Jennifer Simard | |
|---|---|
 Simard at the2022 Tony Awards | |
| Born | (1970-08-08)August 8, 1970 (age 54) |
| Education | Boston Conservatory (BFA) |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, singer |
| Years active | 1992–present |
| Spouse | Brad Robertson (married 2004-2024) |
| Website | jennifersimard |
Jennifer Simard (born August 8, 1970) is an American actress known primarily for her work in theater. A two-timeTony Award nominee, she rose to prominence with roles inBroadway andOff-Broadway productions in the 2000s, such asI Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change,The Thing About Men andForbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit, nominated for theDrama Desk Award andLucille Lortel Award.[1][2]
In 2016, Simard starred as Sister Mary Downey inDisaster!, receiving rave reviews and her first nomination forTony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. Between 2019 and 2022, she starred as Sarah in theBroadway revival ofCompany for which she received her second Tony nomination. Other Broadway credits include the 2017 Revival ofHello, Dolly,Mean Girls, andOnce Upon a One More Time.
Simard's screen credits includeSomewhere in Queens,Law & Order andYounger.
Simard is fromLitchfield, New Hampshire. She studied at theBoston Conservatory of Music andHunter College.[3] After studying, Simard moved to New York, where she appeared inForbidden Broadway '93.[4][5]
She made her Broadway debut inThe 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and later performed in the Broadway productions ofShrek The Musical andSister Act.[6]
Simard garnered Drama Desk Award nominations forOutstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her roles inI Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change,The Thing About Men, andForbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit (2005).[7]
She originated the role of Sister Mary Downey in the 2016Broadway musicalDisaster!; her performance earned her aTony Award nomination, as well as aDrama League Award nomination, in 2016. She was also nominated for aDrama Desk Award for the role, which she performedoff-Broadway in 2014.[8][9]
She appeared on Broadway as Ernestina in the 2017 revival ofHello, Dolly!, starringBette Midler andDavid Hyde Pierce.[10] Simard played Miss Hannigan in theSt. Louis Muny production ofAnnie from July 18–25, 2018.[11] In August 2018, it was announced that Simard would join the Tony-nominated musicalMean Girls as Mrs. Heron, Ms. Norbury, and Mrs. George that September, replacingKerry Butler.[12][13] Her last performance was on December 8, 2019.[14]
In October 2019, it was announced that Simard would join the gender-swapped revival ofCompany as Sarah at theBernard B. Jacobs Theatre.[15] She returned to the production after the pandemic, starring as Sarah over the course of 2020 to 2022.[16] Between February 26 to March 6, 2022, she took over the role of Joanne due to the indisposition ofPatti LuPone.[17] At the75th Tony Awards Simard received her second nomination forBest Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.[18]
In 2023, she originated the role of Stepmother in theBritney Spears jukebox musicalOnce Upon a One More Time at theMarquis Theatre.[19]
In 2024, Simard starred in the stage adaptation ofDeath Becomes Her as Helen Sharp, opposite co-leadMegan Hilty as Madeline Ashton.[20] The production's out of town tryout ran at Chicago'sCadillac Palace Theatre from April 30 to June 2, 2024. Simard and Hilty will lead the production on Broadway, at theLunt-Fontanne Theatre, with previews beginning Oct 23, before opening on Nov 21st.[21]
Simard's television roles include appearances inYounger,The Good Wife,Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,Law & Order, "Girls5eva," andThe King of Queens. She also appeared in the 2000 comedy filmThe Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas.[22]
On October 3, 2004, Simard married Brad Robertson, whom she met when he was the light board operator for the off-Broadway production ofI Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.[23] They separated in 2023.
| Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change | Woman #1 | Westside Theatre | Joel Bishoff | |
| 2003 | The Thing About Men | Woman | Promenade Theatre | ||
| 2004 | Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit | Various Characters | Douglas Fairbanks Theatre | Gerard Alessandrini and Phillip George | |
| 2006 | The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee | Rona Lisa Peretti | US National Tour | James Lapine | |
| 2007 | Rona Lisa Peretti(replacement) | Circle in the Square Theatre | |||
| 2008 | Shrek The Musical | Queen Lillian/Wicked Witch/ Magic Mirror Assistant | Broadway Theatre | Jason Moore | |
| 2011 | Sister Act | Ensemble | Jerry Zaks | ||
| 2013 | Disaster! | Sister Mary Downy | St. Luke’s Theatre | Jack Plotnick | |
| 2016 | Nederlander Theatre | ||||
| 2017–18 | Hello, Dolly! | Ernestina | Shubert Theatre | Jerry Zaks | |
| 2018 | Annie | Miss Hannigan | The Muny | ||
| 2018–19 | Mean Girls | Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/ Mrs. George(replacement) | August Wilson Theatre | Casey Nicholaw | |
| 2020 | Company | Sarah u/s Joanne | Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre | Marianne Elliott | |
| 2021–22 | |||||
| 2022 | Joanne(temporary replacement) | ||||
| Sarah u/s Joanne | |||||
| 2023 | Once Upon a One More Time | Stepmother | Marquis Theatre | Keone Madrid and Mari Madrid | |
| 2024 | Death Becomes Her | Helen Sharp | Cadillac Palace Theatre | Christopher Gattelli | |
| Lunt-Fontanne Theatre | |||||
| 2025 | Pete 'n' Keely | Keely Stevens | Concert at Carnegie Hall | Mark Waldrop |
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas | Bride-To-Be | |
| 2001 | Wish You Were Dead | Cake Girl | |
| 2013 | Shrek The Musical | Wicked Witch | |
| 2014 | Non-Stop | Maggie Evans (uncredited) | |
| 2015 | Sisters | Pet Activist at Party | |
| 2022 | Somewhere in Queens | Patsy |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | The King of Queens | Paula | Episode:"Best Man" | |
| 2006 | Law & Order | Danielle Andreas | Episode:"Invaders" | |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Debra Jackson | Episode:"Trade" | |
| 2015 | The Good Wife | Janie Mullaby | Episode:"Payback" | |
| 2016 | Younger | Sherry | Episode:"Last Days of Books" | |
| 2021 | Girls5eva | Daphne | Episode: "Catskills" |
| Year | Award ceremony | Category | Show | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change | Nominated | |
| 2004 | The Thing About Men | Nominated | |||
| 2005 | Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit | Nominated | |||
| Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Featured Actress | Nominated | |||
| 2014 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Disaster! | Nominated | |
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance Award | Nominated | |||
| 2016 | Nominated | ||||
| Tony Award | Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | Company | Nominated | |||
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical | Nominated |