Alex Brightman

Alexander Michael Brightman (born February 5, 1987) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his work in musical theatre, specifically as Dewey Finn in the musical adaptation of School of Rock and the title character in Beetlejuice the Musical. Both roles earned him nominations for the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2015 and 2019 respectively.

Alex Brightman
Born
Alexander Michael Brightman

February 5, 1987
Saratoga, California
EducationBellarmine College Preparatory
OccupationActor, singer
Years active1998-present
Spouse(s)Jenny Ravitz (m. 2017)

Early life

Brightman grew up in Saratoga, California. His father founded Apple's Worldwide Disabilities Solutions Group, and his mother worked at a dialysis clinic. He attended Bellarmine College Preparatory, an all-male Jesuit high school in San Jose, California, and graduated in 2005.[1]

Career

Broadway

Brightman first worked on Broadway in 1998, 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.[2]

In 2014, Brightman joined the newest musical of Andrew Lloyd Webber's, 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.[3] For this performance, Brightman received a nomination for the 2016 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.[4] Brightman played his final performance as Dewey on November 5, 2016 and returned to reprise the role for a limited run in April 2017.[5] 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 71rd 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 co-wrote the lyrics. 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. In October 2019, it was announced that Brightman will be joining the cast of the Billy Crystal helmed comedy film Here Today.[6]

Personal life

Brightman married casting director, Jenny Ravitz on May 19, 2017 at a ceremony in Brooklyn. Jenny Ravitz was a casting director for the NBC series Chicago Med, Chicago P.D., and Chicago Fire. She worked as a casting director for Mason Street Warehouse, a non-profit theatre in Saugatuck, Michigan, and has cast for various films, pilots, plays, and musicals.[7]

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
2013 Big Fish Zacky Price, Ensemble; u/s Will Bloom 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
2019–2020 Broadway Winter Garden Theatre
  1. ^ Brightman also reprised this role for a limited run in April 2017.

Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
2009 Red Hook Roy
TBA Here Today Justin
TBA Belushi John Belushi

Television
Year Title Role Notes
2009 Important Things with Demetri Martin Various characters Episode: "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
Helluva Boss Fizzarolli Episode: "Loo Loo Land"; voice role
2021 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Gabe Miller / ShyGabe Episode: "Turn Me on Take Me Private"[8]
DeadEndia Pugsley In production; voice role

Awards and nominations
YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResult
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
  1. "Bellarmine Theatre Alumnus Receives Tony Award Nomination". Bellarmine College Preparatory. 9 May 2016. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
  2. Itzkoff, Dave (2016-01-03). "Alex Brightman Rides a 'School of Rock' Wave". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  3. Rosky, Nicole. "BWW Interview: He's Ready to Rock! Meet Broadway's New Leading Man, SCHOOL OF ROCK's Alex Brightman". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2016-03-18.
  4. Coverage, BWW Special. "2016 Tony Awards Nominations - HAMILTON Breaks Record with 16! And the Nominees Are..." BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2016-05-03.
  5. Gans, Andrew. "Alex Brightman Returns to Broadway's School of Rock". Playbill. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
  6. "Laura Benanti & Alex Brightman to Join Billy Crystal in His New Film Here Today". Broadway.com. Oct 8, 2019. Retrieved 2019-10-21.
  7. Staff, Playbill (2018-05-22). "Alex Brightman and Jenny Ravitz Tie the Knot in NYC". Playbill. Retrieved 2019-06-21.
  8. TV, BroadwayWorld. "BWW Exclusive: Eva Noblezada & Alex Brightman Star in a Clip From LAW & ORDER: SVU". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2021-01-20.
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