ so I did. As I walked off the stage, my friends had this look in their eyes and they kept saying that that was my calling — to be a Lady Gaga impersonator. I had already been told several times that I sort of look like her, and though I didn’t see it at first, it just all made sense. So I went for it… and now here we are.”
In her spare time, Jenine plays with make-up and wigs, and tends her succulent garden.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition June 20, 2014.