# Rachel Bay Jones

Rachel Bay Jones (born: November 8th, 1969) 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 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.
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 role in the Young Sheldon spin-off Georgie and 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

| Year | Film | Role |
| 2018 | Ben Is Back | Beth |
| 2020 | Critical Thinking | Principal Kestel |
| 2024 | Bob Trevino Likes It | Jeanie |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2015 | Louie | Barbara | Episode: "Untitled" |
| 2016 | The Family | Sally | Episode: "Election Day" |
| 2018 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Teresa | Episode: "In Loco Parentis" |
| 2018 | God Friended Me | Susan | 6 episodes |
| 2019 | Modern Family | Farrah Marshall | 3 episodes |
| 2019 | Grey's Anatomy | Carly | Episode: "Breathe Again" |
| 2021 | Panic | Sherri Nill | 6 episodes |
| 2021 | Why Women Kill | Maisie Moran | 3 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | United States of Al | Lois | Recurring role |
| 2021–2022 | The Good Doctor | Salen Morrison | 10 episodes |
| 2022–2024 | Young Sheldon | Audrey McAllister | Recurring role |
| 2024 | Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage | Audrey McAllister | Main cast |

### Theatre

Source: Internet Broadway Database
| Year | Production | Role | Notes |
| 1989 | Meet Me in St. Louis | Ensemble | The Gershwin Theatre |
| 1990 | Grand Hotel | Hildegarde Bratts / Trude | National tour |
| 2000 | Fiddler on the Roof | Hodel | National tour |
| 2009–2010 | Hair | Mother / Buddahdirama / Ensemble | Al Hirschfeld Theatre |
| 2010 | Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown | Swing | Belasco Theatre |
| 2011 | A Christmas Story: The Musical | Mother | US National tour |
| 2011 | Hello Again | The Actress | Off-Broadway, Transport Group |
| 2011 | The King and I | Anna Leonowens | Kansas City Starlight Theatre |
| 2012 | Pippin | Catherine | American Repertory Theatre |
| 2013–2015 | Pippin | Catherine | Music Box Theatre |
| 2015 | First Daughter Suite | Rosalynn Carter / Laura Bush | Off-Broadway, The Public Theatre |
| 2015 | Dear Evan Hansen | Heidi Hansen | Arena Stage |
| 2016 | Dear Evan Hansen | Heidi Hansen | Second Stage |
| 2016–2018 | Dear Evan Hansen | Heidi Hansen | Music Box Theatre |
| 2020 | Next to Normal | Diana Goodman | Kennedy Centre |
| 2023–2024 | Here We Are | Marianne Brink | Off-Broadway, The Shed |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Awards | Category | Work | Result |
| 2016 | Drama Desk Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Dear Evan Hansen | Nominated |
| 2017 | Tony Awards | Best Featured Actress in a Musical | Dear Evan Hansen | Won |
| 2017 | Drama League Awards | Distinguished Performance | Dear Evan Hansen | Nominated |
| 2017 | Lucille Lortel Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Dear Evan Hansen | Won |
| 2018 | Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | Dear Evan Hansen | Won |
| 2018 | Emmy Awards – Daytime (Daytime Creative Arts Emmys) | Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program | Dear Evan Hansen | Won |