Alex Brightman | |
|---|---|
| Born | Alexander Michael Brightman February 5, 1987 Saratoga, California, U.S. |
| Education | Bellarmine College Preparatory |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer |
| Years active | 1998–present |
| Spouse |
Jenny Ravitz (m. 2018) |
Alexander Michael Brightman (born February 5, 1987) is an American actor, singer, comedian and writer. He is best known for his work in musical theatre, specifically as Dewey Finn in the musical adaptation of School of Rock and the titular character in Beetlejuice the Musical. Both roles earned him nominations for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2016 and 2019 respectively.
Early life
Brightman grew up in Saratoga, California. He is Jewish.[1] His father founded Apple's Worldwide Disabilities Solutions Group, and his mother ran a kidney dialysis clinic. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory, an all-male Jesuit high school in San Jose, California, and graduated in 2005.[2] In addition, he performed with Children’s Musical Theater San Jose during his youth. In 2007, Alex performed in "Mrs. Sharp" by Ryan Scott Oliver at N.Y.U. under the direction of Ryan Mekenian with Ali Stroker & Scott Evans also in the cast.
Career
Broadway
Brightman first worked on Broadway in 2008, as an ensemble member and understudy in Glory Days, which closed after only one performance. Brightman never performed in the show. Thereafter, Brightman was cast as the munchkin Boq and made his Broadway debut in Wicked. He stayed with the show for two years. His next Broadway role was in 2012 in Big Fish as an ensemble member and an understudy for a main role. Later in 2013, Brightman was cast as Michael Wormwood in Matilda the Musical.[3]
In 2014, Brightman joined Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical, School of Rock, adapted from the 2003 film of the same name. Initially, Brightman played various roles that were meant to be played by child actors but were performed by adults for the workshops. Brightman was cast in the starring role of Dewey, first, in the show's concert performances, and then, in his first starring role, in the Broadway production. Brightman performed as Dewey Finn at the Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway.[4] For this performance, Brightman received a nomination for the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.[5] Brightman played his final performance as Dewey on November 5, 2016 and returned to reprise the role for a limited run in April 2017.[6] He returned to Broadway in 2019 to play the title role in Beetlejuice (based on the film of the same name). He was again nominated for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical at the 73rd Tony Awards ceremony.
Other work
Brightman is a member of the comedy group, The (M)orons, along with fellow Broadway actors/writers, Andrew Kober, F. Michael Haynie, and Drew Gasparini. Brightman is currently developing two new musicals entitled The Whipping Boy and It's Kind of a Funny Story (based on the novel of the same name), with Gasparini, for which Brightman wrote the script. Brightman made an appearance on Impractical Jokers during Brian "Q" Quinn's musical punishment that's based on the latter's real-life experience as a firefighter and leaving that life behind for TV fame. In October 2019, it was announced that Brightman will be joining the cast of the Billy Crystal helmed comedy film Here Today.[7] Brightman was revealed in 2020 to be voicing the character Fizzarolli, and his robotic doppelganger Robo Fizz, in the animated web series Helluva Boss. In addition, he voiced Pugsley and the demon possessing him, Temeluchus in the Netflix animated series Dead End: Paranormal Park.
In the 10th season of The Blacklist, he plays the Herbie Hambright, father of a little girl in diapers he brings everywhere.[8]
Starting January 9, 2024, he revived his role portraying Lancelot in a Broadway revival of the musical Spamalot.[9]
Personal life
Brightman married casting director, Jenny Ravitz on May 21, 2018 at a ceremony in Brooklyn.[10]
Brightman has revealed that he utilizes ventricular fold phonation, allowing him to create the signature gruff voice of Beetlejuice and Fizzarolli without strain on his vocal cords.[11][12]
During a 2023 interview for The Shark Is Broken, Brightman revealed that he has bipolar disorder.[13]
Stage credits
| Year | Production | Role | Category | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Glory Days | u/s Will; u/s Jack | Broadway | Circle in the Square Theatre |
| 2008-10 | Wicked | Boq | Gershwin Theatre | |
| 2012 | 35MM: A Musical Exhibition | Ensemble | Off-Broadway | Galapagos Art Space |
| 2013 | Big Fish | Zacky Price, Ensemble; u/s Will Bloom | Pre-Broadway | Oriental Theatre |
| Broadway | Neil Simon Theatre | |||
| 2014-15 | Matilda the Musical | Michael Wormwood | Shubert Theatre | |
| 2015-16^ | School of Rock | Dewey Finn | Winter Garden Theatre | |
| 2017 | Assassins | Giuseppe Zangara | Off-Broadway | New York City Center |
| 2018 | Beetlejuice | Beetlejuice | Pre-Broadway | National Theater |
| 2019-20 | Broadway | Winter Garden Theatre | ||
| 2021 | Goosebumps the Musical: Phantom of the Auditorium | Emile | Original Studio Cast Recording | N/A |
| 2022-23 | Beetlejuice | Beetlejuice | Broadway | Marquis Theatre |
| 2023 | Lewberger & The Wizard of Friendship | Keith’s Dad (One night cameo) |
Off-Broadway | Theatre Row |
| Spamalot | Sir Lancelot / The French Taunter / Knight of Ni / Tim the Enchanter | Regional | Kennedy Center | |
| The Shark is Broken | Richard Dreyfuss | Broadway | John Golden Theatre | |
| Gutenberg! The Musical! | Producer (One night only) |
James Earl Jones Theatre | ||
| 2024 | Spamalot | Sir Lancelot / The French Taunter / Knight of Ni / Tim the Enchanter | St. James Theatre |
- ^ Brightman also reprised the role of Dewey Finn for a limited run in April 2017.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | The Face | Jacob | Short film |
| 2009 | Red Hook | Roy | |
| 2014 | The Forrest Boys | Rodney | Short film |
| 2021 | Here Today | Justin |
Television
| Year | Title | Role(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Important Things with Demetri Martin | Various characters | Episodes: "Safety", "Brains" |
| 2011 | Royal Pains | Chic Geek | Episode: "The Shaw/Hank Redemption" |
| 2016 | Impractical Jokers | Himself | Episode: "Stage Fright" |
| 2017 | SMILF | Jesse | Episode: "A Box of Dunkies & Two Squirts of Maple Syrup" |
| 2018 | The Good Fight | Carter Bloom | Episode: "Day 436" |
| 2019 | Documentary Now! | Kenny | Episode: "Original Cast Album: Co-Op" |
| 2020 | Teen Titans Go! | Beetlejuice | Episode: "Ghost With the Most"; voice role |
| 2020-present | Helluva Boss | Robo Fizz | Episodes: "Loo Loo Land", "Ozzie’s", "Oops", “Mammon’s Magnificent Musical Mid-Season Special; voice role |
| Fizzarolli | |||
| 2021 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Gabe Miller | Episode: "Turn Me on Take Me Private"[14] |
| 2021 | Blue Bloods | Ralph Lamont | Episode: "The Common Good" |
| 2022 | Dead End: Paranormal Park | Pugsley | Main voice role |
| Temeluchus | |||
| 2022-23 | The Blacklist | Herbie Hambright | Episodes: "Eva Mason", "The Four Guns", "The Dockery Affair", "The Freelancer: Pt. 2", "The Troll Farmer: Pt. 2", "The Postman" |
| 2024 | Hazbin Hotel | Sir Pentious, Adam | Main voice role |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Fred and Adele Astaire Awards | Fred and Adele Astaire Award for Best Male Dancer | School of Rock | Nominated |
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Tony Award | Best Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Nominated | ||
| Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards | Favorite Leading Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Favorite Funny Performance | Nominated | |||
| Favorite Onstage Pair (with Sierra Boggess) | Nominated | |||
| Favorite Breakthrough Performance | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | Tony Award | Best Actor in a Musical | Beetlejuice | Nominated |
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Nominated | ||
| Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards | Favorite Leading Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Favorite Funny Performance | Nominated |
References
- ↑ "Celebrity Jews". J. June 9, 2016.
- ↑ "Bellarmine Theatre Alumnus Receives Tony Award Nomination". Bellarmine College Preparatory. May 9, 2016. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 25, 2017.
- ↑ Itzkoff, Dave (January 3, 2016). "Alex Brightman Rides a 'School of Rock' Wave". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
- ↑ Rosky, Nicole. "BWW Interview: He's Ready to Rock! Meet Broadway's New Leading Man, SCHOOL OF ROCK's Alex Brightman". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved March 18, 2016.
- ↑ Coverage, BWW Special. "2016 Tony Awards Nominations - HAMILTON Breaks Record with 16! And the Nominees Are..." BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
- ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Alex Brightman Returns to Broadway's School of Rock". Playbill. Retrieved April 20, 2017.
- ↑ "Laura Benanti & Alex Brightman to Join Billy Crystal in His New Film Here Today". Broadway.com. October 8, 2019. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
- ↑ "See Alex Brightman as a Forensic Scientist and Beleaguered Father to a Gassy Baby in an Exclusive Clip From NBC's The Blacklist". playbill.com. March 9, 2023. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
- ↑ Russo, Gillian (September 26, 2023). "Taran Killam, Alex Brightman join 'Spamalot' Broadway cast". New York Theatre Guide. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
- ↑ Staff, Playbill (May 22, 2018). "Alex Brightman and Jenny Ravitz Tie the Knot in NYC". Playbill. Retrieved June 21, 2019.
- ↑ "How Does Beetlejuice Create His Signature Voice? | Sean Parker Institute for the Voice".
- ↑ "HELLUVA BOSS CAST LIVE Q&A AND LIVE AUTOGRAPH SIGNING!!". YouTube.
- ↑ "Alex Brightman Tells Us About On-Stage Panic Attack in "The Shark is Broken" | New York Live TV". YouTube.
- ↑ TV, BroadwayWorld. "BWW Exclusive: Eva Noblezada & Alex Brightman Star in a Clip From LAW & ORDER: SVU". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved January 20, 2021.