Brooks Ashmanskas (born June 15, 1969) is an American actor. He has appeared both on Broadway and Off-Broadway as well as in regional theatres. Ashmanskas has done limited film and television work, most recently appearing in the Netflix series Uncoupled. He was nominated for a 2006 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for playing various characters in Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, and for a 2019 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical for his role as Barry Glickman in The Prom.
Brooks Ashmanskas | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 14, 1969 [citation needed] Salem, Oregon, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Bennington College |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1995−present |
Early life
editAshmanskas is originally from Salem, Oregon,[1] but grew up in Beaverton, just outside of Portland. He graduated from Bennington College.[2] He is openly gay.[3][4]
Career
editOff-Broadway and Broadway
editAshmanskas was in the original productions of Dream (1997),[5] Songs for a New World (Off-Broadway, 1995) and the Broadway revival of Gypsy: A Musical Fable (2003).[6][7] He was a replacement "Carmen Ghia", starting in 2004, in The Producers,[8] occasionally acting opposite original Carmen Ghia actor Roger Bart as Leo Bloom.
In 2006, he played several characters in the Broadway production of Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me,[9] for which he received a Tony Award nomination, Best Performance By a Featured Actor in a Musical.[10]
He appeared in the Broadway revival of The Ritz as Chris in 2007.[11] He played the character of Mr. Dobitch in the 2010 Broadway revival of Promises, Promises.[12] Also in 2010 he appeared in the Broadway revival of Present Laughter.[7] He starred as the title character Off-Broadway in the New Group production of Clive at the Acorn Theatre in January 2013 through March 2013.[13]
Ashmanskas appeared in the stage musical adaption of Bullets Over Broadway, which opened on Broadway in April 2014. In March 2015 he appeared in Something Rotten! on Broadway.[14][15] In 2016, he appeared in Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed.[16]
He starred as Barry Glickman in the original Broadway production of The Prom, which opened in October 2018 at the Longacre Theatre, for which he was nominated for a 2019 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.[17]
Regional theatre
editHe appeared in the Arena Stage production of Animal Crackers in 1999.[18]
He has performed at the Huntington Theatre Company, Boston, in Present Laughter in 2007[19] and in She Loves Me in May and June 2008 (which transferred to the Williamstown Theatre Festival in June and July).[20] He appeared in God of Carnage in 2012 as Alan.[21] His appearances at the Williamstown Theatre Festival, Williamstown, Massachusetts, include She Loves Me in 2008,[22]Knickerbocker in 2009[23] and in July and August 2013 in a new musical, Johnny Baseball.[24]
In 2008, he participated in a staged concert presentation of "Broadway: Three Generations" at the Kennedy Center, appearing in Girl Crazy and Bye Bye Birdie.[25] He performed in Burn This as "Larry" at the Mark Taper Forum, Los Angeles, in 2011.[26]
He appeared in the musical 1776 as John Adams at the Ford's Theatre, Washington, D.C., in 2012.[27]
Credits
editTheatre
edit| Year | Show | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Songs for a New World | Man 2 | off-Broadway |
| How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying | Bud Frump | Broadway, 1995 – 1996 | |
| 1997 | Dream | Performer | Broadway, Apr. 3 – July 6, 1997 |
| 1998 | Little Me | Pinchley Junior/Steward/Assistant Director/Doctor | Broadway, Nov. 12, 1998 – Feb. 7, 1999 |
| 1999 | Animal Crackers | Unknown | Arena Stage |
| 2000 | On a Clear Day You Can See Forever | Performer | NY City Center, February 2000 |
| 2001 | Amphitryon | Sosia | Huntington Theatre Company, Mar. 9 - Apr. 8, 2001 |
| 2003 | Gypsy | Mr. Goldstone/Pastey | Broadway, May 1, 2003 – May 20, 2004 |
| 2004 | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Francis Flute | Williamstown Theatre Festival, July 14–25, 2004 |
| The Producers | Carmen Ghia | Broadway, 2004 - 2006 | |
| 2006 | Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me | Comedy All Star | Broadway, Aug. 17, 2006 – Jan. 7, 2007 |
| 2007 | Present Laughter | Roland Maule | Huntington Theatre Company |
| The Ritz | Chris | Broadway, Oct. 11 – Dec. 9, 2007 | |
| 2008 | Broadway: Three Generations | Performer | Kennedy Center |
| She Loves Me | Georg Nowack | Huntington Theatre Company, May/June 2008 | |
| Williamstown Theatre Festival, July/August 2008 | |||
| A Flea In Her Ear | Dr. Finache | Williamstown Theatre Festival, August 2008 | |
| 2009 | Rich and Famous | Bing | American Conservatory Theater - SF, Jan/Feb 2009 |
| Knickerbocker | Unknown | Williamstown Theatre Festival | |
| She Stoops to Conquer | Tony Lumpkin | McCarter Theater, Oct.13 - Nov. 1, 2009 | |
| 2010 | Present Laughter | Roland Maule | Broadway, Jan. 21 – Mar. 21, 2010 |
| Promises, Promises | Mr. Dobitch | Broadway, Apr. 25, 2010 – Jan. 2, 2011 | |
| 2011 | Burn This | Larry | Mark Taper Forum |
| 2012 | 1776 | John Adams | Ford's Theatre |
| God of Carnage | Alan | Huntington Theatre Company | |
| 2013 | Clive | Clive | Off-Broadway, Jan. – March, 2013 |
| Johnny Baseball | Unknown | Williamstown Theatre Festival, July/August 2013 | |
| 2014 | Bullets Over Broadway | Warner Purcell | Broadway, Apr. 10 – Aug. 24, 2014 |
| 2015 | Absurd Person Singular | Sidney | Two River Theater, Jan. 5 – Feb. 1, 2015 |
| 2015 | Something Rotten! | Brother Jeremiah | Broadway, Apr. 22, 2015 – Jan. 13, 2016[28] |
| 2016 | Shuffle Along, or the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 | Al/Izzy/Mr. Broadway/Carlo | Broadway, Apr. 21, 2016 – July 24, 2016 |
| The Prom | Barry Glickman | Alliance Theatre, August/September 2016 | |
| 2017 | Sunday in the Park with George | Mr./Charles | Broadway, Feb. 11 – Apr. 23, 2017 |
| 2018 | The Prom | Barry Glickman | Broadway, September 2018 – August 2019 |
| 2024 | Once Upon A Mattress | Wizard | Broadway, July 31 – November 30, 2024 |
| 2025 | Smash | Nigel | Broadway, March 11, 2025 - |
Film
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Julie & Julia | Mr. Misher | |
| 2022 | Better Nate Than Ever | Casting Director | |
| 2022 | Forty Winks | Automated Message | |
| 2023 | Atrabilious | Todd Jenkins |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | All My Children | Leon | 2 episodes |
| 2012–14 | The Good Wife | Judge Greg Brochard | 2 episodes |
| 2019 | Tales of the City | Guest | Episode: "The Price of Oil" |
| 2020 | The Good Lord Bird | Lewis Washington | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | The Last Movie Stars | Gore Vidal (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 2022 | Uncoupled | Stanley James | Main cast |
| 2022 | The Good Fight | Judge Greg Brochard | Episode: "The End of Football" |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me | Nominated |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Tony Award | Best Actor in a Musical | The Prom | Nominated |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
| Drama League Award | Distinguished Performance | Nominated | ||
| Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated |
References
edit- ^ "Brooks Ashmanskas Biography". broadwayworld.com. Retrieved 2018-11-22.
- ^ Biography Archived May 12, 2013, at the Wayback Machine americantheatrewing.org, accessed August 24, 2013
- ^ "Brooks Ashmanskas on Why The Prom Feels 'Like Recess,' His 'Disgusting' Last Name & More on Show People". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
- ^ "James Corden Is Fine in 'The Prom,' But He's No Brooks Ashmanskas". Decider. 2020-12-12. Retrieved 2022-08-01.
- ^ Sommer, Elyse. "A CurtainUp Review. 'Dream' " curtainup.com, accessed August 25, 2013
- ^ " 'Gypsy', 2003" sondheimguide.com, accessed August 25, 2013
- ^ a b "Ashmanskas listing" InternetBroadwayDatabase, accessed August 25, 2011
- ^ Simonson, Robert "Jonathan Freeman and Brooks Ashmanskas Are New DeBris and Ghia in 'Producers', Aug. 31" Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, August 18, 2004
- ^ Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review. 'Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me' " The New York Times, August 18, 2006
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "2006-2007 Tony Nominations Announced; Spring Awakening Garners 11 Noms" Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 15, 2007
- ^ Hernandez, Ernio. "Fame Tony Nominee Brooks Ashmanskas Joins 'The Ritz' Revival Cast" Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, May 31, 2007
- ^ Jones, Kenneth. "'Promises, Promises' Will Also Star Latessa, Hingston, Benson; Complete Cast Announced" Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, February 4, 2010
- ^ Champion, Lindsay. Zoe Kazan, Vincent D'Onofrio & Brooks Ashmanskas Set for Off-Broadway's 'Clive', Starring Ethan Hawke" broadway.com, November 4, 2012
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Zach Braff, Brooks Ashmanskas, Betsy Wolfe, Vincent Pastore Set for 'Bullets Over Broadway', Opening in April 2014" Archived September 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, June 27, 2013
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. [1] thing-rotten-puts-a-shakespearean-twist-on-broadway-musical-comedy-starting-tonight-344742 " 'Something Rotten!' Puts a Shakespearean Twist On Broadway Musical Comedy, Starting Tonight"], playbill.com, March 23, 2015
- ^ "Onstage" Archived 2016-05-18 at the Wayback Machine, ShuffleAlongBroadway.com, accessed March 14, 2016
- ^ [2] tonyawards.com, April 30, 2019
- ^ "DC's Arena Stage Opens Marx Bros' Musical 'Animal Crackers', April 7-May 30" Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, April 7, 1999
- ^ Donovan, R.J. "Brooks Ashmanskas Took His Time Getting To Boston..And The Huntington" onstageboston.com, June 4, 2007
- ^ Bacalzo, Dan. Ashmanskas, Baldwin, Latessa, et al. Cast in Huntington's She Loves Me'" April 22, 2008
- ^ Herick, Adam. "Brooks Ashmanskas, Stephen Bogardus, Johanna Day, Christy Pusz Face 'God of Carnage' at the Huntington Jan. 6" Archived October 29, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, January 6, 2012
- ^ Hetrick, Adam and Gans, Andrew."Tonight at Eight: 'She Loves Me' Begins Williamstown Run June 27" playbill.com, June 27, 2008
- ^ "Interview, Actor Brooks Ashmanskas" williamstowntheatrefestival.blogspot.com, July 9, 2009
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Williamstown Season Adds Brooks Ashmanskas, De'Adre Aziza and Reed Birney" Archived August 21, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, June 3, 2013
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Casting Announced for Kennedy Center's 'Girl Crazy', 'Bye Bye Birdie' and 'Side Show' " Archived August 25, 2013, at archive.today playbill.com, July 16, 2008
- ^ Taft, Kevin."Let It Burn. Castmember Brooks Ashmanskas talks 'Burn This' at the Mark Taper Forum" Archived 2013-10-29 at the Wayback Machine frontiersla.com, March 22, 2011
- ^ Jones, Kenneth. "Ford's Theatre's '1776', With Robert Cuccioli, Brooks Ashmanskas, William Diggle, Begins March 9" Archived June 3, 2013, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, March 9, 2012
- ^ Something Rotten!, newyorktheatreguide.com; accessed August 2, 2021.
External links
edit- Brooks Ashmanskas at the Internet Broadway Database
- Brooks Ashmankas Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Brooks Ashmanskas at IMDb
