Joy Woods, a 2018 graduate of Homewood-Flossmoor High School, was nominated for a Tony Award in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical for her work in “Gypsy” on Broadway.
The Tony Award is the ultimate prize for stage performers. The 2025 Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing. Winners will be announced June 8. Woods was selected by an independent committee of 54 theatre professionals appointed by the Tony Awards Administration Committee.
Woods stars as Louise in “Gypsy” at the newly refurbished Majestic Theatre opposite Audra McDonald. She stars alongside Jordan Tyson, her co-star in 2024 revival of “The Notebook.”
The character of Louise is based on the real-life Gypsy Rose Lee, a famous burlesque performer and author.
“We could not be more proud,” said theater teacher J.R. Willard-Rose, who had been a mentor to Woods. He said at H-F Woods was in the cast of several productions, including “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Madagascar Jr.,” “Spamalot,” “A Year With Frog and Toad,” “She Kills Monsters,” “A Headful of Dreams: The John Merrick Story” and “Bob: A Life in Five Acts.”
Her performance in “Sister Act” won Woods a second place honor for Best Performer in Actress Role from the Illinois High School Musical Theatre Awards in 2018.
During her senior year at H-F, Woods was a part of the 2018 Illinois High School Theatre Festival All-state Production of “Big Fish,” and SLATE Theatre’s production of “Caroline, or Change” at Governors State University.
Woods studied at American Musical and Dramatic Academy and graduated in 2019. In fall 2019, she made her off-Broadway debut in the revival of “Little Shop of Horrors.”
In February 2020, she starred in the ensemble of the New York City Center Encores! concert production of “Mack and Mabel.”
In 2021, Woods was featured in the virtual “Ratatouille: the TikTok Musical.”
On March 14, 2022, Woods made her Broadway debut as Catherine Parr in “Six.”
She returned to Chicago in the fall of 2022, appearing in the role of Middle Allie in “The Notebook” at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
In May 2023, Woods returned to “Little Shop of Horrors,” in the off-Broadway production. She took the lead role of Audrey, the first a Black woman to have that role.
Woods reprised her role in “The Notebook” on Broadway in March 2024. Her performance of the show’s song “My Days” went viral on Instagram, with more than 3 million views, according to her biography.
Woods is now starring as Louise in the 2024 Broadway revival of “Gypsy.” The performances continue through August.