Rachel Bay Jones is an American actress and singer. She has played the roles of Catherine in the 2013 Broadway revival of Pippin and Evan Hansen's mother, Heidi Hansen, in Dear Evan Hansen. The latter earned her an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, and the 2017 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. She emerged as one of few artists to have received three of the four major American entertainment awards.
Rachel Bay Jones | |
|---|---|
 Jones in 2013 | |
| Born | November 8, 1969 New York City, U.S. |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Partner | Benim Foster |
| Children | 1 |
Early life
editJones was born on November 8, 1969 in New York City and grew up in Boca Raton, Florida. Her mother is Jewish.[1] Her parents were both Shakespearean actors. She dropped out of high school to perform in a local play, then moved to New York City to pursue acting at 19.[2]
Career
editJones's first Broadway role was as an understudy for the lead role of Esther in Meet Me in St. Louis in 1989.[2][3]
In the early 1990s, she was in the touring company of Grand Hotel, as well as other national and international tours, performing Rent in German and Evita in Spanish.[2] She performed in the 2009 Broadway revival of Hair as the replacement for Mother, Buddahdalirama, and Member Of The Tribe.[4] She was one of the original cast members starring in the revival of Pippin,[2] playing Catherine, Pippin's lover, during the entire run.[5][6]
Jones portrayed Evan's mother Heidi in the musical Dear Evan Hansen, which premiered at the Arena Stage in Washington, D.C. in July 2015.[7] She reprised the role in the Off-Broadway production at the Second Stage Theatre in May 2016,[8] and then on Broadway starting in November 2016.[9] At the 71st Tony Awards, she won for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Heidi Hansen.[10]
After leaving Dear Evan Hansen on August 5, 2018, Jones performed at several small venues in Something Beautiful, a one-woman cabaret show that draws music from her expansive career and bringing meaning from her life into the lyrics.[11][12]
In 2018, Jones appeared in the CBS television drama series God Friended Me, playing the role of Susan.[13][14] She has also had guest roles on Modern Family and Grey's Anatomy.
She appeared in the concert of Sweet Charity at the Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Music Center on June 17, 2019, presented by the Transport Group.[15]
From January 29 to February 3, 2020 she starred as Diana in Next to Normal at the Kennedy Center Broadway Center Stage series.[16][17]
In 2021, Jones joined the cast of The Good Doctor as Salen Morrison.[18] This reunited her with former Dear Evan Hansen co-star Noah Galvin (who played the title role, the son of Jones's character, Heidi).
In 2022, she joined the television cast of Young Sheldon creating the role of Audrey McAllister, the mother-in-law of adult Georgie Cooper. She continued role in the Young Sheldon spin-off Georgie and Mandy's First Marriage.
Jones originated the role of Marianne in Stephen Sondheim's Here We Are in 2023.[19]
Personal life
editShe has a daughter, Miranda, and is partner to actor Benim Foster.[12] Jones has one sibling, her brother Darren.[2]
Acting credits
editFilm
edit| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Ben Is Back | Beth | |
| 2020 | Critical Thinking | Principal Kestel | |
| 2024 | Bob Trevino Likes It | Jeanie |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Louie | Barbara | Episode: "Untitled" |
| 2016 | The Family | Sally | Episode: "Election Day" |
| 2018 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Teresa | Episode: "In Loco Parentis" |
| 2018 | God Friended Me | Susan | 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Modern Family | Farrah Marshall | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Grey's Anatomy | Carly | Episode: "Breathe Again" |
| 2021 | Panic | Sherri Nill | 6 episodes |
| 2021 | Why Women Kill | Maisie Moran | 3 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | United States of Al | Lois | Recurring role |
| 2021–2022 | The Good Doctor | Salen Morrison | 10 episodes |
| 2022–2024 | Young Sheldon | Audrey McAllister | Recurring role[20] |
| 2024 | Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage | Main cast |
Theatre
editSource: Internet Broadway Database[21]
| Year | Production | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Meet Me in St. Louis | Ensemble | The Gershwin Theatre |
| 1990 | Grand Hotel | Hildegarde Bratts / Trude | National tour |
| 2000 | Fiddler on the Roof | Hodel | National tour |
| 2009–2010 | Hair | Mother / Buddahdirama / Ensemble | Al Hirschfeld Theatre |
| 2010 | Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown | Swing | Belasco Theatre |
| 2011 | A Christmas Story: The Musical[22] | Mother | US National tour |
| 2011 | Hello Again[23] | The Actress | Off-Broadway, Transport Group |
| 2011 | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | Kansas City Starlight Theatre |
| 2012 | Pippin | Catherine | American Repertory Theatre |
| 2013–2015 | Music Box Theatre | ||
| 2015 | First Daughter Suite[24] | Rosalynn Carter / Laura Bush | Off-Broadway, The Public Theatre |
| 2015 | Dear Evan Hansen | Heidi Hansen | Arena Stage |
| 2016 | Second Stage | ||
| 2016–2018 | Music Box Theatre | ||
| 2020 | Next to Normal[25] | Diana Goodman | Kennedy Centre |
| 2023–2024 | Here We Are | Marianne Brink | Off-Broadway, The Shed |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Awards | Category | Work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical[26] | Dear Evan Hansen | Nominated |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Featured Actress in a Musical[27] | Won | |
| Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance[28] | Nominated | ||
| Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical[29] | Won | ||
| 2018 | Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | Won | |
| Emmy Awards – Daytime (Daytime Creative Arts Emmys) | Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program[30] | Won |
References
edit- ^ "A Jewish Guide to the Tonys - Atlanta Jewish Times".
- ^ a b c d e "Tony Awards: Rachel Bay Jones' 'Dear Evan Hansen' Nomination Caps Three-Decade Quest". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
- ^ Meet Me in St. Louis playbill (vault), accessed March 29, 2019
- ^ Hair playbill (vault), accessed March 29, 2019
- ^ Champion, Lindsay. "Rachel Bay Jones on Being Scared of Clowns, Her 'Terrifying' Evita Story & Joining the Pippin Circus" broadway.com, June 13, 2013
- ^ Blank, Matthew. "CUE & A: Pippin Star Rachel Bay Jones" playbill, April 9, 2013
- ^ Gioia, Michael (July 30, 2015). "Pasek and Paul's Dear Evan Hansen, About the High School Struggle to Fit In, Premieres in D.C." Playbill. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
- ^ "Tickets Go on Sale Today for Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen – Playbill". Playbill. June 19, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ "Dear Evan Hansen Opens on Broadway December 4 – Playbill". Playbill. December 4, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ Sullivan, Lindsey (June 11, 2017). "Good for You! Dear Evan Hansen's Rachel Bay Jones Wins Her First Tony Award". Broadway.com. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ "Rachel Bay Jones: Something Beautiful" theatermania.com, accessed March 29, 2019
- ^ a b "Rachel Bay Jones Brings 'Something Beautiful' to Feinsteins at the Nikko" broadwayworld.com, July 19, 2018
- ^ Fierberg, Ruthie. " Dear Evan Hansen's Rachel Bay Jones Lands CBS Comedy Pilot" Playbill, March 26, 2018
- ^ "Listings 'God Friended Me', Air Date March 31, 2019" thefutoncritic.com, retrieved May 17, 2019
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Rachel Bay Jones, Santino Fontana, More Set for 'Sweet Charity in Concert'" Playbill, May 17, 2019
- ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Rachel Bay Jones to Star in 'Next to Normal' at Washington, D.C.’s Kennedy Center; New Season Also Includes 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Tour Premiere" playbill, March 28, 2019
- ^ "Broadway Center Stage: Next to Normal". Retrieved April 23, 2020.
- ^ "The Good Doctor's 'Internal Nemesis' Revealed in Game-Changing Season 5 Premiere — Grade the Episode!". www.yahoo.com. September 28, 2021. Retrieved October 8, 2021.
- ^ "Here We Are".
- ^ Campione, Katie (October 26, 2022). "'Young Sheldon': Rachel Bay Jones & Will Sasso Join CBS Comedy As Recurring". MSN. Deadline. Retrieved October 28, 2022.
- ^ "Rachel Bay Jones Broadway and Touring" ibdb.com, accessed August 25, 2020
- ^ Blank, Matthew. "PHOTO CALL: 'A Christmas Story, The Musical!' on Tour" playbill, November 11, 2011
- ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Alan Campbell, Max von Essen, Elizabeth Stanley Among Interlocking Lovers in NYC Hello Again" Playbill, January 11, 2011
- ^ First Daughter Suite iobdb.com, accessed August 25, 2020
- ^ Gans, Andrew (February 28, 2020). "Watch Rachel Bay Jones, Brandon Victor Dixon, More in Scenes From Kennedy Center's Next to Normal". Playbill. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- ^ Fierberg, Ruthie (June 5, 2016). "Drama Desk Awards Name Shuffle Along Best Musical". Playbill. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "The Complete List of 2017 Tony Winners: 'Dear Evan Hansen' and 'Hello, Dolly!' Lead the Pack" playbill, June 11, 2017
- ^ "Ben Platt, Sutton Foster, and Josh Groban Among 2017 Drama League Award Nominees – Playbill". Playbill. April 19, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ BWW News Desk. "OSLO Big Winner at the 2017 Lucille Lortel Awards, Full List!". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
- ^ McPhee, Ryan. "Ben Platt and Dear Evan Hansen Co-Stars Win Daytime Creative Arts Emmy Award" Playbill, April 28, 2018
