Joy Woods

Joy Woods
Woods performing in the Majestic Theatre in 2025
Born (1999-12-08) December 8, 1999
Chicago, Illinois
EducationAmerican 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, having starred in Six, The Notebook, and Gypsy, the latter for which she was nominated for a Tony Award and a Grammy Award. She made her West End debut as Sally Bowles in Cabaret.

Early life and education

Woods grew up in Chicago as 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 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 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 September and October 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 late 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" on Instagram gained over 3 million views.[15] She left the production on October 20, 2024, being replaced by Aisha Jackson.[16]

Woods starred as Louise in the 2024 Broadway revival of Gypsy at the refurbished Majestic Theatre opposite Audra McDonald. Woods is the first black woman to play this role on Broadway.[2] She starred 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 was announced that Woods would star as Sarah opposite Joshua Henry in the New York City Center gala production of Ragtime, but she withdrew to star in Gypsy. The role was instead played by Nichelle Lewis.[19]

In early 2025, she appeared in Trisha Paytas' Big Broadway Dream! at the St. James Theatre. On September 21, 2025, Woods was part of the cast of the 30th 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]

On April 10 2026 it was announced that Woods would be making her West End debut as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre, opposite Jamie Muscato as the Emcee.[21]

Stage credits

Year Show Role Theatre Notes
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!
2021–2022 Little Shop of Horrors Chiffon, u/s Audrey/Ronnette Westside 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 Horrors Audrey Westside Theatre Off-Broadway
I Can Get It For You Wholesale Martha Mills Classic Stage Company
2024 The Notebook Middle Allie Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Broadway
2024–2025 Gypsy Louise Hovick Majestic Theatre
2025 Songs for a New World Woman #1 Hammersmith Apollo 30th Anniversary Concert
2025–2026 Little Shop of Horrors Audrey Westside Theatre Off-Broadway
2026 Cabaret Sally Bowles Playhouse Theatre West End
Galileo Virginia Galilei Shubert Theatre[22] Broadway

Other productions

  • We Chose to Go to the Moon (2026)[23]

Personal life

Woods identifies as gay, though she "dabble[s] in men every now and then."[24]

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2025 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards Favorite Featured Actress in a Musical Gypsy Nominated
Drama League Awards Distinguished Performance Nominated [25]
Tony Awards Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical Nominated [26]
2026 Grammy Awards Best Musical Theater Album Nominated [27]

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. ↑ "Cabaret announces new West End stars for summer 2026". April 10, 2026. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  22. ↑ Culwell-Block, Logan Galileo Musical Is Coming to Broadway With Raúl Esparza, Joy Woods, Jeremy Kushnier Playbill, February 10, 2026
  23. ↑ Zamansky, Natan (March 25, 2026). "Elizabeth Gillies, Skylar Astin, More Join We Chose to Go to the Moon at Carnegie Hall". Playbill. Retrieved March 28, 2026.
  24. ↑ Fank, Jason P. (December 13, 2024). "Everything's Coming Up Joy Woods". Vulture. Retrieved June 5, 2025.
  25. ↑ "Photos: 2025 Drama League Awards (Winners, Nicole Scherzinger, Sam Pinkleton & More)". Playbill. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
  26. ↑ "The 78th Annual Tony Awards: Live Updates". Playbill. June 8, 2025. Retrieved June 15, 2026.
  27. ↑ Faulkner, Clara (November 7, 2025). "2026 GRAMMYS: See The Full Nominations List". Grammy.com.
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