Hugh Panaro (born February 19, 1964) is an American actor and singer known for his work on
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
.
Early life
Panaro was born in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
,
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
and resided in the East Oak Lane section of the city with his family. As a schoolchild, he attended St. Helena’s parochial school in the adjoining Philadelphia neighborhood of Olney. He played organ for the parish church from age twelve. Panaro graduated from
La Salle College High School
, motto_translation = Character and Knowledge
, location = 8605 Cheltenham Avenue
, city = Wyndmoor
, county = ( Montgomery County)
, state = Pennsylvania
, zipcode ...
, in Springfield (
Montgomery County, Pennsylvania
Montgomery County is a County (United States), county in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. It is the List of counties in Pennsylvania, third-most populous county in Pennsylvania and the List of the most populous cou ...
) in 1982.
Career
Having a love for animals since childhood, he considered becoming a
veterinarian
A veterinarian (vet), also known as a veterinary surgeon or veterinary physician, is a medical professional who practices veterinary medicine. They manage a wide range of health conditions and injuries in non-human animals. Along with this, vet ...
, an ambition which was never fulfilled as he fell in love with theater after having seen his first Broadway musical, starring fellow Philadelphian
Andrea McArdle
Andrea McArdle is an American singer and actress best known for originating the role of Annie in the Broadway musical '' Annie''.
Career
McArdle was born in Philadelphia. While studying dance as a child, she was spotted by a talent agent who got ...
, as an adolescent. Hugh appeared in high school productions of ''
Godspell
''Godspell'' is a musical composed by Stephen Schwartz with book by John-Michael Tebelak. The show is structured as a series of parables, primarily based on the Gospel of Matthew, interspersed with music mostly set to lyrics from traditional hym ...
'' and ''
Pippin
Pippin or Pepin may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Pippin (comics), ''Pippin'' (comics), a children's comic produced from 1966 to 1986
* Pippin (musical), ''Pippin'' (musical), a Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz loosely based on the life ...
,'' as well as numerous regional and dinner theater productions throughout his teen years; with his first stage role being Friedrich in ''The Sound of Music''. He began performing at the age of 13 and studied voice with Robert Grooters at the
Boyer College of Music and Dance
Boyer () is a French surname. In rarer cases, it can be a corruption or deliberate alteration of other names.
Origins and statistics
Boyer is found traditionally along the Mediterranean (Provence, Languedoc), the Rhône valley, Auvergne, Limou ...
at
Temple University
Temple University (Temple or TU) is a public state-related research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1884 by the Baptist minister Russell Conwell and his congregation Grace Baptist Church of Philadelphia then calle ...
.
His pre-Broadway and regional roles include 'Mary Sunshine' in ''Chicago'', and
the lead
The Lead (Chinese: 第一主角) is a 30-episode Singaporean drama produced and telecast on Mediacorp Channel 8. The show aired at 9pm on weekdays and had a repeat telecast at 8am the following day. The show is Channel 8's mid-year blockbuster ...
in ''
Jesus Christ Superstar''. He made his Broadway debut as Marius in ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'', a role he originated in the first U.S. national touring company. Hugh created the roles of Buddy in ''
Side Show
In North America, a sideshow is an extra, secondary production associated with a circus, traveling carnival, carnival, fair, or other such attraction.
Types
There are four main types of classic sideshow attractions:
*The Ten-in-One offers ...
'' and Julian in
Jule Styne's last musical, ''
The Red Shoes''.
He made his
West End debut in the original London company of
Harold Prince
Harold Smith Prince (born Harold Smith; January 30, 1928 – July 31, 2019), commonly known as Hal Prince, was an American theatre director and producer known for his work in musical theatre.
One of the foremost figures in 20th century America ...
's ''
Show Boat
''Show Boat'' is a musical with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It is based on Edna Ferber's best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock worke ...
'' as Ravenal, the role he played on
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
and in
Toronto
Toronto ( ; or ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Ontario. With a recorded population of 2,794,356 in 2021, it is the most populous city in Canada and the fourth most populous city in North America. The city is the anch ...
.
At
Avery Fisher Hall
David Geffen Hall is a concert hall in New York City's Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts complex on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The 2,200-seat auditorium opened in 1962, and is the home of the New York Philharmonic.
The facility, desi ...
, he performed with the
Radio City Rockettes in
Jerry Herman
Gerald Sheldon Herman (July 10, 1931December 26, 2019) was an American composer and lyricist, known for his work in Broadway theatre.
One of the most commercially successful Broadway songwriters of his time, Herman was the composer and lyricist ...
's ''
Mack and Mabel
''Mack and Mabel'' (often stylized as Mack & Mabel) is a musical with a book by Michael Stewart and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The plot involves the tumultuous romantic relationship between Hollywood director Mack Sennett and Mabel Norman ...
'' and also in ''The Stephen Sondheim Gala'', the culmination of the
Kennedy Center
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...
's "Summer of Sondheim," where Hugh played Anthony Hope in ''
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial '' The String of Pearls'' (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London legend. A barber from Fleet Stre ...
''. In Los Angeles, Hugh played Franklin Shepard in ''
Merrily We Roll Along'' and received an Ovation Award nomination for his performance as Kenneth in ''
Call Me Madam
''Call Me Madam'' is a musical written by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse, with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.
The musical is a satire on politics and foreign policy that spoofs postwar America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to ...
'', both for ''Reprise!''. As a concert artist, Hugh has performed with symphony orchestras across the U.S. and abroad and can be heard on numerous recordings. He is one of the few actors to play both the roles of Raoul (1991) and the Phantom (1999) in the Broadway production of ''
The Phantom of the Opera
''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...
'', but after wearing the mask for only a few months, he left to play the title role in the American premiere of Sir
Cameron Mackintosh
Sir Cameron Anthony Mackintosh (born 17 October 1946) is a British theatrical producer and theatre owner notable for his association with many commercially successful musicals. At the height of his success in 1990, he was described as being "th ...
's ''
Martin Guerre
Martin Guerre, a French peasant of the 16th century, was at the centre of a famous case of imposture. Several years after Martin Guerre had left his wife, child and village, a man claiming to be him appeared. He lived with Guerre's wife and so ...
''. Panaro returned to play the title role at the Majestic Theatre's production of ''
Phantom
Phantom may refer to:
* Spirit (animating force), the vital principle or animating force within all living things
** Ghost, the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear to the living
Aircraft
* Boeing Phantom Ray, a stealthy un ...
'' until October 1, 2005. In late 2005 he created the title role in the
Elton John musical,
Lestat. At Seattle's
5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theatre located in Seattle's Skinner Building, in the U.S. state of Washington. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land are owned b ...
, he performed leading roles in two
Stephen Sondheim musicals: Bobby in ''Company'', and George in ''
Sunday in the Park with George'' (the latter a recreation of the
Menier Chocolate Factory
The Menier Chocolate Factory is a 180-seat off-West End theatre, which comprises a restaurant, bar and rehearsal rooms.
It is located in a former 1870s Menier Chocolate Company factory at 53 Southwark Street, a major street in the London Boro ...
production, directed by
Sam Buntrock Sam Buntrock (born 19 September 1975) is an English stage director.
Career
Buntrock studied Drama at University of Bristol.Kaye, Kimberly"Interview"broadway.com, June 12, 2008
Buntrock directed the first West End revival of the musical '' Sunday ...
). In 1998, he appeared as a Hotel Clerk in one episode of
Law & Order. He appeared in the 1997 romantic comedy, ''
Broadway Damage''.
He has performed in a number of concerts and benefits, including 'An Evening With Hugh Panaro' at the
University of Findlay
The University of Findlay (UF) is a private Christian university in Findlay, Ohio. It was established in 1882 through a joint partnership between the Churches of God General Conference and the city of Findlay. UF has nearly 80 undergraduate ...
in Ohio, The Leading Men II at the venerable
Birdland Jazz Club, and Broadway For Medicine at City Center. Following his performance in the March 26, 2007, Broadway Musicals of 1938 concert, Hugh invited fans to suggest songs for his first solo album. In the summer of 2007, Hugh was one of four Broadway performers joining
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...
on her first European concert tour. He starred as
Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean () is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. The story depicts the character's struggle to lead a normal life and redeem himself after serving a 19-year-long prison sentence for stealing bread to feed his ...
in a new, non-replica production of ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'' at Philadelphia's
Walnut Street Theatre
The Walnut Street Theatre, founded in 1809 at 825 Walnut Street, on the corner of S. 9th Street in the Washington Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia, is the oldest operating theatre in the United States. The venue is operated by the Walnu ...
for which he received the 2008
Barrymore Award
The Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre is an annual, nationally recognized award program by Theatre Philadelphia for professional theater productions in the Greater Philadelphia area. Each season culminates in the Fall with an awards cerem ...
for Outstanding Actor In A Musical.
In 2009, he starred in ''
Sunday in the Park with George'' at the
5th Avenue Theatre
The 5th Avenue Theatre is a landmark theatre located in Seattle's Skinner Building, in the U.S. state of Washington. It has hosted a variety of theatre productions and motion pictures since it opened in 1926. The building and land are owned b ...
in
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
and appeared as 'Fagin' in ''
Oliver!
''Oliver!'' is a coming-of-age stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel '' Oliver Twist'' by Charles Dickens.
It premiered at the Wimbledon Theatre, southwest London in 1960 before op ...
'' to rave reviews before hometown audiences at the
Walnut Street Theatre
The Walnut Street Theatre, founded in 1809 at 825 Walnut Street, on the corner of S. 9th Street in the Washington Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia, is the oldest operating theatre in the United States. The venue is operated by the Walnu ...
, opening November 18, 2009, through January 10, 2010. He was later active as a concert artist appearing with symphonies throughout the United States and Canada.
Panaro returned to the title role in the Broadway production of ''
The Phantom of the Opera
''The Phantom of the Opera'' (french: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a novel by French author Gaston Leroux. It was first published as a serial in from 23 September 1909 to 8 January 1910, and was released in volume form in late March 1910 by Pier ...
'' on September 7, 2010. He replaced
John Cudia
John Cudia is a classical singer and a musical theatre actor who has played many of the biggest roles in musical theatre on Broadway.
Born on September 21, 1970, Cudia was raised in Toms River, New Jersey. He graduated from Monsignor Donovan High ...
in the role.
This was Panaro's third time playing The Phantom in this production. In January 2013, he performed the role in the Broadway production's 25th anniversary. He took a break from ''Phantom'' from April until the end of August 2013. During this time, he reprised the role of Jean Valjean at
The Muny
The St. Louis Municipal Opera Theatre (commonly known as The Muny) is an amphitheater located in St. Louis, Missouri. The theatre seats 11,000 people with about 1,500 free seats in the last nine rows that are available on a first come, first s ...
in the St. Louis in their production of ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
'', alongside
Norm Lewis
Norm Lewis (born June 2, 1963) is an American actor and singer. He has appeared in Europe, on Broadway, in film, television, recordings and regional theatre. Productions that he has been involved in include '' Dessa Rose'', ''Miss Saigon'', '' T ...
as
Javert
Javert (), no first name given in the source novel, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables.'' He was presumably born in 1780 and died on June 7, 1832. First a prison guard, and then a polic ...
. Panaro won a St. Louis Theater Circle Award for his portrayal of Valjean. Afterwards, he returned to the
Majestic stage on August 26, starring opposite Mary Michael Patterson as
Christine Daaé
Christine Daaé is a fictional character and the female protagonist of Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel ''The Phantom of the Opera'' and of the various adaptations of the work. Erik, the Phantom of the Opera and Viscount Raoul de Chagny both fall in ...
. Panaro's final performance as the Phantom was May 3. His former co-star in ''Les Miserables'', Norm Lewis, succeeded him in the role.
Beginning August 29, he assumed the lead from Norm Lewis in the Off-Broadway production of ''
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial '' The String of Pearls'' (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London legend. A barber from Fleet Stre ...
'' at the Barrow Street Theater. He played the role through February 25, 2018. In 2011 he was the announced 'Maxim de Winter' in a later to be cancelled Broadway version of ''
Rebecca
Rebecca, ; Syriac: , ) from the Hebrew (lit., 'connection'), from Semitic root , 'to tie, couple or join', 'to secure', or 'to snare') () appears in the Hebrew Bible as the wife of Isaac and the mother of Jacob and Esau. According to biblical ...
''.
Stage work
*''The Sound of Music'' - Friedrich (1976)
*''The Boyfriend''
*''
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
'' - Mary Sunshine
*''
Jesus Christ Superstar'' -
Jesus of Nazareth
Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...
*''Noa Noa''
*''What's A Nice Country Doing In A State Like This?''
*''Les Misérables'' -
Marius Pontmercy
Marius Pontmercy () is a fictional character, one of the protagonists of Victor Hugo’s 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. He is a young student, and the suitor of Cosette. Believing Cosette lost to him, and determined to die, he joins the revoluti ...
(1988)
*''Show Boat'' - Gaylord Ravenal
*''Side Show'' - Buddy Foster
*''Mack and Mabel''
*''Sweeney Todd'' - Anthony Hope
*''Merrily We Roll Along'' - Frank Shepard
*''Call Me Madam'' - Kenneth
*''The Phantom of the Opera'' -
Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny
Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny is a fictional character and one of the protagonists of Gaston Leroux's 1910 novel ''The Phantom of the Opera''.
Biography
Raoul is a viscount and Christine Daaé's childhood friend. They first met when he was a young c ...
(1991)
*''The Red Shoes'' - Julian (1993)
*''The Phantom of the Opera'' -
The Phantom
''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The charact ...
(1999)
*''Martin Guerre'' - Martin Guerre (1999)
*''
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' - Anthony Hope (2002)
*''Little Fish'' - Robert
*''The Phantom of the Opera'' -
The Phantom
''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The charact ...
(2003–2005)
*''Lestat (musical)'' - Lestat (2005)
*''Company'' - Bobby
*''Les Misérables'' -
Jean Valjean
Jean Valjean () is the protagonist of Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. The story depicts the character's struggle to lead a normal life and redeem himself after serving a 19-year-long prison sentence for stealing bread to feed his ...
(2008)
*''
Sunday In The Park With George
''Sunday in the Park with George'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. It was inspired by the French pointillist painter Georges Seurat's painting ''A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatt ...
'' -
Georges Seurat
Georges Pierre Seurat ( , , ; 2 December 1859 – 29 March 1891) was a French post-Impressionist artist. He devised the painting techniques known as chromoluminarism and pointillism and used conté crayon for drawings on paper with a rough su ...
(2009)
*''Oliver!'' - Fagin - Walnut Street Theatre (Nov. 2009-Jan. 2010)
*''The Phantom of the Opera'' -
The Phantom
''The Phantom'' is an American adventure comic strip, first published by Lee Falk in February 1936. The main character, the Phantom, is a fictional costumed crime-fighter who operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla. The charact ...
(2010-2013, 2013-2014)
*''
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'' -
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as the villain of the penny dreadful serial ''The String of Pearls'' (1846–47). The original tale became a feature of 19th-century melodrama and London urban legend, legend. A barber fr ...
(Aug. 2017-Feb. 2018)
References
Hugh Panaro ''Playbill'' biography. Accessed January 5, 2006.
External links
*
Hugh Panaro performing "The Music of the Night" at the Bucks County CabaretHugh Panaro Online*
*
Hugh Panaro to star in Philadelphia "Les Misérables"
{{DEFAULTSORT:Panaro, Hugh
1964 births
American male musical theatre actors
Living people
American tenors