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Ryan Knowles | |
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 Ryan Knowles at 54Below, NYC. July 2022 | |
| Born | Ryan Knowles December 12, 1978 Whittier, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, Singer, Playwright, Comedian |
| Years active | 2005-present |
| Website | RyanKnowles.com |
Ryan Knowles (born December 12, 1978, in California) is an American actor, singer, comedian, writer, television host, speech coach and motivational speaker.
 | This section of a biography of a living person does not include any references or sources .(July 2022) |
Knowles was born and grew up in Orange County, California. He lives in New York City. In addition to performing, Knowles is a motivational speaker and speech and performance coach for students, politicians and business leaders. [1]
On October 16, 2019, Knowles made his Broadway debut in The Lightning Thief , which ran at Longacre Theatre until January 5, 2020. [2] Playing 9 characters with 25 quick changes, [3] the New York Times included his performance in their "Best Of Theatre 2019" list. [4]
In 2025, Knowles joined Disney Cruise Line as a Broadway Guest Artist onboard the Disney Fantasy portraying the roles of Jafar in Aladdin: A Musical Spectacular and Dr. Greenaway in Disney's Believe. This is the second time he as appeared in this show, having portrayed the Genie in the original production at Hyperion Theatre at Disney's California Adventure in Anaheim, California in 2006 and 2007. [5]
Off-Broadway, Knowles appeared in the award-winning topical revue NEWSical:The Musical at Theatre Row's Kirk Theatre, alongside stars Christine Pedi, Michael West, Christina Bianco, Tommy Walker and guest stars Perez Hilton, Andrea McArdle, Cheri Oteri and Carson Kressley, among others. [6]
Knowles has appeared in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall and in other projects with the Rockettes.
Knowles wrote and performed his solo show "DIG & BE DUG: The Gospel of Lord Buckley" for the Planet Connections Theatre Festival in Summer 2010. His performance as the now-forgotten jazz comedian Lord Buckley garnered critical acclaim and won Knowles the awards for "Best Solo Show" and "Best Performance in a Solo Show." [7]
In spring 2010, he starred as the perverted and tyrannical Roman Emperor Caligula in Randy Weiner's ( The Donkey Show ) and Alfred Preisser's debaucherous Caligula Maximus, [8] a new circus/musical/extravaganza at La MaMa ETC in the Ellen Stewart Theatre, to great critical acclaim.
In 2006, Knowles starred as "Prospero" in the new musical, Tempest at the Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City. He adapted the text from Shakespeare's original and co-wrote the book with Daniel Neiden, working from a concept by Tony-winning book writer Thomas Meehan.
Knowles appeared in the New York premiere of the new mystery Hound portraying Sherlock Holmes, a role which won him the award for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor [9] at the Planet Connections Theatre Festival.
In 2005, he starred as "Nick Bottom" for over a year of performances at the Manhattan Ensemble Theatre in Soho in the hit 1950's-style musical version of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, Fools In Love . [10]
Prior to playing Broadway, Knowles played the same roles in the First National Tour of The Lightning Thief for 9 months. [3]
Knowles spent a year on the North American leg of the 2013/2014 World Tour of We Will Rock You . the worldwide smash-hit musical by Queen and Ben Elton. Knowles originated the role of "Buddy," a lovable stoner in the vein of Cheech & Chong; a cross between Hans Solo and Willie Nelson, a Bohemian Rebel Leader, for the wonderfully silly, futuristic rock saga. Ben Elton, the book writer, and director of the production, wrote the part in rehearsals to be tailor-made for Knowles. [3]
Knowles performed in the North American tours of the Broadway production of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! in 2011 and 2010, playing the role of "Grandpa Who" and "Grinch u/s."
In winter 2009, Knowles toured the country in Todrick Hall's Oz the Musical as "Brenda," the "Wicked Witch of the West Side," alongside Vonzell Solomon of American Idol, Aundrea Fimbres of Danity Kane, and Orlando Brown of Disney's That's So Raven .
Knowles has written stand-up, sketch comedies, short stories, 6 plays and 2 musicals, including "DIG & BE DUG: The Gospel of Lord Buckley," "Nick Bottom's Extravaganza!," "The Tempest: The Musical.”
In 2006, Knowles was brought on as the Host of Nickelodeon's daily live show ME:TV.
In 2008, Knowles filmed his first feature, Camp Hell , [11] a supernatural thriller from Holedigger Films. The film also stars Academy Award-nominee Bruce Davison, Emmy-winner Dana Delany and Jesse Eisenberg. The film had a 2011 theatrical release.
In addition to performing, Knowles is a speech coach and political consultant. He has worked as a speechwriter and debate/vocal coach for numerous local and state candidates nationwide. Also, Knowles is one of the country's foremost consultants in Speech and Interpretive Performance for competitive high school students. He is employed by a number of top high school programs, both public and private, on both coasts. Knowles is the co-founder (with David Kraft) of Interprod Performance Studies Institute in Boston, Massachusetts; a summer intensive program for gifted young performers. This line of work was inspired by Knowles' success as a high school and collegiate speech and debate competitor, during which time he won numerous State and National Championships, as well as becoming the first American in history to win a World Championship at the 2000 World Universities Debate Association Championship Tournament at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. [12]
Elizabeth Vincentelli wrote in The New York Times "Best of Theatre 2019": "The Lighting Thief harbors a hilarious gem — or rather many, all courtesy of Ryan Knowles. Perched on long, angular legs, Knowles handles several parts in grand Looney Tunes style. What’s most striking is his vocal versatility: He can go down to chthonic depths when playing a centaur, for instance, yet for Hades, he models his grandiosely arch line readings after Paul Lynde’s. [4] "
Dan Aucoin wrote in the Boston Globe: "But my favorite in the cast is the deep-voiced, utterly hilarious Ryan Knowles. I’m sure none of the young people inside the Huntington Avenue Theatre know who Lynde was, but [his voice] cracked me up. I guess “The Lightning Thief’’ has something for everybody. [13] "
The New Yorker writes: "The rubber-limbed, vocally dexterous Ryan Knowles, in multiple roles, [is] a scene-stealer of the highest order. [14] "
Théoden Janes wrote in the Charlotte Observer: "Knowles is a chameleonic standout who threatens to steal the show! [15] "
Em Skow wrote in DC Metro: "[A] scene stealer every time he stepped, wheeled, or galloped on stage. His remarkable range of intricately-layered personas were fascinating to watch unfold and were always perfectly balanced on the edge of ridiculous and delightful, for adults and kids alike. [15]
Tim Smith wrote in the Baltimore Sun: "Ryan Knowles steals the show time and again with his comic sparks as Buddy, a fuzzy-headed Bohemian. [16] "
Dan Aucoin wrote in the Boston Globe: "Ryan Knowles delivers a standout performance. [14]
Clifford Johnson III wrote in Backstage , "[The Producers] wisest decision is in the casting of Ryan Knowles. He carries the entire production on his slim shoulders, imbuing [it] with charisma, intelligence, tenderness, and a sense of irony." [17]
Dan Bacalzo wrote on TheatreMania.com, "Knowles takes control of the stage...[he] has a dynamic presence and an appropriately seedy charisma. He also has a deep baritone which he utilizes to good effect." [18]
Mark Roberson writes on NYTheatre.com, "Ryan Knowles is perfect. Made up as a Jagger-Hedwig hybrid, Knowles moves between his songs and speeches with ease, hitting all the right moments. We are enthralled..with him, and always interested." [19]
Jason Clark writes in Slant Magazine, "Playing the titular self-created deity with a cheeky, pervy, party-boy hauteur, not unlike Cabaret's furtive Emcee, the brave, highly attention-catching Ryan Knowles lords over a most unruly evening." [20]
Lauren Wissot writes on TheatreOnline.com, "The Mick Jagger-resembling Ryan Knowles [is] a charismatic performer who has both played villains and done time as a Nickelodeon TV show host...[He] is one big, punk rock smackdown answer to sissy hippie 'Hair.'" [21]
Mark Blankenship wrote in Variety: "For sheer solo star power, however, no one tops Ryan Knowles as Bottom. The dexterity in his voice is astonishing, gliding from a twitter to wall-shattering thunder. His body contorts into countless postures of clownish arrogance without signs of effort. His fluidity and precision make him captivating to watch, suggesting he has a major career in the making." [22]
The New Yorker proclaimed: “Ryan Knowles steals the show with his braying, rubber-limbed portrayal of the vainglorious Bottom. His thundering voice, relentless moue-making, and mammoth charisma are a cartoony cocktail of Jim Carrey and Snagglepuss, with a little speed thrown in.”
Barbara and Scott Siegel wrote Theatermania.com: "Ryan Knowles is simply a dynamo of talent as Bottom; a combination of a young Peter O'Toole and Jim Carrey, he can seemingly do anything with his voice and his body...[A performer] so electric that you know you are catching [a] future star early in [his] career." [23]
Mark Dundas Wood wrote in Backstage: “You’ll have to stop to applaud the gifted Ryan Knowles, perhaps the lankiest actor ever to play the role of Bottom. Knowles has a voice that fairly booms and a face that stretches like Dubble Bubble. He seems to have stepped out of lost footage from cartoonist Tex Avery.”
Hello, Dolly! is a 1964 musical with lyrics and music by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart, based on Thornton Wilder's 1938 farce The Merchant of Yonkers, which Wilder revised and retitled The Matchmaker in 1954. The musical follows the story of Dolly Gallagher Levi, a strong-willed matchmaker, as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly "well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder.
Thomas Edward Hulce is an American actor and theatre producer. He is best known for his portrayal of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Academy Award-winning film Amadeus (1984), as well as the roles of Larry "Pinto" Kroger in Animal House (1978), Larry Buckman in Parenthood (1989), and Quasimodo in Disney's animated film The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996). Hulce's awards include an Emmy Award for The Heidi Chronicles, a 2007 Tony Award for Best Musical as a lead producer for Spring Awakening, an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor for Amadeus, and four Golden Globe nominations.
Kevin Delaney Kline is an American actor. In a career spanning over five decades, he has become a prominent leading man across both stage and screen. His accolades include an Academy Award and three Tony Awards, along with nominations for two British Academy Film Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Golden Globe Awards. In 2003, he was inducted into the American Theatre Hall of Fame.
Nathan Lane is an American actor. Since 1975, he has been on stage and screen in both comedic and dramatic roles. His awards include three Tony Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, three Emmy Awards, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Lane received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 2008. In 2010, The New York Times hailed Lane as being "the greatest stage entertainer of the decade".
David Hyde Pierce is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of psychiatrist Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom Frasier from 1993 to 2004, he received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series as well as two Screen Actors Guild Awards. Pierce has also received five Golden Globe Awards nominations for Best Supporting Actor for the role. He won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his role of Lt. Frank Cioffi in the Broadway musical Curtains (2007).
George Harvey Presnell was an American actor and singer. He began his career in the mid-1950s as a classical baritone, singing with orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States.
Roger Charles Carmel was an American actor. He originated several roles on Broadway, played scores of guest roles in television series, was a lead in the sitcom The Mothers-in-Law and appeared in motion pictures. He is most famous for his three appearances as the conniving Harry Mudd in Star Trek.
Roger Bart is an American actor and singer. He won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Snoopy in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
The Lightning Thief is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first children's novel by Rick Riordan. The opening installment in the series Percy Jackson & the Olympians, the book was recognized among the year's best for children. Riordan followed the novel with various books and spin-off series, spawning the Camp Half-Blood Chronicles media franchise.
John Patrick Page is an American actor, low bass singer, and playwright. Beginning his career in classical theatre and the works of Shakespeare, he originated the roles of the Grinch in Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical (2006), Norman Osborn/Green Goblin in Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark (2011), and Hades in Hadestown (2019–2022), the last of which earned him a nomination for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.
Henry Krieger is an American musical theatre composer. He most notably wrote the music for the Broadway shows Dreamgirls, The Tap Dance Kid (1983), and Side Show (1997).
Leave It to Me! is a 1938 musical produced by Vinton Freedley with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The book was a collaborative effort by Samuel and Bella Spewack, the former of whom also directed the Broadway production. The musical was based on the play Clear All Wires by the Spewacks, which was performed on Broadway for 93 performances in 1932, and which was filmed in 1933, starring Lee Tracy, Benita Hume, Una Merkel and James Gleason.
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.
Aladdin is a stage musical based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios 1992 film of the same name, with a book by Chad Beguelin, music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and Beguelin. It resurrects three songs written by Menken and Ashman for the film but not used, and adds four songs written by Menken and Beguelin.
Frozen is a musical with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, based on the Walt Disney Animation Studios' 2013 animated film Frozen. The story centers on the relationship between two sisters who are princesses, Elsa and Anna. Elsa has magical powers to freeze objects and people, which she does not know how to control. After inheriting the throne, Elsa flees, inadvertently causes the kingdom to become frozen in an eternal winter, and nearly kills her sister. She must sacrifice and show true love to save the day.
George Ernest Salazar is an American actor, singer, and musician known for his work on and off-Broadway. He made his Broadway debut in the 2011 revival of Stephen Schwartz's Godspell. Salazar originated the role of Michael Mell in the 2015 musical Be More Chill and performed in the musical's 2018 Off-Broadway and Broadway in 2019 at the Lyceum Theater in New York City. He originated the role of Grover in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical and starred in Pasadena Playhouse's production of Little Shop of Horrors as Seymour Krelborn.
Barrett Wilbert Weed is an American actress and singer. She is best known for originating the roles of Veronica Sawyer in the Off-Broadway production of Heathers: The Musical and Janis Sarkisian in the Broadway production of Mean Girls. She also voices Octavia "Via" Goetia in Helluva Boss.
Chris McCarrell is an American theater and television actor and singer. He is best known for portraying Marius Pontmercy in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables, and for originating the titular character in The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical in its Off-Broadway premiere, 2019 tour, and Broadway production.
Witness Uganda is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Matt Gould and Griffin Matthews. It was based on the true story of Matthews' humanitarian trips to Uganda, and his work to fund his nonprofit organization, Uganda Project. The musical premiered under the title Witness Uganda on February 4, 2014 at Cambridge's American Repertory Theater, and ran through March 16, 2014. Under the title Invisible Thread, the show transferred to off-Broadway's Second Stage Theatre in a production which ran during December 2015.
The Lightning Thief is a musical with music and lyrics by Rob Rokicki and a book by Joe Tracz, based on the 2005 novel of the same name by Rick Riordan. The musical follows Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old boy who newly discovers that he is a demigod and goes on a quest to find Zeus' missing lightning bolt and prevent a war between the Greek gods.
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