Will Chase

Frank William Chase (born September 12, 1970), better known by his stage name Will Chase, is an American actor and singer, best known for his work in Broadway musicals and in his role as country superstar Luke Wheeler on ABC's Nashville.

Will Chase
Will Chase in 2006
Born (1970-09-12) September 12, 1970
Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S.
EducationOberlin College (BM)
OccupationActor, singer
Years active1998–present
Spouse(s)
Lori Chase
​
(
m. 1998; div. 2008)

Stephanie Gibson
​
(
m. 2009; div. 2012)
Partner(s)Ingrid Michaelson (2015–Present)
Children2

Early life and education

Chase was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, and is the youngest of three boys. He graduated from Western Hills High School and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied conducting with Robert Spano and majored in percussion.[1][2]

Chase attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music,[3] training as a percussionist and conductor.[4]

Career

Chase started his acting career in Chicago, performing in regional theater productions and received three Joseph Jefferson Award nominations. He then played Chris in the 2nd National Tour of Miss Saigon. He first performed on Broadway in 1998 as the Squeegee Man and Roger understudy in Rent in the role originated by Adam Pascal; he also starred as the last Roger in the final Broadway company of Rent, which was recorded for the theatrical release entitled Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway.[5][6] His additional Broadway credits include Miss Saigon (with the original star Lea Salonga playing Kim to close the Broadway production); The Full Monty, as Jerry Lukowski replacement (2001); Lennon (2005); Aida (Radames replacement, 2003–04), another role originated by Pascal; and Tony in Billy Elliot the Musical.[7] He was also in A Little Princess the Musical as Captain Crewe. In 2005, he played Neville Craven in the 2005 World AIDS Day The Secret Garden concert.[8]

In 2006, he starred in High Fidelity on Broadway, and starred as Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, for which he received a nomination for the 2009 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor.[9]

He appeared in The Pajama Game opposite Kate Baldwin at The Muny (St. Louis) in July 2007.[10] He starred in Oklahoma in 2007 at the Lyric Theatre opposite Kelli O'Hara, and on Broadway in the musical The Story of My Life in 2009.[11]

He was a nominee at the 2013 Tony Awards, nominated for Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as John Jasper / Mr. Clive Paget in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.[12]

Chase guest starred as Michael Swift in the NBC series Smash.[13] He then went on to play the role of country superstar Luke Wheeler on the television series Nashville. His other television appearances include Quantico, HBO's The Deuce, the recurring role of Pat Mahoney on Rescue Me, Cupid, Canterbury's Law, Law & Order, Third Watch, Conviction, and Queens Supreme, Hallmark's The Lost Valentine, alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Betty White; the 2011 season finale of Royal Pains (USA); Blue Bloods (CBS); and the ABC drama Pan Am. In 2012, he appeared on the series White Collar, in the episode "Neighborhood Watch", and appeared on the series Unforgettable, in the episode "The Comeback".

He played the title role in the 2013 film Butterflies of Bill Baker.[14] Chase voices Angee in A Warrior's Tail (2016).[15]

Chase assumed the role of William Shakespeare from Christian Borle on Broadway in the musical Something Rotten! on July 18, 2016.[16]

Chase played the character Byron Marks on the September 27, 2017 season opening of Law and Order: SVU titled “Gone Fishin”.

He played Neil Hargrove in the second season of the American supernatural horror-science fiction web television series, Stranger Things, which premiered on Netflix on October 27, 2017, and appears in HBO's drama Sharp Objects as Bob Nash.[17]

He portrayed Fred Graham/Petruchio opposite Kelli O'Hara in the 2019 Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate.[18]

Personal life

Chase has two daughters with Lori Chase, to whom he was married from 1998 to 2008[19] and was married to actress Stephanie Gibson from 2009[3] until their divorce in 2012.

He and Debra Messing had an on-again, off-again relationship from sometime in 2011 to 2014.[20][21]

He is in a relationship with musician Ingrid Michaelson.[22]

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2000ShaftWalter's FriendFilm
2001Fling (FOX network, created by Glenn Gordon Caron)Dan FieldsEpisode: #1.2 “In Genes We Trust”
2002Guiding LightStore ManagerEpisode dated August 14, 2002
2002Third WatchReillyEpisode: #4.8 “Ladies’ Day”
2003Queens SupremeADA PheifferEpisode: #1.1 “One Angry Man”
2003Law & OrderDavidEpisode: #13.11 “Chosen”
2004Everyday PeopleDad (uncredited)HBO Film
2004Law & OrderMellors’ Co-OwnerEpisode: #14.18 “Evil Breeds”
2006ConvictionDetective Dave LamanskiEpisode: #1.4 “Indebted”
2006As the World TurnsDr. LinnEpisode dated May 1, 2006
Episode dated May 3, 2006
2006All My ChildrenA.D.A. PhillipsEpisode #1.9395
2008Law & OrderDerek CahillEpisode: #18.4 “Bottomless”
2008Canterbury's LawArtie FlomEpisode: #1.3 “What Goes Around”
2008Rent: Filmed Live on BroadwayRoger DavisTV Film
2009Four Single FathersLanceFilm
2009CupidPeterEpisode: #1.6 “Left of the Dial”
2009Law & Order: Criminal IntentJacob GarretyEpisode: #8.15 “Passion”
2009One Life to LiveDr. Jason NanceEpisode: #1.10564 “Sing Along with Mitch”
Episode: #1.10565 “The Greenhouse Effect”
Episode: #1.10566 “Angel of Death”
Episode: #1.10567 “Dads Gone Wild”
2009–2010Rescue MePat MahoneyEpisode: #5.5 “Sheila”
Episode: #6.4 “Breakout”
Episode: #6.6 “Sanctuary”
Episode: #6.8 “Cowboy”
2011The Lost ValentineAndrew HawthorneTV Film
2011Royal PainsBenjamin RichardsEpisode: #2.18 “Listen to the Music”
2011Pan AmJohn StantonEpisode: #1.1 “Pilot”
2011Blue BloodsWilliam FloodEpisode: #2.3 “Critical Condition”
2012White CollarConnor BaileyEpisode: #3.13 “Neighborhood Watch”
2012UnforgettableReed BenedictEpisode: #1.18 “The Comeback”
2012–2013SmashMichael Swift10 episodes;
Recurring role (Season 1)
2013Necessary RoughnessDavid BlazeEpisode: #2.13 “Hits and Myths”
2013It Could Be WorsePervyEpisode: #1.6 “Him, I want Him”
2013Butterflies of Bill BakerBill BakerFilm
2013The OrdainedGavinTV Film
2013–2014The Good WifeDetective Doug YoungEpisode: #4.18 “Death of a Client”
Episode: #5.16 “The Last Call”
2013–2017NashvilleLuke Wheeler57 episodes;
Recurring role (Season 2)
Main role (Seasons 3–4)
Guest role (Seasons 5–6)
2015For RealBlaineTV Film
2015A Warrior's TailAnga (English version, voice)Film
2017Time After TimeGriffin Monroe12 episodes;
Main role (Season 1)
2017Law & Order: Special Victims UnitByron MarksEpisode: #19.1 “Gone Fishin’”
2017The DeuceJackEpisode: #1.4 “I See Money”
Episode: #1.5 “What Kind of Bad?”
2017
2019		Stranger ThingsNeil HargroveEpisode: #2.8 “Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer”
Episode: #3.6 “Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum”
2018American Crime StoryDetective Paul ScrimshawEpisode: #2.1 “The Man Who Would Be Vogue”
Episode: #2.2 “Manhunt”
Episode: #2.9 “Alone”
2018E-BowlaBig ThumperShort
2018QuanticoFrank MarlowEpisode: #3.6 “Heaven’s Fall”
Episode: #3.9 “Fear Feargach”
2018Sharp ObjectsBob Nash5 episodes;
Main role (Mini-Series)
2018–2019Madam SecretaryOwen CallisterEpisode: #5.4 “Requiem”
Episode: #5.18 “Ready”
Episode: #5.19 “The Great Experience”
Episode: #5.20 “Better Angels”
2018–presentImpulseSimonRecurring role
2019The VillageJohnEpisode: #1.1 “Pilot”
Episode: #1.3 “In Your Bones”
gollark: I am of course not responsible for any damage.
gollark: You could always use liquid fluorine.
gollark: Hydrogen is cheap.
gollark: Just make it with an onsite proton proton fusion reactor.
gollark: Liquid helium of course.

References
  1. Feldman, Ed. "Spotlight on Will Chase". Talkin' Broadway. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  2. BWW News Desk (January 8, 2009). "The Story of My Life". broadwayworld.com.
  3. "Weddings. Stephanie Gibson, Will Chase" The New York Times, November 14, 2009
  4. Kennedy, Mark. "Will Chase back on Broadway in a role he helped create" The Seattle Times, August 12, 2016
  5. "Rent". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  6. Jones, Kenneth (February 3, 2009). ""Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway" Appears on DVD and Blu-Ray Feb. 3". Playbill.
  7. "Will Chase". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  8. Gans, Andrew; Jones, Kenneth (November 11, 2005). "Chase, Pasquale, Cavenaugh and More Join All-Star Secret Garden Benefit Concert". Playbill.
  9. "Will Chase is Valentin in Signature's 'Spider Woman' with Di". BroadwayWorld.com. January 26, 2008.
  10. Gans, Andrew (July 23, 2007). "Chase and Baldwin Play The Pajama Game at the Muny Beginning July 23". Playbill.
  11. "The Story of My Life". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  12. Drood Playbill (vault). Retrieved July 24, 2019
  13. "Will Chase Joins the Cast of SMASH on NBC". Broadway World. August 29, 2011.
  14. "Butterflies of Bill Baker". IMDb. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  15. "Savva. Heart of the Warrior". IMDb. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  16. Hetrick, Adam. "Christian Borle Sets 'Something Rotten!' Departure" Playbill, June 23, 2016
  17. " Sharp Objects Cast and Crew" hbo.com. Retrieved July 24, 2019
  18. Clement, Olivia. "Kelli O’Hara to Return to Broadway in Kiss Me, Kate", Playbill, November 6, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2018
  19. Miller, Lynn (January 10, 2014). "Stars of Broadway Align for Theatrical Benefit at South". West Windsor & Plainsboro News.
  20. Lee, Esther; Brown, Brody. "Debra Messing and Will Chase Split After Nearly Two-and-a-Half Years of Dating" US Magazine, October 27, 2014
  21. Saad, Nadine. "Debra Messing and Will Chase split up after sparking during 'Smash'" Los Angeles Times, October 27, 2014
  22. "Ingrid Michaelson Dating Will Chase Following Split: Photo". Us Weekly. July 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2018.
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