Jenna Russell

Jenna Russell
Russell at the WhatsOnStage Awards 2015
Born
Jenna Russell

(1967-10-05) 5 October 1967 (age 57)
London, England
OccupationActress
Years active1983–present
PartnerRay Coulthard
Children1

Jenna Russell (born 5 October 1967) is an English actress and singer. She has appeared on the stage in London in both musicals and dramas, as well as appearing with the Royal Shakespeare Company. She performed the role of Dot in Sunday in the Park with George in the West End and on Broadway, receiving the Tony Award nomination and the 2006 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her role. She has also appeared in several television series, including Born and Bred and EastEnders.

Life and career

Russell was born in London, grew up in Dundee, and attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School.[1] She has said she had a "tricky childhood".[2]

In 1985, Russell appeared as Matthew's girlfriend Christine in the ITV comedy Home to Roost.

Russell also sang the theme tune to the BBC sitcom, Red Dwarf, with her version of the song being used in all series of the show. Russell began her career as an understudy for Eponine and Fantine and later took over Fantine in Les Misérables and performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) for the first portion of her career. Plays there included The Beggar's Opera as Lucy Lockit in April 1992 and again in April 1993 at the Barbican Centre.[3][4] She also appeared in the RSC production of Alan Ayckbourn's Wildest Dreams at the Barbican in December 1993.[5]

From 1990 to 1992 she played one of the lead characters, Maggie Lomax, in primetime BBC TV comedy On the Up.[6]

She performed in three shows at The Bridewell Theatre: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever as Daisy (January 2000),[7] Hello Again (March 2001)[8] and a concert, The Cutting Edge in June 2000.[9] Other stage work includes Samantha Lord in High Society at Sheffield Crucible, Young Sally in Follies at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1987,[10] Bertrande in Martin Guerre at the West End's Prince Edward theatre (1998),[11] Felicity in Landslide at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, and Three Sisters at the Royal Court.[12]

She left the cast of Songs for a New World during rehearsal to play Deborah Gilder in the television series Born and Bred in 2002 through 2005.[13][14]

In 2005 she appeared as the Floor Manager in the Doctor Who episodes "Bad Wolf" and "The Parting of the Ways". Also in 2005, she played the lead role of Sarah Brown in the West End production of Guys and Dolls opposite (at various times) Ewan McGregor, Nigel Harman, Sarah Lancashire, Jane Krakowski and Nigel Lindsay.[15] She received a nomination for the 2006 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this role.[16] In 2006, she took over from Anna-Jane Casey as Dot/Marie in the London revival of Sunday in the Park with George, by Stephen Sondheim for which she won the 2007 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.[17]

She subsequently played Amy alongside Felicity Kendal in the West End revival of the play Amy's View in 2006.[18][19] In 2008, Russell reprised her role as Dot in the Broadway transfer of Sunday in the Park with George. The production opened on 21 February 2008 and ran until 29 June 2008 at Studio 54.[20] Russell won the Theatre World Award and received Drama Desk Award and Tony Award nominations for Best Actress in a Musical, losing to Patti LuPone.[21][22]

In 2009 she appeared in the inaugural episode of the resurrected TV series Minder as Petra.[23]

Russell has appeared in Into the Woods twice. For the Donmar Warehouse production in 1998, she played Cinderella.[24] For the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2010, she played the role of the Baker's Wife.[25]

In August 2012, Russell took to the London stage again at the Soho Theatre in Soho Cinders. She then played the role of Mary in Stephen Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London's West End, following a run at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

From February 2014 she appeared as Penelope Pennywise in the London production of Urinetown: The Musical at the St. James Theatre. She reprises the role for the West End production at the Apollo Theatre from September 2014.[26]

In January 2016 she starred with Sheila Hancock in the first UK production of Grey Gardens at The Southwark Playhouse[27] to sell-out audiences.

In December 2016 she took over from previous actress Susan Tully in the role of Michelle Fowler in BBC One soap-opera EastEnders. In 2018 Russell decided to leave EastEnders to pursue other work. Her last appearance aired on Tuesday 17 April 2018.

In September 2022, Russell led the cast in Alan Ayckbourn's Woman in Mind at Chichester Festival Theatre.

Stage

Year Title Role Theatre
2006 Guys and Dolls Sister Sarah Brown Piccadilly Theatre
2006 Sunday in the Park with George Dot / Marie Wyndham's Theatre
2008 Studio 54
2010 Into The Woods The Baker's Wife Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
2012 Soho Cinders Marilyn Platt Soho Theatre
2012-2013 Merrily We Roll Along Mary Flynn Menier Chocolate Factory / Harold Pinter Theatre
2014 Urinetown Penelope Pennywise St. James Theatre / Apollo Theatre
2016 Grey Gardens Edith Bouvier Beale/Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale Southwark Playhouse
2018 Fun Home Helen Bechdel Young Vic
2019 The Bridges of Madison County Francesca Johnson Menier Chocolate Factory
2021 Piaf Edith Piaf Nottingham Playhouse
2022 Woman in Mind Susan Chichester Festival Theatre
2023 Flowers for Mrs Harris Ada Harris Riverside Studios
2024 Hello, Dolly! Irene Molloy London Palladium

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result Ref.
2006 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical Guys and Dolls Nominated [16]
2007 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical Sunday in the Park with George Won [17]
2008 Tony Award Best Actress in a Musical Nominated [22]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actress in a Musical Nominated [21]
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated [28][29]
Theatre World Award Honouree [30]
2014 Laurence Olivier Award Best Actress in a Musical Merrily We Roll Along Nominated [31]
2015 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Actress in a Musical Urinetown Nominated [32]
2017 WhatsOnStage Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Play Doctor Faustus Nominated [33]

Personal life

Russell is the partner of actor Ray Coulthard, and they are the parents of a girl. Russell revealed that she was in the early stages of her pregnancy when she appeared in Sunday in the Park with George on Broadway.[34][35]

References

  1. ^ Asome, Carolyn (9 June 2005). "I love seeing my partner get ready for bed". The Times. p. 8.
  2. ^ Jays, David (18 May 2021). "'I can't speak a word of French!' – Jenna Russell on playing Edith Piaf". The Guardian.
  3. ^ Kennedy, Michael. "Sparkling Gay The Beggar's Opera at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon", The Herald (Glasgow), 15 April 1992, p. 10
  4. ^ "Over the top and far away from Gay's world of darkness; The Beggar's Opera at the Barbican", London Evening Standard (London), 8 April 1993, p. 7
  5. ^ "Scotch Missed", The Observer, 19 December 1993, p. 4
  6. ^ "On the Up listing" Internet Movie Database listing. Retrieved 22 August 2010
  7. ^ Benedict, David. "After 35 Years, London Gets on a Clear Day You Can See Forever". The Independent (London), 12 January 2000, p.11
  8. ^ Spence, Charles. "More in tune with sexual mores", The Daily Telegraph (London), 29 March 2001, p. 27
  9. ^ Martland, John. "The Cutting Edge;Light Entertainment Review: Bridewell", The Stage, 29 June 2000, p. 16
  10. ^ "'Follies', 1987 listing" sondheimguide.com. Retrieved 23 August 2010
  11. ^ Schajer, Jodi and Alex."'Martin Guerre' at the Prince Edward Theatre" Archived 15 June 2011 at the Wayback Machine whatsonstage.com, July 1997
  12. ^ Ansdell, Caroline."20 Questions With... Jenna Russell" Archived 3 August 2010 at the Wayback Machine whatsonstage.com, 30 May 2006
  13. ^ "Born and Bred listing" Internet Movie Database listing. Retrieved 22 August 2010
  14. ^ (no author), "Sunday TV Criticss Choice" ("Deborah (Jenna Russell) has a run-in with Edie, who arrives to clean the Gilders' house."), Daily Record, 27 April 2002, p. 20
  15. ^ Fisher, Philip."Review" Archived 20 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine britishtheatreguide.info. Retrieved 22 August 2010
  16. ^ a b "Olivier Winners 2006" Archived 27 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine officiallondontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2010
  17. ^ a b "Olivier Winners 2007" Archived 21 December 2010 at the Wayback Machine officiallondontheatre.co.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2010
  18. ^ "Jenna Russell: Centre stage"The Independent,9 November 2006
  19. ^ 'Amy's View' listing thisistheatre.com. Retrieved 22 August 2010
  20. ^ Sommer, Elyse."Review:'Sunday in the Park with George' " curtainup.com. Retrieved 22 August 2010
  21. ^ a b Gans, Andrew."August and Passing Strange Win Top Honors at Drama Desk Awards" Archived 26 January 2011 at the Wayback Machine Playbill, 18 May 2008
  22. ^ a b Jones, Kenneth."August, South Pacific, In the Heights, Boeing-Boeing, LuPone Are Tony Winners" Archived 17 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Playbill, 15 June 2008
  23. ^ (no author). "Best of This Week" ("Feisty pub landlady Petra Barnett (Jenna Russell) repels all offers and threats to get her out.") Scottish Daily Record, 31 January 2009, p.18
  24. ^ "Archive, 'Into the Woods' at Donmar, 1998" Archived 8 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine albemarle-london.com. Retrieved 22 August 2010
  25. ^ Shenton, Mark."New London Production of Into the Woods Opens at Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park Aug. 16" Archived 17 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine Playbill, August 2010
  26. ^ Stanbury, Kate."Jenna Russell reprises Urinetown role" officiallondontheatre.co.uk, July 2014
  27. ^ Clapp, Susannah. " 'Grey Gardens' review – splendidly odd couple of the Kennedy circle" The Guardian, 10 January 2016
  28. ^ Gans, Andrew (22 April 2008). "74th Annual Drama League Award Nominees Announced". Playbill. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  29. ^ "2008 Drama League Awards Announced; LuPone Wins Top Acting Accolade". Broadway.com. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  30. ^ "Theatre World Awards - Theatre World Awards". www.theatreworldawards.org. Archived from the original on 4 October 2015. Retrieved 29 March 2021.
  31. ^ "Olivier Winners 2014". Olivier Awards. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  32. ^ "Full list: Winners of the 15th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". 15 February 2015. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  33. ^ "Harry Potter leads winners of the 17th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". 19 February 2017. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  34. ^ (no author)."Jenna Russell's London" visitlondon.com. Retrieved 23 August 2010
  35. ^ Dunn, Carrie."BWW Interviews: 'Into The Woods' Jenna Russell" westend.broadwayworld.com, 20 July 2010

Bibliography