Jennifer Hope Wills

Birth Place: Baltimore, Maryland, USA

Get Jennifer Hope Wills Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Jennifer Hope Wills BIO

Jennifer Hope Wills was born in Baltimore, MD to proud parents William and Sue Wills. She spent the first two years of her life in and out of rehearsal halls, dressing rooms and even a closet or two due to the fact that her parents were active participants in Baltimore Actors' Theatre (BAT). Jennifer made her stage debut before her first birthday with a 102-degree temperature as the baby prince in Rumplestiltskin...what a trouper! Before her second birthday, her parents dropped the bomb when it was discovered that a baby brother was on the way. Lots of things were about to change. Not only would she no longer be the only child, but also her parents decided that they had to leave Baltimore. With two children, there was no way that they could support a family on theatrical wages and if one of them would have to leave the theatre...then both of them would have to leave. They decided to move down to the family resort town of Ocean City, MD where there were absolutely no theatrical outlets. That's what they thought anyway...

An old movie theatre down on Worcester Street right off the boardwalk went up for rent and the crazy mind of her father went to work. A children's theatre in Ocean City...what an idea! There was no theatre in town, the theatre was right off the boardwalk and after all, this was a family resort. The idea couldn't fail! Her parents sold everything and her father left his lucrative job at the Sheraton Hotel and Parker Playhouse (Parker Productions, Inc.) opened its doors. And the outcome? Well, the idea failed miserably and they lost everything. Did that stop the Wills? No indeed. "Where there's a Wills, there's a way!" Somehow they managed to keep the theatre going and after several moves (Jolly Roger Amusement Park, The Sheraton Hotel and finally the Carousel Hotel) and many years of struggle, Parker Productions became a moneymaking operation and the sole source of income for the Wills Family. For seventeen of the twenty years that Parker Productions was under operation Jennifer performed alongside her mother, father, brother Dan and sister Rebecca. Even her grandmother Dolores got into the act. It was truly a most unique childhood and one that would mold her love for theatre and music and would make it difficult for her to choose any other direction.

Jennifer attended Salisbury State University and began her college career as a History Education Major...something perhaps a little more useful was her thinking. Gradually she began taking more music classes than history classes, began taking voice lessons, had joined the college choir and the college theatre club (Sophanes). By the middle of her sophomore year she officially became a music major. She appeared in the college theatre productions of Grapes of Wrath (Elizabeth Sandry), West Side Story (Maria...yes complete with dark skin and hair) and The Secret Garden (Lily). She also won first place in several state and regional NATS Vocal Competitions. She graduated suma cum laude with a BA in Music Education.

On the encouragement of her teachers, Jennifer's next step was to attend graduate school at prestigious Indiana University in Bloomington, IN. This was her first real move from home. During her two years at IU she performed in many of the main stage and chamber productions. She quickly graduated with honors with a MM in Vocal Performance and Pedagogy and a concentration in Theatre. It wasn't long before Jennifer came full circle with her decision to return to the world of theatre and found herself with two suitcases on a bus to NYC. She was cast in productions from her first two auditions in New York and by the end of that year she had obtained equity status and had been cast in leading roles up and down the east coast. The rest of the story can be seen at www.jenniferhopewills.com.

Jennifer Hope Wills Photos

Jennifer Hope Wills STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
Broadway Production, 2005
Ensemble [Replacement]

Laura Fairlie (Understudy) [Replacement]

[Off-Broadway]
Encores! Concert, 2005
Della

[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2003
Eileen Sherwood [Replacement]

[Regional (US)]
Regional Revival, 2003
Lady Anne

[Milburn, NJ (Regional)]
Paper Mill Production, 2003
Sandy Dumbrowski

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1994
Enchanted Object [Replacement]

Townsperson [Replacement]

Belle (Understudy) [Replacement]

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 1988
Christine Daaé (Alternate) [Replacement]

Christine Daaé [Replacement]

Christine Daaé [Replacement]


Jennifer Hope Wills Videos

Jennifer Hope Wills News


AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42 Next Month

The show will feature standbys, understudies, and alternates from various Broadway hits like DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES, BACK TO THE FUTURE-THE MUSICAL, and more.

Cast Members From HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, HAMILTON, MJ & More to Join AT THIS PERFORMANCE... at The Green Room 42

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies, and Alternates from HOW TO DANCE IN OHIO, HAMILTON, HARMONY, MJ THE MUSICAL, and KIMBERLY AKIMBO. Join us on Monday, February 19th at 7 PM for an evening of Broadway talent.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42 This Month

AT THIS PERFORMANCE… returns to The Green Room 42 featuring standbys, understudies and alternates from  Hamilton; Merrily We Roll Along; Harmony; Here We Are;  Purlie Victorious; The Gardens Of Anuncia; Into The Woods and Here Lies Love.        

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42 This Month

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies, and Alternates from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, THE BOOK OF MORMON, NEW YORK, NEW YORK, WAITRESS, TITANIQUE, and SAW THE MUSICAL: THE UNAUTHORIZED PARODY. Join us on Monday, November 20th at 7 PM for this monthly residency showcasing Broadway talent.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... to Celebrate Its 20th Anniversary This Month

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... will celebrate its 20th anniversary at The Green Room 42 with Standbys, Understudies, and Alternates from various Broadway shows on October 23rd at 7 PM.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns to The Green Room 42 This Month

Stephen DeAngelis continues his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition in his monthly residency of AT THIS PERFORMANCE…

AT THIS PERFORMANCE Returns To The Green Room 42 On August 21

AT THIS PERFORMANCE…  returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies and Alternates from SHUCKED; KIMBERLY AKIMBO; ALADDIN; HERE LIES LOVE and CAMELOT.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42

AT THIS PERFORMANCE…  returns to The Green Room 42 featuring standbys, understudies and alternates from  Shucked, Six The Musical, Once Upon A One More Time, The Book Of Mormon, Camelot, Parade; Aladdin, A Doll's House, and Flying Over Sunset.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42

AT THIS PERFORMANCE…  returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies and Alternates from SIX THE MUSICAL; PARADE; CAMELOT; THE BOOK OF MORMON; HADESTOWN and MILLENNIALS ARE KILLING MUSICALS.

Company Members From NEW YORK, NEW YORK, HAMILTON & More to Join AT THIS PERFORMANCE at The Green Room 42

Stephen DeAngelis is continuing his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition in his monthly residency of AT THIS PERFORMANCE…™ to be held on Monday, May 22nd at The Green Room 42.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42 Next Week

Stephen DeAngelis continues his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition in his monthly residency of AT THIS PERFORMANCE…™ to be held on Monday, April 24th at The Green Room 42, Green Fig, Fourth Floor, Yotel NYC, 570 Tenth Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York, NY 10036 at 7 PM. 

Performers From SIX, SOME LIKE IT HOT & More to Join AT THIS PERFORMANCE... at The Green Room 42

Stephen DeAngelis is continuing his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition in his monthly residency of AT THIS PERFORMANCE… to be held on Monday, February 27th at The Green Room 42.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... to Return to The Green Room 42 This Month

Stephen DeAngelis continues his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies, and Alternates with the next edition in his monthly residency of AT THIS PERFORMANCE… to be held on Monday, January 23rd at The Green Room 42 at 7pm.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42

AT THIS PERFORMANCE…  returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies and Alternates from SIX THE MUSICAL; & JULIET;  KIMBERLY AKIMBO; ALMOST FAMOUS; MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG; KINKY BOOTS and BAT OUT OF HELL.  

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42 With MOULIN ROUGE!, FUNNY GIRL, and More

At This Performance…  will return to The Green Room 42 featuring standbys, understudies, and alternates From Moulin Rouge! The Musical; Almost Famous; Hadestown; Funny Girl; Aladdin; and Paradise Square.  

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42 Next Week

AT THIS PERFORMANCE…  returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies and Alternates from INTO THE WOODS; DEAR EVAN HANSEN; PARADISE SQUARE; LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS; ROCK OF AGES and THE BEDWETTER.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns To The Green Room 42 Next Week

Stephen DeAngelis continues his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition in his monthly residency of AT THIS PERFORMANCE… to be held on Monday, August 8th at The Green Room 42.

'At This Performance... ' Returns to The Green Room 42 Next Week

AT THIS PERFORMANCE…  returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies and Alternates from A Strange Loop; MJ The Musical; Company; Into The Woods; Funny Girl; Beetlejuice and Between The Lines   on Monday, July 18th at 7 PM. 

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... Returns to the Green Room 42 This Month

AT THIS PERFORMANCE…  returns to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies and Alternates from A STRANGE LOOP; HADESTOWN; MR. SATURDAY NIGHT; MRS. DOUBTFIRE; THE BOOK OF MORMON;  GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY and ROMEO & BERNADETTE on Monday, June 20th at 7 PM.   

Standbys, Understudies and Alternates From A STRANGE LOOP & More to Join AT THIS PERFORMANCE... at The Green Room 42

Stephen DeAngelis will continue his ongoing salute to Broadway and Off-Broadway Standbys, Understudies and Alternates with the next edition of AT THIS PERFORMANCE…™ to be held on Monday, June 20th  at The Green Room 42, Green Fig, Fourth Floor, Yotel NYC, 570 Tenth Avenue (at 42nd Street), New York, NY 10036 at 7 PM.

Jennifer Hope Wills FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Jennifer Hope Wills has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.

Jennifer Hope Wills has not appeared in the West End.

Get Jennifer Hope Wills Email Alerts

Be the first to get news, photos, videos & more.

Videos