Lucas Steele | |
---|---|
Born | Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, U.S. | June 29, 1979
Alma mater | University of the Arts (BFA) [1] |
Occupation(s) | Actor, musician |
Years active | 2006–present |
Known for | Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 |
Awards | Lucille Lortel Award |
Lucas Steele is an American stage actor, violinist and singer best known for his role as Anatole Kuragin in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812. [2]
Steele was raised in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania. He began learning piano by ear at age 3, and violin at age 11. [3] [4] He graduate from the University of the Arts with a BFA in Musical Theater.
Steele made his Broadway debut in the 2006 revival of The Threepenny Opera, playing the ensemble roles of Harry and Velma while understudying the role of Lucy Brown. [5]
In the fall of 2006, Steele was signed to a four-year development deal for a commercial music project. For the next four years he focused on writing, producing, conceiving and developing a conceptualized electro/rock/pop album while traveling throughout Europe. [6] While working on the album, Steele originated roles in the world premieres of Neil Bartlett's adaptation of Oliver Twist (presented by Theatre for a New Audience Off-Broadway in 2007) [7] and It's Only Life (premiering at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura in 2008). [8] [9]
In 2009, he returned to the West Coast, cast in Theatre For A New Audience's critically acclaimed production of Othello at the Intiman Theater in Seattle, WA. [10]
In 2010, after participating in two years of developmental readings, Steele originated the role of Terry in The New Group production of The Kid , based on the best selling novel by writer/author/activist Dan Savage. After completing its run, Steele returned to Europe, entering the last chapter of the fated music project, ultimately leaving the deal in February 2011. Steele took the next year off to develop several screenplays as a writer.
In February 2012, Steele originated the role of "the Son'" in the critically acclaimed production of Myths and Hymns , presented off-Broadway by the Prospect Theater Company.
In summer 2012, Steele was cast as Anatole in the Ars Nova developmental reading/workshop of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 , a sung-through musical based on a portion of Leo Tolstoy's magnum opus, War and Peace . [11] He further developed the role in the show's premiere, and stayed with the production through its venues at Kazino, both downtown in the Meatpacking District and its transfer to midtown on 45th street. In 2015, Steele reprised the role of Anatole for the American Repertory Theatre production of The Great Comet, securing an IRNE Awards nomination for Supporting Actor and an Elliot Norton Awards nomination for Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actor. [2] He continued with The Great Comet during its Broadway run at the Imperial Theatre, starting in November 2016. [12] He is one of only two actors who have stayed with the production since its debut at Ars Nova in 2012.
In spring 2014, Steele booked the role of Luca Bavarra in the ABC pilot Dangerous Liaisons. Later that year, he shot the short film Photo.
At the time of the 2020 New York City theater shutdown amidst the COViD-19 pandemic, Steele was appearing as Skull, the primary antagonist in the musical Emojiland . The show which opened on Off-Broadway at the Duke Theater on January 19, 2020, had its imminent closing expedited by the coronavirus outbreak. Steele's portrayal of Skull was described by Laura Collins-Hughes in the New York Times as "deathly pale in black leather and mesh, and oozing an almost Victorian dark charisma." [13] [14]
Year | Production | Role | Location | Category |
---|---|---|---|---|
2001-2002 | My Fair Lady | Busker / Embassy Footman | Walnut Street Theatre | Regional |
2005 | Corpus Christi | Joshua | Bouwerie Lane Theater | Regional |
2006 | The Threepenny Opera | Ensemble / Harry / Velma u/s Lucy | Studio 54 | Broadway |
2007 | Neil Bartlett's Oliver Twist | Toby Crackit | American Repertory Theatre | Regional |
2008 | John Bucchino's It's Only Life | Performer | Rubicon Theater in California | Regional |
2009 | Othello | Senator/Gentleman/Musician | Intiman Theatre | Regional |
2010 | The Kid | Terry | Acorn Theatre | Off-Broadway |
2012 | Myths and Hymns | Son/Performer | West End Theatre | Off-Broadway |
Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 | Anatole Kuragin | Ars Nova | Off-Off-Broadway | |
2013-2014 | Kazino | Off-Broadway | ||
2015-2016 | American Repertory Theatre | Regional | ||
2016–2017 | Imperial Theatre | Broadway | ||
2020 | Emojiland | Skull | The Duke Theater | Off-Broadway |
2023 | The Romance of the Rose | The Dreamer | Long Beach Opera | Regional |
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2014 | Lucille Lortel Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 | Won [15] |
2016 | Elliot Norton Award | Outstanding Performance by an Actor | Nominated | |
2016 | IRNE Award | Best Supporting Actor | Nominated | |
2017 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Nominated |
The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newspapers, digital and national publications, and other media beyond Broadway. The awards were first presented during the 1949–50 theater season, celebrating their 70th anniversary in 2020. David Gordon, Editor-in-Chief at TheaterMania.com, currently serves as president.
Lauren Ashley Zakrin is an American musical theatre actress. She was a finalist in MTV's Legally Blonde: The Musical – The Search for Elle Woods, coming in fourth place overall. She has appeared on Broadway, as well as in national tours and regional theatre.
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is a sung-through musical adaptation of a 70-page segment from Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel War and Peace. The show was written by composer, lyricist, playwright, orchestrator Dave Malloy and originally directed by Rachel Chavkin. It is based on Part 8 of Tolstoy's novel, focusing on Natasha's romance with Anatole and Pierre's search for meaning in his life.
Dave Malloy is an American composer, playwright, lyricist, singer, orchestrator, and actor. He has written several theatrical works, often based on classic works of literature. His most well known work is the Tony Award winning Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, an electropop opera based on War and Peace. His other works include Moby-Dick, an adaptation of Herman Melville's classic novel; Octet, a chamber choir musical about internet addiction; Preludes, a musical fantasia set in the mind of romantic composer Sergei Rachmaninoff; and Ghost Quartet, a song cycle about "love, death, and whiskey".
Rachel Chavkin is an American stage director best known for directing the musicals Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 and Hadestown, receiving nominations for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical for both and winning for Hadestown in 2019.
Phillipa Anne Soo is an American actress and singer. Known for her leading roles on Broadway primarily in musicals, she has received two Grammy Awards along with nominations for a Tony Award and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Okieriete "Oak" Onaodowan is an American actor and singer known for his work in musical theatre and television. On the stage, he's known for originating the dual roles of Hercules Mulligan and James Madison in the 2015 Broadway musical Hamilton. He starred in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 as Pierre Bezukhov on Broadway in 2017. On television, he's known for the role of Dean Miller in the ABC drama and Grey's Anatomy spin-off series, Station 19. He also appeared in the main role of Ade in the Amazon Prime Video series, Jack Ryan. He returned to Broadway in 2023 as Nills Krogstead in A Doll's House.
Denée Ayana Benton is an American actress and singer. She is best known for her performance as Natasha Rostova in the 2016 musical Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 on Broadway, for which she was nominated for a Tony Award. Benton’s other Broadway credits include the role of Eliza Hamilton in Hamilton (2018) and the role of Cinderella in Into the Woods (2022). Her television acting credits include UnREAL and The Gilded Age.
Shaina Taub is an American actress, singer, musician, and Tony Award-winning composer.
Brittain Ashford is an American actress, singer and songwriter best known for portraying Sonya Rostova in the 2016 Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and her performance in the original cast of Ghost Quartet. She also fronts the band Prairie Empire.
Amber Gray is an American actress and singer. She is known for originating the role of Hélène Bezukhova in the musical Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 and the role of Persephone in the musical Hadestown, both off and on Broadway. For the latter 2019 role, she was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical, additionally earning the 2020 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album.
The 71st Annual Tony Awards were held on June 11, 2017, to recognize achievement in Broadway productions during the 2016–17 season. The ceremony was held at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, and was broadcast live by CBS. Kevin Spacey served as host.
Evan Buliung is a Canadian actor and singer, who is best known for his work in musical theatre. In 2006, Buliung originated the role of Aragorn in the world premiere production of Lord of the Rings, which played at the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. He also originated the role of Khashoggi in the Canadian premiere production of We Will Rock You in 2007. He also played Bruce Bechdel in a Toronto production of Fun Home, for which he won a Dora Award. In 2019, Buliung originated the role of Larry Murphy in the Canadian premiere production of Dear Evan Hansen, which played at the Royal Alexandra Theatre. In 2023, Buliung also originated the role of Pierre Bezukhov in the Canadian premiere production of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.
Bradley King is an American theatrical lighting designer, best known for his work on the musicals Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 and Hadestown, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design in a Musical in 2017 and 2019, respectively.
Gelsey Bell is an American singer, songwriter, and actress, best known for her experimental music, as well as her portrayal of Princess Mary in the 2016 Broadway musical Natasha, Pierre, & the Great Comet of 1812 and her performance in the original cast of Ghost Quartet.
Scott Wasserman is an American musician, composer, orchestrator, musical director, and electronic music programmer who has worked on many shows both on and off Broadway. He originated the technical role of Ableton Programmer for Hamilton, and has reprised that role for Dear Evan Hansen and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.
HIPZEE is an American entertainment production company co-founded by husband-and-wife team Rob Baunoch III and Tara Sickmeier. The company was formed in Brooklyn, NY in 2013 and is currently based in Los Angeles, CA. HIPZEE produces theatre and on-screen content that targets adult audiences.
Grace McLean is an American actress, playwright, composer and singer. She is known for her roles in various Broadway and off-Broadway productions such as Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, Bad Cinderella, Suffs, Bedbugs, Alice by Heart, and In The Green, the latter of which she wrote. She is also known for her work as a music educator and for fronting the band Grace McLean and Them Apples. Her debut full-length album My Lovely Enemy was released on May 10, 2024.
Emojiland is a pop musical written by Keith Harrison Dworkin and Laura Schein. It premiered off-Broadway on January 19, 2020, at the Duke on 42nd Street. It centers around a group of emojis living in the world of a smartphone on the eve of a software update.
George Krissa is a Canadian actor and singer, best known for his performance as Jason DeVito in the 2022 romantic comedy film The Holiday Sitter.