Rachel Bay Jones

Rachel Bay Jones (born November 8, 1969) 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 the 2017 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Rachel Bay Jones
Born (1969-11-08) November 8, 1969
New York City, U.S.
Occupation
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active1989–present
Home townBoca Raton, Florida, U.S.
Partner(s)Benim Foster
Children1

Early life

Jones was born in New York City and grew up in Boca Raton, Florida. 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.[1]

Career

Jones's first Broadway role was as an understudy for the lead role of Esther in Meet Me in St. Louis in 1989.[1] [2] Rachel Bay Jones stage door pippin.jpg 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.[1] She performed in the 2009 Broadway revival of Hair as the replacement for Mother, Buddahdalirama, and Member Of The Tribe.[3] She was one of the original cast members starring in the revival of Pippin,[1] playing Catherine, Pippin's lover, during the entire run.[4][5]

Jones and fellow Dear Evan Hansen cast member Ben Platt with their Tony Awards

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.[6] She reprised the role in the Off-Broadway production at the Second Stage Theatre in May 2016,[7] and then on Broadway starting in November 2016.[8] At the 71st Tony Awards, she won for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her portrayal of Heidi Hansen.[9]

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.[10][11]

She appears in the television comedy God Friended Me which premiered in 2018. She plays the role of Susan.[12][13] 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.[14]

From January 29th to February 3rd, 2020 she starred as Diana in Next to Normal at the Kennedy Center Broadway Center Stage series.[15] [16]

Personal life

She has a daughter, Miranda, and is partner to actor Benim Foster.[11] Jones has one sibling, her brother Darren.[1]

Theatre credits
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 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[17] Mother US National tour
2011 Hello Again The Actress Transport Group
2012 Pippin Catherine American Repertory Theatre
2013 Music Box Theatre
2015 First Daughter Suite Rosalynn Carter / Laura Bush The Public Theatre
2015 Dear Evan Hansen Heidi Hansen Arena Stage
2016–2018 Second Stage
Music Box Theatre

Film credits
Year Film Role Notes
2018 Ben Is Back Beth
2020 Critical Thinking Principal Kestel

Television credits
Year Title Role Notes
2018 Law & Order: SVU Teresa (Carisi's sister) 1 episode
2018 God Friended Me Susan (Cara's mother) 6 episodes
2019 Modern Family Farrah Marshall 3 episodes
2019 Grey's Anatomy Carly (Jo's therapist) 1 episode

Awards and nominations
Year Awards Category Work Result
2016 Drama Desk Awards Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical [18] Dear Evan Hansen Nominated
2017 Tony Awards Best Featured Actress in a Musical[19] Won
Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance[20] Nominated
Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical[21] Won
2018 Grammy Awards Best Musical Theater Album Won
Emmy Awards – Daytime (Daytime Creative Arts Emmys) Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program Won
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References
  1. "Tony Awards: Rachel Bay Jones' 'Dear Evan Hansen' Nomination Caps Three-Decade Quest". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  2. Meet Me in St. Louis playbill (vault), accessed March 29, 2019
  3. Hair playbill (vault), accessed March 29, 2019
  4. Champion, Lindsay. "Rachel Bay Jones on Being Scared of Clowns, Her 'Terrifying' Evita Story & Joining the Pippin Circus" broadway.com, June 13, 2013
  5. Blank, Matthew. "CUE & A: Pippin Star Rachel Bay Jones" playbill, April 9, 2013
  6. "Pasek and Paul's Dear Evan Hansen, About the High School Struggle to Fit In, Premieres in D.C. - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  7. "Tickets Go on Sale Today for Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  8. "Dear Evan Hansen Opens on Broadway December 4 - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  9. "Good for You! Dear Evan Hansen's Rachel Bay Jones Wins Her First Tony Award". Retrieved November 29, 2018.
  10. "Rachel Bay Jones: Something Beautiful" theatermania.com, accessed March 29, 2019
  11. "Rachel Bay Jones Brings 'Something Beautiful' to Feinsteins at the Nikko" broadwayworld.com, July 19, 2018
  12. Fierberg, Ruthie. " Dear Evan Hansen's Rachel Bay Jones Lands CBS Comedy Pilot" Playbill, March 26, 2018
  13. "Listings 'God Friended Me', Air Date March 31, 2019" thefutoncritic.com, retrieved May 17, 2019
  14. Gans, Andrew. "Rachel Bay Jones, Santino Fontana, More Set for 'Sweet Charity in Concert'" Playbill, May 17, 2019
  15. 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
  16. "Broadway Center Stage: Next to Normal". Retrieved April 23, 2020.
  17. Blank, Matthew. "PHOTO CALL: 'A Christmas Story, The Musical!' on Tour" playbill, November 11, 2011
  18. "Drama Desk Awards Name Shuffle Along Best Musical - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  19. Hetrick, Adam. "The Complete List of 2017 Tony Winners: 'Dear Evan Hansen' and 'Hello, Dolly!' Lead the Pack" playbill, June 11, 2017
  20. "Ben Platt, Sutton Foster, and Josh Groban Among 2017 Drama League Award Nominees - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  21. Desk, BWW News. "OSLO Big Winner at the 2017 Lucille Lortel Awards, Full List!". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
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