Jenna Russell
Encyclopedia
Jenna Russell 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 attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
Russell began her career playing 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
. She also appeared in the RSC production of Alan Ayckbourn
's Wildest Dreams at the Barbican in December 1993.
From 1990 to 1992 she played one of the lead characters, Maggie Lomax, in primetime BBC
TV comedy On the Up
. She also sang the theme song to Red Dwarf
.
She performed in three shows at The Bridewell Theatre: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
as Daisy (January 2000), Hello Again
(March 2001) and a concert, The Cutting Edge in June 2000. Other stage work includes Tracey Lord in High Society
at Sheffield Crucible, Young Sally in Follies
at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1987, Bertrande in Martin Guerre at the West End’s Prince Edward theatre (1998), Felicity in Landslide at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, and Three Sisters at the Royal Court.
She left the cast of Songs For a New World during rehearsal in order to play Deborah Gilder in the television series Born and Bred
in 2002 through 2005.
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. She received a nomination for the 2006 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this role. 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.
She subsequently played Amy alongside Felicity Kendal
in the West End revival of the play Amy's View
in 2006. In 2008, Russell reprised her role as Dot in the Broadway transfer of Sunday in the Park with George. The production opened on February 21, 2008 and ran until June 29, 2008 at Studio 54
. 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
.
In 2009 she appeared in the inaugurual episode of the resurrected TV series "Minder
" as Petra.
Russell has appeared in Into the Woods
twice. For the Donmar Warehouse
production in 1998, she played Cinderella. For the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2010, she plays the role of the Baker's Wife.
, and they are the parents of a girl. Russell relates that she was in the early stages of her pregnancy when she appeared in Sunday on Broadway.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
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
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
. She performed the role of Dot in Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George is a 1984 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical was inspired by the painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat...
in the West End
West End theatre
West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London's 'Theatreland', the West End. Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking...
and on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, receiving the Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
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.
Career
Russell was born in London, grew up in DundeeDundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, and attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School.
Russell began her career playing Fantine in Les Misérables
Les Misérables (musical)
Les Misérables , colloquially known as Les Mis or Les Miz , is a musical by Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the novel of the same name by Victor Hugo....
and performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company
Royal Shakespeare Company
The Royal Shakespeare Company is a major British theatre company, based in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. The company employs 700 staff and produces around 20 productions a year from its home in Stratford-upon-Avon and plays regularly in London, Newcastle-upon-Tyne and on tour across...
(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
Barbican Centre
The Barbican Centre is the largest performing arts centre in Europe. Located in the City of London, England, the Centre hosts classical and contemporary music concerts, theatre performances, film screenings and art exhibitions. It also houses a library, three restaurants, and a conservatory...
. She also appeared in the RSC production of Alan Ayckbourn
Alan Ayckbourn
Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE is a prolific English playwright. He has written and produced seventy-three full-length plays in Scarborough and London and was, between 1972 and 2009, the artistic director of the Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, where all but four of his plays have received their...
's Wildest Dreams at the Barbican in December 1993.
From 1990 to 1992 she played one of the lead characters, Maggie Lomax, in primetime BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
TV comedy On the Up
On the Up
On the Up was a British situation comedy written by Bob Larbey. It ran for three series, from 1990 to 1992.-Plot summary:Tony Carpenter is a self-made millionaire who turned his South London minicab firm into a successful chauffeur-driven car service...
. She also sang the theme song to Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
.
She performed in three shows at The Bridewell Theatre: On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever is a musical with music by Burton Lane and a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner based loosely on Berkeley Square, written in 1929 by John L. Balderston. It concerns a woman who has ESP and has been reincarnated...
as Daisy (January 2000), Hello Again
Hello Again (musical)
Hello Again is musical with music, lyrics and book by Michael John LaChiusa. It is based on the 1897 play La Ronde by Arthur Schnitzler...
(March 2001) and a concert, The Cutting Edge in June 2000. Other stage work includes Tracey Lord in High Society
High Society (musical)
High Society is a musical with a book by Arthur Kopit and music and lyrics by Cole Porter.Based on the Philip Barry play The Philadelphia Story and the 1956 musical screen adaptation with Porter's songs, High Society, the plot centers on pretentious Long Island socialite Tracy Lord, who is planning...
at Sheffield Crucible, Young Sally in Follies
Follies
Follies is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and a book by James Goldman. The story concerns a reunion in a crumbling Broadway theatre, scheduled for demolition, of the past performers of the "Weismann's Follies," a musical revue , that played in that theatre between the World Wars...
at the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1987, Bertrande in Martin Guerre at the West End’s Prince Edward theatre (1998), Felicity in Landslide at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds, and Three Sisters at the Royal Court.
She left the cast of Songs For a New World during rehearsal in order to play Deborah Gilder in the television series Born and Bred
Born and Bred
Born and Bred is a light-hearted British drama series that aired on BBC One from 2002 to 2005. Created by Chris Chibnall and Nigel McCrery, Born and Breds cast was led by James Bolam and Michael French, who play a father and son who run a cottage hospital in Ormston, a fictional Lancashire village...
in 2002 through 2005.
In 2005 she appeared as the Floor Manager in the Doctor Who
Doctor Who
Doctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
episodes "Bad Wolf
Bad Wolf
"Bad Wolf" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on June 11, 2005. The TARDIS crew find themselves trapped in the Gamestation, also known as Satellite 5, where they must battle to survive the cruel games...
" and "The Parting of the Ways
The Parting of the Ways
"The Parting of the Ways" is an episode in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast on 18 June 2005. It was the second episode of the two-part story that featured Christopher Eccleston making his last appearance as the Ninth Doctor...
". 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
Ewan McGregor
Ewan Gordon McGregor is a Scottish actor. He has had success in mainstream, indie, and art house films. McGregor is perhaps best known for his roles as heroin addict Mark Renton in the drama Trainspotting , young Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi in the Star Wars prequel trilogy , and poet Christian in the...
, Nigel Harman
Nigel Harman
Nigel Derek Harman is an English actor, most famous for his role as Dennis Rickman in the UK soap opera EastEnders. He has worked extensively in theatre, with the stage being described as his "first love"...
, Sarah Lancashire
Sarah Lancashire
Sarah Lancashire is an English actress, probably best recognised for her role as Raquel Watts in Coronation Street. She graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 1986.-Television:...
, Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski
Jane Krakowski is an American actress and singer. She is most well known for her performance of Elaine Vassal on Ally McBeal, for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe Award, and for her current role as Jenna Maroney on the NBC sitcom 30 Rock, for which she has been nominated for three Emmy...
, and Nigel Lindsay. She received a nomination for the 2006 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for this role. In 2006, she took over from Anna-Jane Casey
Anna-Jane Casey
Anna-Jane Casey is an English singer, dancer and actress best known for her work in musical theatre.-Personal life:Casey was born in Salford, Lancashire, England...
as Dot/Marie in the London revival of Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George is a 1984 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical was inspired by the painting "A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte" by Georges Seurat...
, by Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Sondheim
Stephen Joshua Sondheim is an American composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is the winner of an Academy Award, multiple Tony Awards including the Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre, multiple Grammy Awards, a Pulitzer Prize and the Laurence Olivier Award...
for which she won the 2007 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.
She subsequently played Amy alongside Felicity Kendal
Felicity Kendal
Felicity Ann Kendal, CBE is an English actor known for her television and stage work.Born in 1946, Kendal spent much of her childhood in India, where her father managed a touring repertory company. First appearing on stage at the age of nine months, Kendal appeared in her first film, Shakespeare...
in the West End revival of the play Amy's View
Amy's View
Amy's View was written by British playwright David Hare, and originally premiered in London at the Royal National Theatre's Lyttelton Theatre on June 13, 1997. It was directed by Richard Eyre and starred Judi Dench, Ronald Pickup and Samantha Bond in the title role. It was then performed on...
in 2006. In 2008, Russell reprised her role as Dot in the Broadway transfer of Sunday in the Park with George. The production opened on February 21, 2008 and ran until June 29, 2008 at Studio 54
Studio 54
Studio 54 was a highly popular discotheque from 1977 until 1991, located at 254 West 54th Street in Manhattan, New York, USA. It was originally the Gallo Opera House, opening in 1927, after which it changed names several times, eventually becoming a CBS radio and television studio. In 1977 it...
. Russell won the Theatre World Award
Theatre World Award
The Theatre World Award, first awarded for the 1945-46 season, is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway or off-Broadway.-History:...
and received Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
and Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
nominations for Best Actress in a Musical, losing to Patti LuPone
Patti LuPone
Patti Ann LuPone is an American singer and actress, known for her Tony Award-winning performances as Eva Perón in the 1979 stage musical Evita and as Madame Rose in the 2008 Broadway revival of Gypsy, and for her Olivier Award-winning performance as Fantine in the original London cast of Les...
.
In 2009 she appeared in the inaugurual episode of the resurrected TV series "Minder
Minder (TV series)
Minder is a British comedy-drama about the London criminal underworld. Initially produced by Verity Lambert, it was made by Euston Films, a subsidiary of Thames Television and shown on ITV...
" as Petra.
Russell has appeared in Into the Woods
Into the Woods
Into the Woods is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It debuted in San Diego at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986, and premiered on Broadway in 1987. Bernadette Peters' performance as the Witch and Joanna Gleason's portrayal of the Baker's Wife brought acclaim...
twice. For the Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse
Donmar Warehouse is a small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden area of London, with a capacity of 251.-About:Under the artistic leadership of Michael Grandage, the theatre has presented some of London’s most memorable award-winning theatrical experiences, as well as garnered critical...
production in 1998, she played Cinderella. For the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2010, she plays the role of the Baker's Wife.
Personal life
Russell is the partner of actor Raymond CoulthardRaymond Coulthard
Raymond Coulthard is an English actor, best known for his roles as Alasdair Sinclair in the popular ITV soap opera Emmerdale and restaurant manager James Schofield in Hotel Babylon....
, and they are the parents of a girl. Russell relates that she was in the early stages of her pregnancy when she appeared in Sunday on Broadway.