Rebecca Naomi Jones (born March 31, 1981) is an American actress and singer best known for her performances in the Broadway rock musicals Passing Strange, American Idiot, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch as well as being the first woman of color to play Laurey in Oklahoma! on Broadway. She also starred more recently in New York City's Shakespeare in the Park adaptation of As You Like It.
Rebecca Naomi Jones | |
|---|---|
 Jones in 2023 | |
| Born | March 31, 1981 New York City, U.S. |
| Education | University of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA) |
| Occupations |
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Life and career
editJones was born in New York City, to a musician father and photographer mother. Her mother is Jewish and her father is African-American.[1] Jones performed in the children's chorus of the Metropolitan Opera as a child and graduated from the Berkeley Carroll School in 1999. "I did theatre all throughout middle school and high school and was really into it, the same with singing", she said.[2] Jones received her BFA in drama from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and appeared in the national tours of Rent and Caroline, or Change.
In 2007 Jones made her Off-Broadway debut in Passing Strange, which transferred to Broadway on February 28, 2008. She originated the role of Whatsername in the Green Day rock opera American Idiot, which opened on Broadway on April 20, 2010.[1] Paper magazine said of Jones, "She's carved out a nice niche for herself as the girl to call when there's a cooler-than-thou musical in town."[3]
In 2012 Jones played the Narrator in Manhattan Theatre Club's Off-Broadway musical Murder Ballad, for which she received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Featured Actress. Jones returned for the show's engagement at the Union Square Theatre, which ran from May 22, 2013, to July 21, 2013.[4] Later that summer, Jones appeared as Jaquenetta in a new musical adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost at Central Park's Delacorte Theater.[5]
On June 2, 2014, Jones received a Lilly Award, a prize honoring women in the theater.[6]
On April 14, 2015, Jones replaced Lena Hall as Yitzhak in the Broadway production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch.[7] Jones played the role through the production's end on September 13.
In 2017 she starred as Vanessa in Significant Other on Broadway.[8]
In 2018 Jones starred as Laurey Williams in Daniel Fish's production of Oklahoma! at St. Ann's Warehouse.[9] The production transferred to Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre in March 2019.
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Miracle at St. Anna | Zana Wilder's assistant | |
| 2009 | Passing Strange | Sherry / Renata / Desi | |
| 2010 | The Switch | Party guest | |
| 2014 | Lovesick | Nancy | |
| 2014 | You Must Be Joking | Newscaster | |
| 2015 | Mistress America | Party hostess | |
| 2015 | Ratter | Nicole | |
| 2016 | Ordinary World | Gypsy | |
| 2017 | The Big Sick | Jesse | |
| 2018 | Most Likely to Murder | Elena | |
| 2018 | French Fries | Sydney | Short film |
| 2019 | Someone Great | Leah | |
| 2020 | The Outside Story | Amy |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Great Performances | Sherry / Renata / Desi | Episode: "Passing Strange" |
| 2009 | Fringe | Risa Pears | Episode: "Bad Dreams" |
| 2010 | America's Got Talent | Whatsername | Episode: "Top Ten Results" |
| 2010 | Late Night with Jimmy Fallon | Whatsername | Season 2, episode 137 |
| 2010 | Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade | Herself | TV special |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Leila | Episode: "Bombshell" |
| 2011 | Nurse Jackie | Sister Anne | 2 episodes: "Game On" and "Enough Rope" |
| 2011 | Pzazz 101 | Herself | Episode: "Rebecca Naomi Jones" |
| 2012 | Smash | Laura | Episode: "Enter Mr. DiMaggio" |
| 2012 | NYC 22 | Monica Pridgen | Episode: "Block Party" |
| 2013 | Broadway Idiot | Herself | Documentary |
| 2013 | The Broadway.com Show | Herself | Season 1, episode 18 |
| 2014 | Blue Bloods | Barbara Keyes | Episode: "Manhattan Queens" |
| 2015 | Good Girls Revolt | Danielle | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2016 | Limitless | Alice | Episode: "Finale: Part One!" |
| 2016 | Inside Amy Schumer | Commercial Actress No. 3 | Episode: "The World's Most Interesting Woman in the World" |
| 2016 | Difficult People | Alison | Episode: "Carter" |
| 2016–18 | High Maintenance | Gwen | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll | Davvy[10] | 5 episodes |
| 2017 | Odd Mom Out | Dylan | Episode: "Star Gazing" |
| 2021 | Genius | Carolyn Franklin | 8 episodes |
| 2022 | And Just Like That... | Shelly Jenkins | Episode: "Some of My Best Friends" |
| 2023 | Black Cake | Lynette | 3 episodes |
Theatre
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Passing Strange | Sherry / Renata / Desi | Off-Broadway; Broadway |
| 2008 | Wig Out! | Fay | Off-Broadway |
| 2009 | This Beautiful City | Performer | Off-Broadway |
| 2010 | American Idiot | Whatsername | Broadway |
| 2012 | Murder Ballad | Narrator | Off-Broadway |
| 2013 | Love's Labour's Lost | Jaquenetta | Off-Broadway |
| 2014 | The Fortress of Solitude | Lala / Abby | Off-Broadway |
| 2015 | Big Love | Lydia | Off-Broadway |
| 2015 | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Yitzhak | Broadway |
| 2016 | Cost of Living | Jess | Williamstown Theatre Festival |
| 2016 | Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater | Mary Moody / Blanche | New York City Center Encores! Off-Center |
| 2016 | Marie and Rosetta | Marie Knight | Atlantic Theatre Company |
| 2017 | Significant Other | Vanessa | Broadway |
| 2018 | Fire in Dreamland[11] | Kate | Off-Broadway |
| 2018 | Oklahoma! | Laurey Williams | Off-Broadway |
| 2019 | Broadway | ||
| 2022 | As You Like It | Rosalind | Off-Broadway |
| 2023 | I Can Get It for You Wholesale | Ruthie Rivkin | Off-Broadway |
| 2024 | Stereophonic | Holly | Broadway |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Obie Award | Distinguished Performance by an Ensemble | Passing Strange | Won | |
| 2013 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Murder Ballad | Nominated | |
| 2015 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Big Love | Nominated | |
| 2019 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Actress in a Musical | Oklahoma! | Nominated | |
| 2020 | Grammy Award | Best Musical Theater Album | Nominated | [12] |
References
edit- ^ a b Gamerman, Ellen (April 2, 2010). "'American Idiot's' Rebecca Naomi Jones on Green Day, Billie Joe Armstrong and Singing in Her Underwear". The Wall Street Journal Speakeasy. Retrieved June 1, 2015.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2013). "DIVA TALK: A Chat With Murder Ballad Star Rebecca Naomi Jones". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ "Little Miss Whatsername". Paper Magazine. April 21, 2010. Archived from the original on May 24, 2014.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam; Gans, Andrew (June 27, 2013). "Off-Broadway Rock Musical Murder Ballad Will Close in July". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ Stasio, Marilyn (August 12, 2013). "Off Broadway Review: 'Love's Labour's Lost'". Variety. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ Kozinn, Allan (May 19, 2014). "'Wicked' Writer Is Among Those Winning Lilly Awards". The New York Times.
- ^ Purcell, Carey (April 14, 2015). "Rebecca Naomi Jones Is Broadway's New Yitzhak in Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Starting Tonight". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ "Rebecca Naomi Jones". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ Weinert-Kendt, Rob (October 2, 2018). "An 'Intoxicating' Singer, Whether It's Green Day or 'Oklahoma!'". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
- ^ Elizabeth Gillies Brasil. "Gillians, Parece que a personagem Gigi de Liz na serie SDRR terá um pequeno interesse amoroso na segunda temporada com a nova personagem "Davvy" (interpretando por Rebecca Naomi Jones) na serie #SDRR.", Facebook.com, May 21, 2016.
- ^ "Fire In Dreamland". Public Theater. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
- ^ "2020 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominations List". www.grammy.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
External links
edit- Rebecca Naomi Jones at IMDb
- Rebecca Naomi Jones at the Internet Broadway Database
- Rebecca Naomi Jones at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Rebecca Naomi Jones at the Playbill Vault at the Wayback Machine (archived May 25, 2012)
