Steve Blanchard

Steve Blanchard
Born (1958-12-04) December 4, 1958
Bryans Road, Maryland
Occupation Actor
Website http://www.steveblanchard.net/

Steve Blanchard (December 4, 1958) is an American stage actor best known for his musical theatre roles, being most closely associated with the role of Beast in the musical Beauty and the Beast, which he played both on Broadway and on tour for eleven years. In recent years, he has played the role of "Pa" in several regional theatre productions of the musical version of Little House on the Prairie. He also guest stars in television roles.

Early life and career

Blanchard was born in Baltimore, Maryland, according to Broadwayworld.[1] He attended the University of Maryland.[2]

After college, Blanchard performed in dinner theatre. In 1981, he played the title role in Hans Christian Andersen in New York City. After this, he appeared in productions in The Threepenny Opera in Boston at the Charles Playhouse; in Sleep of Reason at Baltimore's Center stage; in Godspell and Hot Mikado at the Ford's Theatre in Washington, DC; in The Robber Bridegroom at the West End in Virginia; and in Jesus Christ Superstar at Candlewood. He understudied Brent Spiner as Aramis in the 1984 Broadway revival of The Three Musketeers, but the show closed after a week, and Blanchard did not get the opportunity to perform the role.[2]

Broadway and later roles

Blanchard's first Broadway appearance was in the role of Lancelot Du Lac in the 1993 revival of Camelot and subsequent national tour. He then starred in the musical Beauty and the Beast as Gaston and the Beast, playing the latter role, both on Broadway and on tour for eleven years, ending in 2007.[3] Blanchard toured in the U.S. National companies of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1987, Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera in 1989 (in which he performed for almost three years), and Camelot in 1992.

Off-Broadway, Blanchard played the role of Johnny in the musical version of Johnny Guitar at the Century Center for the Performing Arts in March 2004.[4] He appeared in the off-Broadway musical Frankenstein, a New Musical, in 2007 as the title role.[5] He also appeared in An Oak Tree off-Broadway.

On national tours, Blanchard will play Joseph Pulitzer on the first national tour of Newsies which starts on October 22, 2014, with his wife, Meredith Inglesby (Hannah).

In regional theatre, he appeared in the musical Chess at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, New Jersey in 1992.[6][7] In the mid-1990s, he appeared St. Louis Rep's Esmeralda, Westbury's Annie Get Your Gun and Atlanta's South Pacific.[2] In 1995, he played the roles of "Fred" and the "Headless Ghost" in Alan Menken's version of A Christmas Carol at the Madison Square Garden theatre.[2] He has performed the role of "Pa" in productions of the stage musical version of Little House on the Prairie in regional theatres starting at the Guthrie Theatre, Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2008 and then the Paper Mill Playhouse, from September 2009-October 2009.[8] He portrayed Julian Marsh in 42nd Street at the TUTS, Houston, Texas in July 2009.[9]

On television, Blanchard has made guest appearances on prime-time shows such as Law & Order and Third Watch and in daytime dramas.[10] He also sang the title role in the original recording of the new musical, Sundown, based on the Legend of Doc Holliday. He has a solo CD, Northbound Train, on which he sings songs from shows that he has been in.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Some sources, including IMDB, say York, Pennsylvania
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "Career Biography" at SteveBlanchard.net
  3. ↑ Haun, Harry. "Playbill on Closing Night: Beauty and the Beast — A Roaring Success", playbill.com, July 31, 2007
  4. ↑ Simonson, Robert. "Goodnight, Vienna: Johnny Guitar Musical Opens Off-Broadway March 23", playbill.com, March 23, 2004
  5. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "To Life! Frankenstein Begins NYC Run With Foster, Noll and Blanchard Oct. 10", playbill.com, October 10, 2007
  6. ↑ BWW News Desk."Blanchard, Lindsay, Massey Join Gilbert in Paper Mill Playhouse's Little House on the Prairie-The Musical", broadwayworld.com, July 30, 2009
  7. ↑ Biography steveblanchard.net
  8. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Gilbert, Blanchard, Lindsay, Massey, Loprest Explore a Musical Prairie at Paper Mill, Opening Sept. 20", playbill.com, September 20, 2009
  9. ↑ Hetrick, Adam. "Swit, Miller, O'Bryan and Blanchard Cast in TUTS 42nd Street", playbill.com, June 12, 2009
  10. ↑ Listing at Internet Movie Database imdb.com

External links

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