Andrew Polec

Last updated
Andrew Polec
Born (1989-01-28) January 28, 1989 (age 33)
Philadelphia, USA
Genres Musical theatre, Rock music
Occupation(s)
  • actor
  • singer
  • theatre performer
Website www.andrewpolec.com

Andrew Polec (born 28 January 1989) is an actor on both stage and TV, singer and songwriter, best known for originating the role of Strat in Jim Steinman's Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical from 2016 to 2019, right from the show's workshop through performing in the UK and North America. He is the son of 6ABC reporter Don Polec. [1]

Contents

Career

Theatre

YearShowRoleTheatreLocation
2016 The Fantasticks Matt The Theater Center Off-Broadway [2]
2017 Bat Out of Hell: The Musical Strat Manchester Opera House Manchester [3]
2017 London Coliseum West End [4]
2017-18 Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto [5]
2018 Dominion Theatre West End
2018 Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto [6]
2019 New York City Center New York [7]
2019The Dream EngineBaalKirby Theater Amherst College [8]
2021 Hair Berger The Old Globe San Diego [9]
2021 Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical Grinch The Old GlobeSan Diego [10]

Note: In 2018, Polec left the London West End cast of the show, [11] only to join the International Touring Cast of the same show. The 2018 Toronto run was originally intended as a tour of North America, but this tour was halted by the show's producers after the first venue.

Discography

Polec's recording debut was as a member of the University of Rochester's a cappella ensemble - the Midnight Ramblers - on their album Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella! , in 2009. [12] In 2012, he released the album Welcome to Khat House as the lead singer of the band Khat House. The cast recording for Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical, released in 2017, features several songs which he sings in his lead role as Strat. He appears on the season 1 soundtrack of the Katy Keene TV series, alongside Ashleigh Murray, singing City Of Lights.

Television

In 2017 - 2018, Polec performed on various TV shows with the cast of Bat Out Of Hell The Musical, including Tonight at the London Palladium, Britain's Got Talent and This Morning in the UK, and the Today show in the US.

In 2020 - 2021, he acted in two US TV dramas; Katy Keene and Prodigal Son .

Awards and nominations

Polec won "Best West End Debut" at the inaugural Stage Debut Awards in 2017 for his role as Strat in Bat Out Of Hell. [13] [14] For this same role, he was also nominated WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor In A Musical in 2018, shortlisted for Best Actor in a New Production of a Musical in the BroadwayWorld UK's awards, [15] and nominated "Rising Star" in the 2017 West End Wilma Awards. [16]

Polec won the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music's 23rd Annual Lotte Lenya Competition in 2021. [17]

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References

  1. McCutcheon, Lauren (2019-08-03). "Don Polec's kid has the starring role in the big new 'Bat Out of Hell' musical". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved 2022-03-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. "To See or Not to See: The Fantasticks". Pop-Culturalist.com. 2016-08-30. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  3. Bourne, Dianne (2017-03-15). "Review: Bat Out of Hell The Musical at Manchester Opera House". men. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  4. "Andrew Polec & Christina Bennington Will Star in Jim Steinman's Bat Out of Hell—The Musical Next Year in London". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  5. Média, Bell. "Bat Out Of Hell Interview". www.iheartradio.ca. Retrieved 2020-02-18.
  6. "Andrew Polec to Star in Bat Out of Hell North American Tour". Playbill. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  7. BWW News Desk. "Andrew Polec, Christina Bennington, and More Set For BAT OUT OF HELL at City Center". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-02-20.
  8. "Turn Around, Bright Eyes: The Original | Amherst Creates | Amherst College". www.amherst.edu. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  9. "The Globe Returns To Live Performances With 'Hair'". KPBS Public Media. 2021-08-10. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  10. "Review: Rock 'n' roll-trained actor brings Old Globe's 'Grinch' roaring back to life". Del Mar Times. 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  11. "Andrew Polec to leave Bat Out of Hell - The Musical". The Stage. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  12. "From Homer in the classroom to Meat Loaf on stage". NewsCenter. 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  13. "The Stage Debut Awards: Meet theatre's hottest new stars". BBC News. 2017-09-18. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  14. "The Stage Debut Awards". The Stage. Retrieved 2022-12-02.
  15. Swain, Marianka. "Shortlist Announced For The 2017 BroadwayWorld UK Awards; Voting Now Open!". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  16. "Last Chance To Vote For The Wilma Awards 2017". West End Wilma. 2017-09-29. Retrieved 2022-03-05.
  17. Cristi, A. A. "Andrew Polec Wins The International Lotte Lenya Competition – Theatrical/Voice". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2022-03-05.