Joy Woods

Woods made her off-Broadway debut in the 2019 revival of Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theatre, playing Chiffon and understudying Audrey and Ronnette. In 2020, she appeared in the ensemble of the New York City Center Encores! concert production of Mack and Mabel. She also appeared in the virtual Ratatouille: the TikTok Musical in 2021.

On March 14, 2022, Woods made her Broadway debut as Catherine Parr in Six at the Lena Horne Theatre. In September and October 2022, she played Middle Allie in The Notebook at Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. She then played Deena Jones in North Carolina Theatre's production of Dreamgirls in February 2023.

Woods returned to Little Shop of Horrors in 2023, taking over the lead role of Audrey at the Westside Theatre. She became the first Black woman to play Audrey off-Broadway. Later in 2023, she starred as Martha Mills in I Can Get It for You Wholesale at Classic Stage Company.

In 2024, Woods reprised her role as Middle Allie in the Broadway production of The Notebook at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. The production opened March 14, 2024, and she remained with the production through October 20, 2024.

Woods starred as Louise Hovick in the 2024-2025 Broadway revival of Gypsy at the Majestic Theatre, opposite Audra McDonald. She was the first Black woman to play the role on Broadway and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance. Woods had also been announced to star as Sarah opposite Joshua Henry in the New York City Center gala production of Ragtime, but withdrew from the production to star in Gypsy; Nichelle Lewis subsequently played the role.

In early 2025, Woods appeared in Trisha Paytas' Big Broadway Dream! at the St. James Theatre. On September 21, 2025, she appeared as Woman #1 in the 30th anniversary concert of Songs for a New World at the Eventim Apollo in London, with Jason Robert Brown directing and playing piano and keyboard.

Woods continued her role as Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at the Westside Theatre during 2025-2026. In April 2026, it was announced that she would make her West End debut as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre, opposite Jamie Muscato as the Emcee.

She returns to Broadway in Galileo, in which she plays Virginia Galilei at the Shubert Theatre.