Joy Woods

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Joy Woods
Born1999 (age 25–26)
Chicago, Illinois
Education American Musical and Dramatic Academy
Occupations
  • Actress
  • singer
Years active2019–present

Joy Woods (born 1999) [1] is an American actress and singer. She is known for her work on Broadway, where she has starred in Six, The Notebook, and Gypsy, the latter for which she was nominated for a Tony Award.

Contents

Early life and education

Woods grew up in Chicago, the youngest of six siblings. [2] [3] Music was a large part of the family; her siblings were musicians, and her mother was a dancer. Woods started formal dance training in middle school. [3]

In 2018, Woods graduated from Homewood-Flossmoor High School. [4] She then moved to New York City to study at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, graduating in 2019. [3] [5]

Career

Woods made her off-Broadway debut in the 2019 revival of Little Shop of Horrors as Chiffon and understudy for Audrey and Ronnette. [6] In February 2020, she starred in the ensemble of the New York City Center Encores! concert production of Mack and Mabel . [7]

In 2021, she was featured in the virtual Ratatouille: the TikTok Musical. [8]

On March 14, 2022, Woods made her Broadway debut as Catherine Parr in Six. [9]

In the fall of 2022, Woods starred as Middle Allie in The Notebook at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. [10] She then played Deena Jones in North Carolina Theatre's production of Dreamgirls in February 2023. [11]

On May 2, 2023, Woods returned to Little Shop of Horrors, this time in the lead role of Audrey. In doing so, she became the first Black woman to play the role off-Broadway. [12] In the fall of 2023, she starred as Martha Mills in I Can Get It for You Wholesale at Classic Stage Company. [13] [14]

Woods reprised her role in the Broadway transfer of The Notebook, which opened on March 14, 2024. Her performance of the show's 11 o'clock number, "My Days" went viral on Instagram, gaining over 3 million views. [15] She left the production on October 20, 2024, and was replaced by Aisha Jackson. [16]

Woods stars as Louise in the 2024 Broadway revival of Gypsy at the newly refurbished Majestic Theatre opposite Audra McDonald. Woods is the first Black woman to play this role on Broadway. [2] She stars alongside her The Notebook co-star Jordan Tyson. [17] The production opened on December 19. For her performance, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. [18] It had previously been announced that Woods would star as Sarah in the New York City Center gala production of Ragtime, but she withdrew from the production to star in Gypsy. The role was instead played by Nichelle Lewis. [19]

On 21 September 2025 Woods was part of the cast of the 30 anniversary concert of Songs of a New World at the Eventim Apollo in London. Woods joined Shoshana Bean, Titus Burgess and Jordan Fisher, with Jason Robert Brown directing and playing piano and keyboard during the performances. [20]

Personal life

Woods identifies as gay, though she "dabble[s] in men every now and then." [21]

Stage credits

YearShowRoleTheatreNotes
2019-2020 Little Shop of Horrors Chiffon, u/s Audrey/Ronnette Westside Theatre Off-Broadway
2020 Mack and Mabel Ensemble New York City Center Encores!
2021-2022Little Shop of HorrorsChiffon, u/s Audrey/RonnetteWestside Theatre Off-Broadway
2022 Six Catherine Parr Lena Horne Theatre Broadway
The Notebook Middle Allie Chicago Shakespeare Theatre Regional
2023 Dreamgirls Deena Jones North Carolina Theatre
Little Shop of HorrorsAudreyWestside Theatre Off-Broadway
I Can Get It For You Wholesale Martha Mills Classic Stage Company
2024The NotebookMiddle Allie Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Broadway
2024–2025 Gypsy Louise Hovick Majestic Theatre
2025 Trisha Paytas' Big Broadway Dream!Herself St. James Theatre
Songs for a New World Woman #1 Hammersmith Apollo 30th Anniversary Concert

Awards and nominations

YearAward ceremonyCategoryShowResult
2025 Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Award Gypsy Nominated
Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated

References

  1. ↑ Fallon, Kevin (April 29, 2025). "'Gypsy' Star Joy Woods: The Show-Stopping Striptease That Could Make History". The Daily Beast . Retrieved June 4, 2025. I was born in '99
  2. 1 2 Quinn, Dave (May 12, 2025). "Joy Woods Pushes Past the Pressures of Being Broadway's First Black Gypsy: 'I'm Just the Next' (Exclusive)". People . Retrieved June 4, 2024.
  3. 1 2 3 Vizcaíno, Jeffrey (December 9, 2024). "In Gypsy, Joy Woods Is Stepping Into Her Power". Playbill . Retrieved June 4, 2025.
  4. ↑ "Joy Woods' Broadway performance nominated for Tony Award" . Retrieved June 3, 2025.
  5. ↑ "AMDA Alumni Newsletter - May 5, 2023". American Musical and Dramatic Academy . May 5, 2023. Archived from the original on November 1, 2023. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Little Shop of Horrors". www.iobdb.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Mack & Mabel". www.nycitycenter.org. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  8. ↑ Moss, Lucy (January 1, 2021), Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical (Comedy, Family, Musical), Wayne Brady, Tituss Burgess, Kevin Chamberlin, Seaview Productions, TikTok, TodayTix, retrieved September 25, 2024
  9. ↑ "Joy Woods – Broadway Cast & Staff | IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  10. ↑ "The Notebook". Chicago Shakespeare Theater. January 19, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Dreamgirls - Raleigh Memorial Auditorium Raleigh, NC - Tickets, information, reviews". raleigh-theater.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  12. ↑ Russo, Gillian (April 4, 2023). "Joy Woods to star as Audrey in 'Little Shop of Horrors' off Broadway". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  13. ↑ "I Can Get It For You Wholesale – Classic Stage Company" . Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Joy Woods". www.iobdb.com. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  15. ↑ Hall, Margaret (May 22, 2024). "Watch: See Joy Woods Perform 'My Days' from The Notebook The Musical in New Onstage Video". Playbill.
  16. ↑ "Aisha Jackson to Take Over as Middle Allie in The Notebook - TheaterMania.com". September 24, 2024. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  17. ↑ Evans, Greg (September 24, 2024). "Broadway 'Gypsy' Casts 'The Notebook's Joy Woods & Jordan Tyson As Louise & June". Deadline. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  18. ↑ Rubin, Rebecca (May 1, 2025). "Tony Nominations 2025: 'Death Becomes Her,' 'Maybe Happy Ending' and 'Buena Vista Social Club' Lead". Variety. Retrieved May 2, 2025.
  19. ↑ King, Darryn. "The Wiz's Nichelle Lewis Joins Ragtime as Sarah, Replacing Joaquina Kalukango". Broadway.com.
  20. ↑ "Jordan Fisher, Joy Woods, Shoshana Bean and Titus Burgess set for Songs for a New World concert". July 25, 2025. Retrieved September 21, 2025.
  21. ↑ Fank, Jason P. (December 13, 2024). "Everything's Coming Up Joy Woods". Vulture . Retrieved June 5, 2025.
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