Jessica Lee Goldyn (born December 26, 1985) is an American Broadway actress who performed in the revival of ''

A Chorus Line ''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante. Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...

'' as Val. She played the lead role of Cassie from August 10, 2008 opposite

Mario Lopez Mario Lopez (born October 10, 1973) is an American actor and television host. He has appeared on several television series, in films, and on Broadway. He is known for his portrayal of A.C. Slater on '' Saved by the Bell'', '' Saved by the Bell ...

who played the character Zack, until the show ended its Broadway revival run on August 17, 2008. Goldyn had been an

understudy In theater, an understudy, referred to in opera as cover or covering, is a performer who learns the lines and blocking or choreography of a regular actor, actress, or other performer in a play. Should the regular actor or actress be unable to a ...

for the lead character of Cassie. She played Annie in Annie the Musical at age 21. Goldyn appeared in The

Paper Mill Playhouse Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live i ...

(NJ) rendition of "Chorus Line" in the star role of Cassie from October 7 through October 28, 2012.

Early Training

Goldyn grew up in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey where she spent her early years dancing. Her mother taught her dance until she was old enough to attend dance class. Additionally, she did gymnastics competitively, starting around age 7. At 12, she was cast in a production of

Gypsy The Romani (also spelled Romany or Rromani , ), colloquially known as the Roma, are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, traditionally nomadic itinerants. They live in Europe and Anatolia, and have diaspora populations located worldwide, with sign ...

at the

. During her teen years she played nearly every female character in a Chorus Line, including a female version of Mike. She attended the

Professional Performing Arts School The Professional Performing Arts School, colloquially known as PPAS, is a public middle and high school in Hell's Kitchen, Manhattan, New York City. History PPAS was created in 1990 to meet the needs of two groups of students: those who wanted t ...

in New York but never graduated. Instead she received her

GED The General Educational Development (GED) tests are a group of four subject tests which, when passed, provide certification that the test taker has United States or Canadian high school-level academic skills. It is an alternative to the US high ...

after getting hired in a non-Equity tour of Fosse. Goldyn has trained with the New Jersey Ballet Company and has been a student and instructor at the Worth Tyrrell Studios. Goldyn was a Children's Foundation for the Arts grant recipient from 1998 to 2003.

Personal life

On Instagram, Goldyn has posted openly about her sobriety. She has been sober since 2013.

Previous Work

Goldyn's professional debut was in the ensemble of

at the

in September 1998. Goldyn has been credited in various roles over the years. Some of them include: Fosse, regional production of A Chorus Line also as Val, Sweet Charity as Charity, Ensemble of A Christmas Carol at North Shore Music Theatre, and Ensemble of Pippin at the Arvada Center. Goldyn has previously played the ''Chorus Line'' character Cassie before, as well as Val in addition to roles in ''Sweet Charity'' and ''Pippin''. image:Goldyn lopez 2008aug14.jpg, Jessica Lee Goldyn with her co-star from A Chorus Line

on August 14, 2008

Broadway

Goldyn made her Broadway debut on October 5, 2006 when she opened as Val in the revival of ''A Chorus Line''. Goldyn is one of the few original cast members who closed the show, by then as Cassie. At the auditions for the revival, Goldyn was originally considered as a cover for the character Val, but won the role at the final callback. Goldyn replaced Charlotte d'Amboise as Cassie from Aug 13, 2008 - Aug 17, 2008. In 2015, Goldyn returned to Broadway in ''Finding Neverland'' at the

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, originally the Globe Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 205 West 46th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1910, the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre was designed by Carrère and Hasti ...

''.'' Goldyn was previously featured in the short-lived Broadway production of ''

Tuck Everlasting ''Tuck Everlasting'' is an American children's novel about immortality written by Natalie Babbitt and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in 1975. It has sold over 5 million copies and has been called a classic of modern children's literature ...

'', which opened April 26, 2016 at the

Broadhurst Theatre The Broadhurst Theatre is a Broadway theater at 235 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1917, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was built for the Shubert brothers. The Bro ...

''.''. Unfortunately, the show only ran a total of 28 Previews and 39 regular performances and closed on May 29, 2016. Since 2017, Goldyn has performed in the ensemble of the Bette Midler-led revival of ''Hello, Dolly! (musical), Hello, Dolly!'' at the Shubert Theatre (New York City).

Other Stage Work

On the Town

Goldyn portrayed Ivy in ''On the Town'' as part of New York City Center's 2008-2009 Encores! season. Part of a citywide celebration this season of Leonard Bernstein's 90th birthday who wrote the original score for ''On the Town''. Goldyn starred opposite Justin Bohon as Chip, Christian Borle as Ozzie and Tony Yazbeck as Gabey. The other female romantic counterparts of the three sailors on shore leave in the Big Apple were Leslie Kritzer as Hildy Esterhazy and Jennifer Laura Thompson as Claire DeLoone. ''On the Town'' first opened in 1944 at the Adelphi Theater, Adelphi Theatre.

Crazy for You

Goldyn portrayed "Polly" in the Maine State Music Theatre production of ''Crazy for You (musical), Crazy for You'' in July 2009 alongside Tony Yazbeck from her Chorus Line days.

Sweet Charity

From July 30, 2009 to August 9; Goldyn choreographed ''Sweet Charity'' at The Mac-Haydn Theatre in Chatham, N.Y. Using original Fosse choreography.

Peter Pan

2010; Goldyn was returned to Paper Mill Playhouse as "Tiger Lilly" in their production of Peter Pan. This ran from June 2 till June 27.

Damn Yankees

In August 2010 Jessica replaced Felicia Finley as Lola in Damn Yankees at the John W. Engeman Theater in Northport.

Chicago

As of 2019, Goldlyn is playing Roxie Hart in Fulton Theatre's production of Chicago. Alongside her is fellow Chorus Line cast member Heather Parcells, as Velma. Its set to open in January 2019, and close mid-February.

References

External sources

*
A Chorus Line: Now Playing On Broadway; The Cast: Jessica Lee Goldyn (Val)Broadway.Com: On The Line: Meeting The Stars Of A Chorus LineCBS Evening News: Jersey Girl Is A Singular Sensation
*[http://www.njtheater.com/?C149 NJTheater.com]
The New Yorker - Toeing The Line: "A Chorus Line" is back on Broadway
{{DEFAULTSORT:Goldyn, Jessica Lee 1985 births Living people People from Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey American stage actresses American musical theatre actresses 21st-century American women