Gavin Lee

Lee is an alumnus of the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts after which he has been involved in various musicals as a performer and choreographer.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

Lee appeared in the dance play Contact in the West End at the Queen's Theatre, opening in October 2002.[http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/londontheatre/news/aug02/2ndaug02contact.htm?_ga=1.99189022.1647078200.1457897655 "Broadway hit 'Contact' at Queens in Oct 02"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314054350/http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/londontheatre/news/aug02/2ndaug02contact.htm?_ga=1.99189022.1647078200.1457897655 |date=14 March 2016 }} londontheatre.co.uk, accessed 13 March 2016

In 2004, Lee auditioned to be the Bert understudy in the London production of Mary Poppins, but won the role outright. He originated the role of Bert in the original West End production. He also starred as Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins.{{cite news | last=Gans | first=Andrew | title=Lee Will Join Brown for National Tour of Mary Poppins | publisher=Playbill | date=21 May 2008 | url=http://www.playbill.com/news/article/117978.html | access-date=22 May 2008 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527222311/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/117978.html | archive-date=27 May 2008}} He was chosen for the Broadway role because of his critically acclaimed performance as Bert in the West End production. He departed the Broadway production after nearly two years to launch the US National Tour, but returned to the Broadway production in August 2010 until January 2013. Lee was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical at the 2005 Olivier Awards and the 2005 Theatregoer's Choice Awards for originating the West End role of Bert. For his Broadway performance, Lee was nominated for the 2006 Outer Critics Circle Awards (Outstanding Actor in a Musical) and the 2007 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He also won the 2007 Drama Desk Award for Featured Actor in a Musical and an award for Outstanding Broadway Debut at the 63rd annual Theatre World Awards. In August 2007, Lee was added to Sardi's caricature gallery with other Broadway actors.{{cite news|last=McBride|first=Walter|title=Brown & Lee Reveal Sardi's Caricatures.|publisher=BroadwayWorld.com|date=31 August 2007|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=21061|access-date=1 September 2007}}

In June 2008, Lee performed in a concert version of Show Boat at Carnegie Hall as

Frank Schultz.Gans, Andrew. [http://www.playbill.com/article/principal-casting-complete-for-carnegie-hall-show-boat-com-149884# "Principal Casting Complete for Carnegie Hall 'Show Boat'"] Playbill, 7 May 2008, retrieved 23 November 2017 He has performed as part of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera film adaptation, appearing as one of the singers/dancers in the "Masquerade" scene.

Lee and former London co-star Laura Michelle Kelly performed as Bert and Mary Poppins in the America Celebrates 4 July at Fords Theatre in front of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on 6 June 2010. The special aired on 2 July 2010 on ABC.[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Glover_Kelly_Van_Dyke_et_al_Featured_in_July_4_Celebration_to_Air_72_20100702 "Glover, Kelly, Van Dyke et al. Featured in July 4 Celebration to Air 7/2"] broadwayworld.com, 2 July 2010 Lee again reunited with Kelly when he returned to the role of Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on 24 August 2010.[http://www.playbill.com/news/article/141705-Gavin-Lee-Will-Return-to-Broadway-Cast-of-Mary-Poppins "Gavin Lee Will Return to Broadway Cast of 'Mary Poppins'"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131013100923/http://www.playbill.com/news/article/141705-Gavin-Lee-Will-Return-to-Broadway-Cast-of-Mary-Poppins |date=13 October 2013 }} Playbill

He took over the role of Jerry Travers in the West End production of Top Hat beginning 5 February 2013.[http://broadwayworld.com/article/Gavin-Lee-Set-to-Join-West-Ends-TOP-Hat-Feb-5-20121102 "Gavin Lee Set to Join West End's 'Top Hat', Feb 5"] broadwayworld.com, Retrieved 3 March 2013 He joined the Broadway revival of Les Miserables as Thenardier beginning 3 March 2015.[http://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Breaking-News-LES-MISERABLES-Announces-New-Leads-for-Second-Year-on-Broadway-Tony-Nominee-Ramin-Karimloo-Extends-20150130 "Breaking News: 'Les Miserables' Announces New Leads for Second Year on Broadway; Plus Tony Nominee Ramin Karimloo Extends!"] broadwayworld.com, Retrieved 31 January 2015

Lee played Squidward Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants, the Broadway Musical. The stage musical premiered at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, and ran from June to July 2016.Rickwald, Bethany. [http://www.theatermania.com/chicago-theater/news/gavin-lee-nick-blaemire-join-spongebob-musical_76024.html "Gavin Lee, Nick Blaemire, and More Join 'The SpongeBob Musica'l Cast"] theatermania.com, 19 February 2016 Lee reprised his role as Squidward for the Broadway run of the musical, starting with November 2017 previews at the Palace Theatre{{cite web|last=Barone|first=Joshua|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/05/theater/spongebob-squarepants-musical-to-open-on-broadway.html|title=SpongeBob SquarePants Musical to Open on Broadway|work=The New York Times|date=5 June 2017}} and remaining until it closed in September 2018.[https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/08/theater/spongebob-squarepants-broadway-musical-closing.html "'SpongeBob' Musical Will Close on Broadway and Plan for a Tour"] nytimes.com, Retrieved 13 January 2019 Lee was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Squidward.

In June 2019, he appeared at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, taking on the role of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast.{{cite web|url=http://www.playbill.com/article/gavin-lee-belinda-allyn-tally-sessions-and-more-to-lead-paper-mills-beauty-and-the-beast|title=Gavin Lee, Belinda Allyn, Tally Sessions, and More to Lead Paper Mill's Beauty and the Beast|last=Clement|first=Olivia|date=30 April 2019|website=Playbill|access-date=2019-07-04}} He reprised the role in the 2021 UK tour.{{Cite web |url=https://www.whatsonstage.com/bristol-theatre/news/beauty-and-the-beast-tour-unveils-cast_53937.html |title=Disney's Beauty and the Beast tour announces full cast |last=Wood |first=Alex |website=WhatsOnStage |date=2021-04-30 |access-date=2022-01-21}} The production then transferred to the West End's London Palladium for a limited engagement beginning June 2022.[https://www.playbill.com/article/disneys-beauty-and-the-beast-will-play-london-palladium-this-summer Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will play London Palladium This Summer] Playbill, January 21, 2022

On February 17, 2020, he performed the Manhattan Concert Productions' 50th-anniversary celebration of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center. He played the Butler.{{fact|date=March 2025}}

Lee returned to the Paper Mill Playhouse to play Max Detweiler in its production of The Sound of Music from December 2–January 1, 2023.[https://playbill.com/article/ashley-blanchet-graham-rowat-and-gavin-lee-to-lead-paper-mills-the-sound-of-music Ashley Blanchet, Graham Rowat, and Gavin Lee to Lead Paper Mill's The Sound of Music] Playbill, October 19, 2022 He then went on to star in the tribute revue Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, which opened at the Gielgud Theatre on 3 October 2023 following preview performances that began on 21 September.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-22 |title=Photos: Get a 1st Look at Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, Starring Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, More |url=https://playbill.com/article/photos-get-a-1st-look-at-stephen-sondheims-old-friends-starring-bernadette-peters-lea-salonga-more |access-date=2023-09-23 |language=en-US}} The production ran until 6 January 2024.{{Cite web |date=2023-09-22 |title=Photos: Get a 1st Look at Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, Starring Bernadette Peters, Lea Salonga, More |url=https://playbill.com/article/photos-get-a-1st-look-at-stephen-sondheims-old-friends-starring-bernadette-peters-lea-salonga-more |access-date=2023-09-23}} In 2025, the revue transferred to the Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles and then to Broadway's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.[https://playbill.com/production/stephen-sondheims-old-friends-regional-ahmanson-theatre-2025 "Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends – Los Angeles"], Playbill. Retrieved 25 March 2025[https://playbill.com/production/stephen-sondheims-old-friends-broadway-samuel-j-friedman-theatre-2025 "Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends – Broadway"], Playbill (vault), retrieved April 8, 2025

• Mary Poppins
• A Saint She Ain't
• Zip Goes a Million
• Saturday Night
• SpongeBob SquarePants (musical)

• Beyond the Sea
• The Phantom of the Opera

• White Collar – Alan Woodford (5 episodes)
• The Good Wife – Jake Alister (Season 2, Episode 18 "Killer Song", 2011)[http://www.tv.com/shows/the-good-wife/killer-song-1376573/ "Killer Song"] tv.com, retrieved 14 April 2019
• Law & Order: Special Victims Unit – Dennis Griscomb (2 episodes)
• The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! – Squidward Tentacles (reprising his role from the Broadway musical)
• Little America – Henry (Season 1, Episode 4)

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony

{{Reflist}}

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{{DramaDesk MusicalOutstandingFeaturedActor 2000-2025}}

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Category:1971 births

Category:Drama Desk Award winners

Category:English male musical theatre actors

Category:Living people

Category:Alumni of Bird College

Category:Theatre World Award winners