Stephen Ashfield is an Olivier Award-winning Scottish actor. He was born in

Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

, and since graduating from the

Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland ( gd, Conservatoire Rìoghail na h-Alba), formerly the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama ( gd, Acadamaidh Rìoghail Ciùil is Dràma na h-Alba) is a conservatoire of dance, drama, music, production, and ...

and the

Royal Academy of Music The Royal Academy of Music (RAM) in London, England, is the oldest conservatoire in the UK, founded in 1822 by John Fane and Nicolas-Charles Bochsa. It received its royal charter in 1830 from King George IV with the support of the first Duke of ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, he has enjoyed a successful stage career. In 2011 he was made an Associate (ARAM) of the Royal Academy of Music and was awarded a Fellowship (FRAM) in the 2018 honours list.

On stage

Ashfield made his West End debut in 2002 as

Boy George George Alan O'Dowd (born 14 June 1961), known professionally as Boy George, is an English singer, songwriter, DJ, author and mixed media artist. Best known for his soulful voice and his androgynous appearance, Boy George has been the lead singe ...

in ''

Taboo A taboo or tabu is a social group's ban, prohibition, or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, sacred, or allowed only for certain persons.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...

'', before playing the role of Basilio in the critically acclaimed Music Theatre London adaptation of Mozart's ''

The Marriage of Figaro ''The Marriage of Figaro'' ( it, Le nozze di Figaro, links=no, ), K. 492, is a ''commedia per musica'' (opera buffa) in four acts composed in 1786 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, with an Italian libretto written by Lorenzo Da Ponte. It premie ...

'' at the Drill Hall, London. In 2004, Ashfield returned to the role of

for the first national tour of the award-winning musical ''

''. Subsequently, he appeared in the title role of Harry in the West End showcase of ''When Harry Met Barry'', and created the leading role, George, in ''The Ha'penny Bridge'' at The Point,

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...

. He was soon back in the West End as Nick Piazza in '' Fame'', before appearing as John in the brand new musical
Tomorrow Morning
' by

Laurence Mark Wythe Laurence Mark Wythe is an English composer, lyricist and writer for West End, international and Off-Broadway musicals. He is principally known for the off-Broadway musical '' Tomorrow Morning'' (2011), '' Through the Door'' and ''Midnight''. ' ...

at London's New End Theatre. His passion for new musical theatre writing led him to create the role of Adam in
Imagine This
' at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth. Having started in March 2008, Ashfield originated the role of

Bob Gaudio Robert John Gaudio (born November 17, 1942) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer, and the keyboardist and backing vocalist of the pop/rock band the Four Seasons. Gaudio wrote or co-wrote and produced the vast majori ...

in the West End production of ''

Jersey Boys ''Jersey Boys'' is a jukebox musical with music by Bob Gaudio, lyrics by Bob Crewe, and book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice. It is presented in a documentary-style format that dramatizes the formation, success and eventual break-up of th ...

'' at the

Prince Edward Theatre The Prince Edward Theatre is a West End theatre situated on Old Compton Street, just north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. History The theatre was designed in 1930 by Edward A. Stone, with an interior designed by Ma ...

, with his final performance taking place on Sunday 13 March 2011. For his performance he won Best Supporting Actor in a Musical at the WhatsOnStage Theatregoers' Choice Awards 2009. In March 2011 he made his Cabaret debut at

Lauderdale House Lauderdale House is an historic house, now run as an arts and education centre, based in Waterlow Park, Highgate in north London, England. History Lauderdale House was one of the finest country houses in Highgate and was originally built for R ...

, Highgate, before taking over the role of Emmett Forrest in the West End production of ''

Legally Blonde ''Legally Blonde'' is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Robert Luketic in his List of directorial debuts, feature-length directorial debut, and scripted by Karen McCullah, Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith (writer), Kirsten Smith from ...

'' until its closure in April 2012. In November and December 2012, Ashfield starred in the limited-run UK premiere of '' Boy Meets Boy'' at the

Jermyn Street Theatre Jermyn Street Theatre is a performance venue situated on Jermyn Street, in London's West End. It is an off-west end studio theatre. History Jermyn Street Theatre opened in August 1994. It was formerly the changing rooms for staff at a Spaghetti ...

before taking on the role of Elder McKinley in the Broadway transfer ''

The Book of Mormon The Book of Mormon is a religious text of the Latter Day Saint movement, which, according to Latter Day Saint theology, contains writings of ancient prophets who lived on the American continent from 600 BC to AD 421 and during an interlude date ...

'', which opened at the

Prince of Wales Theatre The Prince of Wales Theatre is a West End theatre in Coventry Street, near Leicester Square in London. It was established in 1884 and rebuilt in 1937, and extensively refurbished in 2004 by Sir Cameron Mackintosh, its current owner. The theatre ...

on 25 February 2013. He was awarded an Olivier Award for his performance. He concluded his West End run on 5 August 2016, to continue his award-winning performance as Elder McKinley at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre on Broadway. In 2019 Ashfield originated the role of Hamish McClarnon in the world premiere of the musical adaptation of '' Becoming Nancy''. The production played at the Coca-Cola Stage at the

Alliance Theatre The Alliance Theatre is a theater company in Atlanta, Georgia, based at the Alliance Theatre, part of the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center, and is the winner of the 2007 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The company, originally the Atlanta Municipal T ...

, which is part of the Atlanta Theatre Company from September 6 to October 6, 2019.

On screen

In 2007 he appeared 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 urban legend, legend. A barber fr ...

'' directed by

Tim Burton Timothy Walter Burton (born August 25, 1958) is an American filmmaker and animator. He is known for his gothic fantasy and horror films such as ''Beetlejuice'' (1988), ''Edward Scissorhands'' (1990), ''The Nightmare Before Christmas'' (1993), ...

for

Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...

He has also performed with Jersey Boys on Strictly Come Dancing, GMTV, This Morning, Alan Titchmarsh, The Paul O'Grady Show, Loose Women, Children In Need, and The 80th Royal Variety Performance. In March 2014 he appeared in the season 3 finale of ''

Call the Midwife ''Call the Midwife'' is a BBC period drama series about a group of nurse midwives working in the East End of London in the late 1950s and 1960s. The principal cast of the show has included Jessica Raine, Miranda Hart, Helen George, Bryony Hanna ...

'' as Philip Worth.

Awards and nominations

References

* http://www.britishtheatreguide.info/reviews/tomorrowmorning-rev.ht
London Theatre Interview with Stephen Ashfield
Leadvocals (together with Katie Birtill) of Rudolph's Music Library 2012. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ashfield, Stephen Scottish male musical theatre actors Scottish male stage actors Living people Fellows of the Royal Academy of Music Year of birth missing (living people)