Anthony Rapp
Anthony Rapp | |
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At an annual charity event by BCEF, September 2006 | |
Born |
Anthony Deane Rapp October 26, 1971 Joliet, Illinois, United States |
Occupation | Actor, Singer |
Years active | 1981–present |
Anthony Deane Rapp[1] (born October 26, 1971) is an American stage and film actor and singer best known for originating the role of Mark Cohen in the Broadway production of Rent in 1996 and later for reprising the role in the film version and the Broadway Tour of Rent in 2009. He also performed the role of Charlie Brown in the 1999 Broadway revival of You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown.
Early life
Rapp was born in Joliet, Illinois, the son of Mary Lee (née Baird) and Douglas Rapp, a computer specialist.[2][3] After his parents' divorce, he was raised by his mother, a trained nurse.[4]
Rapp attended high school at Joliet West High School in Joliet, Illinois and theatre camp at Interlochen Arts Camp. In junior high school, Rapp won numerous awards for his singing.[5] His brother is playwright, novelist, and filmmaker Adam Rapp.
Career
Rapp first performed on Broadway in 1981 in the musical The Little Prince and the Aviator, a musical based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry's novel The Little Prince. The show closed during previews. He also appeared in the 1987 film Adventures in Babysitting, which was directed by Chris Columbus. Columbus would later direct Rapp in the film version of Rent. He has appeared in several movies and Broadway shows, most notably as intellectuals. His notable work includes such films as Dazed and Confused, A Beautiful Mind, School Ties, Road Trip, Six Degrees of Separation (stage and film versions), An American Family, Danny Roane: First Time Director and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.[6]
Rapp is best known for playing Mark Cohen in the off-Broadway and original Broadway casts of Jonathan Larson's musical Rent. For his audition for the musical, Rapp sang R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion", and received his callback in September 1994.[5] After being offered the role, Jonathan Larson even wrote new songs with Rapp's voice in mind.[7] He reprised that role in the film adaptation, which was released on November 23, 2005.
In 2000, Rapp released a solo CD, entitled Look Around. He returned to Rent on July 30, 2007, for a six-week run, along with original cast member Adam Pascal.[8] Rapp and Adam Pascal continued in their return to Broadway's Rent through October 7 at the Nederlander Theatre.[9]
Rapp and Pascal, along with fellow original cast member Gwen Stewart, reprised their roles of Mark and Roger in a national tour of Rent beginning January 6, 2009.[10][11]
Rapp played the role of Lucas in If/Then, which starred fellow Rent alum Idina Menzel. If/Then played the National Theatre in Washington, D.C., and began previews on Broadway on March 5, 2014, and opened on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater on March 30, 2014. It closed on March 22, 2015. Rapp reprises the role in select performances of the 2015-2016 National Tour, along with Menzel and the rest of the main Broadway cast.
Rapp also appeared in the television special Psych: The Musical, which premiered on USA Network on December 15, 2013.
Personal life
Although Metro Weekly labeled him "one of the first openly gay men on Broadway," [12][13] Rapp has rejected the label of "gay" and instead identifies as "queer," as explained in a 1997 interview with Oasis Magazine:
I don't want to get into labels, but I've never labeled myself except to say I'm queer. The things that's been most important to me to be out about is that I have been in loving relationships with men. That is what I think is most important with any kind of visibility at this point is for people to see that ... yes, certainly it's about sex, people have sex, but ... what's most important who you love and are in love with[.] So, how I've come out is by thanking the man I love in the bio. I haven't said 'I am gay.' Because the truth is that I've also been in love with women, although the truth is I do think I'm primarily homosexual. But the whole debate about bisexuality gets tiresome to me and I don't want to enter into it. People have such misconceptions about it. I'm really happy that right now there's a great conversation going on about fluidity, because I think that for a lot of people, that's the case.[14]
Work
Television
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1990 | Sky High | Wes Hansen | TV movie |
1994 | Assault at West Point: The Court-Martial of Johnson Whittaker | Cadet Frederick G. Hodgson | TV movie |
1996 | The Lazarus Man | Verity | 1 episode |
1997 | The X-Files | Jeff Glaser | 1 episode |
2000 | The Beach Boys: An American Family | Van Dyke Parks | TV movie |
2004 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Matt Spevak | 1 episode |
2006–07 | Kidnapped | Larry Kellogg | 4 episodes |
2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Nathan Forrester | 1 episode |
2013 | Psych: The Musical | Z | 1 episode (TV special) |
2014 | It Could Be Worse | Casting Director | 1 episode |
2015 | Stop the Bleeding | Buster | 2 episodes |
The Knick | Dr. Thurman Drexler | 2 episodes |
Theatre
Year | Production | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
Unknown | Youth is Broken | Unknown | off-Broadway |
1981 | Evita | Unknown | Regional |
1982 | The Little Prince and the Aviator | The Little Prince | Broadway; never opened |
1986 | Precious Sons | Freddy | Broadway; Mar. 20 - May 10, 1986 |
1990 | Six Degrees of Separation | Ben/Woody (u/s)/Doug (u/s) | Broadway; Nov. 8, 1990 - Jan. 5, 1992 |
1992 | The Destiny of Me | Alexander Weeks | off-Broadway |
1993 | Sophistry | Jack Kahn | off-Broadway |
1994 | Trafficking in Broken Hearts | Bobby | off-Broadway |
1995 | Raised in Captivity | Dylan Taylor Sinclair/Roger | off-Broadway |
Rent | Mark Cohen | off-Broadway; 1995 | |
1996 | Broadway; 1996-97 | ||
1997 | National Tour | ||
1998 | West End | ||
Bright Lights, Big City | Unknown | off-Broadway | |
1999 | You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown | Charlie Brown | Broadway; Feb. 4 - Jun. 13, 1999 |
2001 | Nocturne | Unknown | Berkely Repertory Theatre |
2002 | Henry V | Commonwealth Shakespeare Company | |
2003 | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Hedwig | Brighton Fringe |
Private Jokes Public Places | William | off-Broadway | |
2004 | Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour Krelbourn | National tour |
2005 | The 24 Hour Plays | Trisan | Broadway; special benefit production |
2006 | Rent | Mark Cohen | Broadway; 10th anniversary reunion concert |
2007 | Broadway; Jul. 30 - Oct. 7, 2007 | ||
Spalding Gray: Stories Left to Tell | Performer | off-Broadway | |
2008 | Without You | Anthony Rapp | International tour; 2008 - 2011 |
Some Americans Abroad | Henry McNeil | off-Broadway | |
2009 | Rent | Mark Cohen | National tour |
2012 | Pop! | Unknown | City Theatre |
Without You | Anthony Rapp | West End | |
2014 | If/Then | Lucas | Broadway; Mar. 30, 2014 - Mar. 22, 2015 |
2015 | National tour; Oct. 13, 2015 - present |
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1987 | Adventures in Babysitting | Daryl Coopersmith | |
1989 | Grave Secrets | Jamie | |
Far From Home | Pinky Sears | ||
1992 | School Ties | Richard "McGoo" Collins | |
1993 | Dazed and Confused | Tony Olson | |
Six Degrees of Separation | Ben | ||
1996 | Twister | Tony | |
The Mantis Murder | Unknown | ||
1997 | David Searching | David | |
1999 | Man of the Century | Timothy Burns | |
2000 | Road Trip | Jacob Schultz | |
2001 | Cruise Control | Mirror Man | Short |
A Beautiful Mind | Bender | ||
2002 | Paradisco | L'ami américain | Short |
2004 | Open House | Barry Farnsworth | |
2005 | Rent | Mark Cohen | |
Happy Endings | Dean | ||
2006 | Danny Roane: First Time Director | Self | |
2007 | Let Them Chirp Awhile | Self | |
Blackbird | Unknown | ||
2008 | Scaring the Fish | Gene | |
2009 | The Other Woman | Simon | |
2012 | Junction | Connor | |
2014 | Grind | Vincent | Short |
2015 | Not Again | Dr. Thom | Short |
2016 | Opening Night | Logan Joyce | post-production |
Modern Love | Daniel | post-production | |
Dreamland | Brad | completed |
Discography
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1996 | Rent (original Broadway cast recording) | Solos on twenty-two tracks |
1999 | You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown (new Broadway cast recording) | Solos on nine tracks |
2000 | Look Around | Solo album |
2012 | Without You (original cast recording) | Solo album |
2014 | If/Then (original Broadway cast recording) | Solos on six tracks |
Concerts
Start Date | End Date | Title | # of shows | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jan 10, 2011 | New York Town Hall | 1 | With Adam Pascal | |
Apr 12, 2012 | Highline Ballroom | 1 | With Adam Pascal | |
Nov. 23, 2012 | Nov. 24, 2012 | 54 Below | 2 | |
Oct. 20, 2014 | Emelin Theatre | 1 | ||
Mar. 30, 2015 | B.B. King Blues Club and Grill | 1 | With Adam Pascal, Mandy Gonzalez, Lindsay Mendez, Marcus Paul James, and Telly Leung |
Autobiography
Release | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
2006 | Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent | Published by Simon & Schuster |
Awards and Nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1986 | Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Precious Sons | Won |
Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
1996 | Obie Award | Special Citatons | Rent | Won |
2001 | ACC Award | Best Ensemble Cast | A Beautiful Mind | Nominated |
Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture | Nominated | ||
2005 | Stinkers Bad Movie Award | Worst Song Performance | Rent | Nominated |
2006 | Broadcast Film Critics Association Award | Best Song Performance | Nominated | |
Best Acting Ensemble | Nominated | |||
OFTA Film Award | Best Adapted Music | Nominated | ||
2014 | Broadway.com Audience Award | Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical | If/Then | Won |
References
- ↑ "Twitter / Anthony Rapp: Someone was messing with m". Twitter.com. 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ↑ "STAGE TO SCREENS: Chatting with Playwright and Screenwriter Adam Rapp". Playbill.com. 2006-02-20. Retrieved 2012-03-06.
- ↑ "Life in the Rapp family". Retrieved 24 April 2016.
- ↑ Wiegand, David (February 21, 2006). "From musical to memoir, actor Anthony Rapp comes up with dramatic making-of 'Rent' story and moving personal one". San Francisco Chronicle.
- 1 2 Rapp, Anthony (2006). Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 309. ISBN 0-7432-6976-4.
- ↑ Anthony Rapp's official website
- ↑ Rapp, Anthony (2006). Without You: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and the Musical Rent. Simon & Schuster. ISBN 978-0743269773.
- ↑ Brian Scott Lipton (August 21, 2007). "Pascal and Rapp Extend Rent Engagement Until October 7". TheaterMania. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ↑ Kenneth Jones; Robert Simonson (August 21, 2007). "Pascal and Rapp, Bohemian Heroes for a New Generation of Rent-Heads, Extend to Oct. 7". Playbill. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ↑ Kenneth Jones (February 28, 2008). "Playbill News: Pascal and Rapp Will Tour in Rent in 2009". Playbill. Retrieved 2008-06-11.
- ↑ Rent tour schedule
- ↑ Rule, Doug (April 12, 2012). "Rapp Star". Metro Weekly. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
- ↑ Hensley, Dennis (January 8, 2002). "From Rent to Russell". Retrieved June 26, 2014.
- ↑ Anthony Rapp: Rent-able role model. Oasis Magazine. Interview with Jeff Walsh. Retrieved June 26, 2014.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Anthony Rapp. |
- Official website
- Anthony Rapp at the Internet Broadway Database
- Anthony Rapp at the Internet Movie Database
- Review of Without You from Kirkus Reviews
- Anthony Rapp sings at The Booksmith in San Francisco
- "Out Out Damn Spot" Fanlisting
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