Nicolette Robinson

Nicolette Robinson played the role of Jenna Hunterson in Waitress the Musical on Broadway for 3 months at the end of 2018, becoming the first person of colour to play Jenna.

Nicolette is best known for her role as Jane in the Showtime TV show “The Affair.” She had a personal connection to Waitress, even before she was cast in the role of Jenna, saying: “I got pregnant shortly after I saw the show and had a really challenging pregnancy, emotionally and physically. My husband [Leslie Odom, Jr. who won a Tony originating Aaron Burr in Hamilton] was away shooting a movie in Europe for a few months and we were apart for a good portion of my pregnancy. It’s amazing how music can heal. I would put on the Waitress Original Broadway Cast Recording when I was sad, sing ‘She Used To Be Mine‘ and sob my eyes out. It really felt like a friend. And now I get to sing the music every night and reflect on the last couple of years. It has manifested into such a beautiful experience.”

On being first woman of colour to play Jenna, she said: “It has connected me to so many people who have reached out or come to the stage door. People share their stories of how important it is for them to see someone who looks like them or has similar experiences on stage.”

Selected Previous Credits

Off-Broadway

  • Invisible Thread, Second Stage
  • Brooklynite, Vineyard Theatre
NameNicolette Kloe Robinson
Born18 April 1988
FromLos Angeles, California
TrainedUniversity of California, Los Angeles
RoleJenna Hunterson Broadway