Tony Award winner Rachel Bay Jones (“Dear Evan Hansen”) visited campus on Saturday, April 23, to present an all-day song coaching workshop and masterclass with musical theatre students. More than 20 students performed during the workshop. After the workshop, she led a Q&A with the students where she spoke of her life and career and answered questions from the students.
“Her insight and auditioning tips were invaluable to our students,” said Coordinator of Musical Theatre Recruitment, Charles B. Levitin Chair in Musical Theatre Director, Director of Musical Theatre and Associate Professor of Theatre Kevin Covert, B.F.A.
Jones is best known for originating the role of Heidi Hansen in the original Broadway cast of “Dear Evan Hansen,” and received a Tony Award, Emmy Award, Grammy Award, Lucille Lortel Award and Drama League Award nomination for her performance.
She can currently be seen recurring on ABC’s “The Good Doctor” and the CBS series “The United States of Al.” She was recently seen in a recurring role on Amazon’s “Panic,” Marc Cherry’s “Why Women Kill” on Paramount+, the ABC series “Modern Family” and CBS’ “God Friended Me.”
She can be seen on film in “Ben Is Back,” opposite Julia Roberts and “Critical Thinking,” directed by and opposite John Leguizamo.
Additional Broadway credits include “Pippin,” “Hair” and “Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.” Off-Broadway and regional/national tour credits include “Next to Normal” (Kennedy Center), “Dear Evan Hansen” (Drama Desk Nomination) at Second Stage, “First Daughter Suite” at The Public Theater, “Hello Again,” “A Christmas Story,” “Pippin,” “Sylvia” and “The King and I.”
On television, Jones has also appeared on NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU,” ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Family,” and the FX series “Louie.”
Her debut solo album, “Showfolk,” can be purchased on iTunes and Amazon.
