Jessie Mueller
Born	Jessica Ruth Mueller (1983-02-20) February 20, 1983 (age 34) Evanston, Illinois
Alma mater	Syracuse University
Occupation	Actress/Singer
Years active	2005-present
Partner(s)	Andy Truschinski

Jessica Ruth “Jessie” Mueller (born February 20, 1983)[1] is an American actress and singer. She started her career in Chicago and won a Joseph Jefferson Award in 2008 for her role as Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel. In 2011, she moved to New York City to star in the Broadway revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever. She won the 2014 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical for her performance in the lead role of Carole King in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, and originated the lead role of Jenna in the musical Waitress on Broadway.

 

Early Years

Mueller was born and raised in Evanston, Illinois, the daughter of actors Jill (née Shellabarger) and Roger Mueller. Her brothers, Andrew and Matt, and sister, Abby, are all actors, known for their work in the Chicago theatre community, Broadway, and Off-Broadway.[2][3][4] Mueller is Lutheran.[5] She graduated from Evanston Township High School in 2001 and from Syracuse University in 2005.[6]

Career

2005–2011: Chicago Theatre

After graduation, Mueller returned to Chicago and acted for the Chicago Shakespeare Theater, traveling in 2006 to England to perform at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon as Lady Mortimer in Henry IV. She followed this with various roles in the Chicago area including Lizzie Fields in Baby, Once Upon a Mattress as the Lady-In Waiting, and Esther in Meet Me in St. Louis. At the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois, she performed roles in Shout! The Mod Musical, Shenandoah, Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, and Tzeitel in Fiddler on the Roof. In 2009 Mueller performed in two musicals at the Goodman Theatre, Animal Crackers as Grace/Mary and A Christmas Carol as Belle/Catherine.[7][8][9]

In 2011, she was named Actor of the Year by the Chicago Tribune and also was nominated for two Joseph Jefferson Awards, winning Best Lead Actress in a Musical for her performance as Amalia Balash in She Loves Me.[10][11][12][13][14]

 

2011–2017: Broadway debut and initial success

Mueller made her Broadway debut in a revised revival of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever as Melinda Wells, a role originated by Barbara Harris. The musical opened in December 2011. Mueller received critical praise for her performance, with one reviewer commenting “…Her voice contains notes of Garland, but she’s no diva — this is a star of supreme self-possession”.[15] For this role, Mueller was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.[16][17][18][19]

Mueller next was cast in the role of Helena Landless / Miss Janet Conover in Roundabout Theatre Company’s 2012 revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood for which she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Mueller portrayed Cinderella in a 2012 Public Theater production of Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods at the Delacorte Theater. She then took over the role of Billie Bendix in Nice Work If You Can Get It, from March 29, 2013 until the show closed on June 15, 2013.[20] Also in 2013, she once again took on the role of Carrie Pipperidge in Carousel at Lincoln Center in a staged concert production backed by the New York Philharmonic – a special that was filmed and aired on PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center.

Mueller appeared in the musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, which opened on Broadway on January 12, 2014. She originated the title role of Carole King. She had performed this role in the try-out in San Francisco in 2013. She won the Drama Desk Award and Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical. She left the Broadway production on March 6, 2015.[21][22][23] On February 8, 2015, Mueller won a Grammy award for Best Musical Theater Album (shared with Carole King (music and lyrics), and producers Jason Howland, Steve Sidwell & Billy Jay Stein).[24]

On April 27, 2015, Mueller was the recipient of the Sarah Siddons Society Award at the Marriott Theatre in Lincolnshire, Illinois. [25]

Mueller reprised her role as Jenna in the musical adaptation of the film Waitress on Broadway, having previously played the role in a workshop of the musical in late 2014.[26][27] With music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles and direction by Diane Paulus, the musical premiered at the American Repertory Theater in August 2015. [28]

Waitress opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre on April 24, 2016. Mueller was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award, among others, for her performance. Mueller also received critical praise for her performance, Charles Isherwood for the New York Times noted: “But it is when Ms. Mueller tears into the musical’s climactic number, ‘She Used to Be Mine,’ that her talents are most fully and movingly harnessed… Ms. Mueller’s vibrant performance of this gentle but wrenching song, featuring a melody that soars and then recedes in waves, is the high point of the show — and for that matter a high point of the Broadway season. Suddenly, a pleasant and polished but weightless musical comedy rises to transporting heights, and sweeps up your heart along with it.”[29] Mueller’s performance also earned her a 2016 Lilly Award for its message of female empowerment and safety.[30][31]

Mueller left the production on March 26, 2017.[32][33]

 

2017–Present: Film debut and Carousel on Broadway

In April 2017, shortly after her departure from Waitress, it was announced that Mueller will next portray the lead role of Julie Jordan in a Broadway revival of Carousel, which will open April 12, 2018 at the Imperial Theatre with previews beginning February 28.[34] [35]

Mueller made her feature film debut in Steven Spielberg’s historical drama The Post. Mueller portrayed real life advice columnist Judith Martin (a.k.a. Miss Manners), alongside a cast including Meryl Streep, Tom Hanks, Sarah Paulson, and Carrie Coon. The film was released in select theaters on December 22, 2017, before expanding wide on January 12, 2018.[36]

Also in 2017, Mueller was nominated for a Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award for her performance[37] in the Lyric Opera’s Chicago Voices concert,[38] which was filmed and aired on WTTW earlier in the year.[39]

Personal Life

In 2009, Mueller met film producer/director and fellow actor Andy Truschinski while performing opposite him as Belle (Truschinski played Young Scrooge) in the Goodman Theatre’s production of A Christmas Carol. They formed a relationship during the show and remain partners to this day. The couple reside together in New York City.[40][41][42][43][44] [45]

Activism and Philanthropy

Mueller has worked frequently with the Broadway community to raise awareness and funds for various causes including LGBT+ rights, anti-gun violence, women’s rights, adoption, and other social issues. She supports Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS,[46][47] and has appeared on multiple volumes of their annual Carols for a Cure albums.[48][49] In 2016, she was among numerous performers who teamed with Broadway personality Seth Rudetsky to record a cover of “What The World Needs Now” to support the GLBT Community of Central Florida after the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando;[50] the movement would include a benefit concert in Orlando[51] as well as an appearance on Maya & Marty.[52] Later that year, Mueller would again work with Rudetsky and his husband James Wesley to formulate the idea for Concert for America, a series of concerts supporting various social justice organizations.[53][54][55]

Mueller is also known for her work supporting the arts and arts education. In 2014, Mueller performed at the launch of the FWD Theatre Project, a grassroots effort to support the creation of new musicals in the Chicago theatre community.[56] In 2015, she performed with fellow Beautiful alum Jarrod Spector in a series of concerts benefitting various arts organizations.[57] In 2016, she and partner Andy Truschinski were honored by the Alliance of Resident Theatres/New York with the Abe L. Blinder Award for Public Service and Arts Education.[58] Mueller also recorded a song for the Museum of Modern Art’s Pop! Goes the Easel album, a collection of children’s songs inspired by works featured in the museum.[59] In 2017, Mueller served as a mentor for students in Rosie’s Theatre Kids, an organization started by actress and public personality Rosie O’Donnell to train and support youth in the performing arts.[60] Mueller continues to support her own alma maters, performing at a benefit showcase for Evanston Township High School’s YAMO theatre program in 2017[61] and providing opportunities for meetings and talkbacks with Syracuse University drama students.[62] In her spare time, Mueller teaches master classes to young aspiring performers.[63][64][65][66]

Theatre Credits

Year	Title	Role	Theatre
2005	Once Upon a Mattress	Ensemble/u.s. Winnifred	Drury Lane Theatre
2006	Baby	Lizzie Fields	Theatre at the Center
	Henry IV, Parts 1 & 2	Lady Mortimer/u.s. Doll Tearsheet	Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
			Royal Shakespeare Theatre
2006–07	The Three Musketeers	Cecile/Ensemble/u.s. Constance	Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
2007	Shenandoah	Jenny	Marriott Theatre
	How Can You Run With a Shell On Your Back?	Daisy	Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
	Meet Me in St. Louis	Esther Smith	Drury Lane Theatre
2008	Carousel	Carrie Pipperidge	Court Theatre
			Long Wharf Theatre
	Willy Wonka	Veruca Salt	Chicago Shakespeare Theatre
	All Shook Up	Natalie Haller	Marriott Theatre
2008–09	The Bowery Boys	Ensemble
2009	Curtains	Nikki Harris	Drury Lane Theatre
	Animal Crackers	Grace Carpenter/Mary Stewart	Goodman Theatre
	A Christmas Carol	Belle/Catherine
2010	Fiddler on the Roof	Tzeitel	Marriott Theatre
	Sleeping Beauty	Princess Amber
	Over the Tavern	Annie Pazinski	Peninsula Players
	A Little Night Music	Anne Egerman
	She Loves Me	Amalia Balash	Writers Theatre
2011	Guys and Dolls	Miss Adelaide	Marriott Theatre
	Merrily We Roll Along	Mary Flynn	The Music Theatre Company
	Shout! The Mod Musical	The Blue Girl	Marriott Theatre
2011–12	On a Clear Day You Can See Forever	Melinda Wells	St. James Theatre
2012	Into the Woods	Cinderella	The Public Theater
2012–13	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Helena Landless/Miss Janet Conover	Studio 54
2013	Carousel	Carrie Pipperidge	Avery Fisher Hall
	Nice Work If You Can Get It	Billie Bendix (replacement)	Imperial Theatre
	Beautiful: The Carole King Musical	Carole King	Curran Theatre
2013–15			Stephen Sondheim Theatre
2015	Waitress	Jenna Hunterson	American Repertory Theater
2016–17			Brooks Atkinson Theatre
2018	Carousel	Julie Jordan	Imperial Theatre

Filmography

Film

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2017	The Post	Judith Martin

Television

Year	Title	Role	Notes
2016	The Family	Fran	2 episodes
2017	Blue Bloods	Faith Madson	Episode: “Common Ground”

Awards and Nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominated work	Result
2008	Joseph Jefferson Award	Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical	Carousel	Won
2011		Actress in a Principal Role in a Musical	Guys and Dolls	Nominated
			She Loves Me	Won
2012	Tony Award	Best Featured Actress in a Musical	On a Clear Day You Can See Forever	Nominated
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical		Nominated
	Drama League Award	Distinguished Performance		Nominated
	Theatre World Award	Outstanding Broadway Debut		Honoree
2013	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical	The Mystery of Edwin Drood	Nominated
2014	Tony Award	Best Actress in a Musical	Beautiful: The Carole King Musical	Won
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Actress in a Musical		Won
	Drama League Award	Distinguished Performance		Nominated
	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding Actress in a Musical		Nominated
2015	Grammy Award	Best Musical Theater Album		Won
2016	Tony Award	Best Actress in a Musical	Waitress	Nominated
	Drama Desk Award	Outstanding Actress in a Musical		Nominated
	Drama League Award	Distinguished Performance		Nominated
	Outer Critics Circle Award	Outstanding Actress in a Musical		Nominated
2017	Grammy Award	Best Musical Theater Album		Nominated
	Chicago/Midwest Emmy Award	Outstanding Crafts Achievement for On-Camera Talent (Performer)	Chicago Voices	Nominated

Special Honours and Awards

• Sarah Siddons Society Actress of the Year Award – April 27, 2015[67]
• A.R.T./New York: Abe L. Blinder Award for Public Service and Arts Education – April 11, 2016[68]
• Lilly Award for Acting – May 23, 2016[69]

References

External Links

• Jessie Mueller at the Internet Broadway Database
• Jessie Mueller on IMDb
• Jessie Mueller at the Internet Off-Broadway Database

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