Gavin Lee | |
|---|---|
 Lee in 2019 | |
| Born | 15 October 1971 Woodbridge, Suffolk, England |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1990–present |
Gavin Lee (born 15 October 1971) is an English actor who has appeared on the stage in musical theatre, notably as Bert in the musical Mary Poppins , in both the West End and on Broadway, and as Squidward Tentacles in the original Broadway cast of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical.
Lee is an alumnus of the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts after which he has been involved in various musicals as a performer and choreographer.
Lee appeared in the dance play Contact in the West End at the Queen's Theatre, opening in October 2002. [1]
In 2004, Lee auditioned to be the Bert understudy in the London production of Mary Poppins, but won the role outright. He originated the role of Bert in the original West End production. He also starred as Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins. [2] He was chosen for the Broadway role because of his critically acclaimed performance as Bert in the West End production. He departed the Broadway production after nearly two years to launch the US National Tour, but returned to the Broadway production in August 2010 until January 2013. Lee was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical at the 2005 Olivier Awards and the 2005 Theatregoer's Choice Awards for originating the West End role of Bert. For his Broadway performance, Lee was nominated for the 2006 Outer Critics Circle Awards (Outstanding Actor in a Musical) and the 2007 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He also won the 2007 Drama Desk Award for Featured Actor in a Musical and an award for Outstanding Broadway Debut at the 63rd annual Theatre World Awards. In August 2007, Lee was added to Sardi's caricature gallery with other Broadway actors. [3]
In June 2008, Lee performed in a concert version of Show Boat at Carnegie Hall as Frank Schultz. [4] He has performed as part of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera film adaptation, appearing as one of the singers/dancers in the "Masquerade" scene.
Lee and former London co-star Laura Michelle Kelly performed as Bert and Mary Poppins in the America Celebrates 4 July at Fords Theatre in front of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on 6 June 2010. The special aired on 2 July 2010 on ABC. [5] Lee again reunited with Kelly when he returned to the role of Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on 24 August 2010. [6]
He took over the role of Jerry Travers in the West End production of Top Hat beginning 5 February 2013. [7] He joined the Broadway revival of Les Miserables as Thenardier beginning 3 March 2015. [8]
Lee played Squidward Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants, the Broadway Musical . The stage musical premiered at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, and ran from June to July 2016. [9] Lee reprised his role as Squidward for the Broadway run of the musical, starting with November 2017 previews at the Palace Theatre [10] and remaining until it closed in September 2018. [11] Lee was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Squidward.
In June 2019, he appeared at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, taking on the role of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. [12] He reprised the role in the 2021 UK tour. [13] The production then transferred to the West End's London Palladium for a limited engagement beginning June 2022. [14]
On February 17, 2020, he performed the Manhattan Concert Productions' 50th-anniversary celebration of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at David Geffen Hall , Lincoln Center . He played the Butler.
Lee returned to the Paper Mill Playhouse to play Max Detweiler in its production of The Sound of Music from December 2–January 1, 2023. [15] He then went on to star in the tribute revue Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends , which opened at the Gielgud Theatre on 3 October 2023 following preview performances that began on 21 September. [16] The production is scheduled to run until 6 January 2024. [17]
| Year | Show | Role | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends | Himself/Various | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre | Broadway production; originated role |
| Ahmanson Theatre | ||||
| 2024-2025 | Les Misérables | Monsieur Thénardier | - | Arena Spectacular World Tour |
| 2023-2024 | Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends | Himself/Various | Gielgud Theatre | West End |
| 2023 | Oliver! | Fagin | New York City Center | Encores!; Standby but went on several performances during the 11-day run |
| 2022 | The Sound of Music | Max Detweiler | Paper Mill Playhouse | |
| 2021 | Beauty and the Beast | Lumière | UK Tour & London Palladium | Reprising his role from the 2019 Paper Mill Playhouse production |
| 2020 | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Butler | David Geffen Hall | |
| 2019 | Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol | Mr. Magoo/Scrooge | Gerald W. Lynch Theater | |
| 2019 | Beauty and the Beast | Lumière | Paper Mill Playhouse | |
| 2018 | Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical | The Grinch | US National Tour | In Chicago, Boston, and New York |
| 2017 | SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical | Squidward Tentacles [10] | Palace Theatre | Broadway production; originated role |
| 2016 | Oriental Theatre | Originated role | ||
| 2015-2016 | Les Misérables | Monsieur Thénardier | Imperial Theatre | Broadway Replacement |
| 2014 | Holiday Inn | Ted Hanover | Goodspeed Opera House | Replacement |
| 2013 | Top Hat | Jerry Travers | Aldwych Theatre | Replacement |
| 2010–2013 | Mary Poppins | Bert | New Amsterdam Theatre | Return to role |
| 2009–2010 | US National Tour | Originated role | ||
| 2008 | Show Boat | Frank Schultz [18] | Carnegie Hall | |
| 2006–2008 | Mary Poppins | Bert | New Amsterdam Theatre | Broadway production; originated role |
| 2004–2006 | Bristol Hippodrome & Prince Edward Theatre | West End production; originated role | ||
| 2002 | Contact | Aristocrat | Queen's Theatre | West End |
| 2002 | Let's Kick Arts | Ensemble | Bridewell Theatre | |
| 2002 | Aladdin | Wishee Washee | Devonshire Park Theatre | |
| 2001 | Zip Goes a Million | Percy Piggott | The Theatre Museum | |
| 2001 | DuBarry Was a Lady | Harry/Captain of the Guard | Her Majesty's Theatre | West End |
| 2001 | Peggy Sue Got Married | Richard | Shaftesbury Theatre | West End; Originated role |
| 2000 | Whenever | Oscar | Stephen Joseph Theatre | |
| 1999 | A Saint She Ain't | Danny O'Reilly | Apollo Theatre & King's Head Theatre | West End; Originated role |
| 1999 | Of Thee I Sing | J.P. Wintergeen | Bridewell Theatre | |
| 1999 | Jubilee | Prince James | Her Majesty's Theatre | West End; Also choreographer |
| 1998-1999 | Oklahoma! | Slim | National Theatre & Lyceum Theatre | West End; Originated role |
| 1998 | Singin' in the Rain | Don Lockwood | Haymarket Theatre | |
| 1998 | Snoopy | Linus | Watermill Theatre | |
| 1997 | Saturday Night | Male Vocalist | Bridewell Theatre | Originated role |
| 1997 | Crazy for You | Bobby Child | National Tour | |
| 1993 | Swing | Prince Edward Theatre | ||
| 1996 | Immaculate Deception | Rosenburg | Wimbledon Studio Theatre | |
| 1984 | Flower Drum Song | Wang San | Wolsey Theatre | |
| 1983 | Bugsy Malone | Seymore Scoop | Her Majesty's Theatre | West End debut |
Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony
| Year | Award | Performance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Best Actor in a Musical | Mary Poppins | Nominated |
| 2018 | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | SpongeBob SquarePants | Nominated |
Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony
| Year | Award | Performance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Mary Poppins | Won |
| 2018 | SpongeBob SquarePants | Won |
Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony
| Year | Award | Performance | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Best Actor in a Musical | Mary Poppins | Nominated |
Squidward J. Q. Tentacles is a fictional character voiced by actor Rodger Bumpass in the American animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants, produced by Nickelodeon. Squidward was created and designed by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. He first appeared on television in the series' pilot episode "Help Wanted" on May 1, 1999.
Gavin James Creel was an American actor, singer, and songwriter best known for his work in musical theater. Over his career he received a Grammy Award, a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award and a Laurence Olivier Award.
Disney Theatrical Productions Limited (DTP), also known as Disney on Broadway, is the stageplay and musical production company of the Disney Theatrical Group, a subsidiary of Disney Entertainment, a major division and business unit of The Walt Disney Company.
Laura Michelle Kelly is an English actress and singer, best known for originating the roles of Mary Poppins in Mary Poppins in the West End, for which she received the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and Sylvia Llewelyn Davies in Finding Neverland on Broadway.
Chuck Wagner is an American actor, director, musical theater historian and teacher. He has had an extensive career in theater, but is perhaps best known for co-starring in the short-lived science fiction TV series Automan (1983–84).
Jonathan Freeman is an American actor and singer. He is known for voicing Jafar in Disney's Aladdin franchise, as well as the Kingdom Hearts franchise and the 2011 Aladdin musical.
Mary Poppins is a musical with music and lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman and additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and a book by Julian Fellowes. The musical is based on the similarly titled Mary Poppins children's books by P. L. Travers and the 1964 Disney film, and is a fusion of various elements from the two, including songs from the film.
Christian Dominique Borle is an American actor and singer. He is a two-time Tony Award winner for his roles as Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher and as William Shakespeare in Something Rotten!. Borle also originated the roles of Prince Herbert, et al. in Spamalot, Emmett in Legally Blonde, and Joe in Some Like It Hot on Broadway, earning Tony nominations for the latter two. He starred as Marvin in the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos, which also earned him a Tony nomination. His first leading role on Broadway was Jimmy Smith in Thoroughly Modern Millie. He would later also star as Bert in Mary Poppins and Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He also portrayed Orin Scrivello in the Off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. Borle starred as Tom Levitt on the NBC musical-drama television series Smash and Vox in the adult animated black comedy musical series Hazbin Hotel.
On the Record is a jukebox musical revue featuring many classic songs from a variety of live action and animated films and television series produced by Walt Disney Pictures, Broadway musical plays produced by Walt Disney Theatrical, and even Disneyland attractions. This theatrical celebration of 75 years of Disney music tells the story of four singers recording a greatest hits album in a magical recording studio. After opening in Cleveland in 2004, the production toured for nine months, visiting 24 cities in the United States before closing in Denver in mid-2005.
Ashley Brown is an American singer and actress who is best known for playing the titular character in the United States national tour and Broadway productions of Mary Poppins.
Sarah Uriarte Berry is an American actress and singer.
Scarlett Aimee Vaigncourt-Strallen is an English stage actress, best known for her work in musical theatre productions in the West End and on Broadway. She has received two Olivier Award nominations, in 2006 for her portrayal of Josephine in an adaptation of H.M.S. Pinafore, performed at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre and in 2012 for her role in Singin' in the Rain. Strallen is also a former voice actress.
Norm Lewis is an American actor and baritone singer. He has appeared on Broadway and in London's West End, film, television, recordings and regional theatre. He is also noted for his wide vocal range. Lewis was the second African-American actor after Robert Guillaume to perform in the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera and the first one to do so in the Broadway production. In 2023, he reprised the role in the show's sequel, Love Never Dies, in the West End.
Lisa Jane O'Hare is an English actress who has played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady and the title character of Mary Poppins in the West End and UK stage. She more recently has appeared in several prime-time American television shows on TNT, ABC and NBC. She most recently starred on Broadway in the musical, A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder.
Andrew Keenan-Bolger is an American actor and filmmaker. He is best known for originating the roles of Crutchie in Newsies and Jesse Tuck in Tuck Everlasting on Broadway. His other Broadway credits include Robertson Ay in Mary Poppins, Jojo in Seussical, and Chip in Beauty and the Beast.
Nicolas Dromard is a Canadian singer and stage actor, best known for his performances as Fiyero in the San Francisco sit-down production of the musical Wicked. He also performed in the Broadway musical version of Mary Poppins as part of the original Broadway cast ensemble, and later as Bert on Broadway and in the National Tour. He recently performed in the national tour and Broadway productions of Jersey Boys as Tommy DeVito.
Rob McClure is an American actor and singer, best known for his work on the Broadway stage.
Anthony Lyn is a Welsh theatrical director and actor, originally from Swansea in South Wales. During his early life, he performed in numerous shows at the Grand Theatre in Swansea. As an actor he appeared in London's West End and toured nationally.
SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical is a musical, co-conceived and directed by Tina Landau with songs by various artists and a book by Kyle Jarrow. It is based on the Nickelodeon animated television series SpongeBob SquarePants and made its world premiere in June 2016 at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago. Following a month of previews, the musical opened on Broadway at the Palace Theatre in December 2017.
Ethan Samuel Slater is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his role as SpongeBob SquarePants in the musical of the same name, for which he won a Drama Desk Award and received a Tony Award nomination in 2018. He had his first major film role as Boq in the musical film Wicked (2024).
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