Ry Armstrong

Last updated
Ry Armstrong
Ry Armstrong.jpg
Born
Seattle, Washington
Education
  • Master of Arts in International Relations
  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre
Alma mater
Occupation(s)Actor, Activist
Organizations
  • RYCO Theatricals
  • Indie Chameleon Inc.
Television
Movement Extinction Rebellion Advocate
Website https://www.ryarmstrong.co/

Ry Armstrong is an American actor, musician, producer, and entrepreneur. [1] [2] [3] They are known for appearances in the films Uncut Gems and The Curious Incident of Everett Wilder, and the TV series The Plot Against America , and The Gilded Age, where they received co-star credit. [1] [4] In alignment with their involvement in environmental activism, Armstrong ventured into politics. They ran as a candidate for District 3 of Seattle City Council, but finished seventh in the primary election. [5]

Contents

Background

Armstrong, born Ryan Anderson, was born in Seattle, Washington and grew up in Kenmore. They began their musical journey at the age of six as a member of the Northwest Choirs. [6] They progressed to the performing choir, toured nationally, and even performed with the Seattle Symphony. Armstrong received early education at Inglemoor High School, where they participated in the Rising Star Project at 5th Avenue Theatre during their high school years. [6] [1]

Armstrong continued their academic pursuits at Central Washington University, where they graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in musical theater in 2016. [6] While there, Armstrong served as President of the Associated Students of Central Washington University for one year. [7] Armstrong identifies as genderqueer. They were briefly based in New York City and have returned to Seattle, Washington. [1] [5] [8]

Career

Music and Acting

Armstrong contributed their vocals to The Shoe Bird album, which received a Grammy Award nomination. [9]

Following their undergraduate studies, Armstrong became a member of Actors Equity, a labor union representing actors and stage managers in the theater industry. [6] They have toured the United States with TheatreWorks, performing in various regional productions in states such as Florida, Kansas, Michigan, and Vermont. [6]

In 2017, Armstrong released Crossroads, an album featuring re-imagined Broadway show music. [6] [10] Proceeds from the album were donated to three causes of Armstrong's choice: the 5th Avenue Theatre's Rising Stars Project, the Northwest Choirs, and the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. [6]

In 2019, Armstrong starred in Spirit of the Yule, an adaptation of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol produced by Denise Winter and Linda Dowdell and shown at The Key City Public Theater in Port Townsend, Washington. [11]

In 2021, Armstrong's company, RYCO Theatricals, led a campaign to claim the title for the Guinness World Record for the largest online video album of people singing the same song. The project aimed to gather 5,000 artists singing From Now On from The Greatest Showman , with permission from Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, and Disney. [3]

In October 2022, Armstrong produced and starred in Neglect, a play shown at Teatro Latea as part of Fall/Winterfest presented Off-Off-Broadway with the New York Theater Festival. The play explored themes of survival, love, and finding joy in difficult circumstances and had three performances at the theater. [2]

Business

Armstrong is the founder of RYCO Theatricals, a production company founded in 2013, where they currently sit on the Board of Directors. They also serve as the CEO of Indie Chameleon Inc., a record label. [12] [13]

Politics

For the 2023 City Council Election, Armstrong ran as a candidate for District 3 of Seattle. [14] They aim to become the first openly nonbinary person on the Seattle City Council. [5] Armstrong's platform included advocating for the use of compostable alternatives to plastics, implementing a tax on corporations for their carbon emissions, mandating that the city provide shelter for the houseless, and exploring the possibility of using a retired battleship for housing. [5]

Discography

Albums

Filmography

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Guarini</span> American singer

Justin Guarini is an American singer, songwriter and actor who in 2002 was the runner-up on the first season of American Idol.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katie Finneran</span> American actress (born 1971)

Katie Finneran is an American actress best known for her Tony Award–winning performances in the Broadway play Noises Off in 2002, and the musical Promises, Promises in 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Audra McDonald</span> American actress and singer (born 1970)

Audra Ann McDonald is an American actress and singer. Primarily known for her work on the Broadway stage, she has won six Tony Awards, more performance wins than any other actor, and is the only person to win in all four acting categories. In addition to her six Tony Awards she has received numerous accolades including two Grammy Awards, and an Emmy Award. She was honored with the National Medal of Arts in 2016 from President Barack Obama, and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marc Kudisch</span> American stage actor (born 1966)

Marc Kudisch is an American stage actor, who is best known for his musical theatre roles on Broadway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Sean Leonard</span> American actor

Robert Lawrence Leonard, known by his stage name Robert Sean Leonard, is an American actor. He is known for playing Dr. James Wilson in the television series House (2004–2012) and Neil Perry in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society.

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

Donna Murphy is an American actress, best known for her work in musical theater. A five-time Tony Award nominee, she has twice won the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical: for her role as Fosca in Passion (1994–1995) and as Anna Leonowens in The King and I (1996–1997). She was also nominated for her roles as Ruth Sherwood in Wonderful Town (2003), Lotte Lenya in LoveMusik (2007), and Bubbie/Raisel in The People in the Picture (2011).

Kendra Kassebaum is an American theatre actress, who has performed in many different musicals, and is perhaps best remembered for playing the role of Glinda in the first national tour, Broadway, and San Francisco casts of the blockbuster musical Wicked.

Rachel York is an American actress and singer. She is known for stage roles, including award winning performances in Camelot, Hello, Dolly!, Into The Woods and Anything Goes. She also has performed in film and on television, including her portrayal of Lucille Ball in the 2003 television movie Lucy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pasek and Paul</span> American songwriting duo

Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, known together as Pasek and Paul, are an American songwriting duo and composing team for musical theater, films and television. Their works include A Christmas Story, Dogfight, Edges, Dear Evan Hansen, and James and the Giant Peach. Their original songs have been featured on NBC's Smash and in the films La La Land, for which they won both the Golden Globe and Academy Award for Best Original Song for the song "City of Stars", and The Greatest Showman. Their work on the original musical Dear Evan Hansen has received widespread critical acclaim and earned them the 2017 Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Original Score. In 2022, they won the Tony Award for Best Musical for serving as producers for the Broadway production of Michael R. Jackson's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical A Strange Loop.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justin Paul</span> American composer and lyricist

Justin Paul is an American theater and television composer and lyricist best known for his works The Greatest Showman, La La Land and Dear Evan Hansen, all of which he co-wrote with his songwriting partner, Benj Pasek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arielle Jacobs</span> American actress and singer

Arielle Jacobs is an American singer and actress, mostly seen on stage in musicals. She is best known for her roles as Nina Rosario in the US Tour and Broadway productions of In the Heights and as Princess Jasmine in the Australian and Broadway productions of Aladdin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeremy Jordan (actor, born 1984)</span> American actor and singer

Jeremy Michael Jordan is an American actor and singer. He has performed on Broadway, in television and film, in concert, as well as in other theatrical productions.

<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">James Snyder (actor)</span> American actor

James Randall Snyder is an American actor and singer. He graduated from Christian Brothers High School in Sacramento, California and received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from the USC School of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, where he was a member of the SoCal VoCals, USC's premiere a cappella group.

Miller & Tysen are an American musical theater songwriting team consisting of composer Chris Miller and lyricist Nathan Tysen. They started collaborating in 1999 at New York University’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Together they have written the scores to Tuck Everlasting, The Burnt Part Boys, Fugitive Songs, and The Mysteries of Harris Burdick. They have written the book, music, and lyrics to Revival and Dreamland. Their television work includes songs for Sesame Street, Elmo’s World, and The Electric Company.

Kristine E. Nielsen is an American actress known for her work on Broadway and Off-Broadway. Nielsen was nominated for the 2013 Tony Award for Best Lead Actress in a Play for her performance as Sonia in Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike and the 2019 Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in Gary: A Sequel to Titus Andronicus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keala Settle</span> American actress and singer

Keala Joan Settle is an American actress and singer. Settle originated the role of Norma Valverde in Hands on a Hardbody, which ran on Broadway in 2013, and was nominated for the Outer Critics Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical. In 2016 she was in the original Broadway cast of Waitress portraying Becky. In 2017, she portrayed Lettie Lutz, a bearded lady, in the musical film The Greatest Showman. The song "This Is Me" from the film, principally sung by Settle, won the 2017 Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. On January 27, 2019, Settle sang "Seasons of Love" in Fox's Rent: Live.

<i>Something Rotten!</i> Musical that premiered on Broadway in 2015

Something Rotten! is a musical comedy with a book by John O'Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick and music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Set in 1595, the story follows the Bottom brothers, Nick and Nigel, who struggle to find success in the theatrical world as they compete with the wild popularity of their contemporary William Shakespeare.

Lucas Steele is an American stage actor best known for his role as Anatole Kuragin in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Denée Benton</span> American actress and singer (born 1991)

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 assumed the role of Eliza Hamilton in the Broadway production of Hamilton, beginning performances on October 30, 2018. Her television acting credits include UnREAL and The Gilded Age.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Patterson, Denny (March 31, 2022). "Meet Genderqueer 'Gilded Age' Actor Ry Armstrong". Out Front .
  2. 1 2 "Neglect by The Gilded Age's Ry Armstrong Begins Performances October 11 | Playbill".
  3. 1 2 "Calling All Broadway Devotees: Join a Guinness World Record Attempt by Singing The Greatest Showman | Playbill".
  4. ↑ "The Gilded Age's Ry Armstrong to Debut New Play Neglect | Playbill".
  5. 1 2 3 4 Krieg, Hannah (2023-03-13). "Drama Kid Ry Armstrong Wants Your Vote in District 3". The Stranger.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Kenmore native creates album featuring Broadway stars for a good cause". Bothell-Kenmore Reporter. August 17, 2017.
  7. ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryontheryse
  8. ↑ Patrick, Bobby (2022-05-10). "Review: Ry Armstrong Conveys The Gender Queer Aesthetic With A Few Friends, Some Fab Tunes, & A Whole Lot Of Pronouns In (THEY // SHE // HE) At The Green Room 42". BroadwayWorld.com.
  9. ↑ "Ry Armstrong: Credits, Bio, News & More | Broadway World". www.broadwayworld.com.
  10. ↑ "The Crossroads Album. Ry Armstrong and Friends". www.broadwayworld.com.
  11. ↑ de la Paz, Diane Urbani (2019-12-11). "'A Christmas Carol' has new 'Spirit' in Port Townsend". Peninsula Daily News.
  12. ↑ "RYCO // About Us". www.ryco.org.
  13. ↑ "Indie Chameleon - Ry Armstrong". www.indiechameleon.com.
  14. ↑ "Who's running for Seattle City Council in 2023". March 7, 2023.
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.