Jay-Alexander began his Broadway career in 1977 as a production assistant on the Broadway Revival of Porgy and Bess, produced by Sherwin M. Goldman and the Houston Grand Opera. He also served as a production assistant on the pre-Broadway try out of Nefertiti which starred Andrea Marcovicci and directed by Jack O'Brien. His career has taken him around the globe as far away as Alaska and Singapore and from London's Royal Albert Hall and Royal Festival Hall to Carnegie Hall, The Sydney Opera House, The Village Vanguard, Feinstein's/54 Below in New York City, Laxness Arena-Cologne, Germany, The Metropolitan Opera House, The Hollywood Bowl, Joe's Pub at The Public Theatre, Brooklyn's Barclays Center, The Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv, London's O2 Arena, O2 World Berlin, and just about every other legitimate theatre, nightclub and cabaret in between.
Recent years
In 1998 in Miami, he presented a prestigious series with Ellen Wedner called "Manhattan Nights in Miami." It featured performances by David Campbell, John Bucchino, Mary Cleere Haran, Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, Steven Brinberg, and the luminous Barbara Cook. Richard directed two shows in Las Vegas; Storm at the Mandalay Bay and the reboot of Donny & Marie at The Flamingo in the legendary Flamingo Hotel and Showroom. He directed, what he claims, to be his final Les Miz at the legendary Muny in St. Louis in summer of 2013. He promised it would be his last. He recently had the pleasure of working with opera legend Deborah Voigt directing a theatrical piece entitled "Deborah Voigt, Voigt Lessons" which was written by Terrence McNally and originally developed by Voigt, McNally and director Francesca Zambello. Richard opened such prestigious venues as The Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, California with Russell Watson; Toronto's Skydome with a concert version of Les Miserables, co-directed by Keith Batten; the recent opening of The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and their Walt Disney Theatre with a distinguished cast of Norm Lewis, Sierra Boggess, Chris Mann, Deborah Voigt, Michael Urie, Jane Monheit, Ektor Rivera, The Lombard Twins, and The Broadway Kids.
Stage performances
Amadeus – 1980
Zoot Suit – 1978
Stage production
Five Guys Named Moe – Associate Director / Executive Producer – 1992
Miss Saigon – Executive Producer – 1991
Les Misérables – Associate Director / Executive Producer – 1987