Krystal Joy Brown (born in Alexandria, Virginia[citation needed] ) is an American actress. She made her Broadway debut playing various roles in the musical revival of Hair (2009). She has since played Ornella Sturdevant in the musical Leap of Faith (2012), Josephine Bloom in Big Fish (2013), and Diana Ross in the jukebox musical Motown: The Musical (2014). She gained prominence and acclaim in a replacement role portraying Eliza Hamilton in the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical Hamilton, and as Gussie Carnegie in the Stephen Sondheim revival Merrily We Roll Along (2022–2024).
Krystal Joy Brown | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 22[1] Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 2005–present |
Brown is also known for her roles on television including Renee Timmons on the Starz series, Power Book III: Raising Kanan (2022). She also took recurring roles voicing Netossa in the Netflix animated series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018–2020). In 2023, Brown starred in the poignant Hallmark Xmas Film, "Heaven Down Here" and Barbara Gordon in the Amazon Prime animated series Batman: Caped Crusader (2024–present).
Career
edit2007–2010: Acting roles and Broadway debut
editBrown made her acting debut in the national tour of the hit Broadway musical Rent (2007), where she was cast as Mimi. Brown's theatrical productions outside of Broadway include the regional productions of Little Shop of Horrors (2008),[2] High School Musical (2008) and Calvin Berger (2010).[3] She also appeared in the Off-Broadway show Falling for Eve (2010).[4] Brown made her Broadway debut as a replacement for various characters in the musical revival Hair (2009).
2011–2018: Continued Broadway roles
editShe originated the role of Ornella Sturdevant on stage in the Broadway musical Leap of Faith (2012), adaptation of the 1992 film comedy of the same name starring Steve Martin. David Rooney of The Hollywood Reporter wrote, "Brown bring powerhouse pipes and get to test them often".[5] The following year she originated the role of Josephine Bloom in the Broadway musical Big Fish (2013), an adaptation of the 2004 film of the same name. Theatre critic Elizabeth Vincentelli of The New York Post, opined that "Sadly...Krystal Joy Brown [is] given little to do beside stand steadfastly by [her] spouse".[6] On January 24, 2014, Brown returned to Broadway taking over the role of Diana Ross for Valisia LeKae in the Broadway jukebox musical Motown: The Musical.[7]
During this time Brown made her first television appearance in the series Castle, as a character named Sasha, in the 2011 episode titled "Pretty Dead". During this time Brown has taken roles on television acting in guest parts on the Hulu original TV series Deadbeat (2016) for the episode "AbraCadaver" and in the NBC legal series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2016). Brown was the voice of Netossa in animated Netflix series She-Ra and the Princesses of Power from 2018 to 2020.[8]
2019–present: Breakthrough and acclaim
editIn 2019, Brown guest starred in the Sydney to the Max episode "How the Syd Stole Christmas" portraying Sydney Reynolds' late mother Dr. Alisha Reynolds in a flashback to four years ago.[9] In 2020-2022, Brown began a recurring role in the CBS series The Equalizer (2021) opposite Queen Latifah. Brown recurs on season two of Power Book III: Raising Kanan (2022). On December 10, 2019, she joined the cast of Lin Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical Hamilton portraying Eliza Hamilton.[10] Kyle Smith of National Review praised her performance writing, "The Schuyler sisters provide the most beautiful voices in the production, with Krystal Joy Brown offering a poignant Eliza".[11]
In 2022, she played Gussie Carnegie, a Broadway diva married to self-centered writer Frank Shepard, played by Jonathan Groff in the off-Broadway revival of the Stephen Sondheim musical Merrily We Roll Along at the New York Theatre Workshop. For her performance she was nominated for a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[12] She reprised the role on Broadway in 2023. Jesse Green of The New York Times described Brown as giving a "fetching performance, charming if not credible".[13] She said of the role, "This opportunity to represent and be the first Black Gussie is huge and it feels powerful". To get into Gussie’s character, she was inspired by Eartha Kitt, Diahann Carroll, Dorothy Dandridge and Diana Ross.[14]
Brown provides the voice of Barbara Gordon in the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader.[15]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Victor Crowley | Sabrina | |
| 2020 | Magic Camp | Lena Lambert |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Castle | Sasha | Episode: "Pretty Dead" |
| 2016 | Deadbeat | Minnie | Episode: "Abracadaver" |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Charise McCabe | Episode: "Intersecting Lives" | |
| 2018–2020 | She-Ra and the Princesses of Power | Netossa (voice) | 8 episodes |
| 2019 | Sydney to the Max | Dr. Alisha Reynolds | Episode: "How the Syd Stole Christmas" |
| 2020 | One Royal Holiday | Sara | TV movie |
| 2021 | Final Space | Avery Ergon (voice) | Episode: "All the Moments Lost" |
| The Equalizer | Kelly | 2 episodes | |
| Writing Around The Christmas Tree | Mikeala | TV movie | |
| 2022 | Power Book III: Raising Kanan | Renée Timmons | Recurring cast: season 2[16] |
| 2024 | Batman: Caped Crusader | Barbara Gordon (voice) | Recurring role; 6 episodes |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Rent | Mimi | National Tour |
| 2008 | Little Shop of Horrors | Crystal | Regional |
| High School Musical | Taylor McKessie | Regional | |
| 2009 | Hair | Various roles | Broadway |
| 2010 | Calvin Berger | Rosanna | Regional |
| Falling for Eve | Eve | Off-Broadway | |
| 2012 | Leap of Faith | Ornella Sturdevant | Broadway |
| 2013 | Big Fish | Josephine Bloom | Broadway |
| 2014 | Motown: The Musical | Diana Ross | Broadway |
| 2019 | Hamilton | Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton | Broadway |
| 2022–2023 | Merrily We Roll Along | Gussie Carnegie | Off-Broadway |
| 2023–2024 | Broadway |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Association | Category | Project | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Astaire Award | Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show | Leap of Faith | Nominated | [1] |
| 2014 | Outstanding Female Dancer in a Broadway Show | Big Fish | Nominated | ||
| 2023 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Merrily We Roll Along | Nominated | [17] |
References
edit- ^ a b Blank, Matthew (October 1, 2013). "PLAYBILL.COM'S CUE & A: Big Fish Star Krystal Joy Brown". Playbill. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ^ Jacobson, Aileen (October 12, 2008). "A Flower Shop Romance That Goes for the Gore". The New York Times.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (September 24, 2012). "Cast of Calvin Berger Celebrates New CD With Joe's Pub Concert Sept. 24". Playbill. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (July 6, 2010). "Falling for Eve, New Musical from Memphis Tony Winner DiPietro, Begins Off-Broadway Run July 6". Playbill. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ^ "Leap of Faith: Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Hack score undermines Broadway version of 'Big Fish'". New York Post. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (January 24, 2014). "Krystal Joy Brown Is Motown's New Diana Ross Starting Jan. 24". Playbill. Retrieved June 30, 2022.
- ^ "Krystal Joy Brown". TV Guide. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Krystal Joy Brown". TV Insider. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ McPhee, Ryan (December 10, 2019). "Krystal Joy Brown Joins Broadway's Hamilton December 10". Playbill.
- ^ "Is Hamilton Overrated?". National Review. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "38TH ANNUAL LUCILLE LORTEL AWARDS". Lortelaward. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Review: 'Merrily We Roll Along' Returns, the Way It Never Was". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "Krystal Joy Brown shines on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim revival of 'Merrily We Roll Along'". Associated Press. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
- ^ "'Batman: Caped Crusader' Review: Amazon's Dark Knight Series Entertains Though Rarely Soars". the Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved August 5, 2024.
- ^ Pihu (February 27, 2022). "Raising Kanan Renewed For Season 2 in 2022 - Everything We Know So Far!". Alpha News Call. Retrieved August 16, 2022.
- ^ "Krystal Joy Brown - Awards". Playbill. Retrieved August 2, 2024.
