Christian Borle

Christian Dominique Borle (born October 1, 1973)[1] is an American actor in theatre, television, and film. He is a two-time Tony Award winner for his roles as Black Stache in Peter and the Starcatcher and as William Shakespeare in Something Rotten!. Borle originated the role of Emmett in Legally Blonde on Broadway, starred as Tom Levitt on the NBC musical-drama television series Smash, and starred as Marvin in the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos.

Christian Borle
Borle at the 2014 Montclair Film Festival
Born (1973-10-01) October 1, 1973
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
EducationCarnegie Mellon University (BFA)
OccupationActor, singer, dancer
Years active1995–present
Spouse(s)
​
(
m. 2006; div. 2010)

Early life

Borle was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the son of Andre Bernard Borle (1930–2011),[2] a professor of physiology at the University of Pittsburgh.[3] His love for Star Wars and drawing made him dream of becoming a comic book artist when he grew up, but it was only when a friend convinced him to audition for a school play in his sophomore year that he began to develop an interest in acting.[4] Borle attended the School of Drama at Carnegie Mellon University, graduating in 1995.[5][6] After he graduated, he moved to New York City and landed his first acting job. He worked as an elf at Macy's Santaland.[7]

Career

Borle made his Broadway debut in 1998, understudying the role of Willard J. Hewitt in the stage adaptation of the film Footloose. He was featured in the 2000 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar, and was the dance captain and understudy for several characters for the short-lived 2002 musical Amour.

Borle appeared in a 2003 advertisement for California-based online auction company eBay. In the 30-second TV spot, Borle plays a store clerk who breaks into song and dance when asked about a product. The song, "That's on eBay" was a parody of the standard "That's Amore". Also in 2003, he replaced Gavin Creel in the role of Jimmy in Thoroughly Modern Millie. He married his co-star, actress Sutton Foster, who had played Millie, in September 2006.[8][9][10] On a radio interview in 2010 it was confirmed that Borle and Foster had separated.[11]

Borle performed in Monty Python's Spamalot, in which he originated a number of roles, including Prince Herbert and the Historian. His performance earned him a 2005 Drama Desk Award nomination as Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical and a Broadway.com Audience Award as Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical. He is known on Broadway for originating the role of Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde, for which he was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. The musical is based on MGM's 2001 film of the same name.[12]

He was featured in the Encores! staged concert version of On the Town as Ozzie in November 2008.[13] He appeared in a workshop production of a new play titled Peter and the Starcatcher in 2009.[14] He played Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins, replacing Adam Fiorentino in the role on October 12, 2009[15] and then left the cast July 15, 2010.

In 2010, he appeared in the film The Bounty Hunter, in which he played a golf caddy. In Fall 2010/Winter 2011, Borle played the role of Prior Walter in Signature Theatre Company's 20th anniversary production of Tony Kushner's Angels in America.[16]

On February 25, 2011, it was announced that Borle had joined Steven Spielberg's new NBC pilot Smash with Debra Messing, Anjelica Huston, Katharine McPhee, Brian d'Arcy James, and Megan Hilty. The series follows a cross section of characters who come together to mount a Marilyn Monroe-themed musical (which is called Bombshell) on Broadway.[17] In May 2011, it was reported that NBC had picked up the show as a series for the 2011–2012 season.[18] In March 2012, NBC announced it would renew the series for a second season with 15 episodes.[19] The show was officially cancelled by NBC in May 2013.[20]

Borle was a member of the original cast in the Regional and Off-Broadway productions of Peter and the Starcatcher that ran until April 24, 2011.[21] He reprised the role of Black Stache on Broadway in April 2012, where his performance earned him his second Tony Award nomination and first win as Best Featured Actor in a Play.[22] He ended his run in the Broadway production of Peter and the Starcatcher on June 30, 2012, to take a break before taping for Smash began in August 2012.

Borle played Max Dettweiler in the live television production of The Sound of Music Live!, which aired on NBC on December 5, 2013.[23][24] He also played Mr. Darling and Mr. Smee in the live TV production of Peter Pan Live!, which aired on NBC on December 4, 2014.[25]

He won the 2015 Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for Something Rotten!,[26] playing the role of famous playwright William Shakespeare, which opened on Broadway at the St. James Theatre on March 23, 2015 in previews and officially on April 22, 2015.[27] Borle provided the voice of Mr. Bungee on the cast recording of Encores! A New Brain. Dan Fogler, who played the part onstage, was unable to record the album as he was busy filming Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.[28]

Borle played Marvin in the limited Broadway revival of Falsettos, directed by James Lapine, alongside Andrew Rannells and Stephanie J. Block who played Whizzer and Trina, respectively.[29] Borle left the cast of Something Rotten! on July 16, 2016, to prepare for Falsettos, which opened in previews on September 29, 2016, and officially on October 27, 2016.[30][31] Borle was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. The show closed on January 8, 2017, after 30 previews and 84 performances.[32]

On May 9, 2016, it was announced that Borle would play Willy Wonka in the Broadway production of Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, which opened on March 23, 2017.[33] A cast album was announced March 21, 2017.[34] The show played its final performance January 14, 2018.[35]

Borle also made an appearance with his former wife Sutton Foster, in Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. His musical talents were used in Episode 3 for the Star's Hollow musical, which walked through the history of the quirky small town. The two had "found Gilmore Girls together and became fans of the show long before there were talks of a revival. For both actors, being a part of the Stars Hollow world was a special experience because they already loved the show before they became involved with it."[36]

Borle made his directorial debut with Popcorn Falls, which premiered at the Riverbank Theatre in Marine City, Michigan.[37] The show ran from August 18–27, 2017. It was such an unexpected success that the theatre had to add extra performances to keep up with demand.

In March 2018 it was announced that Borle would again reunite with Sutton Foster, this time for two episodes of her TV show Younger[38] as a journalist named Don Ridley. He was also announced as the lead in the Encores! production of Me and My Girl, alongside former Mary Poppins co-star Laura Michelle Kelly.[39]

In July 2019, it was announced that Borle would star as Orin Scrivello in the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors[40], which began previews at the Westside Theatre on September 17, 2019 with an official opening of October 17.[41]

Personal life

Borle started dating actress Sutton Foster in college,[42] and married her on September 18, 2006. During a radio interview in 2010, it was confirmed that they had gone their separate ways.[11][43] In 2012, Foster said that she and Borle remained friends[44] and continue to support each other's work.[45][46]

Theatre credits
Year(s) Production Location Role
1995 The Who's Tommy Offenbach, Germany Pinball Lad 1
1997–98 West Side Story National Tour Riff
1998 Footloose Richard Rodgers Theatre
Broadway		 Willard Hewitt (replacement)
2000 Jesus Christ Superstar Ford Center for the Performing Arts
Broadway		 Disciple
2001 The Baby and Johnny Project New York Theatre Workshop
Off-Broadway		 Billy Kostecki
Just So North Shore Music Theatre
Regional		 Kangaroo / Cooking Stove / Bushbuck
The 3 Musketeers, One Musical For All American Musical Theatre of San Jose
Regional		 Planchet (Original American Cast)
2002 Amour Music Box Theatre
Broadway		 Dance Captain, Advocate (Understudy) / Bertrand (Understudy) / Dusoleil (Understudy) / Newsvendor (Understudy) / Painter (Understudy)
Thoroughly Modern Millie Marquis Theatre
Broadway		 Jimmy Smith (replacement)
Prodigal York Theatre
Off-Broadway		 Kane Flannery / Zach Marshall (Original Cast)
2003 Elegies: A Song Cycle Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater
Off-Broadway		 Original Performer
2004 Snoopy! The Musical New York City Center
Concert		 Snoopy
Time After Time New York City Center
Reading		 H.G. Wells
2005 The Flamingo Kid Workshop Performer
Spamalot Shubert Theatre
Broadway		 Historian / Not Dead Fred / French Guard / Minstrel / Prince Herbert (Original Broadway Cast)
2007 Legally Blonde Palace Theatre
Broadway		 Emmett Forrest (Original Broadway Cast)
2008 On the Town Encores!
New York City Center		 Ozzie
2009 Peter and the Starcatcher La Jolla Playhouse
Regional		 Black Stache
Mary Poppins New Amsterdam Theatre
Broadway		 Bert (replacement)
2010 Angels in America Signature Theatre Company
Off-Broadway		 Prior Walter
2011 Peter and the Starcatcher New York Theatre Workshop
Off-Broadway		 Black Stache
2012 Brooks Atkinson Theatre
Broadway
2014 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Lincoln Center Adolfo Pirelli
Little Me New York City Center Various Characters
2015 Something Rotten! St. James Theatre
Broadway		 The Bard (William Shakespeare) (Original Broadway Cast)
A New Brain Encores!
New York City Center		 Mr. Bungee (Cast Album Only)
2016 Falsettos Walter Kerr Theatre
Broadway		 Marvin (2016 Revival Cast)
2017 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
Broadway		 Willy Wonka (Original Broadway Cast)
Popcorn Falls Riverbank Theatre
Regional		 Director/Dramaturg
2018 Me and My Girl Encores!
New York City Center		 Bill Snibson
2019 The Who's Tommy John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Captain Walker[47]
Little Shop of Horrors Westside Theatre
Off-Broadway		 Orin Scrivello

Filmography

Film
Year Show Role Notes
1995 Stonewall Bar Patron
2001 The Accident Delivery Guy Short
2010 The Bounty Hunter Caddy
2014 Shutterflies Lieutenant Burns Short
Dinner Father Short
2015 Blackhat Jeff Robichaud

Television
Year Show Role Notes
1998 Ghost Stories Trevor Mooney Episode: "Consumers"
2001 Law & Order Tanto Episode: "Swept Away"
2007 Legally Blonde: The Musical Emmett Forrest Filmed stage production
2008 Johnny and the Sprites Bridge Troll Episode: "The Bridge Troll"
2012–13 Smash Tom Levitt 32 episodes
2013 The Sound of Music Live! Max Detweiler TV movie
2013–15 The Good Wife Carter Schmidt 5 episodes
2014 Lifesaver Dr. Graham Permenter TV movie
Lucky Duck Lucky (voice) TV movie
Masters of Sex Frank Masters 3 episodes
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street: Live from Lincoln Center Adolfo Pirelli Filmed stage production
Sofia the First Slickwell (voice) Episode: "Baileywhoops"
Peter Pan Live! Smee/George Darling TV movie
2016 Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life Carl Episode: "Summer"
2017 Falsettos: Live from Lincoln Center Marvin Filmed stage production
2018 Vampirina Rusty Topsail (voice) Episode: "Treasure Haunters"
The Good Fight Carter Schmidt Episode: "Day 429"
Younger Don Ridley 2 episodes
Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure Father (voice) Episode: "Freebird"
Elementary Dr. David Horowitz Episode: "The Visions of Norman P. Horowitz"

Discography

Cast Albums

Singles
  • "Don't Say Yes Until I've Finished Talking" (featured in Smash season 1)
  • "A Love Letter From the Times" (duet with Liza Minnelli, featured in Smash season 2)
  • "Vienna" (featured in Smash season 2)
  • "The Right Regrets" (duet with Debra Messing, featured in Smash season 2)

Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result
2005 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Spamalot Nominated
Clarence Derwent Award Most Promising Male Won
Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards Favorite Featured Actor in a Broadway Musical Won
Favorite Onstage Pair (shared with Hank Azaria) Won
2007 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Legally Blonde Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Nominated
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
2010 Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards Best Replacement Mary Poppins Nominated
2011 Tina Award Best Actor (Play) Peter and the Starcatcher Nominated
Angels in America Nominated
Best Ensemble (Play) Won
Best Stage Duo (shared with Zachary Quinto) Won
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
2012 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play Peter and the Starcatcher Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Nominated
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Lucille Lortel Awards Outstanding Lead Actor Won
Broadway.com Audience Choice Awards Favorite Funny Performance Won
Best Featured Actor in a Play Won
2015 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Something Rotten! Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Won
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Best Actor in a Musical Nominated
Broadway.com Audience Award Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical Won
2016 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album Nominated
2017 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical Falsettos Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Nominated
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Nominated
2020 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Little Shop of Horrors Won
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Honoree
Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Won
gollark: But, er, congratulations on your election.
gollark: No, gibson wins.
gollark: When umnikos votes, vote counts please.
gollark: Not very over, then.
gollark: I am not potato; potatOS is potatOS.

References
  1. U.S. Public Records Index, Vol 1 (Provo, UT: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc.), 2010.
  2. "Andre Borle Obituary". Legacy.com. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  3. "With NBC's 'Smash,' Christian Borle has arrived - SFGate". SFGate.com. Retrieved 2014-11-06.
  4. "You Just Can't Forget About the Boy!". Columbia.edu. Columbia Scholastic Press Association. 2004-01-16. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
  5. Walters, Ken. "Carnegie Mellon Congratulates Christian Borle on Tony Award Win" Archived March 29, 2016, at the Wayback Machine cmu.edu, June 8, 2015
  6. "'Smash' Premiere" Archived March 22, 2016, at the Wayback Machine cmu.edu, accessed July 16, 2016
  7. Rouvalis, Christina. "Christian Borle Feature" Archived February 8, 2016, at the Wayback Machine shineatshadyside.org, Winter 2011-2012, accessed July 16, 2016
  8. Jones, Kenneth. "Gimme Jimmy: Christian Borle Is New Juvenile Lead in Bway's Millie April 29", playbill.com, April 29, 2003; "Off-stage, it's known in the theatre community that Christian is romantically linked to Millie herself, Tony Award-winner Sutton Foster."
  9. "Broadway's Sutton Foster & Christian Borle Engaged" Archived March 3, 2016, at the Wayback Machine April 2006
  10. Smith, Liz. "IN NEW YORK", Daily Variety, September 19, 2006, p. 4 wrote: "BROADWAY BABY Sutton Foster, whose most recent triumph is "The Drowsy Chaperone (five Tony wins and a nomination for Sutton), was wide awake Monday when she wed longtime boyfriend Christian Borle of "Spamalot" fame. The couple met and worked together on Sutton's first smash, Thoroughly Modern Millie, which brought her the theater's highest honor. Sutton and Christian recently bought their first home. In fact, the deal was closed the day "Drowsy" opened."
  11. "Mary Poppins" stars Christian Borle and Laura Michelle Kelly Archived June 1, 2016, at the Wayback Machine playbillradio.com
  12. "Star File" Archived May 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine Broadway.com
  13. Gans, Andrew."A Helluva Town: Encores! Launches New Season with On the Town" Archived January 7, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, November 19, 2008
  14. Jones, Kenneth. "Peter Pan Is Back! Starcatchers Workshop, With Borle, Elrod, Green, Begins in CA" Archived February 16, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, February 13, 2009
  15. "Laura Michelle Kelly and Christian Borle to Sweep Into Mary Poppins Oct. 12" Archived October 15, 2009, at the Wayback Machine, playbill.com, October 12, 2009
  16. "Signature Theatre Company: Announcing the Cast of ANGELS IN AMERICA". Signaturetheatre.blogspot.com. 2010-06-22. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  17. "Christian Borle Joins SMASH!". Broadwayworld.com. 2011-02-25. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  18. May 11, 2011: "NBC Picks Up Whitney Cummings & Emily Spivey Pilots, 'Smash' & 'Prime Suspect'" Archived May 16, 2014, at the Wayback Machine deadline.com
  19. "NBC's ‘Smash’ Renewed For Second Season" Archived August 8, 2014, at the Wayback Machine, Deadline.com. March 22, 2012
  20. Editor, Chris Harnick News; TV, HuffPost (2013-05-10). "'Smash' Is DEAD". The Huffington Post. Retrieved 2017-01-10.CS1 maint: extra text: authors list (link)
  21. "BWW TV: Finding the Characters in PETER AND THE STARCATCHER!". broadwayworld.com. February 25, 2011. Retrieved 2012-01-17.
  22. Hetrick, Adam. "'Peter and the Starcatcher' Lands on Broadway March 28" Archived March 31, 2012, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, March 28, 2012
  23. Audra McDonald, Laura Benanti and Christian Borle Join Cast of NBC's Sound of Music Archived December 11, 2013, at the Wayback Machine Playbill, Retrieved September 16, 2013
  24. 'Sound of Music Live!' with Carrie Underwood: NBC announces more cast, releases poster Archived November 6, 2014, at the Wayback Machine Entertainment Weekly, Retrieved September 16, 2013
  25. "UPDATE: Neil Meron Confirms Christian Borle Casting for NBC's PETER PAN!". Broadway World. August 7, 2014. Retrieved 2014-08-07.
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-10-03. Retrieved 2015-04-28.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. Hetrick, Adam. " 'Something Rotten!' Puts a Shakespearean Twist On Broadway Musical Comedy, Starting Tonight" Archived April 9, 2016, at the Wayback Machine playbill.com, March 23, 2015
  28. "First Listen: Jonathan Groff's Thrilling 'And They're Off' from New Brain Cast Album | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-04-03.
  29. Paulson, Michael. "‘Falsettos’ Revival Casts Its Leads: Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells and Stephanie J. Block" nytimes.com, March 31, 2016
  30. Hetrick, Adam. "Christian Borle Sets 'Something Rotten!' Departure" Archived August 12, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Playbill, June 23, 2016
  31. Gans, Andrew. "Marvin’s Back with Whizzer, as 'Falsettos' Revival Begins" Archived December 20, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Playbill, September 29, 2016
  32. "Falsettos Revival Closes January 8 | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-01-10.
  33. "Christian Borle to Play Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory on Broadway; Theater Set". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2016-05-09.
  34. "Broadway's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Starring Christian Borle, to Receive Original Cast Recording". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-04-25.
  35. Chow, Andrew R. (2017-11-15). "'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' to Close on Broadway". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  36. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-11-29. Retrieved 2016-11-29.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  37. "Popcorn Falls, Directed by Tony Winner Christian Borle, Premieres August 18 | Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved 2018-01-07.
  38. Turchiano, Danielle (2018-03-14). "'Younger' Books Christian Borle for Season 5 (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  39. Desk, BWW News. "Christian Borle and Laura Michelle Kelly Will Star in Encores! Production of ME AND MY GIRL". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  40. https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/news/little-shop-of-horrors-off-broadway_89348.html
  41. https://www.theatermania.com/off-broadway/news/jonathan-groff-led-little-shop-completes-casting_89564.html
  42. "Broadway Buzz: Sutton Foster Archived May 13, 2016, at the Wayback Machine broadway.com
  43. Lee, LUAINE. "With NBC's 'Smash,' Christian Borle has arrived" kansascity.com, February 20, 2012
  44. "Sutton Foster Previews Her New ABC Family Show BUNHEADS". We Love Soaps. May 31, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  45. "Christian Borle on the Thrill of Jumping from Smash to Peter and the Starcatcher". broadwayworld.com. April 9, 2012. Retrieved 2012-08-31.
  46. "Q&A: Christian Borle". timeout.com. April 11, 2012. Retrieved 2012-09-02.
  47. McPhee, Ryan (March 6, 2019). "Casey Cott, Mandy Gonzalez, Christian Borle, Wesley Taylor, More Set for The Who's Tommy at the Kennedy Center". Playbill.
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