“A powerful voice, a ridiculous range and a swagger that put a smile on every audience member's face”
Joy has graced the stage of stellar productions all across the USA and beyond. Beginning her tuneful journey at the tender age of twelve with brilliant vocal instruction by Ms. Anita Fararow, at the Haddonfield Conservatory of Music, Joy stunned audiences with “miraculous” renditions of Musetta’s Waltz, Ave Maria, The Viennese Waltz and the like, winning vocal competitions and scholarships.
After being recruited into the vocal performance program at Cal State Long Beach, California, Joy’s concert skills blossomed under the outstanding guidance of Ms. Josephine Lott. Joy also gained priceless experience traveling and performing with the University Choir under the direction of internationally renowned choral master Mr. Frank Pooler. Preceding the move to NYC, some momentous career moments included: Singing back up for The Carpenters; Performing principle roles in both production and concert versions of Bizet’s’ “Carmen”, Puccini’s’ “Tosca”, and Rossini’s “Sofonisba”, Guest star for Princess Cruises starring in her own main stage shows and performing in ten different production shows; Special guest performer for the Los Angeles First AME Church Sunday Morning Radio show, and many more!
Soon after arriving in NYC she was able to expand her already considerable acting skills under the guiding hands of such luminaries as Austin Pendleton, Joanna Merlin and Paul Foquet. Then Joy was thrilled to join the casts of a succession of marvelous musicals and plays including:
Broadway – the world premiere of Graciela Daniele’s “Marie Christine” as Beatrice; the Susan Stroman revival of “The Music Man”; and the first national Broadway tour productions of Frank Galati’s “Ragtime” and Hal Prince’s “Show Boat”.
Off-Broadway - created the roles of “Power Woman” in - “Menopause the Musical” and Delia in “Asylum: the strange case of Mary Lincoln”; in the Encores series as the “Answerer” in “Lost in the Stars”.
Regional – Aunt Eller in Portland Center Stages glorious production of “Oklahoma”; Armelia in “Ain’t Misbehavin’”; Bloody Mary in “South Pacific”; Sylvia in “All Shook Up”; Reno Sweeney in “Anything Goes”; Lady Tiang in “The King & I”; Aldonza in “Man of La Mancha”; Anita in “West Side Story”; Muzzy in “Thoroughly Modern Millie”; Wanda, in the Regina Taylor play “Crowns”; Madame Wu-Chan (u/s) in the Manhattan Theatre Club’s production of “Our Leading Lady”, etc.!
No stranger to Film & Television Joy has booked roles for the large and small screen in: Menace II Society; Close to the Heart; Roc; Santa Barbara, Gotham, House of Cards, and many more.
Firmly believing in the phrase, have talent will travel, Joy takes her unique expertise on the road overjoyed to have performed diverse musical genre from opera to Motown with: The Portland Symphony, The Phoenix Symphony, The Alabama Symphony, The Jackson Symphony, The Winston-Salem Symphony, The Irvine Symphony and The Grand Rapids Symphony, with future shows coming up soon!
When not dazzling audiences Joy likes nothing better than to be on horseback pursuing the perfection that is Dressage (and maybe jumping a fence or two) or working together with her oh so handsome husband Michael putting pencil and paint to paper and canvas for their fantastic new artistic endeavor - Phantom Tracks!