Type 鈥渁nd Peggy鈥� into Google and chances are you鈥檒l come across Jasmine Cephas Jones, the stage and screen star who, in 2015, became a household name as the youngest of the three Schuyler sisters in the Tony Award-winning Hamilton. Since departing the show in 2016, Jones has starred in a number of film and television projects (including the critically acclaimed Blindspotting), debuted a fashion collaboration, and prepared to release an EP of her own music.
It wasn鈥檛 until book writer Erica Schmidt asked her to do a chemistry read for the role of Roxanne in the New Group's Off-Broadway Cyrano鈥擲chmidt鈥檚 musical adaptation of Edmond Rostand鈥檚 Cyrano de Bergerac, with new music by members of the Grammy-winning band The National鈥攖hat Jones considered returning to the stage. 鈥淚 hadn鈥檛 done a play since Hamilton,鈥� says Jones. 鈥淎fter you come from something like that [you ask yourself], what is the thing that鈥檚 going to bring you back to the theatre that seems special, and organic, and like it鈥檚 the right role for you?鈥�
So Jones joined Schmidt, who also directs the production, and Emmy-winning Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage (who had already been cast in the title role) for the read. The chemistry test was so successful that Schmidt cast Jones almost instantaneously. But Jones says it鈥檚 been far from smooth sailing since her career-launching Broadway debut. 鈥淚鈥檓 still a woman of color in this business,鈥� says the actor, 鈥渁nd there are times when you still have to walk through extra doors and have extra things to prove.鈥� And yet she refuses to take just any role, building her career on an overarching mission: to play women who inspire.
It鈥檚 no wonder then that Jones was drawn to Roxanne, the beautiful and determined apple of the lovelorn Cyrano鈥檚 eye. 鈥淪he鈥檚 fierce, she takes risks, and she 100 percent believes in love and will do anything for it鈥攕he鈥檒l fight for it,鈥� say Jones. 鈥淚t鈥檚 inspiring to play a woman who stands up for herself. She wants more, and she鈥檚 got high expectations.鈥�
The part is not only a historically meaty role, but one that remains relatable to women today鈥攁nother reason Jones was drawn to the character. 鈥淓very day, more and more, we鈥檙e speaking up for what we believe in,鈥� says Jones. 鈥淩ight now we鈥檝e opened a platform to do that and won鈥檛 take no for an answer鈥攖hat is Roxanne.鈥�
Cyrano, which began previews in October, officially opens November 7 and continues performances at the Daryl Roth Theatre, and Jones couldn鈥檛 have asked for a better return to the theatre. 鈥淵ou hope to be a part of something that makes you a better artist when you leave,鈥� says the actor, 鈥渁nd this is definitely one of those projects.鈥�
