Jefferson Mays

Last updated
Jefferson Mays
International Peace Institute President Terje Rod-Larsen and Jefferson Mays (Mays cropped).jpg
Born
Lewis Jefferson Mays

(1965-06-08) June 8, 1965 (age 58)
Clinton, Connecticut, U.S.
Education Yale University (BA)
University of California, San Diego (MFA)
Occupation Actor
Years active1988–present
Spouse
​
(m. 2003)​

Lewis Jefferson Mays (born June 8, 1965) is an American actor. He is the recipient of numerous accolades, including a Tony Award, a Helen Hayes Award, a Lucille Lortel Award, two Drama Desk Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards and three Obie Awards.

Contents

Life and career

Mays was raised in Clinton, Connecticut, with his parents, a naval intelligence officer and a children's librarian, and his siblings. [1] Mays graduated from Yale College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, and the University of California, San Diego, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts from the graduate acting program. [2] [1] He appeared at La Jolla Playhouse, [3] Long Wharf Theatre, [4] the Williamstown Theatre Festival, [5] and Playwrights Horizons. [6]

Mays appeared on Broadway in I Am My Own Wife , a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Doug Wright, from November 2003 (previews) to October 31, 2004. [7] He had appeared in the play Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in May 2003, [6] and at the La Jolla Playhouse in July 2001. [3] Mays won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, the 2004 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show, an Obie Award, and a 2004 Theatre World Award for his solo performance. [7] He also won the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play for seasons of I Am My Own Wife in Australia in 2006.[ citation needed ]

Mays starred in two Broadway revivals in 2007. He appeared as Henry Higgins in Pygmalion , [8] in which he won critical praise. The TheaterMania reviewer called him "pitch-perfect", and the production an "excellent revival". [9] He appeared in a revival of Journey's End in February to June 2007, in which he starred as Private Mason. [10] Ben Brantley, in The New York Times , called the production "acutely staged and acted." [11] The TheaterMania reviewer wrote: "Mays is a reliable, obliging Mason." [12]

In August 2009, Mays appeared at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Quartermaine's Terms by Simon Grey. [5] [13]

Mays starred in the 2013 Broadway musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder , in which he played nine roles. He performed in the musical from October 2013 (previews) until closing on January 17, 2016. [14] [15] [16] He won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. [17] He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical [18] and tied for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (with Neil Patrick Harris). [16] [19] Mays played Terje Rød-Larsen in the Broadway play Oslo , for which he received a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play nomination. Mays played Mayor George Shinn in the 2022 Broadway revival of The Music Man . [20]

Mays also narrates audiobooks, including The Expanse series and The Invention of Sound by Chuck Palahniuk.[ citation needed ]

Mays has appeared in several television programs as well; he notably appeared in several episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit as cross-dressing murderer Carl Rudnick, and as Black Dahlia suspect George Hodel in the Turner Network Television miniseries I Am the Night . His television credits include Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt , The Good Wife , Nurse Jackie and The Americans .[ citation needed ]

Personal life

Mays is married to Australian actress Susan Lyons. [2]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1993 Ghost Brigade Martin Bradley
1994 Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade Gerry WoolridgeShort film [21]
1995 The Low Life Hollywood Mogul [22]
1997 Hudson River Blues Eric
1998 Cousin Bette Stidmann [23]
1999 The Big Brass Ring Garne Strickland [24]
2004 Kinsey Effete Man's Friend [25]
2004 Alfie Dr. Miranda Kulp [26]
2005 The Notorious Bettie Page Little John [27]
2006Memoirs of My Nervous IllnessDaniel Schreber
2008 How to Lose Friends & Alienate People Bill Nathanson
2014 The Giver Community (voice)
2014 Inherent Vice Dr. Theeply
2014 Ned Rifle Dr. Ford [28]
2015 I Am Michael Preacher Teacher
2017 Rebel in the Rye William Maxwell
2018 The Ballad of Buster Scruggs Gilbert LongabaughSegment: "The Gal Who Got Rattled"
2021 The Tragedy of Macbeth Doctor

Television

YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
1988 Dynaman Dynabeige (voice)
1991A Week in Joe's BasementAlexEpisode: "Remote Control"
1997 Liberty! The American Revolution James Madison 6 episodes
2002 Benjamin Franklin Elkanah Watson 3 episodes
2005 The Closer Dr. EastonEpisode: "Fatal Retraction"
2008 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Keifer GatesEpisode: "Legacy"
2009 Law & Order Attorney OlsenEpisode: "Pledge"
2009 Fringe Nicholas BooneEpisode: "Midnight"
2010 Nurse Jackie TimEpisode: "P.O. Box"
2010God in AmericaJeremiah MooreEpisode: "A New Adam/A New Eden"
2010 Lie to Me Sidney CarltonEpisode: "Double Blind"
2010 Detroit 1-8-7 Dr. Roger Kosowski2 episodes
2011 Mildred Pierce Man in Blue CoatEpisode: "Four"
2011 The Good Wife Diplomat Van BuskirkEpisode: "Affairs of State"
2012 My America PerformerEpisode: "Fire in Dreamland"
2014–2016 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Dr. Carl Rudnick7 episodes
2015 The Americans Walter Taffet 4 episodes [29]
2015 The Knick Attorney WhittingEpisode: "You're No Rose" [30]
2015–2016 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Daddy2 episodes [31]
2019 I Am the Night George Hodel 6 episodes
2019 The Blacklist Norman DevaneEpisode: "Norman Devane (No. 138)"
2020 Westworld Liam Dempsey Sr.Episode: "Genre"
2020 Perry Mason Virgil Sheets5 episodes
2021 Hacks T.L. GurleyEpisode: "Primm"
2022 Julia P. Albert Duhamel4 episodes

Theatre

Jefferson Mays, who plays the part of Terje Rod-Larsen in Oslo, with International Peace Institute (IPI) President Terje Rod-Larsen, at a special performance of the play hosted by IPI. International Peace Institute President Terje Rod-Larsen and Jefferson Mays.jpg
Jefferson Mays, who plays the part of Terje Rød-Larsen in Oslo, with International Peace Institute (IPI) President Terje Rød-Larsen, at a special performance of the play hosted by IPI.
YearTitleRoleVenueRef.
1992Bella, Belle of ByelorussiaSergei/Vladivostok JimmyWPA Theatre, Off-Broadway
1994Moe's Lucky SevenMokie Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway
1995Quills Abbé de Coulmier New York Theatre Workshop, Off-Broadway
1998Culture of Desire Diana Vreeland New York Theatre Workshop, Off-Broadway
2000Lydie Breeze, Parts I & IIJeremiah Grady New York Theatre Workshop, Off-Broadway
2003 I Am My Own Wife Charlotte von Mahlsdorf, et al. Playwrights Horizons, Off-Broadway
2003 Lyceum Theatre, Broadway
2007 Journey's End Private Mason Belasco Theatre, Broadway
2007 Pygmalion Henry Higgins American Airlines Theatre, Broadway
2010 Measure for Measure Duke Vincentio The Duke on 42nd Street, Off-Broadway
2011 Blood and Gifts Simon Craig Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, Off-Broadway [32]
2012 The Best Man Sheldon Marcus Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, Broadway [33]
2012 A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder The D'Ysquith Family Hartford Stage
2013 Old Globe Theatre
2013 Walter Kerr Theatre, Broadway [34]
2016 Oslo Terje Rød-Larsen Mitzi E. Newhouse Theatre, Off-Broadway
2016 The Front Page Roy V. Bensinger Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway
2017OsloTerje Rød-Larsen Vivian Beaumont Theater, Broadway
2018 A Christmas Carol Various Characters Geffen Playhouse
2021 The Music Man Mayor George Shinn Winter Garden Theatre, Broadway
2022A Christmas CarolVarious Characters Nederlander Theatre, Broadway

Awards

YearAwardCategoryNominated workResultRef.
2004 Tony Award Best Actor in a Play I Am My Own Wife Won [35]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Solo Performance Won
Theatre World Award —Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Solo PerformanceWon
2012 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Blood and Gifts Nominated [36]
Outer Critics Circle Award Best Featured Actor in a PlayNominated [37]
2014 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Nominated [38]
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a MusicalWon
2017 Tony Award Best Actor in a Play Oslo Nominated
Drama League Award Distinguished PerformanceNominated

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Drama Desk Award</span> New York theater awards

The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Following the 1964 renaming as the Drama Desk Awards, Broadway productions were included beginning with the 1968–69 award season. The awards are considered a significant American theater distinction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marsha Norman</span> American writer

Marsha Norman is an American playwright, screenwriter, and novelist. She received the 1983 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for her play 'night, Mother. She wrote the book and lyrics for such Broadway musicals as The Secret Garden, for which she won a Tony Award and the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical, and The Red Shoes, as well as the libretto for the musical The Color Purple and the book for the musical The Bridges of Madison County. She is co-chair of the playwriting department at The Juilliard School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelli O'Hara</span> American actress and singer (born 1976)

Kelli Christine O'Hara is an American actress and singer, most known for her work on the Broadway and opera stages.

Gregg Edelman is an American movie, television and theatre actor.

Robert Westenberg is an American stage actor and singer, acting teacher, and professor. He received a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the original Broadway cast of Into the Woods.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jay O. Sanders</span> American actor (born 1953)

Jay Olcutt Sanders is an American film, theatre and television actor and playwright. He frequently appears in plays off-Broadway at The Public Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christopher Fitzgerald (actor)</span> American actor and singer

Christopher Cantwell Fitzgerald is an American actor and singer. He is known for his role as Boq in the musical Wicked, Igor in the musical Young Frankenstein, and Ogie Anhorn in the musical Waitress. He earned Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award nominations for his performances in Waitress and Young Frankenstein and won the Drama Desk Award and Outer Critics Circle Award for his performance in Waitress.

Claudia Shear is an American actress and playwright. She was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Play and Best Actress for her play Dirty Blonde.

Martin Vidnovic is an American actor and singer.

Maryann Plunkett is an American actress and singer. Plunkett made her Broadway debut playing Sister Agnes in Agnes of God. In 1987, she won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her performance as Sally Smith in Me and My Girl. In addition, she has made appearances in various films and series’ such as Little Women, Manifest, A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, and Dr. Death.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Linda Emond</span> American actress (born 1959)

Linda Marie Emond is an American stage, film, and television actress. Emond has received three Tony Award nominations for her performances in Life (x) 3 (2003), Death of a Salesman (2012), and Cabaret (2014).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Friedman</span> American actor (born 1949)

Peter Friedman is an American stage, film, and television actor. He made his Broadway debut in the Eugene O'Neill play The Great God Brown in 1972. His other Broadway credits include roles in The Rules of the Game (1974), Piaf (1981), The Heidi Chronicles (1989), and Twelve Angry Men (2004). He earned a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical nomination for his role as Tateh in Ragtime (1998).

Christopher Ashley is an American stage director. Since 2007, he has been the artistic director of the La Jolla Playhouse.

Donald Ragan Stephenson IV, known as Don Stephenson, is an American actor and stage director. He has numerous credits on both television and in the theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stephen Kunken</span> American actor

Stephen Michael Kunken is an American actor. He is known for the roles of Ari Spyros on Showtime's Billions and Commander Putnam on Hulu's The Handmaid's Tale. His film work includes work with Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, Woody Allen, Paul Greengrass, Ang Lee, Barry Levinson, Ron Howard and others. Graduating with top honors from The Juilliard School, Kunken has an extensive and celebrated theater career appearing on Broadway in 7 different Productions and countless off-Broadway and Regional productions. He is most readily known for playing Andy Fastow in the Broadway play Enron, for which he received a Tony Award nomination for Featured Actor in a Play. Other Broadway credits include Frost/Nixon and Rock 'n' Roll'.

Rob McClure is an American actor and singer, best known for his work on the Broadway stage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryce Pinkham</span> American stage and screen actor (born 1982)

Bryce Allen Pinkham is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in the PBS period drama Mercy Street. On Broadway, he played Monty Navarro in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder. For this role, he received nominations for a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical and a Grammy. He is a Leonore Annenberg Arts Fellow and co-founder of Zara Aina, a not-for-profit children's theater company in Madagascar. He voices Stolas in the adult animated web series Helluva Boss.

Leigh Silverman is an American director for the stage, both off-Broadway and on Broadway. She was nominated for the 2014 Tony Award, Best Direction of a Musical for the musical Violet and the 2008 Drama Desk Award, Outstanding Director of a Play for the play From Up Here.

Reed Birney is an American actor. Birney is known for his performances on stage and screen often acting on and off Broadway. Birney gained acclaim in 2016 for his role in The Humans winning the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play. He was also nominated previously in the same category for his performance in Casa Valentina in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel Bay Jones</span> American actress and singer (born 1969)

Rachel Bay Jones is an American actress and singer. She has played the roles of Catherine in the 2013 Broadway revival of Pippin and Evan Hansen's mother, Heidi Hansen, in Dear Evan Hansen. The latter earned her an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, and the 2017 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

References

  1. 1 2 Rizzo, Frank. "The Earnest Jefferson Mays" Hartford Courant, January 25, 2004
  2. 1 2 Margaret Gray (March 12, 2013). "Jefferson Mays' fractured personality". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  3. 1 2 Ehren, Christine. "La Jolla Playhouse Workshops Wright's 'I Am My Own Wife' July 10-29" Playbill, July 10, 2001
  4. ↑ Ehren, Christine. "Long Wharf Meets Rosencrantz and Guildenstern c/o Wood and Mays April 25-June 3" Playbill, April 25, 2001
  5. 1 2 "Jefferson Mays Stars in 'Quartermaine's Terms' at Williamstown" Playbill, August 15, 2009
  6. 1 2 Jones, Kenneth. " 'I Am My Own Wife', Doug Wright's Tale of a European Transvestite's Life, Opens May 27 in NYC" Playbill, May 27, 2003
  7. 1 2 " 'I Am My Own Wife' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  8. ↑ " 'Pygmalion' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  9. ↑ Finkle, David. "Reviews. 'Pygmalion'" theatermania.com, October 16, 2007
  10. ↑ "'Journey's End' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  11. ↑ Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review. 'Journey's End'", The New York Times, February 23, 2007, p. E3
  12. ↑ Finkle, David. "Review. 'Journey's End' " theatermania.com, February 22, 2007.
  13. ↑ Quartermaine's Terms, wtfestival.org, accessed June 9, 2016.
  14. ↑ Stewart, Zachary. "Final Bow: The 9,000 Deaths of Jefferson Mays in 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder'", theatermania.com, January 4, 2016.
  15. ↑ Haun, Harry. "Playbill.com offers a behind-the-scenes look at opening night of the new Broadway musical 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' " Playbill, November 18, 2013
  16. 1 2 " 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  17. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; 'Gentleman's Guide' Wins Four Awards" Playbill, May 12, 2014.
  18. ↑ "Tony Awards 2014: The complete list of nominees and winners" Los Angeles Times, April 28, 2014.
  19. ↑ Hempstead, Pete. "Drama Desk Award Winners Led by 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' " theatermania.com, June 1, 2014
  20. ↑ "The Music Man, Starring Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster, Sets New Broadway Dates".
  21. ↑ Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  22. ↑ The Low Life tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  23. ↑ Cousin Bette tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  24. ↑ The Big Brass Ring tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  25. ↑ Kinsey tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  26. ↑ Alfie tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  27. ↑ The Notorious Bettie Page tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  28. ↑ Ned Rifle tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  29. ↑ Eyerly, Alan. "'The Americans' recap: Fiery end to South African plot" Los Angeles Times, March 19, 2015
  30. ↑ Leeds, Sarene. "TV Recap. 'You're No Rose'" ew.com, October 23, 2015
  31. ↑ Zuckerman, Esther. "Your guide to the guest stars in 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'" ew.com, March 10, 2015
  32. ↑ Isherwoord, Christopher. "Choosing Sides in Afghanistan: Spies Playing in the Great Game" The New York Times, November 22, 2011
  33. ↑ " 'The Best Man', Starring John Larroquette and James Earl Jones, Receives Second Broadway Extension" broadway.com, May 16, 2012
  34. ↑ "Jefferson Mays (Performer) | Playbill".
  35. ↑ "Jefferson Mays profile". broadway.com. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  36. ↑ Bacalzo, Dan. "2012 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced" theatermania.com, April 27, 2012
  37. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "62nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations Announced; 'Nice Work' Receives Nine Nods" Playbill, April 23, 2012
  38. ↑ "Jefferson Mays Theatre Credits and Profile".
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.