Jana Robbins

JANA ROBBINS is a Tony, Award Olivier Award, and Drama Desk Award winning producer, actor and director.

Her Broadway producing credits include LITTLE WOMEN starring Sutton Foster, the 2009 revival of RAGTIME, COMPANY starring Katrina Lenk and Patti Lupone (Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical) and THE SHARK IS BROKEN. She also held a financial stake in both WAR HORSE and SOMETHING ROTTEN. UK producing credits include the West End productions of COMPANY (Olivier Award), l and both ROSE starring Maureen Lipman and YOUR LIE IN APRIL as Pinnacle Productions with producing partner Haley Swindal. Pinnacle Productions was also a producer on DEATH NOTE in Concert at The London Palladium, and YOUR LIE IN APRIL in Concert , prior to its West End production at The Royal Drury Lane Theater. Other UK producing credits include, THE JAZZ AGE (which she also co-directed) at The Playground Theater, and THE ASTONISHING TIMES OF TIMOTHY CRATCHIT at the Hope Mill Theater in Manchester. Off-Broadway producing credits include THROUGH THE NIGHT, WHITE’S LIES, and I LOVE YOU BECAUSE, as well as lead producer of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF in Yiddish with producing partner Hal Luftig, earning them a Drama Desk, Off-Broadway Alliance, and Outer Critic’s Circle Award.

As an actor Jana has played leading roles on Broadway in GOOD NEWS starring John Payne and Alice Faye, I LOVE MY WIFE with Lenny Baker and James Naughton, the Pulitzer Prize-winning CRIMES OF THE HEART, ROMANCE/ROMANCE with Scott Bakula; and her favorite musical of all, GYPSY, where she played Mazeppa - the bump it with a trumpet stripper - while standing by for Tyne Daly as Mama Rose, a role she played for 40 performances to critical acclaim. Jana covered both Linda Lavin and Michele Lee in Charle's Bush's THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE, playing both roles many times.

Her memorable Off-Broadway appearances include Olivia in A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM; Danny Goggin's JOHNNY MANHATTAN, TICKLES BY TUCKOLSKY with Helen Gallagher, THE ALL NIGHT STRUT, Colette in the York Theater's production of the Tom Jones/Harvey Schmidt musical COLETTE COLLAGE, and 17 characters (10 of whom were men) in the one-woman show CIRCUS GOTHIC. She was seen most recently in A FINAL TOAST at The Chain Theater.

Regional credits include Aldonza in MAN OF LA MANCHA, Louise in GYPSY,with Dolores Gray (New Jersey Critics Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical), and Mazeppa, as well as standby for Betty Buckly in GYPSY - all at the Papermill Playhouse, SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM at Seattle Rep., Lady Sneerwell in SCHOOL FOR SCANDAL, Martirio in THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, as Sally Bowles in CABARET, Sylvia in TIP TOES at BAM, Ruth Van Horne in FOLLOW THRU at the Goodspeed Opera House, Rosalie in THE MOST HAPPY FELLA at the Kansas City Lyric Opera, Dr. Livingstone in AGNES OF GOD; Mona in DAMES AT Maggie in CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF at The Walnut Street Theater in Philadelphia, Jennie Malone in CHAPTER TWO and Annie Dankworth in THE HOUSEKEEPER, both at the Pennsylvania Stage Company, Fanny Brice in FUNNY GIRL, and Lady in ORPHEUS DECENDING for the NY Stage & Film Co. Jana played Bessie Berger with Robert Prosky in AWAKE AND SING at The Arena Stage, the title role of Maxine in the World Premier of MANAGING MAXINE at the Alliance Theater in Atlanta, and the title role in THE DROWSY CHAPERONE for the Human Race Theater Company. as part of the Victoria Theater's Broadway Series.

Summer stock and summer tours saw Jana in many roles, including Anita in WEST SIDE STORY opposite Barry Williams, Rosie in BYE BYE BIRDIE with Bobby Rydell, Rosalie in CARNIVAL with Robert Conrad;, The Leader in ZORBA on two separate tours with Georgio Tozzi and Theodore Bikel, and Barbara in RUN FOR YOUR WIFE opposite David McCallum (Florida's Carbonell Award for Best Supporting Actress).

National Tours include Aldonza in The First National Tour of MAN OF LA MANCHA opposite Jose Ferrer, Ethel McCormick in FOOTLOOSE with Matthew Morrison, and as Lee in the National Tour of THE TALE OF THE ALLERGIST'S WIFE opposite Valerie Harper.

Television appearances include CHEERS, the pilot for the CBS series LADIES MAN opposite Twiggy, and guest starring roles on BLESS THIS HOUSE, THE HOME COURT, JAG, ROSEANNE, BABYLON 5, THE GOOD WIFE, LAW AND ORDER -SVU, CRIMINAL INTENT, and LAW AND ORDER opposite Sam Waterston as Assistant DA Jean Picone.

Feature films include EXECUTIVE TARGET starring Michael Madsen and Roy Scheider; THE LAST DAYS OF FRANKIE THE FLY starring Dennis Hopper, Daryl Hannah and Kiefer Sutherland and the remake of THE WOMEN 2008, starring Meg Ryan, Annette Benning, Eva Mendez.

Directing credits include four productions of LITTLE WOMEN, three productions of CRIMES OF THE HEART, and the West Coast production of CUPS by Joni Sheram,

Jana has performed her acclaimed Cabaret Shows "ONE HELL OF A RIDE! The songs of Cy Coleman" and "GYPSY IN MY SOUL " in New York and around the country, and appeared with Haley Swindal in their duo show ”WE JUST MOVE ON! The Songs of Kader and Ebb” at 54 Below, The Sharon Playhouse, The Straz Center and The Tillis Center on Long Island.

Jana is a proud recipient of the Jewish National Fund's prestigious "Tree Of Life Award."