# Jennifer Simard

Jennifer Simard (born August 8, 1970) is an American actress known primarily for her work in theater. A two-time Tony Award nominee, she rose to prominence with roles in Broadway and Off-Broadway productions in the 2000s, such as I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, The Thing About Men and Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit, nominated for the Drama Desk Award and Lucille Lortel Award.
In 2016, Simard starred as Sister Mary Downey in Disaster!, receiving rave reviews and her first nomination for Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Between 2019 and 2022, she starred as Sarah in the Broadway revival of Company for which she received her second Tony nomination. Other Broadway credits include the 2017 Revival of Hello, Dolly, Mean Girls, and Once Upon a One More Time.
Simard's screen credits include Somewhere in Queens, Law & Order and Younger.

## Life and career

Simard is from Litchfield, New Hampshire. She studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music and Hunter College. After studying, Simard moved to New York, where she appeared in Forbidden Broadway '93.
She made her Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and later performed in the Broadway productions of Shrek The Musical and Sister Act.
Simard garnered Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her roles in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, The Thing About Men, and Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit (2005).
She originated the role of Sister Mary Downey in the 2016 Broadway musical Disaster!; her performance earned her a Tony Award nomination, as well as a Drama League Award nomination, in 2016. She was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award for the role, which she performed off-Broadway in 2014.
She appeared on Broadway as Ernestina in the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly!, starring Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce. Simard played Miss Hannigan in the St. Louis Muny production of Annie from July 18–25, 2018. In August 2018, it was announced that Simard would join the Tony-nominated musical Mean Girls as Mrs. Heron, Ms. Norbury, and Mrs. George that September, replacing Kerry Butler. Her last performance was on December 8, 2019.
In October 2019, it was announced that Simard would join the gender-swapped revival of Company as Sarah at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. She returned to the production after the pandemic, starring as Sarah over the course of 2020 to 2022. Between February 26 to March 6, 2022, she took over the role of Joanne due to the indisposition of Patti LuPone. At the 75th Tony Awards Simard received her second nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.
In 2023, she originated the role of Stepmother in the Britney Spears jukebox musical Once Upon a One More Time at the Marquis Theatre.
In 2024, Simard starred in the stage adaptation of Death Becomes Her as Helen Sharp, opposite co-lead Megan Hilty as Madeline Ashton. The production's out of town tryout ran at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre from April 30 to June 2, 2024. Simard and Hilty will lead the production on Broadway, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with previews beginning Oct 23, before opening on Nov 21st.

### Television and film

Simard's television roles include appearances in Younger, The Good Wife, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order, "Girls5eva," and The King of Queens. She also appeared in the 2000 comedy film The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.

## Personal life

On October 3, 2004, Simard married Brad Robertson, whom she met when he was the light board operator for the off-Broadway production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. They separated in 2023.

## Theater

| Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Director(s) |
| 1996 | I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change | Woman #1 | Westside Theatre | Joel Bishoff |
| 2003 | The Thing About Men | Woman | Promenade Theatre | |
| 2004 | Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit | Various Characters | Douglas Fairbanks Theatre | Gerard Alessandrini and Phillip George |
| 2006 | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | Rona Lisa Peretti | US National Tour | James Lapine |
| 2007 | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | Rona Lisa Peretti (replacement) | Circle in the Square Theatre | James Lapine |
| 2008 | Shrek The Musical | Queen Lillian/Wicked Witch/ Magic Mirror Assistant | Broadway Theatre | Jason Moore |
| 2011 | Sister Act | Ensemble | Broadway Theatre | Jerry Zaks |
| 2013 | Disaster! | Sister Mary Downy | St. Luke’s Theatre | Jack Plotnick |
| 2016 | Disaster! | Sister Mary Downy | Nederlander Theatre | Jack Plotnick |
| 2017–18 | Hello, Dolly! | Ernestina | Shubert Theatre | Jerry Zaks |
| 2018 | Annie | Miss Hannigan | The Muny | |
| 2018–19 | Mean Girls | Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/ Mrs. George (replacement) | August Wilson Theatre | Casey Nicholaw |
| 2020 | Company | Sarah u/s Joanne | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | Marianne Elliott |
| 2021–22 | Company | Sarah u/s Joanne | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | Marianne Elliott |
| 2022 | Company | Joanne (temporary replacement) | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | Marianne Elliott |
| 2022 | Company | Sarah u/s Joanne | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | Marianne Elliott |
| 2023 | Once Upon a One More Time | Stepmother | Marquis Theatre | Keone Madrid and Mari Madrid |
| 2024 | Death Becomes Her | Helen Sharp | Cadillac Palace Theatre | Christopher Gattelli |
| 2024 | Death Becomes Her | Helen Sharp | Lunt-Fontanne Theatre | Christopher Gattelli |
| 2025 | Pete 'n' Keely | Keely Stevens | Concert at Carnegie Hall | Mark Waldrop |

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2000 | The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas | Bride-To-Be |
| 2001 | Wish You Were Dead | Cake Girl |
| 2013 | Shrek The Musical | Wicked Witch |
| 2014 | Non-Stop | Maggie Evans (uncredited) |
| 2015 | Sisters | Pet Activist at Party |
| 2022 | Somewhere in Queens | Patsy |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | The King of Queens | Paula | Episode: "Best Man" |
| 2006 | Law & Order | Danielle Andreas | Episode: "Invaders" |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Debra Jackson | Episode: "Trade" |
| 2015 | The Good Wife | Janie Mullaby | Episode: "Payback" |
| 2016 | Younger | Sherry | Episode: "Last Days of Books" |
| 2021 | Girls5eva | Daphne | Episode: "Catskills" |

## Awards and nominations

| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Show | Result |
| 1997 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change | Nominated |
| 2004 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | The Thing About Men | Nominated |
| 2005 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit | Nominated |
| 2005 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Featured Actress | Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit | Nominated |
| 2014 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Disaster! | Nominated |
| 2014 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance Award | Disaster! | Nominated |
| 2016 | Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance Award | Disaster! | Nominated |
| 2016 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Disaster! | Nominated |
| 2022 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Company | Nominated |
| 2022 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Company | Nominated |