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Derek Klena

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Derek Klena
Klena at the 2022 Tony Awards
Born
Derek Anthony Klena

(1991-10-03) October 3, 1991 (age 33)
San Dimas, California, U.S.
EducationSouth Hills High School
Alma materUniversity of California, Los Angeles
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active2009-present
Known forAnastasia
Moulin Rouge!
Jagged Little Pill
Spouse
Elycia Scriven
​
(m. 2018)​
Children2[1]

Derek Anthony Klena (born October 3, 1991)[2][3] is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his work on Broadway, including originating the roles of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill (2019–2021), Dmitry in Anastasia (2017–2018), and Michael in The Bridges of Madison County (2014). His breakthrough was in the original Off-Broadway production of Pasek & Paul's stage adaptation of Dogfight,[4] and he played Fiyero in the 10th anniversary company of Wicked on Broadway. Klena most recently portrayed Christian in the Broadway company of Moulin Rouge! replacing Aaron Tveit in the role on and off from 2022 to 2024. He has made appearances on several television series such as Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, The Code, and Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin.

In 2020, Klena was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill.[5]

Life and career

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Klena was born in San Dimas, California.[6] He grew up with his two younger siblings in West Covina, California, outside of Los Angeles, where he attended South Hills High School.[6] His brother, Dillon, is also an actor.[7]

He attended the University of California, Los Angeles where he initially studied theater but switched his major to psychology.[8] His freshman year he played baseball before seriously pursuing acting and auditioning. From 2009 to 2011, he took part in regional Southern California theater. He participated in American Idol's ninth season.[8] Around 2010, Klena was invited to audition as a standby for Aaron Tveit in the Broadway musical Catch Me If You Can after show producer Marc Shaiman contacted Klena regarding a cover he did of its song "Goodbye" at a Los Angeles cabaret show. He did not get cast but was subsequently invited to audition for the workshop of Carrie. He took a leave of absence at UCLA in his junior year to take part in the 2012 Off-Broadway revival of Carrie.[9]

He originated the role of Eddie Birdlace in the stage adaptation of Dogfight. In 2013, he played Fiyero in the 10th anniversary company of Wicked on Broadway.[10] Subsequently, he played son Michael Johnson in the original Broadway musical The Bridges of Madison County.

In 2014, he was cast in the pre-Broadway musical adaptation of the 1982 film Diner at the Signature Theatre in Virginia. Adapted by original screenwriter Barry Levinson and with music by Sheryl Crow, the musical originally planned to open on Broadway but did not transfer.[11]

In 2016, he was cast to star as Dmitry in the original production of Anastasia, the stage musical adaptation of the animated film of the same name. Premiering in Hartford, Connecticut, in March 2016, it opened on Broadway in April 2017. After a year with the production, he left to take part in the original Cambridge, Massachusetts, production of Jagged Little Pill, a musical based on the music of Alanis Morissette.[12] The Broadway production opened in December 2019. Klena was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Nick Healy.[5] The show went on hiatus in March 2020 and reopened in October 2021 but closed a few months later due to the Omicron surge in New York City.

In May 2022, he replaced Aaron Tveit as Christian in Moulin Rouge! on Broadway. He left the cast in January 2023 and returned in April that same year for three months.[13] In February 2023, he starred as Joe Gillis opposite Stephanie J. Block as Norma in Sunset Boulevard at the Kennedy Center.[14] On 8 January 2024, it was announced Klena would return to Moulin Rouge! on 6 February replacing Casey Cott. He left the cast on 21 July.[15]

He resides in New York City. Klena married his longtime girlfriend Elycia Scriven in 2018. In April 2022, Klena and his wife announced that they were expecting their first child.[16][17][18] The couple welcomed a son, Dax Arthur Klena, on September 8, 2022.[19]

Stage credits

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Selected credits[20]

Year Title Role Venue Notes
2009 Big River Huckleberry Finn Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre
High School Musical Troy Bolton Candlelight Pavilion Dinner Theatre
2010 Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Joseph Performance Riverside
2011 Glory Days Will Lillian Theatre Los Angeles Revival
Hairspray Ensemble Hollywood Bowl
Link Larkin Carpenter Performing Arts Center
2012 Carrie Tommy Ross Lucille Lortel Theatre Off-Broadway
Dogfight Eddie Birdlace Second Stage Theater
2013 Wicked Fiyero Tigelaar Gershwin Theatre Broadway replacement
2014 The Bridges of Madison County Michael Johnson Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre Original Broadway cast
2014–2015 Diner Boogie Signature Theatre
2015 Unknown Soldier Francis Grand Williamstown Theatre Festival
Diner Boogie Delaware Theatre Company
2016 Anastasia Dmitry Hartford Stage Out-of-town tryout
2017-2018 Broadhurst Theatre Original Broadway cast
2018 Jagged Little Pill Nick Healy American Repertory Theater Out-of-town tryout
2019-2021 Broadhurst Theatre Original Broadway cast
2022–2023 Moulin Rouge! The Musical Christian Al Hirschfeld Theatre Broadway replacement
2023 Sunset Boulevard Joe Gillis Kennedy Center
2023 Moulin Rouge! The Musical Christian Al Hirschfeld Theatre Broadway replacement
2024 Glory Days Andy Symphony Space[21] Off-Broadway
Moulin Rouge! The Musical Christian Al Hirschfeld Theatre Broadway replacement

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2013 The Tomorrow People Dylan Episode: "Pilot"
2014 The Carrie Diaries Pvt. Robert Watson Episode: "Date Expectations"
2015 Law & Order: SVU Connor Howell Episode: "Devastating Story"
One Bad Choice Drew Episode: "Stephan Perez"
2016–2018 Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Douglas Fingablast / DJ Fingablast 3 episodes
2016 Blue Bloods Cormac Phillips Episode: "Down the Rabbit Hole"
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Brandon Schmidt Episode: "Doping"
Quantico Eric Boyer Episode: "Kubark"
2019 The Code Adam Turnbull / Lt. Adam Turnbull 5 episodes
2022–2024 Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin Wes Recurring Character
2022 A Holiday Spectacular John Television Film

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Work Result
2012 Clive Barnes Award Clive Barnes Award for Theatre Dogfight Nominated
2020 Tony Award Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical Jagged Little Pill Nominated
2023 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award Favorite Replacement Moulin Rouge Won

References

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  1. ^ https://www.instagram.com/derek_klena/
  2. ^ "Derek Klena - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  3. ^ "From Wicked to Anastasia: Take a Look at Derek Klena on the Stage - Playbill". Playbill. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  4. ^ "Dogfight". Broadway.com. Retrieved January 6, 2018.
  5. ^ a b Libbey, Peter (October 15, 2020). "Full List of the 2020 Tony Award Nominees". The New York Times. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Player Bio: Derek Klena - UCLA Official Athletic Site". UCLA. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  7. ^ Moynihan, Caitlin (August 2, 2022). "Dillon Klena, Lauren Chanel, Jade McLeod & More Set for Jagged Little Pill Tour". Broadway.com. Retrieved September 14, 2022.
  8. ^ a b JK. "TheatreScene Chat: An Interview with CARRIE's Derek Klena (Part 1)". Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  9. ^ "#FFB: Derek Klena". Fit For Broadway. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  10. ^ Gioia, Michael (October 31, 2013). ""Wonderful": Lindsay Mendez, Derek Klena, Alli Mauzey and Cast of Wicked Soar at Musical's Tenth Anniversary on Broadway". Retrieved March 30, 2017.
  11. ^ Rooney, David (March 18, 2014). "Sheryl Crow and Barry Levinson's 'Diner' Musical Sets New Opening". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  12. ^ McPhee, Ryan (March 20, 2018). "Anastasia's Derek Klena, Fun Home Alum Lauren Patten, More Join Alanis Morissette Musical Jagged Little Pill". Retrieved August 19, 2018.
  13. ^ Aaron Tveit to Rejoin Moulin Rouge! on Broadway; Further Casting Changes Announced
  14. ^ Derek Klena, Auli'i Cravalho, and Nathan Gunn Join Kennedy Center's Upcoming Sunset Boulevard
  15. ^ Derek Klena to Return to Broadway's Moulin Rouge! The Musical
  16. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (September 24, 2018). "Broadway Favorite Derek Klena Marries Elycia Scriven". Playbill.
  17. ^ Musbach, Julie (September 24, 2018). "Wedding Bells Ring for Derek Klena and Elycia Scriven". BroadwayWorld.
  18. ^ Lindert, Hattie (April 20, 2022). "Derek Klena and Wife Elycia Are Expecting Their First Baby: 'You're About to Light up Our Life'". People.
  19. ^ Andalora, Angela (September 13, 2022). "Broadway's Derek Klena and Wife Elycia Welcome First Baby Together: 'Beyond in Love'". People. Retrieved September 13, 2022.
  20. ^ "Derek Klena theatre profile". www.abouttheartists.com. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
  21. ^ Derek Klena, Colton Ryan, Jordan Dobson, George Salazar Star in Glory Days Concert February 12
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