Gavin Lee

Gavin Lee (born 15 October 1971) is an English actor who has appeared on the stage in musical theatre, notably as Bert in the musical Mary Poppins, in both the West End and on Broadway, and as Squidward Tentacles in the original Broadway cast of Spongebob Squarepants: The Musical.

Not to be confused with Gavin Lee (football coach).

Gavin Lee
Lee in 2019
Born (1971-10-15) 15 October 1971
Woodbridge, Suffolk, England
Occupation
  • Actor
  • singer
  • dancer
Years active1990–present
Spouse(s)
Emily Harvey
(
m. 2005)
Children3

Early life

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.

Career

Lee appeared in the dance play Contact in the West End at the Queen's Theatre, opening in October 2002.[1]

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.[2] 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.[3]

In June 2008, Lee performed in a concert version of Show Boat at Carnegie Hall as Frank Schultz.[4] 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.[5] Lee again reunited with Kelly when he returned to the role of Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on 24 August 2010.[6]

He took over the role of Jerry Travers in the West End production of Top Hat beginning 5 February 2013.[7] He joined the Broadway revival of Les Miserables as Thenardier beginning 3 March 2015.[8]

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.[9] Lee reprised his role as Squidward for the Broadway run of the musical, starting with November 2017 previews at the Palace Theatre[10] and remaining until it closed in September 2018[11]. Lee was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Squidward.

In June of 2019, he appeared at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, taking on the role of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast.[12]

Personal life

Lee is married to Emily Harvey, an American actress who was playing the role of Mme Firmin in London's The Phantom of the Opera during his own run in London in Mary Poppins. They have 3 children.

Theatre appearances
YearShowRoleVenueNotes
2020Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor DreamcoatButlerDavid Geffen Hall
2019Mr. Magoo's Christmas CarolMr. Magoo/ScroogeGerald W. Lynch Theater
2019Beauty and the BeastLumierePaper Mill Playhouse
2018Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The MusicalThe GrinchUS National TourIn Chicago, Boston, and New York
2017SpongeBob SquarePantsSquidward Tentacles[10]Palace TheatreBroadway production; originated role
2016Oriental TheatreOriginated role
2015Les MisérablesThénardierImperial TheatreReplacement
2014Holiday InnTed HanoverGoodspeed Opera HouseReplacement
2013Top HatJerry TraversAldwych TheatreReplacement
2010–2013Mary PoppinsBertNew Amsterdam TheatreReturn to role
2009–2010US National TourOriginated role
2008Show BoatFrank Schultz[13]Carnegie Hall
2006–2008Mary PoppinsBertNew Amsterdam TheatreBroadway production; originated role
2004–2006Bristol Hippodrome & Prince Edward TheatreWest End production; originated role
2002ContactAristocratQueen's Theatre
2002Let's Kick ArtsEnsembleBridewell Theatre
2002AladdinWishee WasheeDevonshire Park Theatre
2001Zip Goes a MillionPercy PiggottThe Theatre Museum
2001DuBarry Was a LadyHarry/Captain of the GuardHer Majesty's Theatre
2001Peggy Sue Got MarriedRichardShaftesbury TheatreOriginated role
2000WheneverOscarStephen Joseph Theatre
1999A Saint She Ain'tDanny O'ReillyApollo Theatre & King's Head TheatreOriginated role
1999Of Thee I SingJ.P. WintergeenBridewell Theatre
1999JubileePrince JamesHer Majesty's TheatreAlso choreographer
1998Singin' in the RainDon LockwoodHaymarket Theatre
1998Oklahoma!SlimNational TheatreOriginated role
1998SnoopyLinusWatermill Theatre
1997Saturday NightMale VocalistBridewell TheatreOriginated role
1997Crazy for YouBobby ChildNational Tour
1993SwingPrince Edward Theatre
1996Immaculate DeceptionRosenburgWimbledon Studio Theatre
1984Flower Drum SongWang SanWolsey Theatre
1983Bugsy MaloneSeymore ScoopHer Majesty's TheatreWest End debut

Cast recordings

Filmography

Television
  • White Collar - Alan Woodford (5 episodes)
  • The Good Wife - Jake Alister (Season 2, Episode 18 "Killer Song", 2011)[14]
  • 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)

Awards and nominations

Tony Awards

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony

Year Award Performance Result
2007 Best Actor in a Musical Mary Poppins Nominated
2018 Best Featured Actor in a Musical SpongeBob SquarePants Nominated

Drama Desk Awards

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony

Year Award Performance Result
2007 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Mary Poppins Won
2018 SpongeBob SquarePants Won

Laurence Olivier Awards

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony

Year Award Performance Result
2005 Best Actor in a Musical Mary Poppins Nominated
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References
  1. "Broadway hit 'Contact' at Queens in Oct 02" Archived 14 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine londontheatre.co.uk, accessed 13 March 2016
  2. Gans, Andrew (21 May 2008). "Lee Will Join Brown for National Tour of Mary Poppins". Playbill. Archived from the original on 27 May 2008. Retrieved 22 May 2008.
  3. McBride, Walter (31 August 2007). "Brown & Lee Reveal Sardi's Caricatures". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 1 September 2007.
  4. Gans, Andrew. "Principal Casting Complete for Carnegie Hall 'Show Boat'" Playbill, May 7, 2008, retrieved November 23, 2017
  5. "Glover, Kelly, Van Dyke et al. Featured in July 4 Celebration to Air 7/2" broadwayworld.com, 2 July 2010
  6. "Gavin Lee Will Return to Broadway Cast of 'Mary Poppins'" Archived 13 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine Playbill
  7. "Gavin Lee Set to Join West End's 'Top Hat', Feb 5" broadwayworld.com, Retrieved 3 March 2013
  8. "Breaking News: 'Les Miserables' Announces New Leads for Second Year on Broadway; Plus Tony Nominee Ramin Karimloo Extends!" broadwayworld.com, Retrieved 31 January 2015
  9. Rickwald, Bethany. "Gavin Lee, Nick Blaemire, and More Join 'The SpongeBob Musica'l Cast" theatermania.com, February 19, 2016
  10. Barone, Joshua (5 June 2017). "SpongeBob SquarePants Musical to Open on Broadway". The New York Times.
  11. "'SpongeBob' Musical Will Close on Broadway and Plan for a Tour" nytimes.com, Retrieved 13 January 2019
  12. Clement, Olivia (30 April 2019). "Gavin Lee, Belinda Allyn, Tally Sessions, and More to Lead Paper Mill's Beauty and the Beast". Playbill. Retrieved 4 July 2019.
  13. "Fish Got to Swim, Birds Got to Fly, Genres Got to Meld" nytimes.com, Retrieved 24 January 2019
  14. "Killer Song" tv.com, retrieved April 14, 2019
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