100 Women We Love: Injoy Fountain

“I wanted to be a ballerina, but I was also a huge tomboy,” says 23-year-old Injoy Fountain, about discovering her passion for performing and musical theater in her hometown of Wichita, Kansas. “I’d play sports with the boys, then go put on my tights and tap shoes for dance class.” Before she’d even graduated from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in NYC, Fountain landed her first professional role in a pre-Broadway run of the musical Fat Camp and earned critical acclaim for her vivacious vocals. After playing major roles in various productions, ranging from Alma Hicks in The Music Man to the Sour Kangaroo in Suessical the Musical, she’s breaking into the music industry—you’ll find her singing at gigs all over New York with Jaime Cepero’s (of NBC’s hit show Smash) Band, and with Condola Rashad’s actual band, Condola and the Stoop Kids. “I’m so blessed to be where I am, and especially to have the support of my LGBT community,” says Fountain. “I hope to become a role model for girls all over the world. It’s okay to love yourself and be true to who you are.” –QW