Jennifer Simard

Simard is from Litchfield, New Hampshire. She studied at the Boston Conservatory of Music and Hunter College.^[4] After studying, Simard moved to New York, where she appeared in Forbidden Broadway '93.^[5][6]

She made her Broadway debut in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee and later performed in the Broadway productions of Shrek The Musical and Sister Act.^[7]

Simard garnered Drama Desk Award nominations for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical for her roles in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, The Thing About Men, and Forbidden Broadway: Special Victims Unit (2005).^[8]

She originated the role of Sister Mary Downey in the 2016 Broadway musical Disaster!; her performance earned her a Tony Award nomination, as well as a Drama League Award nomination, in 2016. She was also nominated for a Drama Desk Award for the role, which she performed off-Broadway in 2014.^[9][10]

She appeared on Broadway as Ernestina in the 2017 revival of Hello, Dolly!, starring Bette Midler and David Hyde Pierce.^[11] Simard played Miss Hannigan in the St. Louis Muny production of Annie from July 18–25, 2018.^[12] In August 2018, it was announced that Simard would join the Tony-nominated musical Mean Girls as Mrs. Heron, Ms. Norbury, and Mrs. George that September, replacing Kerry Butler.^[13][14] Her last performance was on December 8, 2019.^[15]

In October 2019, it was announced that Simard would join the gender-swapped revival of Company as Sarah at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre.^[16] She returned to the production after the pandemic, starring as Sarah over the course of 2020 to 2022.^[17] Between February 26 to March 6, 2022, she took over the role of Joanne due to the unavailability of Patti LuPone.^[18] At the 75th Tony Awards Simard received her second nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical.^[19]

In 2023, she originated the role of Stepmother in the Britney Spears jukebox musical Once Upon a One More Time at the Marquis Theatre.^[20]

In 2024, Simard starred in the stage adaptation of Death Becomes Her as Helen Sharp, opposite co-lead Megan Hilty as Madeline Ashton.^[21] The production's out of town tryout ran at Chicago's Cadillac Palace Theatre from April 30 to June 2, 2024. Simard and Hilty led the production on Broadway, at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, which began previews on October 23, 2024, before opening on November 21, 2024.^[22] Simard received a Tony nomination for her portrayal of Helen.^[23]

On October 3, 2004, Simard married Brad Robertson, whom she met when he was the light board operator for the off-Broadway production of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change.^[25] The couple divorced in 2024.^[26]