Rachel Bay Jones

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 Daytime 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.

Early life

Jones's mother is Jewish. 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.

Career

Jones's first Broadway role was as an understudy for the lead role of Esther in '' Meet Me in St. Louis'' in 1989.

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. She performed in the 2009 Broadway revival of ''Hair'' as the replacement for Mother, Buddahdalirama, and Member Of The Tribe. She was one of the original cast members starring in the revival of '' Pippin'', playing Catherine, Pippin's lover, during the entire run.

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

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."Rachel Bay Jones Brings 'Something Beautiful' to Feinsteins at the Nikko"
broadwayworld.com, July 19, 2018

In 2018, Jones appeared in the CBS television drama series '' God Friended Me'', playing the role of Susan. 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.

From January 29 to February 3, 2020, she starred as Diana in ''Next to Normal'' at the Kennedy Center Broadway Center Stage series.

In 2021, Jones joined the cast of '' The Good Doctor'' as Salen Morrison. 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 this role in the Young Sheldon spin-off '' Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage''.

Jones originated the role of Marianne in Stephen Sondheim's '' Here We Are'' in 2023.

Personal life

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

Acting credits

Film

Television

Theatre

Source: Internet Broadway Database"Rachel Bay Jones Broadway and Touring"
ibdb.com, accessed August 25, 2020

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Rachel Bay
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses
American musical theatre actresses
American stage actresses
American television actresses
Actresses from Florida
Actresses from New York City
Daytime Emmy Award winners
Grammy Award winners
Entertainers from Boca Raton, Florida
Tony Award winners
Living people
Year of birth missing (living people)