Joel Goodness
Encyclopedia
Joel Goodness is an American
singer, film
and theatre
actor
best known for his portrayal of Harry in the first four years of the initial run of the Broadway
musical Crazy For You
by George
and Ira Gershwin
, and of the Bajoran
Deputy in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
episode Chimera.
, and attended Assumption High School
. Further education included one semester at Viterbo University
in La Crosse, a summer touring production of The Wiz
through UW-Superior, leading to a dance scholarship at Gus Giordano
Dance School in Chicago
. He followed this with two summers performing at Marriott's Great America
in the main stage productions Evolution of Rock and Salute to the Stars. Joel graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point with a self-created Musical Theater degree. Following graduation, he was hired to appear in an original musical entitled Sweat
], at Milwaukee's Performing Arts Center. During college, Goodness choreographed area show choirs and high school theater productions as well as a critically acclaimed production of Barnum
at the Appleton
Community Theater. In addition to summer work at theme parks, Goodness rounded out his earlier performing years in NCL Cruise Ship
musical revue shows, working for Jean Ann Ryan Productions. On land, he also did a Las Vegas style production in Miami titled Masquerade, working with gymnast Kurt Thomas
and his Gymnastics America Co. Joel went on to stage two casts in The Sound of Music
at the Derby Dinner Theater in Louisville
, Kentucky
, performed in Lil Abner, West Side Story
and A Chorus Line
. Heading to New York City
, Goodness took part in a national tour of Funny Girl
playing Eddie Ryan, two productions of Camelot
(one with David Birney
, the other with Noel Harrison
), Jesus Christ Superstar
with Adrian Zmed, Peter Pan
with Cathy Rigby
, and the 20th anniversary production of Hair (musical)
with Romaine Frishe, Tishina Arnold, Danielle Brisebois
and Roger Bart
. Other productions included Fiddler on the Roof
, La Cage Aux Folles
, Anything Goes
and The Boy Friend
. Off-Broadway shows included Custody
and Georgy
. Goodness studied dance with Christine La Blaine-DeHart, James Moore
, Lea Theodore of the American Dance Theater and Frank Hatchett. On Broadway, Joel originated the role of Harry in the four year smash hit run of Crazy For You
starring Jodi Benson
. He has worked with such directors and choreographers as Michael Ockrent, Susan Stroman
, Jerry Mitchell
, Maurice Hines
, Otis Sallid and Jimmy Locust. He was one of the original seven members of Broadway Bares which has raised over five million dollars for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
. Joel also danced in the NFL Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Film and television credits include Regarding Henry
with Harrison Ford
and Annette Bening
, The Pickle
with Ally Sheedy
, a Bajoran officer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, several appearances on the Rosie O'Donnell Show, HGTV'S House Hunters
- a singing waiter with Hinton Battle
on The Jeff Foxworthy Show
and dancing in the 69th Academy Awards
Show, 1992 Kennedy Center Honors and the 1992 Tony Awards.
Goodness has also appeared on daytime soaps such as General Hospital
, Port Charles
, and All My Children
, Guiding Light
, One Life To Live
and Loving
. Joel's commercials have included; an award-winning, digitally altered, open mouthed army sergeant on billboards for AT&T
on army bases all across the United States
, a Japan
ese commercial with Nicolas Cage
, a documentary film with Claudia Schiffer
,
Polar Beer, Heineken
, Milwaukee's Best and Miami's Tourism Board to name a few. Mr. Goodness also produced a production of Mother & Child on Broadway. In 2011 Goodness produced and starred in The Boop Revue, part of the Betty Boop
Festival in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer, film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
and theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
best known for his portrayal of Harry in the first four years of the initial run of the 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...
musical Crazy For You
Crazy for You
Crazy for You is a musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as "The New Gershwin Musical Comedy", it is largely based on the songwriting team’s 1930 musical, Girl Crazy, but interpolates songs from several other productions as well...
by George
George Gershwin
George Gershwin was an American composer and pianist. Gershwin's compositions spanned both popular and classical genres, and his most popular melodies are widely known...
and Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin
Ira Gershwin was an American lyricist who collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century....
, and of the Bajoran
Bajoran
In the Star Trek science-fiction franchise, the Bajorans are a humanoid extraterrestrial species native to the planet Bajor. They were first introduced in the 1991 episode "Ensign Ro" of Star Trek: The Next Generation and subsequently also featured in episodes of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine and...
Deputy in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Star Trek: Deep Space Nine is a science fiction television series set in the Star Trek universe...
episode Chimera.
Biography
Born in Wisconsin Rapids, WisconsinWisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,435 at the 2000 census.According to the 2010 census, the Wisconsin Rapids micropolitan area was home to 54,362 people...
, and attended Assumption High School
Assumption High School (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin)
Assumption High School is a Roman Catholic high school in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin in the Diocese of La Crosse.Assumption was established in 1951...
. Further education included one semester at Viterbo University
Viterbo University
Viterbo University is a Roman Catholic liberal arts university located in La Crosse, Wisconsin, United States in the Diocese of La Crosse.-History:...
in La Crosse, a summer touring production of The Wiz
The Wiz
The Wiz: The Super Soul Musical "Wonderful Wizard of Oz" is a musical with music and lyrics by Charlie Smalls and book by William F. Brown. It is a retelling of L. Frank Baum's The Wonderful Wizard of Oz in the context of African American culture. It opened on October 21, 1974 at the Morris A...
through UW-Superior, leading to a dance scholarship at Gus Giordano
Gus Giordano
Gus Giordano was an American jazz dancer. He was a performer on and off Broadway, in television, film and stage, and he is a master teacher, a gifted choreographer, founder of his company , creator of the Jazz Dance World Congress and the author of Anthology of American Jazz Dance, the first book...
Dance School in Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
. He followed this with two summers performing at Marriott's Great America
Marriott's Great America
There are two amusement parks formerly known as Marriott's Great America:*Six Flags Great America, located in Gurnee, Illinois*Great America , located in Santa Clara, California...
in the main stage productions Evolution of Rock and Salute to the Stars. Joel graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Stevens Point with a self-created Musical Theater degree. Following graduation, he was hired to appear in an original musical entitled Sweat
SWEAT
SWEAT is an OLN/TSN show hosted by Julie Zwillich that aired in 2003-2004.Each of the 13 half-hour episodes of SWEAT features a different outdoor sport: kayaking, mountain biking, ice hockey, beach volleyball, soccer, windsurfing, rowing, Ultimate, triathlon, wakeboarding, snowboarding, telemark...
], at Milwaukee's Performing Arts Center. During college, Goodness choreographed area show choirs and high school theater productions as well as a critically acclaimed production of Barnum
Barnum
-Places:In the United States:*Barnum, Iowa, a small city*Barnum, Minnesota, a small city*Barnum Township, Carlton County, Minnesota*Barnum, Wisconsin, an unincorporated community-People:...
at the Appleton
Appleton
-People:* Alistair Appleton, British television presenter* Charles W. Appleton, of GE* Colin Appleton, footballer* Daniel Appleton, American publisher, 1800s founder of D...
Community Theater. In addition to summer work at theme parks, Goodness rounded out his earlier performing years in NCL Cruise Ship
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line is a company operating cruise ships, headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida. It began operations in 1966 under the name Norwegian Caribbean Line. The company is best known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which means that there are no set times or...
musical revue shows, working for Jean Ann Ryan Productions. On land, he also did a Las Vegas style production in Miami titled Masquerade, working with gymnast Kurt Thomas
Kurt Thomas
Kurt Thomas is the name of:* Kurt Thomas , NBA player* Kurt Thomas , American gymnast*Kurt Thomas...
and his Gymnastics America Co. Joel went on to stage two casts in The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music
The Sound of Music is a musical by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. It is based on the memoir of Maria von Trapp, The Story of the Trapp Family Singers...
at the Derby Dinner Theater in Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
, Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, performed in Lil Abner, West Side Story
West Side Story
West Side Story is an American musical with a script by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and choreographed by Jerome Robbins...
and A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
. Heading to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Goodness took part in a national tour of Funny Girl
Funny Girl
Funny Girl is a musical with a book by Isobel Lennart, music by Jule Styne, and lyrics by Bob Merrill. The semi-biographical plot is based on the life and career of Broadway, film star and comedienne Fanny Brice and her stormy relationship with entrepreneur and gambler Nicky Arnstein...
playing Eddie Ryan, two productions of Camelot
Camelot
Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and eventually came to be described as the fantastic capital of Arthur's realm and a symbol of the Arthurian world...
(one with David Birney
David Birney
David Edwin Birney is an American actor/director whose career has performances in both contemporary and classical roles in theatre, film and television. He has three children, a daughter Kate, and twins, Peter and Mollie....
, the other with Noel Harrison
Noel Harrison
Noel Harrison is an English Olympic athlete, actor and singer. He is the son of British actor Sir Rex Harrison.-Early life:...
), Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
with Adrian Zmed, Peter Pan
Peter Pan
Peter Pan is a character created by Scottish novelist and playwright J. M. Barrie . A mischievous boy who can fly and magically refuses to grow up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood adventuring on the small island of Neverland as the leader of his gang the Lost Boys, interacting with...
with Cathy Rigby
Cathy Rigby
Cathleen Roxanne Rigby , best known as Cathy Rigby, is a former gymnast, actress and speaker.-Early life:Rigby was born in Los Alamitos, California in 1952....
, and the 20th anniversary production of Hair (musical)
Hair (musical)
Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical is a rock musical with a book and lyrics by James Rado and Gerome Ragni and music by Galt MacDermot. A product of the hippie counter-culture and sexual revolution of the 1960s, several of its songs became anthems of the anti-Vietnam War peace movement...
with Romaine Frishe, Tishina Arnold, Danielle Brisebois
Danielle Brisebois
Danielle Anne Brisebois is an American actress, producer, songwriter and singer. In the 1990s she recorded two solo albums, Arrive All Over You and Portable Life, and was a member of the New Radicals...
and Roger Bart
Roger Bart
Roger Bart is an American actor and singer.-Life and career:Bart was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, the son of a teacher and a chemical engineer, and grew up in Bernardsville, New Jersey. His uncle is journalist Peter Bart. He made his Broadway debut in Big River as Tom Sawyer in 1987...
. Other productions included Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof
Fiddler on the Roof is a musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and book by Joseph Stein, set in Tsarist Russia in 1905. It is based on Tevye and his Daughters by Sholem Aleichem...
, La Cage Aux Folles
La Cage aux Folles
La Cage aux Folles is a musical with a book by Harvey Fierstein and lyrics and music by Jerry Herman. Based on the 1973 French play of the same name by Jean Poiret, it focuses on a gay couple: Georges, the manager of a Saint-Tropez nightclub featuring drag entertainment, and Albin, his romantic...
, Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
and The Boy Friend
The Boy Friend
The Boy Friend is a musical by Sandy Wilson. The musical's original 1954 London production ran for 2,078 performances, making it briefly the third-longest running musical in West End or Broadway history until it was surpassed by Salad Days...
. Off-Broadway shows included Custody
Custody
Custody may refer to:* Legal custody* Child custody, a description of the legal relationship between a parent and child* Police custody or detention, a lawful holding of a person by removing their freedom of liberty...
and Georgy
Georgy
Georgy is a musical with a book by Tom Mankiewicz, lyrics by Carole Bayer, and music by George Fischoff.Based on the Margaret Forster novel Georgy Girl and the subsequent 1966 film adaptation, it tells the story of awkward, overweight, dowdy music teacher Georgy; her beautiful, self-centered...
. Goodness studied dance with Christine La Blaine-DeHart, James Moore
James Moore
James Moore and Jim Moore are the names of:*Butch Moore , born James Augustine Moore, Irish showband icon during the 1960s*Cowboy Jimmy Moore James Moore and Jim Moore are the names of:*Butch Moore (1938–2001), born James Augustine Moore, Irish showband icon during the 1960s*Cowboy Jimmy Moore...
, Lea Theodore of the American Dance Theater and Frank Hatchett. On Broadway, Joel originated the role of Harry in the four year smash hit run of Crazy For You
Crazy for You
Crazy for You is a musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as "The New Gershwin Musical Comedy", it is largely based on the songwriting team’s 1930 musical, Girl Crazy, but interpolates songs from several other productions as well...
starring Jodi Benson
Jodi Benson
Jodi Marie Benson is an American actress, voice actress, soprano singer, and Disney Legend. She is best known for providing both the speaking and the singing voices of Disney's Princess Ariel in The Little Mermaid and its sequels. In 2002 and 2006, she reprised the role of Ariel in the English...
. He has worked with such directors and choreographers as Michael Ockrent, Susan Stroman
Susan Stroman
Susan Stroman is an American theatre director, choreographer, film director, and performer. She has won the Tony Award for both her choreography and direction, notably for the stage musical The Producers.-Early years:...
, Jerry Mitchell
Jerry Mitchell
Jerry Mitchell is an American theatre director and choreographer.-Early life and education:Born in Paw Paw, Michigan, Mitchell later moved to St. Louis where he pursued his acting, dancing and directing career in theatre. He graduated from the Fine Arts college at Webster University in St. Louis. ...
, Maurice Hines
Maurice Hines
Maurice Hines is an American actor, director, jazz singer and choreographer.Born in New York City, Hines began his career at the age of five, studying tap dance at the Henry LeTang Dance Studio in Manhattan. LeTang recognized his talent and began choreographing numbers specifically for him and his...
, Otis Sallid and Jimmy Locust. He was one of the original seven members of Broadway Bares which has raised over five million dollars for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS
Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is the theatre community’s response to the AIDS crisis. By drawing upon the talents, resources and generosity of the theatre community, on Broadway, Off-Broadway and across the country, BC/EFA raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States...
. Joel also danced in the NFL Super Bowl in New Orleans.
Film and television credits include Regarding Henry
Regarding Henry
Regarding Henry is a 1991 American film drama starring Harrison Ford and Annette Bening, directed by Mike Nichols.The screenplay by J. J. Abrams focuses on a New York City lawyer who struggles to regain his memory and recover his speech and mobility after he survives a shooting.-Plot:Ambitious,...
with Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford
Harrison Ford is an American film actor and producer. He is famous for his performances as Han Solo in the original Star Wars trilogy and as the title character of the Indiana Jones film series. Ford is also known for his roles as Rick Deckard in Blade Runner, John Book in Witness and Jack Ryan in...
and Annette Bening
Annette Bening
Annette Carol Bening is an American actress. Bening is a four-time Oscar nominee for her roles in The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia and The Kids Are All Right, winning Golden Globe Awards for the latter two films...
, The Pickle
The Pickle
The Pickle is a 1993 film produced, written, and directed by Paul Mazursky, telling the story of a formerly powerful film director whose recent string of flops has forced him to make a commercial piece that is artistically uninspired...
with Ally Sheedy
Ally Sheedy
Alexandra Elizabeth "Ally" Sheedy is an American film and stage actress, as well as the author of two books. She is best known for her roles in the Brat Pack films The Breakfast Club and St. Elmo's Fire.-Early life:...
, a Bajoran officer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, several appearances on the Rosie O'Donnell Show, HGTV'S House Hunters
House Hunters
House Hunters is an American reality series that airs on HGTV. Having originally premiered in 1999, there have been three spin-off series that follow a similar format as the original show.-Format:...
- a singing waiter with Hinton Battle
Hinton Battle
Hinton Battle is an American actor, dancer, and dance instructor. He has won three Tony Awards, all in the category of Featured Actor in a Musical...
on The Jeff Foxworthy Show
The Jeff Foxworthy Show
The Jeff Foxworthy Show is the name of two short-lived television series starring comedian Jeff Foxworthy and based on Foxworthy's stand-up comedy routine...
and dancing in the 69th Academy Awards
69th Academy Awards
The 69th Academy Awards were dominated by movies produced by independent studios, financed outside of mainstream Hollywood, leading to 1996 being dubbed "The Year of the Independents". All but one of the nominees for Best Picture were low-budget independent movies The 69th Academy Awards were...
Show, 1992 Kennedy Center Honors and the 1992 Tony Awards.
Goodness has also appeared on daytime soaps such as General Hospital
General Hospital
General Hospital is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running American soap opera currently in production and the third longest running drama in television in American history after Guiding Light and As the World Turns....
, Port Charles
Port Charles
Port Charles was a daytime soap opera which aired on ABC from June 2, 1997 to October 3, 2003. It is a spin-off of the serial General Hospital, which has been running since 1963 and takes place in the fictional city of Port Charles, New York...
, and All My Children
All My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
, Guiding Light
Guiding Light
Guiding Light is an American daytime television drama that is credited by the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest running drama in television and radio history, running from 1937 until 2009...
, One Life To Live
One Life to Live
One Life to Live is an American soap opera which debuted on July 15, 1968 and has been broadcast on the ABC television network. Created by Agnes Nixon, the series was the first daytime drama to primarily feature racially and socioeconomically diverse characters and consistently emphasize social...
and Loving
Loving
-Places:* Loving, New Mexico, a village located in Eddy County, New Mexico.* Loving County, Texas, the least populous county in the U.S.-Things:* Love, a range of human emotions* Loving , a 1945 novel by Henry Green....
. Joel's commercials have included; an award-winning, digitally altered, open mouthed army sergeant on billboards for AT&T
AT&T
AT&T Inc. is an American multinational telecommunications corporation headquartered in Whitacre Tower, Dallas, Texas, United States. It is the largest provider of mobile telephony and fixed telephony in the United States, and is also a provider of broadband and subscription television services...
on army bases all across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, a Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese commercial with Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage is an American actor, producer and director, having appeared in over 60 films including Raising Arizona , The Rock , Face/Off , Gone in 60 Seconds , Adaptation , National Treasure , Ghost Rider , Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans , and...
, a documentary film with Claudia Schiffer
Claudia Schiffer
Claudia Schiffer is a German model and occasional actress, who reached the peak of her popularity during the 1990s, initially due to her resemblance to Brigitte Bardot. Schiffer is one of the world's most successful models, having appeared on over 500 magazine covers...
,
Polar Beer, Heineken
Heineken
Heineken is a Dutch beer which has been brewed by Heineken International since 1873. It is available in a 4.6% alcohol variety in countries such as Ireland. It is the flagship product of the Heineken company and is made of purified water, malted barley, hops, and yeast. In 1886 H...
, Milwaukee's Best and Miami's Tourism Board to name a few. Mr. Goodness also produced a production of Mother & Child on Broadway. In 2011 Goodness produced and starred in The Boop Revue, part of the Betty Boop
Betty Boop
Betty Boop is an animated cartoon character created by Max Fleischer, with help from animators including Grim Natwick. She originally appeared in the Talkartoon and Betty Boop film series, which were produced by Fleischer Studios and released by Paramount Pictures. She has also been featured in...
Festival in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
Wisconsin Rapids is a city in and the county seat of Wood County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 18,435 at the 2000 census.According to the 2010 census, the Wisconsin Rapids micropolitan area was home to 54,362 people...
.