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Brandon Uranowitz

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Brandon Uranowitz
Uranowitz at the 2023 Tony Awards
Born
Brandon Jacob Uranowitz

(1986-07-09) July 9, 1986 (age 38)
Livingston, New Jersey, U.S.
EducationNew York University (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • dancer
  • singer
Years active2009–present
PartnerZachary Prince (2011–present)

Brandon Jacob Uranowitz (born July 9, 1986) is an American actor.[1] He is known for his roles as Adam Hochberg in the musical An American in Paris (2014–15) and Mendel Weisenbachfeld in the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos, both of which earned him nominations for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He received a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play nomination for Burn This (2019) and won the award for Leopoldstadt (2022–23).[2][3] His other Broadway credits include Baby, It's You! (2011), Prince of Broadway (2017), and The Band's Visit (2018).

Early life

[edit]

Uranowitz grew up in West Orange, New Jersey and attended the nearby Montclair Kimberley Academy.[4] He is from a Jewish family and had a Bar Mitzvah.[5]

He began performing at age six and studied at Performers Theatre Workshop.[6] In the mid-1990s, he was a working child actor; professional roles included an ensemble member in Evita at the Paper Mill Playhouse (1996) and a swing in A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden. In 1997, he assumed the role of Little Boy in the world premiere of Ragtime in Toronto. He was also member of The Broadway Kids, a musical revue and recording project;[4] he performed live off-Broadway and appears on the 1998 album The Broadway Kids Back on Broadway.[7][8] Of Uranowitz's contribution as part of the ensemble cast, The New York Times wrote he "was a testament to youthful enthusiasm and lung power".[9]

He attended New York University and graduated in 2008 with a degree in theater arts from their Tisch School of the Arts.[10]

Career

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2006–2013: Early career and Broadway debut

[edit]

Uranowitz resumed his acting career while training at NYU; early on, he held the roles of Richard in Richard III and the King of France in All's Well That Ends Well at Classical Studio, Cardinal Bellarmin in Galileo at The Skirball Center (2007), and Dante in Only Children at The Abe Burrows Theatre.

Following graduation, he played the role of Feste in Twelfth Night at the Kirk Theatre off-Broadway (2009)[11] and the role of Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs / Broadway Bound in 2010 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.[12][13] Of Uranowitz's appearance as Feste in Twelfth Night, MusicOMH wrote "Uranowitz rocks it... ...playing the fool character with restrained glee,"[14] PlayShakespeare.com wrote, "Brandon Uranowitz' effortless command of the language and, again, his willingness to explore his characters' depth makes him absolutely spellbinding."[15] For his performance, Uranowitz received a PlayShakespeare.com Falstaff Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance, Male.[16]

His first role in a major production was as an ensemble member and understudy of Mark in the national tour of Rent.[17] Uranowitz made his Broadway debut in the 2011 jukebox musical Baby It's You!. He played the role of Stanley,[18] the blind composer and son of Florence Greenberg as played by Beth Leavel.[19][20][21] In their review of the musical, Variety noted that the "show is continually perked up by... ...Brandon Uranowitz (as a long-suffering press guy and Goldberg's blind son)."[20]

In 2013, he was cast in Michael Kahn's Washington, D.C. production of Torch Song Trilogy. He starred as Arnold in the four-hour unabridged version of the play and was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Play.[22]

During this time, Uranowitz has had minor appearances in the television series Law & Order: Criminal Intent, As the World Turns, and Inside Amy Schumer.

2014–present: Breakthrough and acclaim

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In 2014, he joined the original cast of the stage adaption of An American in Paris as composer Adam Hochberg. The show premiered in Paris at Théâtre du Châtelet in December 2014 and transferred to Broadway, opening in April 2015. He departed the show on August 7, 2016. The show was Uranowitz's breakthrough performance and netted him his first Tony Award nomination. He also portrayed Mrs. White in the 30th Anniversary one time tribute performance of the classic film Clue in December 2015.[23]

Uranowitz joined the first revival of 1992 musical Falsettos, which opened on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre on October 27, 2016, as a limited engagement. He portrayed Mendel, a psychiatrist, opposite Christian Borle as Marvin, Andrew Rannells as Whizzer, and Stephanie J. Block as Trina. For his performance, he received a 2017 Drama Desk Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.[3] His turn as Mendel in Falsettos received rave reviews. He was called "warmly funny and convincingly neurotic" as Mendel by The New York Times,[24] "wholly endearing" by Entertainment Weekly,[25] and The Hollywood Reporter said "Uranowitz is a worthy successor to the wonderful Chip Zien in the original production. He flirts with the stereotypical view of a Jewish therapist only marginally less messed-up than his patients, while also finding the truth in a compassionate man who has to convince himself of his right to be happy".[26] Vulture said that Uranowitz offered "an unusually sexy Mendel".[27]

Uranowitz appeared in the revue Prince of Broadway, which opened on Broadway in August 2017 and closed in October 2017. The revue featured the work of the director and producer Harold Prince.[28][29] Beginning in October 2018, he performed for four months in The Band's Visit on Broadway, replacing John Cariani. He subsequently played Larry in a limited run of Burn This on Broadway, opposite Adam Driver and Keri Russell. For his role, Uranowitz received nominations for the Drama Desk Award and Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.

In fall 2019, it was announced that he would star in a limited-run off-Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at the Classic Stage Company in spring 2020.[30] The production was postponed to late 2021 due to the global pandemic. In 2020, he took part in the amfAR COVID-19 relief benefit The Great Work Begins, a live streamed event featuring scenes from Angels in America. He performed in the role of Louis Ironson.[31] In 2022, he appeared in the Broadway run of the Tom Stoppard play Leopoldstadt, for which he won a Tony Award.

Some of his screen acting credits during this time include a three episode arc in 2018 on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Buzz Goldberg, a Catskills activities director, and the 2021 Billy Crystal feature film Here Today.

Personal life

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He is openly gay.[32] As of 2011, Uranowitz is in a relationship with actor Zachary Prince. They met at the audition for Baby It's You! and Prince was subsequently cast as Uranowitz's understudy.[33]

Acting credits

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Theatre

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Selected credits

Year(s) Title Role Theatre Director(s) Ref.
1997 Ragtime Little Boy (replacement) Ford Centre for the Performing Arts Frank Galati
2009 Twelfth Night Feste Wild Project Stephen Stout
[34]
2009–2010 Rent Mark Cohen (u/s) U.S National Tour Michael Greif
[17]
2010 Broadway Bound Eugene Jerome Old Globe Theatre Scott Schwartz
2011 Baby, It's You! Stanley Greenberg, Murray Schwartz, Johnny Cymbal, Kingsman Broadhurst Theatre Sheldon Epps
[35]
2013 Torch Song Trilogy Arnold The Studio Theatre Michael Kahn
2014–2015 An American in Paris Adam Hochberg Théâtre du Châtelet Christopher Wheeldon
[36]
2015–2016 Palace Theatre
[37]
2016–2017 Falsettos Mendel Walter Kerr Theatre James Lapine
[38]
2017 Prince of Broadway Various roles Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Harold Prince and Susan Stroman
[28]
Man of La Mancha Sancho Panza / Cervantes' Manservant Merkin Concert Hall Jack Cummings III
[39]
2018 Grand Hotel Otto Kringelein New York City Center Joshua Rhodes
[40]
The Band's Visit Itzik (replacement) Ethel Barrymore Theatre David Cromer
[41]
2019 Burn This Larry Hudson Theatre Michael Mayer
[42]
Road Show Addison Mizner New York City Center Will Davis
[43]
2021–2022 Assassins Leon Czolgosz Classic Stage Company John Doyle
[44]
2022–2023 Leopoldstadt Ludwig Jakobovicz, Nathan Fischbein Longacre Theatre Patrick Marber
[45]
2024 Tick, Tick... Boom! Jon Kennedy Center Neil Patrick Harris
[46]
Titanic J. Bruce Ismay New York City Center Anne Kauffman
[47]
Ragtime Tateh Lear deBessonet
[48]

Readings

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Year Title Role Theatre Notes Ref.
2015 Clue Mrs. White The Players 30th Anniversary tribute

Film

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Year Title Role Ref.
2014 Stage Fright Artie Getz
[49]
2018 Goodbye, Brooklyn Nicolas
[49]
2019 The Kitchen Shmuli Chudakoff
[49]
2021 Here Today Justin

Television

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Year Title Role Notes Ref.
2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Dovid Episode: "Rock Star"
[49]
TBD As the World Turns Day Player Uncredited
[50]
2013 Inside Amy Schumer Generations Instructor Episode: "Real Sext"
[49]
TBD The Soul Man U 5 Uncredited
[50]
2017 Falsettos: Live from Lincoln Center Mendel Filmed stage production
[49]
Blue Bloods Michael Goldman Episode: "Pick Your Poison"
[49]
2018 Dietland Pablo Episode: "F... This"
[49]
2018–2022 The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel Buzz Goldberg 4 episodes
[49]
2019 Fosse/Verdon Dustin Hoffman Episode: "All I Care About Is Love"
[51]

Discography

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Cast recordings

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  • 2011: Baby It's You! (Original Cast Recording); featured on 2 tracks
  • 2015: An American in Paris (Original Broadway Cast Recording); featured on 6 tracks
  • 2016: Falsettos (2016 Broadway Cast Recording); featured on 14 tracks
  • 2018: Prince of Broadway (Original Broadway Cast Recording); featured on 3 tracks
  • 2022: Assassins (Studio Cast Recording); featured on 5 tracks
  • 2022: The Violet Hour (The 2022 Off-Broadway Cast Recording); featured on 8 tracks

Awards and nominations

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Name of the award ceremony, year presented, category, nominee of the award, and the result of the nomination
Award Year Category Nominated work Result
Drama Desk Award 2017 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Falsettos Nominated
2019 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play Burn This Nominated
2023 Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play Leopoldstadt Won
Falstaff Award 2009 Best Supporting Performance, Male[52] Twelfth Night Nominated
Grammy Awards 2016 Best Musical Theater Album An American in Paris Nominated
Helen Hayes Award 2014 Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play Torch Song Trilogy Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award 2023 Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play Leopoldstadt Won
Tony Awards 2015 Best Featured Actor in a Musical An American in Paris Nominated
2017 Falsettos Nominated
2019 Best Featured Actor in a Play Burn This Nominated
2023 Leopoldstadt Won

References

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  1. ^ "Brandon Uranowitz". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  2. ^ "Tony Awards 2015: Complete list of winners and nominees". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  3. ^ a b Piepenburg, Erik (May 2, 2017). "Tony Awards 2017: The Full List of Nominations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  4. ^ a b Merwyn, Ted (October 19, 2016). "Growing Into His Jewish Roles". The Jewish Week. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
  5. ^ "LiveatFive with Brandon Uranowitz". Broadway.com. June 8, 2017. at 11:20 and 12:55
  6. ^ "Hall of Fame". Performers Theatre Workshop. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  7. ^ McGrath, Sean (October 30, 1998). "Broadway Kids Return to Off-Broadway's Fairbanks Theatre, Oct. 31". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Back on Broadway - The Broadway Kids". AllMusic. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  9. ^ Graeber, Laurel (January 9, 1998). "Family Fare". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  10. ^ "Tisch Alumni on Playbill's Big 10 on Broadway". NYU: Tisch School. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  11. ^ Wilson, Gregory (January 2009). "Review, Twelfth Night". Curtain Up. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  12. ^ Lowerison, Jean (October 7, 2010). "Old Globe double-dips with Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Broadway Bound"". San Diego Gay & Lesbian News. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  13. ^ Hebert, James (September 26, 2010). "Globe's 'Broadway' a brooding return to Brooklyn". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  14. ^ Patterson, Richard (September 2, 2012). "review: Twelfth Night". musicOMH. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
  15. ^ Barbot, Matthew (January 15, 2009). "If Music Be the Food of Love, Rock On". PlayShakespeare.com. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  16. ^ "Falstaff Awards for 2009". PlayShakespeare.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  17. ^ a b Lapointe, André (January 10, 2010). "Rent: The Broadway Tour". Regard en Coulisse (in French). Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  18. ^ Brown, Scott (April 27, 2011). "Black Music Gets Whitewashed Again in Baby It's You!". New York. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  19. ^ Winer, Linda (September 2, 2012). "review: "Baby It's You!". Newsday. Melville, NY. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
  20. ^ a b Suskin, Steven (April 27, 2011). "review: Baby It's You!". Variety. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  21. ^ Isherwood, Charles (April 27, 2011). "review: "Baby It's You!". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
  22. ^ Markowitz, Joel (April 21, 2014). "Here are the 2014 Helen Hayes Awards Recipients". DC Metro Theater Arts. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  23. ^ Clement, Olivia (December 7, 2015). "Michael Urie and Brandon Uranowitz Headline Celebrity Performance of Clue". Playbill.
  24. ^ Isherwood, Charles (October 27, 2016). "Review: 'Falsettos,' a Perfect Musical, an Imperfect Family". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  25. ^ Bernardo, Melissa Rose. "'Falsettos': EW Stage Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  26. ^ Rooney, David. "'Falsettos': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  27. ^ Green, Jesse (October 28, 2016). "Theater Review: Fizzing in Every Direction, Falsettos Marches Back to Broadway". Vulture. Retrieved December 20, 2016.
  28. ^ a b Lefkowitz, Andy (April 6, 2017). "Brandon Uranowitz, Emily Skinner, Tony Yazbeck & More to Star in Prince of Broadway". Broadway.com. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  29. ^ McPhee, Ryan (September 19, 2017). "Prince of Broadway Extends Limited Engagement". Playbill. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  30. ^ Musbach, Julie (September 24, 2019). "Steven Pasquale, Will Swenson, Brandon Uranowitz, Judy Kuhn & Wesley Taylor Will Star in CSC's ASSASSINS". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  31. ^ "The Great Work Begins". The Great Work Begins. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  32. ^ Wong, Curtis (June 5, 2017). "This Tony Nominee Doesn't Want Praise For Playing A Straight Guy". HuffPost.
  33. ^ Spaner, Whitney (July 10, 2016). "What Happens When You Have a Crush on Your Standby?". Playbill.
  34. ^ Diamond, Robert. "New York Neo-Classical Ensemble Presents Twelfth Night Jan. 8–24, 2009". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  35. ^ Hetrick, Adam (January 24, 2011). "Shirelles Musical Baby It's You!, With Beth Leavel, Will Play the Broadhurst; Complete Cast Announced". Playbill. Archived from the original on January 27, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
  36. ^ Gans, Andrew (December 10, 2014). "Broadway-Bound An American in Paris Opens in Paris Tonight". Playbill. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  37. ^ Gans, Andrew (July 17, 2014). "An American in Paris Will Open at Broadway's Palace in 2015". Playbill. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
  38. ^ Paulson, Michael (March 31, 2016). "'Falsettos' Revival Casts Its Leads: Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells and Stephanie J. Block". The New York Times.
  39. ^ Levitt, Hayley (December 8, 2017). "Brandon Uranowitz, Alexandra Silber, and More Join Man of La Mancha in Concert". Theater Mania.
  40. ^ McPhee, Ryan (February 14, 2018). "Brandon Uranowitz, Stephanie Styles, James Snyder, and More Set for Encores! Grand Hotel". Playbill.
  41. ^ Clement, Olivia (September 18, 2018). "Brandon Uranowitz to Join Broadway's The Band's Visit". Playbill.
  42. ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (November 27, 2018). "Brandon Uranowitz & David Furr to Join Keri Russell & Adam Driver in Burn This at Broadway's Hudson Theatre". Broadway.com.
  43. ^ Road Show NYCC
  44. ^ Assassins Off-Broadway Revival Opens November 14 at Classic Stage Company
  45. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (August 17, 2022). "Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, David Krumholtz, More on Broadway's Upcoming Leopoldstadt". Playbill. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
  46. ^ Brandon Uranowitz, Denée Benton, Grey Henson to Star in Kennedy Center Tick, Tick...BOOM!
  47. ^ Ramin Karimloo, Bonnie Milligan, Chuck Cooper, Judy Kuhn, More Will Star in Encores! Titanic
  48. ^ Joshua Henry, Caissie Levy, and Brandon Uranowitz Will Star in City Center Ragtime
  49. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Brandon Uranowitz". IMDb.
  50. ^ a b "Backstage: Brandon Uranowitz". Backstage. Archived from the original on July 27, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
  51. ^ "Fosse/Verdon (TV Series 2019– ) - Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.
  52. ^ "Falstaff Awards 2009". Playshakespeare.com. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
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