Four Reasons Rachel Bay Jones and Seth Rudetsky Are No Ordinary Broadway Stars

Many Broadway fans feel a shiver of excitement hearing the name Rachel Bay Jones, and for good reason.

The Tony winner, who visits The Smith Center in Las Vegas on May 5 for an installment of Seth Rudetsky’s Broadway concert series, has spent her career appearing in beloved musicals. Jones has starred in such smash Broadway hits as Hair, Pippin and Dear Evan Hansen, the last of which earned her a Tony Award for her poignant portrayal of Evan Hansen’s mother.

With Jones performing shows at 3 and 6 p.m., Southern Nevadans will have two rare opportunities to hear the leading lady’s sterling vocals firsthand, as she delivers energizing renditions of favorite show tunes handpicked from her storied career.

Audiences will also be privy to hilarious, surprising and heartwarming tales from Jones’ meteoric rise to fame, as the show interweaves songs with a lively interview conducted by charismatic Broadway veteran Seth Rudetsky (who will also accompany Jones on piano).

None come better equipped to pick Johes’ brain than Rudetsky. Millions recognize his razor-sharp wit and magnetic personality from his work as the host of SiriusXM radio shows On Broadway and Seth Speaks. And as a Broadway performer himself, Rudetsky wields a canny understanding of the theater industry’s quirks and thrills.

Here are some these impressive facts about both Broadway performers.

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1. Jones starred in her first Broadway show at age 19.

Dropping out of high school to chase her dreams on the stage, Jones moved from Boca Raton, Florida, to New York City before turning 20. Her gumption didn’t take long to pay off: She made her Broadway debut that same year, in the classic musical Meet Me in St. Louis.

Her career saw more life-changing opportunities, including taking the spotlight as the understudy for theater legend Patti LuPone. She also earned featured roles in popular TV shows such as Young Sheldon, The Good Doctor and Modern Family and even costarred with Julia Roberts in the dramatic film Ben Is Back.

2. Jones has performed in multiple languages.

Anxious about belting tunes in front of an audience? Try it in a foreign language.

Earning rave reviews in acclaimed national and international tours, Jones performed “Rent” in German and “Evita” in Spanish, demonstrating her stunning versatility as a performer.

3. Rudetsky has performed in a dozen Broadway orchestra pits.

Few pianists hold the distinction of having played the rousing organ theme from The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway — an honor Rudetsky earned with his virtuosity on the keys. He has also performed in the orchestra pits of many more iconic Broadway musicals, including Les Misérables and Ragtime.

But Rudetsky’s sparkling personality couldn’t stay hidden in the pit forever. He made his Broadway acting debut in hit comedy The Ritz and went on to perform his acclaimed one-man show Deconstructing Broadway in London, Los Angeles and Boston.

4. Rudetsky is an Emmy-nominated comedy writer.

An expert at slinging uproarious one-liners, Rudetsky honed his comedic instincts as a television writer. He spent two years as a comedy writer for The Rosie O'Donnell Show, earning three Emmy nominations with his co-writers.

With so much talent packed into two shows, audiences won’t want to miss this thrilling opportunity to dive deeper into the songs and stories of Jones’ astonishing career at The Smith Center.

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