Jimmy Smagula

Last updated
Jimmy Smagula
Born
James Paul Smagula

(1976-01-15) January 15, 1976 (age 48)
Lyndhurst, New Jersey, U.S.
OccupationActor
Years active1998–present

James Paul Smagula (born January 15, 1976) is an American actor. He is best known for his work in theatre as well as television series such as The Sopranos , Bones , Grey's Anatomy , Parks and Recreation , and Rizzoli & Isles as well as films, including The Island and The Producers . [1]

Contents

He is currently playing Sir Bedevere and others in the Broadway revival of Spamalot at the St. James Theatre.

Early life

Smagula grew up in Lyndhurst, New Jersey and graduated from Lyndhurst High School in 1993. [2] As a child, he was very active in music, playing piano, trumpet, and clarinet and taking private voice lessons. He auditioned for, and was accepted into, the acclaimed City Kids Repertory company in New York City at age 15 where he shared the stage with such artists as Whitney Houston, Gloria Estefan, and Demi Moore. [3]

He went on to earn a BFA at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 1997 where he studied at both CAP 21 and The Classical Studio.

Career

Smagula made his professional acting debut at age 20 in the Paper Mill Playhouse production of Man of La Mancha. He also appeared in the American premiere of Children of Eden, also at Paper Mill Playhouse. Smagula also sings on that production's cast album.

Smagula appeared in the ensemble and performed the role of Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at the Ahamanson Theater with Kelsey Grammer and Christine Baranski and also played the Beadle in the Signature Theater production in Arlington, VA, which starred Norm Lewis.

Smagula made his Broadway debut at age 24 in the ensemble of The Full Monty (2000). He performed the principal role of Dave Bukatinsky over 3 dozen times, opposite both Patrick Wilson and Will Chase. In 2002, he appeared in the Broadway revival of Man of La Mancha starring Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Smagula understudied Ubaldo Piangi on the Second National Tour of The Phantom of the Opera and later played the role on the Third National tour. He also would understudy the role on Broadway for one year. [4]

In 2005, Smagula appeared as Sal Iacuzzo on HBO's The Sopranos. He also appeared in the film The Island , directed by Michael Bay and The Producers movie musical.

In 2008, Smagula starred as Rocky in the Encores! production of Damn Yankees! starring Sean Hayes and Jane Krakowski at the New York City Center. Ben Brantley of the New York Times said Smagula "harmonizes sweetly" on the iconic song "Heart." [5]

Smagula appeared in Manhattan Theatre Club's production of To Be or Not To Be at the Friedman Theater on Broadway, directed by Casey Nicholaw.

He also played a 10-week stint as Chef Louis in Disney's The Little Mermaid on Broadway [6]

In 2010, Smagula joined the Broadway company of Billy Elliot, where he performed the principal role of George over 50 times. He also appeared in the film Step Up 3D in 2010.

From 2011 to 2016, Smagula appeared in television shows including Hot in Cleveland, Grey's Anatomy, Jessie, Betty White's Off Their Rockers, Parks and Recreation, Sam and Cat, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Rizzoli and Isles, Community, and Bones.

In 2017, Smagula played John Woodburn in the film Rebel in the Rye , written and directed by Danny Strong and starring Kevin Spacey and Nicholas Hoult. [7]

From 2019 to 2020, Smagula played Monsieur Thénardier in the national tour of Les Misérables . [8]

In 2022, he played Harry the Horse in Guys and Dolls at The Eisenhower Theater. [8]

In 2023, he played the dual role of Mr./Billy Webster in Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's Sunday in the Park with George at the Pasadena Playhouse. He also played Sir Bedevere in the Kennedy Center production of Spamalot and reprised the role in the Broadway revival at the St. James Theatre. [8]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2005 The Island Extraction Room Technician
2005 The Producers Convict
2010Step Up 3DBalloon Vendor
2015Genie in a Bikini
2017 Rebel in the Rye John Woodburn
2018EraseKinowski
2019 Bottom of the 9th

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006 The Sopranos Sal Iacuzzo1 episode
2013 Parks and Recreation Peter1 episode
2014 Brooklyn Nine-Nine John Perpton1 episode
2014 Rizzoli & Isles Jimmy1 episode
2015 Community Dink Dippindots2 episodes
2015 Bones Chili Reuben1 episode
2016 Jimmy Kimmel Live! Museum Security Guard1 episode
2018 Corporate Milk Boy1 episode
2019 Better Things Jimmy Smagula1 episode
2019Oh Jerome, NoSammy1 episode
2019 Cake Sammy1 episode
2020-2021 Black Monday C.O. Dandleton2 episodes

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Miner</span> American actress (1917-2004)

Janice Miner was an American actress best known as the character Madge the manicurist in Palmolive dish-washing detergent television commercials from the 1960s to the 1990s.

Max von Essen is an American stage and screen actor, and vocalist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harry Groener</span> German-born American actor and dancer (born 1951)

Harry Groener is a German-born American actor and dancer, perhaps best known for playing Mayor Wilkins in Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Borle</span> American actor (born 1973)

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, each of which earned him a Tony nomination. He starred as Marvin in the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos. He also starred as Tom Levitt on the NBC musical-drama television series Smash and Vox in the adult animated black comedy musical series Hazbin Hotel.

Richard "Rick" Holmes is an American actor. He received his BA from Gettysburg College and an MFA in acting from New York University. He has played numerous stage roles, including roles in such Broadway productions as Cabaret, Spamalot, Peter and the Starcatcher and Matilda, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marin Mazzie</span> American actress

Marin Joy Mazzie was an American actress and singer known for her work in musical theatre.

Robert Rounseville was an American actor and tenor, who appeared in opera, operetta, Broadway musicals, and motion pictures.

Stephen Bogardus is an American actor. He originated the role of Whizzer in the Broadway musical, Falsettos.

Lewis Cleale is an American theatre actor and singer from Houlton, Maine.

Susan Watson is an American actress and singer best known for her roles in musical theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jessica Lee Goldyn</span> American Broadway actress (born 1985)

Jessica Lee Goldyn is an American musical theatre actress, singer, and dancer best known for creating the role of Val in the Broadway revival of A Chorus Line and appearing as Nini (replacement) in Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Goldyn played the lead role of Cassie from August 10, 2008 opposite Mario Lopez as Zack, until the show ended its Broadway revival run on August 17, 2008. Goldyn had been an understudy for the lead character of Cassie. She played the title role in Annie (musical) at age 21. Goldyn appeared in The Paper Mill Playhouse (NJ) rendition of A Chorus Line in the star role of Cassie from October 7 through October 28, 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casey Nicholaw</span> American theatre professional

Casey Nicholaw is an American theatre director, choreographer, and performer. He has been nominated for several Tony Awards for his work directing and choreographing The Drowsy Chaperone (2006), The Book of Mormon (2011), Aladdin (2014), Something Rotten! (2015), Mean Girls (2018), The Prom (2019), and Some Like It Hot (2023) and for choreographing Monty Python's Spamalot (2005), winning for his co-direction of The Book of Mormon with Trey Parker and his choreography of Some Like It Hot. He also was nominated for the Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Direction and Choreography for The Drowsy Chaperone (2006) and Something Rotten! (2015) and for Outstanding Choreography for Spamalot (2005).

Bradley Dean is an American stage and screen actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Petkoff</span> American stage actor

Robert Petkoff is an American stage actor known for his work in Shakespearean productions and more recently on the New York City musical theater stage. Petkoff has performed on Broadway, the West End, regional theatre, and done work in film and television. Petkoff was featured as "Perchik" in the Tony award-nominated 2004 revival cast of Fiddler on the Roof but is perhaps best known for his role as "Tateh" in the 2009 revival of Ragtime on Broadway. Petkoff has also provided the voices for over two dozen audiobooks, winning awards for his reading of Michael Koryta's So Cold the River. Married to actress Susan Wands, Petkoff has lived in New York City for the last twenty years, and often performs in benefit concerts for theater-district-related charities.

Lenora Nemetz is an American stage and musical theatre actress.

David Hibbard is an American stage performer, primarily known for Broadway musicals and television commercial voiceovers. Since 1999, Hibbard has been a teacher of vocal performance and audition technique at Collaborative Arts Project 21 (CAP21), once affiliated with New York University Tisch School of the Arts and now a part of Molloy College in Rockville Centre, Long Island with studio space at Molloy College Manhattan Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Kazee</span> American actor and singer

Steven Michael Kazee is an American actor and singer. He is best known for starring as Guy in the musical Once for which he was awarded the 2012 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Kazee began his professional acting career in the mid-2000s, and from 2005 until 2013 acted in a series of Broadway productions including Spamalot, 110 in the Shade, and Once. Following the success of Once, Kazee acted on multiple television series, most notably playing Gus Pfender in the fifth season of Shameless. Kazee returned to theater in 2018, starring as Edward in the Chicago tryout of Pretty Woman: The Musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Kready</span> American actor

Jeff Kready is an American stage performer and has been featured in Broadway musicals. As of July 2024, he’s performing in The Great Gatsby on Broadway and understudies Jeremy Jordan in the title role.

Alison Nicole Luff is an American singer and stage actress. She is best known for her extensive work in musical theatre, notably for her roles as Elphaba in the First National Tour of Wicked and Jenna in the Broadway production of Waitress. From 2021 to 2023, she has appeared in a lead role in the Starz drama series Heels.

Nik Walker is an American actor and performer. He has co-starred in the Broadway productions of Hamilton and Spamalot playing Aaron Burr and Sir Dennis Galahad, respectively.

References

  1. ↑ "Jimmy Smagula IMDB". imdb.com. Retrieved 2016-03-29.
  2. ↑ "Jimmy Smagula will host and perform in a benefit concert for Lyndhurst High School featuring numerous Broadway performers May 19 at 7 PM.", Playbill . Accessed May 16, 2016. "Smagula, who is an alumnus of Lyndhurst High School, said in a statement, "The auditorium is in great need of renovation and I am proud to be able to give back to my hometown that has given me so much. Arts education is often overlooked and I am thrilled to be able to give back.'"
  3. ↑ "Jimmy Smagula IMDB". imdb.com. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  4. ↑ "IBDB". ibdb.com. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  5. ↑ Isherwood, Charles (11 July 2008). "New York Times" . Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  6. ↑ "Broadway.com". broadway.com. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  7. ↑ "Variety". variety.com. 12 April 2016. Retrieved 2016-04-19.
  8. 1 2 3 "Jimmy Smagula theatre 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.