- Jonathan Groff
Infobox actor
caption =
name = Jonathan Groff
birthdate = birth date and age|1985|3|26
birthplace =Lancaster, Pennsylvania ,U.S.
birthname =
othername =
website =Jonathan Groff is a
Tony Award -nominated American stage performer and TV actor. He was born onMarch 26 ,1985 , inLancaster, Pennsylvania .Career
Groff is best known for originating the role of
Melchior Gabor in the Broadway production of "Spring Awakening". He played the role from the musical's Broadway debut onDecember 10 ,2006 [ibdb|406200] throughMay 18 ,2008 . He also played the same role in the originalOff Broadway production earlier during the summer of 2006. [ [http://www.lortel.org/LLA_archive/index.cfm?search_by=show&id=4697 Lortel Archives--The Internet Off-Broadway Database] ] Other Broadway credits include the 2005 musical, "In My Life".In April 2007, he was nominated for a
Drama Desk Award for his role in "Spring Awakening." In May 2007, he was nominated for theTony Award as Best Leading Actor in a Musical for his performance, with the award eventually going toDavid Hyde Pierce for his performance inCurtains . [ [http://www.tonyawards.com/en_US/nominees/performance.html The American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards - Official Website] ]He played the recurring role of
Henry Mackler on the ABCsoap opera "One Life to Live ". His storyline about a school shooting on the long running soap opera was nixed due to the Virginia Tech shooting in April 2007, and he is no longer on the show. [ [http://www.accesshollywood.com/television/ah5018.shtml One Life To Live' Pulls Hostage Plot After Virginia Tech Killings] ] Henry was killed off the soap on May 08, 2007 after having a drug-induced heart attack while driving a car and subsequently crashing it.Fact|date=June 2007Jonathan also was in the Sound of Music, and Fame. Fame was performed in Beverly MA.
Before performing on the Broadway stage, Jonathan was a performer at The Ephrata Playhous in
Ephrata, PA . Here he portrayed such characters as Edgar in and Ugly inHonk! . After the success ofSpring Awakening , Jonathan made a visit to The Ephrata Playhouse to reunite with some of his old cast members during a special event entitled "An Evening With Jonathan Groff". Jonathan also performed in numerous productions at TheFulton Opera House inLancaster, PA where he accumulated a substantial amount of acting experience.Some earlier jobs of his included being a waiter at The Chelsea Grill of Hell's Kitchen, [ [http://fanclub.springawakening.com/featured Jonathan Groff Radical interview] ] a ride operator at Dutch Wonderland,Fact|date=June 2007 and a counselor at a theater camp in York, Pennsylvania where he taught acting to 11 and 12 year olds.. [ [http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=548870 Jonathan Groff Q&A] ]
Jonathan Groff left "Spring Awakening". His last show was May 18, 2008. Part of his decision to leave is due to his starring role as Claude in the Shakespeare in the Park production of "Hair," running July 22 through August 31, though he left the production on August 17th, August 16th being his final performance. Hair will be performed at Central Park's Delacorte Theatre during the the Public Theater's 2008 series. It was announced that the production, with Jonathan attached, will transfer to Broadway in 2009.
Jonathan is tapped to play Woodstock organizer Michael Lang in acclaimed director Ang Lee's new movie, "Taking Woodstock". Filming begins in late August 2008, and the movie is set for a 2009 release.
Jonathan was recently cast in "
Prayer for My Enemy " a new play by Craig Lucas ("Prelude for a Kiss ", "Light in the Piazza ") about the consequences the Iraq war has had on an American family. The show co-stars Tony winners Victoria Clark and Michelle Pawk and will play this fall/winter at the acclaimed Off-Broadway theater Playwrights Horizons. [ [www.playwrightshorizons.org] ]Awards and Nominations
Nominations
Drama League Awards: Distinguished Performance 2007
Drama Desk Awards:: Outstanding Actor in a Musical 2007
Tony Awards: Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical 2007Awards
Theatre World Award, 2007
References
External links
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