Ryan Kopel

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Ryan Kopel
Ryan Kopel in Dear Evan Hansen UK Tour 01 (cropped 2).jpg
Kopel at the curtain call of Dear Evan Hansen in November 2024
Born
Ryan Kopel

(1997-07-17) 17 July 1997 (age 27) [1]
Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland
Alma mater Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active2018–present
Parent Scott Kopel (father)
Relatives Frank Kopel (grandfather)

Ryan Kopel (born 17 July 1997) is a Scottish actor and singer. He is known for his roles in various West End and off-West End plays and musicals, as well as the titular role in Dear Evan Hansen . [2]

Contents

Early life

Kopel was born in 1997 to Scott and Jacqueline Kopel in Kirriemuir, Scotland. He is the grandson of footballer Frank Kopel. Kopel grew up enjoying theatre, performing with his local youth theatre group at the Kirriemuir Town Hall. At the age of 13, he decided to train to pursue a career in stage and screen acting, attending the vocational Dance School of Scotland, in Glasgow. Kopel then moved to London to study at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, where he graduated in 2018 with a BA in Musical Theatre. [3]

In 2018, Kopel won the 'Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year' award. [3] [4]

Kopel is represented by the Curtis Brown Group. [5]

Career

Kopel (left) at the curtain call of Newsies in July 2023. Ryan Kopel in Newsies UK 02.jpg
Kopel (left) at the curtain call of Newsies in July 2023.

Kopel started his career on stage in 2018, performing as at the King's Head Theatre as Jerry Johnson in And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens... , a play by American playwright Tennessee Williams that discusses LGBT+ themes. [6] In 2019, Kopel starred as the titular character in a production of The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit alongside Paul Greenwood. [7] [8] [9] In the same year, he performed at the Edinburgh International Festival in the concert version of West Side Story .

Kopel made his West End debut in 2018 in the Young Vic, where he performed in The Inheritance , a seven-hour long play about the AIDS crisis directed by Stephen Daldry. [10] Kopel continued on the West End, joining the ensemble cast of The Book of Mormon in 2020. [11] In the same year, Kopel performed in the radio-play BLUFF, written and produced by Matt Cavendish and Ed Zanders. [12]

Kopel at the curtain call of Dear Evan Hansen in November 2024. Ryan Kopel in Dear Evan Hansen UK Tour 03.jpg
Kopel at the curtain call of Dear Evan Hansen in November 2024.

Kopel made his television debut in 2021 on the British medical drama Casualty , where he guest starred at Frank Polt. He then appeared in the 2022 British mini-series Wedding Season . Kopel returned to theatre in 2022 in Disney's musical Newsies , where he took on the role of Davey. [13] [14]

In 2024, Kopel performed as Lucas in the West End musical comedy The Addams Family . [15] [16] Kopel then appeared in HBO's House of the Dragon as Ser Aeron Bracken. [17]

Kopel was announced to play the lead role of Evan Hansen in the UK touring production of Dear Evan Hansen , which opened for previews on 9 September 2024 at the Nottingham Playhouse. [18] The production officially premiered on 17 September to reviews praising Kopel's performance, including from The Times and The Guardian . [19] [20] [21]

Filmography

Television roles [22]
YearTitleRoleNotes
2021 Casualty Frank PoltSeries 35, episode 25. Credited as Ryan Koppel
2022 Wedding Season DuncanEpisode #1.1
2024 House of the Dragon Ser Aeron BrackenSeason 2, episode 3: "The Burning Mill"

Theatre

Stage roles [22]
YearTitleRoleNotes
2018 The Inheritance Ensemble / Understudy Leo and Adam Young Vic, London
And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens... Jerry Johnson King's Head Theatre, London
2019The Astonishing Times of Timothy CratchitTimothy Cratchit Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
2020 The Book of Mormon Ensemble Prince of Wales Theatre, London
2022 Newsies DaveyTroubadour Wembley Park Theatre
2024 Dear Evan Hansen Evan HansenUK touring production
Concert roles [23]
YearTitleRoleNotes
2019 West Side Story Action Edinburgh International Festival
2020BLUFFAlec BonumRadio musical
2023Billie the KidDavid Frances Vaudeville Theatre
2024 The Addams Family Lucas London Palladium [24]

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References

  1. ↑ "Statutory registers - Births" . Scotlands People. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  2. ↑ Birt, Elizabeth (18 June 2024). "The stars announced for Dear Evan Hansen Glasgow tour dates". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  3. 1 2 Thomson, Janet (19 May 2018). "Rising star Ryan shines in national musical theatre awards spotlight". The Courier. Evening Telegraph. Archived from the original on 27 November 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  4. ↑ "Young Scottish Musical Theatre Performer of the Year". Singers Company. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  5. ↑ "Curtis Brown". Curtis Brown. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  6. ↑ Prestwich, Joseph (16 August 2018). "Review: And Tell Sad Stories of the Deaths of Queens". The Spy in the Stalls. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  7. ↑ Marlowe, Sam (15 July 2024). "The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit review — Christmas musical is sheer humbug" . The Times. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  8. ↑ Strachan, Graeme (19 October 2019). "Angus man Ryan Kopel takes lead role in musical inspired by Charles Dickens novel A Christmas Carol". The Courier. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  9. ↑ Strachan, Graeme (27 December 2019). "Angus starlet Ryan Kopel falls in love with city where late grandfather made his footballing name". The Courier. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  10. ↑ Thomson, Janet (8 November 2018). "Ryan Kopel makes West End debut in The Inheritance". The Courier. Archived from the original on 20 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  11. ↑ Strachan, Graeme (8 January 2020). "Angus starlet Ryan Kopel takes up new West End role in huge hit The Book Of Mormon". The Courier. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  12. ↑ Wild, Stephi. "BLUFF - a Brand-New Musical Comedy Written Exclusively For Radio is Coming Next Month". BroadwayWorld. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 7 November 2024.
  13. ↑ "Behind the Scenes with Newsies' Ryan Kopel". Wembley Park. 29 November 2022. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  14. ↑ Russo, Gillian (25 October 2022). "Everything you need to know about 'Newsies' in London". London Theatre. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  15. ↑ "Full cast announced for The Addams Family, A Musical Comedy Live in Concert at London Palladium". Theatre Weekly. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  16. ↑ McLaughlin, Charlotte (24 January 2024). "Michelle Visage tangos with Addams Family musical co-star in first look". BreakingNews.ie. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  17. ↑ O'Keefe, Meghan (1 July 2024). "'House of the Dragon' Kicks Off War With the Brackens vs. the Blackwoods in Season 2 Episode 3 | Decider" . Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  18. ↑ Radcliffe, Ollie (12 June 2024). "West End stars announced for award-winning musical coming to Norwich". Norwich Evening News. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 July 2024.
  19. ↑ Williams, Holly (18 September 2024). "Dear Evan Hansen review — how did this odd musical became a global hit?" . The Times. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  20. ↑ Wiegand, Chris (18 September 2024). "Dear Evan Hansen review – affecting account of teen torment embarks on UK tour". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  21. ↑ Gumushan, Tanyel (18 September 2024). "Dear Evan Hansen tour review – voices you could listen to for forever". WhatsOnStage. Archived from the original on 19 September 2024. Retrieved 19 September 2024.
  22. 1 2 Kopel, Ryan. "Profile". Spotlight. Archived from the original on 15 July 2024. Retrieved 15 July 2024.
  23. ↑ Wild, Stephi. "Ryan Kopel and More Will Lead New Production of Dear Evan Hansen at Nottingham Playhouse". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  24. ↑ "Full cast announced for The Addams Family, A Musical Comedy Live in Concert at London Palladium". Theatre Weekly. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 16 July 2024. Retrieved 16 December 2024.
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