Steven Skybell
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Steven Skybell is a theater, film and television actor. He has performed on Broadway, Off-Broadway, in regional theater productions, on television, and in film.


Biography


Early life and education

Skybell grew up in Lubbock, Texas, and performed in two productions of ''
Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...
'' from an early age: First as a "chuppa boy" and then
Tevye Tevye the Dairyman, also translated as Tevye the Milkman (, ''Tevye der milkhiker'' ) is the fictional narrator and protagonist of a series of short stories by Sholem Aleichem, and their various adaptations, the most famous being the musical '' ...
at the
Interlochen Center for the Arts Interlochen Center for the Arts ( '; also known as I.C.A. or Inty) is a Nonprofit organization, non-profit corporation which operates Visual arts education, arts education institutions and Music venue, performance venues. Established in 1928 b ...
summer camp. He went on to attend the
Yale School of Drama The David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University is a graduate professional school of Yale University, located in New Haven, Connecticut. Founded in 1924 as the Department of Drama in the School of Fine Arts, the school provides training in ...
, performing alongside
Jodie Foster Alicia Christian "Jodie" Foster (born November 19, 1962) is an American actress and filmmaker. Foster started her career as a child actor before establishing herself as leading actress in film. She has received List of awards and nominations re ...
in Getting Out, directed by
Tina Landau Tina Landau (born May 21, 1962) is an American playwright and theatre director. Known for her large-scale, musical, and ensemble-driven work, Landau's productions have appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regionally, most extensively at the ...
. At Yale, Steven would reprise the role of Tevye again.


On stage (2000s-2010s)

Skybell worked with
Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre composer and lyricist. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written hit musicals such as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin (musical), Pippin'' (1972), and ...
and
Joe Mantello Joseph Mantello (born December 27, 1962) is an American actor and director known for his work on stage and screen. He first gained prominence for his Broadway acting debut in the original production of Tony Kushner's two-part epic play ''Angels ...
on the workshop for ''
Wicked Wicked may refer to: Books * ''Wicked'' (Maguire novel), a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire that inspired the musical of the same name * ''Wicked'', a 1997 novel series collaboration between Australian children's authors Paul Jennings and Morris ...
'', playing the character Doctor Dillamond. He would later reprise this role in the Chicago and Broadway productions, as well as on the Wicked National Tour. They held adjunct faculty positions at the
New York University Tisch School of the Arts The New York University Tisch School of the Arts (commonly referred to as Tisch) is the performing, cinematic, and media arts school of New York University. Founded on August 17, 1965, as the School of the Arts at New York University, Tisch ...
and at
Fordham University Fordham University is a Private university, private Society of Jesus, Jesuit research university in New York City, United States. Established in 1841, it is named after the Fordham, Bronx, Fordham neighborhood of the Bronx in which its origina ...
in their theater departments. His credits in the 2000s and early 2010s would include productions by the
Classic Stage Company Classic Stage Company, or CSC, is a classical Off-Broadway theater company. Founded in 1967, Classic Stage Company is one of Off-Broadway's oldest theater companies. CSC is led by Producing Artistic Director Jill Rafson. John Doyle previously ...
and
Shakespeare in the Park Shakespeare in the Park is a term for outdoor festivals featuring productions of William Shakespeare's plays. The term originated with the New York Shakespeare Festival in New York City's Central Park, originally created by Joseph Papp. This conc ...
. During this time, Skybell yearned to play Tevye again when he was much closer to the character's age.


Fiddler on the Roof and Fidler Afn Dakh (2015–2022)

In 2015, Skybell took over the role of Lazar Wolf in a Broadway production of ''Fiddler on the Roof''. He starred as Tevye in the all-Yiddish production, directed by
Joel Grey Joel Grey (born Joel David Katz; April 11, 1932) is an American actor, singer, dancer, photographer, and theatre director. He is best known for portraying the Master of Ceremonies in the musical ''Cabaret (musical), Cabaret'' on Broadway theatre, ...
, ''
Fidler Afn Dakh ''Fidler Afn Dakh'' (פידלער אויפן דאך) is a Yiddish-language adaptation of the musical ''Fiddler on the Roof'' translated and adapted by Shraga Friedman. The adaptation revisits the 1894 collection of Yiddish short stories on which '' ...
'' at the
Museum of Jewish Heritage The Museum of Jewish Heritage, located on Edmond J. Safra Plaza in Battery Park City in Manhattan, New York City, is a historical museum and a memorial to those murdered in The Holocaust. The museum has received more than two million visitors ...
by National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene. The production was a critical success, leading to four separate extensions. In February 2019, the show transferred uptown to Stage 42 where it played until January 5, 2020. For his portrayal of Tevye, Skybell won the
Lucille Lortel Award The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...
for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical, and was nominated for the Drama League Distinguished Performance Award,
Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been co ...
, and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. Skybell would reprise his role as Tevye at the
Lyric Opera of Chicago Lyric Opera of Chicago is an American opera company based in Chicago, Illinois. The company was founded in Chicago in 1954, under the name 'Lyric Theatre of Chicago' by Carol Fox (Chicago opera), Carol Fox, Nicola Rescigno and Lawrence Kelly, w ...
, his first English performance in the role on a larger stage, and again for a limited run of the Yiddish version at
New World Stages New World Stages is a five-theater, Off-Broadway performing arts complex in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It is between 49th and 50th Streets beneath the plaza of the Worldwide Plaza complex at Eighth Avenue. ...
both in 2022.


Cabaret (2024)

In 2024, Skybell played Herr Schultz in '' Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club'', opposite
Bebe Neuwirth Beatrice "Bebe" Jane Neuwirth ( ; born December 31, 1958) is an American actress, singer, and dancer. Known for her roles on stage and screen, she has received two Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmy Awards, two Tony Awards, and two Drama Desk Awards. ...
as Fraulein Schneider. The two had previously worked together for a Classic Stage Company production of ''
A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...
''. In this role, he received his first
Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...
nomination, for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.


Stage credits


References

Living people Male actors {{improve categories, date=February 2025