Rebecca Naomi Jones
Jones in 2023
Born (1981-03-31) March 31, 1981
New York City, U.S.
EducationUniversity of North Carolina School of the Arts (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer

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.

Life and career

Jones 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

Film

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

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

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

Awards and nominations

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

  1. 1 2 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.
  2. ↑ Gans, Andrew (May 17, 2013). "DIVA TALK: A Chat With Murder Ballad Star Rebecca Naomi Jones". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  3. ↑ "Little Miss Whatsername". Paper Magazine. April 21, 2010. Archived from the original on May 24, 2014.
  4. ↑ Hetrick, Adam; Gans, Andrew (June 27, 2013). "Off-Broadway Rock Musical Murder Ballad Will Close in July". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  5. ↑ Stasio, Marilyn (August 12, 2013). "Off Broadway Review: 'Love's Labour's Lost'". Variety. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  6. ↑ Kozinn, Allan (May 19, 2014). "'Wicked' Writer Is Among Those Winning Lilly Awards". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ "Rebecca Naomi Jones". Playbill. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  9. ↑ Weinert-Kendt, Rob (October 2, 2018). "An 'Intoxicating' Singer, Whether It's Green Day or 'Oklahoma!'". The New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2021.
  10. ↑ 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.
  11. ↑ "Fire In Dreamland". Public Theater. Retrieved September 18, 2018.
  12. ↑ "2020 GRAMMYs Awards Show: Complete Winners & Nominations List". www.grammy.com. Retrieved January 15, 2023.
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