Roger Bart

Last updated

Roger Bart
Born (1962-09-29) September 29, 1962 (age 61)
Education Rutgers University, New Brunswick (BFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active1987–present
External image
Searchtool.svg Bart at an event for The Lost Room in 2006

Roger Bart (born September 29, 1962) is an American actor and singer. He won a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Snoopy in the 1999 revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown .

Contents

Bart received his second Tony Award nomination for playing Carmen Ghia in the original production of The Producers . His other accolades include a SAG Award and three Outer Critics Circle Award nominations.

Bart performed the song "Go the Distance" from the 1997 animated film Hercules , which was nominated for an Oscar and a Golden Globe.

Early life and education

Bart was born in Norwalk, Connecticut, the son of a teacher and a chemical engineer, and grew up in Bernardsville, New Jersey. [1] [2] His uncle is journalist Peter Bart. [2] He graduated from Bernards High School in 1980 and was later inducted into the school's hall of fame. [3]

He earned his BFA in Acting from Mason Gross School of the Arts at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey in 1985. [4]

Bart was close friends with Jonathan Larson: both worked as waiters between theater jobs and frequently hung out at each other's workplaces. He participated in early presentations of Larson's work including Tick, Tick... Boom! and Rent ; the main character "Roger" from Rent is named after him. [5] [6]

Career

He made his Broadway debut in Big River as Tom Sawyer in 1985. Additional theatre credits include Jonathan in the Alan Menken/Tim Rice musical King David , Harlequin in Triumph of Love , Snoopy in the Broadway revival of You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (for which he won the Drama Desk Award and a Tony), Carmen Ghia and later Leo Bloom in The Producers (earning Drama Desk and Tony nominations), and The Frogs at Lincoln Center, which reunited him with fellow Producers star Nathan Lane and Susan Stroman. [7]

In 1996 and 1997, Bart appeared as Bud Frump in the USA national tour of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying . [8] [9] [10]

On television, Bart played George Carlin's son on The George Carlin Show (1994), and on Bram & Alice (2002) he portrayed Bram's assistant, Paul Newman. He became widely known to viewers with his portrayal of George Williams, the unhinged homicidal pharmacist in love with Bree Van de Kamp (Marcia Cross), on Desperate Housewives , which earned him a SAG Award. [11]

Bart provided the singing voice for teenage Hercules in Disney's Hercules , as well as the singing voice of Scamp in Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure . He was featured in the 2004 remake of The Stepford Wives with Nicole Kidman, Matthew Broderick, Bette Midler, Christopher Walken and Glenn Close, and in The Producers (2005), in which he reprised his role of "common-law assistant" Carmen Ghia. [11]

In December 2006, Bart played Howard "The Weasel" Montague in the Sci Fi Channel miniseries The Lost Room . In 2007, he starred as Stuart in Hostel: Part II , the sequel to 2005's Hostel , and had supporting roles in American Gangster and Spy School . In 2008, he appeared in Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay , the sequel to 2004's Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle , and The Midnight Meat Train . [11]

Bart also originated the lead role of Dr. Frederick Frankenstein in the musical adaptation of Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein , which opened on Broadway in November 2007, following a run in Seattle. He reprised the role alongside former Broadway co-stars Shuler Hensley and Cory English in the United States national tour that launched in September 2009. [12] He ended his run on August 8, 2010, and was succeeded by Christopher Ryan. Bart originally portrayed the role of Igor in the original workshop read-through.[ citation needed ]

Brad Oscar and Bart reprised their roles as Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, respectively, in a production of The Producers at Starlight Theatre in Kansas City, Missouri. The show ran from August 23–29, 2010. [13]

In 2011, Bart was cast in the recurring role of Mason Treadwell on the ABC drama series Revenge . [14]

In 2013, Bart was cast in the recurring role of Roger Riskin on the Showtime drama series Episodes . [15]

Bart was originally set to play the dual role of Charles Frohman and Captain James Hook in the 2014 A.R.T. pre-Broadway production of Finding Neverland . He was ultimately replaced by Michael McGrath. [16]

In 2016, Bart returned to Broadway in the musical Disaster! [17]

In 2017, Bart was cast in the recurring role of Vice Principal Nero on the second season of the Netflix comedy drama series A Series of Unfortunate Events . [18]

In 2018, Bart was cast in the main role of Judge Wilson on the Freeform drama series Good Trouble, the spin-off of The Fosters.

In 2019, Bart was cast as Hades in the world premiere of Disney's musical, Hercules . [19] That same year, he was announced to play Dr. Emmett Brown in the musical adaptation of Back to the Future . [20]

In 2021, Bart cameoed in the film adaptation of Tick, Tick... Boom! , 30 years after performing in the original show with Jonathan Larson. [21] A character in the film played by Joshua Henry is named "Roger" after him, and is loosely inspired by Bart. [22]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1997 Hercules Young Hercules (singing voice)
1999 The Insider Seelbach Hotel Manager
2001 Lady and the Tramp II: Scamp's Adventure Scamp (singing voice) Direct-to-video
2004 The Stepford Wives Roger BannisterRemake of the 1975 film
2005 The Producers Carmen Ghia Based on the 2001 musical
2006 I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With Burl Canasta
2007 Hostel: Part II Stuart
2007 American Gangster U.S. Attorney
2008 Spy School Principal Hampton
2008 Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay Dr. Beecher
2008 The Midnight Meat Train Jurgis
2009 Law Abiding Citizen Brian Bringham
2011 One Night Stand Himself
2012 Excision Bob
2012 Freaky Deaky Jerry Baker
2012 A Green Story Johnson
2012 The Producers Carmen GhiaDirect-to-video
2012 Smiley Professor Clayton
2012The Last ManWillShort film
2013April ApocalypseJack
2013 Last Vegas Maurice Tischler
2015MollyBradShort film
2015 Trumbo Buddy Ross
2016 Internet Famous Chris!
2017 Speech & Debate Principal Bellingham
2018 Ghost Light Henry Asquith
2019Bayou TalesAdam
2021 Tick, Tick... Boom! Featured Diner
TBABroadway: The Next GenerationHimselfDocumentary; filming

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1994 The George Carlin Show Ron BlessingtonEpisode: "George Gets a Big Surprise"
2000 Law & Order Alec HughesEpisode: "Surrender Dorothy"
2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Benjy DoweEpisode: "Closure"
2002 Bram & Alice PaulRecurring role (8 episodes)
2005 Out of Practice Lou PimskyEpisode: "Losing Patients"
2005 International Digital Emmy Awards Himself (host)Television special
2005–2006,
2007, 2012
Desperate Housewives George Williams 16 episodes (recurring season 1, also starring season 2 episodes 2–9, special guest star season 2 episode 24, uncredited season 8)
2006 The Lost Room Howard 'The Weasel' MontagueTelevision miniseries (2 episodes)
2006My Ex LifeUnknown roleTelevision movie
2009 30 Rock Brad HalsterEpisode: "Cutbacks"
2010 CSI: Miami Bob Starling2 episodes
2010 Human Target John DoeEpisode: "Dead Head"
2011 Medium Dennis CarusoEpisode: "Me Without You"
2011 Traffic Light MartyEpisode: "Pilot"
2011 The Event Richard PeelRecurring role (10 episodes)
2011 The Life & Times of Tim Mayor (voice)Episode: "Percey Davis/Boulevard/Cool Uncle Stu Balls"
2012 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Jeffrey FitzgeraldEpisode: "Tressed to Kill"
2012 Hot in Cleveland JimmyEpisode: "Claus, Tails & High-Pitched Males: Birthdates 3"
2012Himself (uncredited)Episode: "Some Like it Hot"
2012 Grimm Constantine BrinkerhofEpisode: "Big Feet"
2012 Perception IRS Agent Ethan KendrickEpisode: "Messenger"
2012 Political Animals Barry HarrisTelevision miniseries
Recurring role (6 episodes)
2012 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Adam CainEpisode: "Twenty-Five Acts"
2012 Easy to Assemble Howard FriskeRecurring role (9 episodes)
2012–2015 Revenge Mason TreadwellRecurring role (11 episodes)
2013 It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia RepEpisode: "The Gang Tries Desperately to Win an Award"
2013–2014 How I Met Your Mother CurtisRecurring role (5 episodes)
2014 Jessie Mr. Phil McNicholEpisode: "Krumping and Crushing"
2014 The Exes SamEpisode: "When Haskell Met Sammy"
2014 How to Build a Better Boy Dr. James HartleyTelevision movie
2014 Celebrity Ghost Stories HimselfEpisode: "Julie White/Roger Bart/Dominique Swain/Thomas Ian Nicholas"
2014–2017 Episodes Roger RiskinRecurring role (11 episodes)
2015 Modern Family AndersEpisode: "Valentine's Day 4: Twisted Sister"
2015 Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll JeremyEpisode: "Supercalifragilisticjuliefriggingandrews"
2015 Scream Queens Dr. HerfmannEpisode: "Chainsaw"
2015 You're the Worst Jonathan R. StrasburgEpisode: "All About That Paper"
2015 4th International Academy of Web Television Awards Himself (host)Television special
2016 Doc McStuffins Ferris (voice)Episode: "Blast Off to the Unknown!/Bust a Move"
2016 Code Black Hank GoldmanEpisode: "What Lies Beneath"
2016–2017 No Tomorrow Cory Casey2 episodes
2016–2017 Graves Lawrence MillsRecurring role (11 episodes)
2017 Grace and Frankie Steve ClarringtonRecurring role (3 episodes)
2017 There's... Johnny! AngeloRecurring role (5 episodes)
2018–2019 A Series of Unfortunate Events Vice Principal Nero4 episodes
2018 Quantico FedowitzEpisode: "Bullet Train"
2018 Elementary Kip LowellEpisode: "You've Come a Long Way, Baby"
2019–2021 Good Trouble Judge WilsonSeries regular (19 episodes)
2019 The Good Fight Brad CaymanEpisode: "The One Where Kurt Saves Diane"
2021 The Blacklist Scooter Rovenpor2 episodes

Theatre

YearTitleRoleVenueNotes
1985–1987 Big River Tom Sawyer (replacement) Eugene O'Neill Theatre
1991 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Tobias RaggNew Israeli Opera
1992–1994 The Secret Garden DickonTouring production
1993–1995 The Who's Tommy Cousin KevinTouring production
1996–1997 How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Bud FrumpTouring production
1997 King David Jonathan New Amsterdam Theatre
1997–1998 Triumph of Love Harlequin, the valet Royale Theatre
1999 You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Snoopy Ambassador Theatre
2001 The Producers Carmen Ghia Cadillac Palace Theatre
2001–2002 St. James Theatre Broadway
2002–2003 Leo Bloom
2003–2004 Carmen Ghia
2004 The Frogs Xanthias Vivian Beaumont Theater
2005 The Producers Leo Bloom St. James Theatre
2006
Young Frankenstein IgorUnknownWorkshop
2006–2007 The Producers Leo Bloom St. James Theatre Broadway
2007 Young Frankenstein Frederick Frankenstein Paramount Theatre Seattle, Washington (pre-Broadway try-out)
2007-2009 Lyric Theatre Broadway
2010 Providence Performing Arts Center Broadway Across America tour (First National Tour)
2012 The Producers Carmen Ghia Hollywood Bowl
2016 Disaster! Tony Nederlander Theatre Broadway
2018 Annie Rooster Hannigan Hollywood Bowl
2019 Hercules Hades Delacorte Theatre [19]
2020 Back to the Future: The Musical Dr. Emmett Brown Manchester Opera House
2021–2023 Adelphi Theatre West End
2023–2024 Winter Garden Theatre Broadway

Awards and nominations

AssociationYearCategoryNominated WorkResult
Broadway.com Audience Awards2024Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical Back to the Future: The Musical Nominated
Favorite Funny PerformanceNominated
Favorite Onstage Pair (with Casey Likes)Nominated
Drama Desk Awards 1999 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Won
2001 The Producers Nominated
DVD Exclusive Awards 2001Best Original Song for "A World Without Fences" Lady and the Tramp 2: Scamp's Adventure Nominated
Online Film & Television Association Awards1998Best Music, Original Song for "Go the Distance" Hercules Nominated
Screen Actors Guild Awards 2006 Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series Desperate Housewives Won
Tony Awards 1999 Best Featured Actor in a Musical You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown Won
2001 The Producers Nominated
2024 Back to the Future: The Musical Pending

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Larson</span> American composer, lyricist and playwright (1960–1996)

Jonathan David Larson was an American composer, lyricist and playwright most famous for writing the musicals Rent and Tick, Tick... Boom!, which explored the social issues of multiculturalism, substance use disorder, and homophobia. He received three posthumous Tony Awards and a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for Drama for Rent.

<i>How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying</i> (musical) 1961 musical by Frank Loesser, Abe Burrows, Jack Harlow, and Willie Gilbert

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is a 1961 musical by Frank Loesser and book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock, and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's 1952 book of the same name. The story concerns young, ambitious J. Pierrepont Finch, who, with the help of the book How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, rises from window washer to chairman of the board of the World Wide Wicket Company.

<i>Tick, Tick... Boom!</i> Musical by Jonathan Larson

Tick, Tick... Boom! is a musical by Jonathan Larson. It tells the story of an aspiring composer named Jon, who lives in New York City in 1990. Jon is worried he has made the wrong career choice to be part of the performing arts. The story is semi-autobiographical, as stated by Larson's father in the liner notes of the cast recording – Larson had been trying to establish himself in theater since the early 1980s.

Wilson Jermaine Heredia is an American actor best known for his portrayal of Angel Dumott Schunard in the Broadway musical Rent, for which he won the Tony Award for Best Actor Featured in a Musical in 1996. The same year, he also won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. Heredia also originated the role at London's Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End theatre district and in the 2005 film adaptation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shuler Hensley</span> American singer and actor (born 1967)

Shuler Paul Hensley is an American singer and actor.

<i>The Producers</i> (musical) 2001 musical written by Mel Brooks

The Producers is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by Mel Brooks, and a book by Brooks and Thomas Meehan. It is adapted from Brooks's 1967 film of the same name. The story concerns two theatrical producers who scheme to get rich by fraudulently overselling interests in a Broadway musical designed to fail. Complications arise when the show is a surprise hit. The humor of The Producers draws on exaggerated accents, caricatures of Jews, gay people and Nazis, and many show business in-jokes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">André De Shields</span> American entertainer (born 1946)

André Robin De Shields is an American actor, singer, dancer, director, and choreographer. He has received numerous accolades including an Emmy Award, Grammy Award, and Tony Award.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Freeman (actor)</span> American actor and puppeteer

Jonathan Freeman is an American actor and singer. He is known for voicing Jafar in Disney's Aladdin franchise, as well as the Kingdom Hearts franchise and the 2011 Aladdin musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raúl Esparza</span> American actor

Raúl Eduardo Esparza is an American actor and singer. Considered one of Broadway's most prominent leading men since the 2000s, he is best known for his Tony Award-nominated performance as Bobby in the 2006 Broadway revival of Company and for his television role as New York Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Rafael Barba in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, where he had a recurring role in Season 14 and was promoted to a series regular in Seasons 15 to 19.

<i>Young Frankenstein</i> (musical) Musical

Young Frankenstein is a musical with a book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan, and music and lyrics by Brooks. It is based on the 1974 comedy film of the same name written by Gene Wilder and Brooks who also directed and has described it as his best film. It is a parody of the horror film genre, especially the 1931 Universal Pictures adaptation of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and its 1935 and 1939 sequels, Bride of Frankenstein and Son of Frankenstein.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lin-Manuel Miranda</span> American songwriter, actor, and librettist (born 1980)

Lin-Manuel Miranda is an American songwriter, actor, singer, filmmaker, rapper and librettist. He created the Broadway musicals In the Heights (2005) and Hamilton (2015), and the soundtracks for the animated films Moana (2016), Vivo, and Encanto. He has received numerous accolades including a Pulitzer Prize, three Tony Awards, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Primetime Emmy Awards, and five Grammy Awards, along with nominations for two Academy Awards. He received the Kennedy Center Honors in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin de Jesús</span> American actor

Robin de Jesús is an American film and theater actor of Puerto Rican descent. He has received Tony Award nominations for his roles in In the Heights, La Cage aux Folles, and The Boys in the Band. He's also known for portraying Michael in tick, tick... BOOM!.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alex Lacamoire</span> American composer

Alex Lacamoire is a Cuban-American composer, arranger, conductor, musical director, music copyist, and orchestrator who has worked on many shows both on and off-Broadway. He is the recipient of multiple Tony and Grammy Awards for his work on shows such as In the Heights (2008), Hamilton (2016), and Dear Evan Hansen (2017). Lacamoire was awarded the Kennedy Center Honor in 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Karen Olivo</span> American musical theatre actor (born 1976)

KO, formerly known as Karen Olivo, is an American stage and television actor, theater educator, and singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joshua Henry</span> Canadian-American singer and actor

Joshua Anthony Charlton Henry is a Canadian-American actor and singer of stage and screen.

Douglas Besterman is an American orchestrator, musical arranger and music producer. He is the recipient of three Tony Awards out of six total nominations and two Drama Desk Awards out of six total nominations, and was a 2009 Grammy Award nominee.

Brooks Ashmanskas 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ciara Renée</span> American actress

Ciara Renée Harper is an American actress and musician. She is best known for her roles on Broadway as The Witch in Big Fish, the Leading Player in Pippin, Jenna in Waitress, and Elsa in Frozen. She played Esmeralda in The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Paper Mill Playhouse and La Jolla Playhouse. She starred as Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl in the CW series DC's Legends of Tomorrow, a spin-off of Arrow and The Flash. Her vocal type is mezzo-soprano.

<i>Tick, Tick... Boom!</i> (film) 2021 film by Lin-Manuel Miranda

Tick, Tick... Boom! is a 2021 American biographical musical film directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda in his feature directorial debut. Written by Steven Levenson, who also serves as an executive producer, it is based on the stage musical of the same name by Jonathan Larson, a semi-autobiographical story about Larson writing a musical to enter into the theater industry. The film stars Andrew Garfield as Larson, alongside Robin de Jesús, Alexandra Shipp, Joshua Henry, Judith Light, and Vanessa Hudgens.

Superbia is an unproduced musical with book, music, and lyrics by Jonathan Larson. Stemming from an earlier attempt at writing a musical based on Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell, Larson spent a six-year period from 1985 to 1991 working on Superbia, which for numerous reasons never went beyond the workshop stage of development. Eventually, Larson set aside Superbia for other projects, including Rent, and died in 1996 before he could return to working on it.

References

  1. Gardner, Amanda. "THEATER; Tony Awards' New Jersey Ties", The New York Times , July 23, 2008. Retrieved March 21, 2011.
  2. 1 2 Horwitz, Simi (November 8, 2007). "First Banana". Backstage. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved April 4, 2009.
  3. Hatala, Greg. "Glimpse of History: Arm-in-arm at commencement", The Star-Ledger , June 23, 2014. Retrieved September 5, 2019. "Some of the school's notable alumni include Tony Award-winning actor Roger Bart ('80), John Geils Jr. of the J. Geils Band ('64) and Academy Award-winning actress Meryl Streep ('67)."
  4. "Roger Bart". IMDb.
  5. McPhee, Ryan. "To Days of Inspiration: Explore the Evolution of Rent Through Jonathan Larson's Own Notes". Playbill. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  6. Buckley, Michael. "STAGE TO SCREENS: Roger Bart Discusses Producers and "Housewives"". Playbill. Retrieved November 22, 2021.
  7. Roger Bart at the Internet Broadway Database
  8. Rousuck, J. Wynn (May 31, 1996). "A cheery revival for 'How to Succeed'". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on September 22, 2012. Retrieved May 20, 2017.
  9. "Ralph Macchio is fun in 'How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying' Oct. 1-6". sacnews.net. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011.
  10. Berson, Misha (October 10, 1996). "How To Succeed in Show Business ... – Since His 'Karate Kid' Days, Ralph Macchio Has Matured – In Age And Talent". The Seattle Times.
  11. 1 2 3 Roger Bart at IMDb
  12. Jones, Kenneth (July 30, 2009). "Together Again: Bart and Hensley Will Tour in Young Frankenstein". Playbill. Retrieved November 18, 2021.
  13. "The Producers". Archived from the original on November 16, 2009.
  14. Stanhope, Kate (November 17, 2011). "Desperate Housewives' Roger Bart Uncovers Revealing Revenge Role". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  15. Marechal, AJ (June 3, 2013). "Roger Bart to Recur on Showtime's 'Episodes' (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved April 2, 2018.
  16. Tony Winner Swap: Michael McGrath To Replace Roger Bart in A.R.T.'s Finding Neverland Opening July 23
  17. Lloyd Webber, Imogen (November 5, 2015). "Look Out! All-Star Disaster! Will Hit Broadway, Starring Adam Pascal, Roger Bart, Faith Prince & More". Broadway.com. Retrieved February 2, 2016.
  18. Petski, Denise (June 9, 2017). "'Series Of Unfortunate Events': Nathan Fillion, Tony Hale, Sara Rue, Lucy Punch & Roger Bart Join Season 2 Cast". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  19. 1 2 Evans, Greg (June 20, 2019). "'Hercules' Stage Musical Adaptation Finds Its Strongman: Jelani Alladin Among Cast Announced For Shakespeare In The Park Production". Deadline.
  20. Gans, Andrew (October 15, 2019). "Tony Winner Roger Bart Joins Cast of Back to the Future Musical". Playbill. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
  21. Goffe, Nadira (November 19, 2021). "An Exhaustive List of Every Broadway Cameo in Tick, Tick … Boom!". Slate. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  22. Murray, Rebecca (November 17, 2021). "'tick, tick…BOOM!' Q&A with Andrew Garfield and Lin-Manuel Miranda". Showbizjunkies. Retrieved November 19, 2021.