Jamillah Ross is a Canadian comedian, actress, and singer-songwriter. She trained through Toronto's The Second City and has performed in improvisation troupes and on stage, television and film. She was in the cast of Show Stopping Number which won a Canadian Comedy Award (CCA) for best improvisational troupe.

Jamillah Ross
NationalityCanadian
Occupation(s)Comedian, actress, singer-songwriter
SpouseSean Fisher a.k.a. Suga Jam

Career

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Ross started working at Toronto's The Second City comedy club as a server[1] then joined the touring company performing in The Ice Cream Man Cometh and The Puck Stops Here. In May 2003 she returned to Toronto[2][3] and performed in The Second City's production Armaget-It-On[4] which was nominated for a Canadian Comedy Award (CCA).[5] Ross later wrote and starred in three consecutive headlining shows on the company's main stage.[1]

In 2006, Ross played Sour Kangaroo in a production of Seussical at the Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People.[6] The following year, she appeared in Show Stopping Number: The Improvised Musical[1] which won the CCA for best improv troupe. She was twice nominated for the CCA for best female improvisor.[7][8] Ross later performed as a member of improv troupe The Dandies.[9][10]

Ross took part in improvised hidden-camera TV shows Scare Tactics, Howie Do It and Fool Canada. She also had small roles on Toronto-based scripted shows including Flashpoint, Lost Girl, Rookie Blue, Orphan Black, Killjoys, and Kim's Convenience. She also appeared in the feature films Picture Day and Pay the Ghost.[1]

In 2018, critic Lin Young praised Ross's energy, comedic timing and singing voice in the comedic musical Rumspringa Break![11] Ross was also well received in her starring role in the Toronto Fringe Festival production St. Peon Of The People, a walkabout show in which she played a parking enforcement officer leading the audience on Queen Street West, written and directed by Caroline Azar .[12][13] Ross received an honourable mention for her performance in the play at Toronto's 2019 SummerWorks theatre festival.[14]

Personal life

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Ross is married to Sean Fisher[1] a.k.a. Suga Jam, a Toronto-based comedian, music director and actor. Her music projects are collaborations with Fisher who also produced Show Stopping Number.[1][7]

Works

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Film

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Television

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Stage

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  • Armaget-it-On (2003)[17]
  • Invasion Free Since 1812 (2005)[18]
  • Seussical (2006) – Sour Kangaroo[6]
  • A Freudian Slip of the Jung[1]
  • Show Stopping Number: The Improvised Musical (2007)[1]
  • Legs Crossed Hands On Your Lap (2015) – various roles[19]
  • Falling Angel (2017) – God[19]
  • Rumspringa Break! (2018) – Cinnamon, other roles[19]
  • St. Peon of the People (2018–2019) – Officer Rita Mae Nelson[19]

Discography

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  • The Very Best of Love and Death (2002) – vocals[1]
  • Suga's Last Stand (2008)[1]
  • It's All About Christmas Time (2014 single)[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Lavoie, Joanna (21 December 2014). "'It's All About Christmas Time' for Beach resident Jamillah Ross". Beach Mirror. Toronto: Toronto.com. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  2. ^ Punch, Rachel (27 May 2003). "Second City troupe takes the Gayety stage". Enterprise-Bulletin. Collingwood, Ontario: Postmedia Network. p. 11. ProQuest 354400501.
  3. ^ "The Puck Stops in Orangeville". The Midweek Banner. Orangeville, Ontario: Torstar Syndication Services. 10 January 2003. p. 13. ProQuest 351919615.
  4. ^ Posner, Michael (3 October 2003). "Director gets it with latest Second City offering". The Globe and Mail. Toronto: The Globe and Mail, Inc. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  5. ^ "Nominations & Awards Archives". Canadian Comedy Awards. 2004. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  6. ^ a b Ouzounian, Richard (9 November 2006). "Doctor in the house; Seussical went to Broadway, where Rosie played the Cat, but smaller stages beckoned, so Toronto gets it back". Toronto Star. p. K1. ProQuest 439103561.
  7. ^ a b "Nominations & Awards Archives". Canadian Comedy Awards. 2008. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  8. ^ "Nominations & Awards Archives". Canadian Comedy Awards. 2006. Archived from the original on 2 August 2018. Retrieved 21 October 2017.
  9. ^ "Wacky, trippy good times with stand-up, sketch, music & improv in The Dandies' Holodeck Follies". Life With More Cowbell. Toronto. 14 January 2017. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  10. ^ Watson, Brie (5 March 2015). "Intergalactic Women's Day". Clown College Confessions. Toronto. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  11. ^ Young, Lin (5 January 2018). "2018 Next Stage Theatre Review: Rumspringa Break! (Marigon Productions)". Mooney on Theatre. Toronto. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  12. ^ Kieto, Jordy (8 July 2018). "Fringe review: St. Peon Of The People". NOW Magazine. Toronto: NOW Communications Inc. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  13. ^ "St. Peon of the People | Toronto Fringe Festival". Toronto: The Fringe of Toronto Theatre Festival. July 2018. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
  14. ^ Sumi, Glenn (19 August 2019). "SummerWorks 2019 wrap-up: experimental performance is alive and well". Now. Archived from the original on 12 April 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  15. ^ a b West, Thomas (2 June 2022). "Firestarter: 10 Movies & TV Shows Where You've Seen The Cast". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on 11 July 2022. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  16. ^ Barrientos, Selena (26 January 2021). "Here Are All 'The Good Doctor' Season 4 Guest Stars So Far". Good Housekeeping. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 12 July 2022.
  17. ^ Posner, Michael (3 October 2003). "Director gets it with latest Second City offering". The Globe and Mail. Toronto, Ontario. p. R4. ProQuest 383981684.
  18. ^ Farley, Kathryn (March 2005). "Doors Open on the Right / Invasion Free Since 1812". Theatre Journal. 57 (1). Baltimore, Maryland: 127–129. doi:10.1353/tj.2005.0012. S2CID 191517556. ProQuest 216066126.
  19. ^ a b c d "Jamillah Ross | The Toronto Theatre Database". The Toronto Theatre Database. Toronto. Archived from the original on 17 August 2018. Retrieved 2 August 2018.
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