Rebecca Naomi Jones

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. 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. 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.

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. Later that summer, Jones appeared as Jaquenetta in a new musical adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost at Central Park's Delacorte Theater.

On June 2, 2014, Jones received a Lilly Award, a prize honoring women in the theater.

On April 14, 2015, Jones replaced Lena Hall as Yitzhak in the Broadway production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. Jones played the role through the production's end on September 13.

In 2017 she starred as Vanessa in Significant Other on Broadway.

In 2018 Jones starred as Laurey Williams in Daniel Fish's production of Oklahoma! at St. Ann's Warehouse. The production transferred to Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre in March 2019.

In September 2025, Jones took over the role of Persephone in the musical Hadestown on Broadway.

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 2026 Influenced Pam

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 5 episodes 2017 Odd Mom Out Dylan Episode: "Star Gazing" 2021 Genius Carolyn Franklin 8 episodes 2022 And Just Like That...Shelly JenkinsEpisode: "Some of My Best Friends" 2023 Black Cake Lynette 3 episodes 2024 The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh Dr. Hewitt Episode: "Interrogation Log #3" 2025 Power Book III: Raising Kanan Mara 4 episodes2025–presentYour Friends & NeighborsSuzanne HaberRecurring role

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 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 2025 Hadestown Persephone Broadway2026Mother RussiaKatyaOff-Broadway

Awards and nominations