Brandon Uranowitz
Brandon Jacob Uranowitz (born July 9, 1986) is an American actor[1] who was nominated four times for a Tony Award and won in 2023. He is best known for his roles as Adam Hochberg in the musical An American in Paris (2014–15) and Mendel Weisenbachfeld in the 2016 Broadway revival of Falsettos, both of which earned him nominations for Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. His performances in Burn This (2019) and Leopoldstadt (2022–23) earned him nominations also for Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play, the latter of which he won.[2][3] His other Broadway credits include Baby, It's You! (2011), Prince of Broadway (2017), and The Band's Visit (2018).
Brandon Uranowitz | |
|---|---|
Uranowitz at the 2023 Tony Awards | |
| Born | Brandon Jacob Uranowitz July 9, 1986 Livingston, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | New York University (BFA) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2009–present |
| Partner | Zachary Prince (2011–present) |
Early life Edit
Uranowitz grew up in West Orange, New Jersey and attended the nearby Montclair Kimberley Academy.[4] He is from a Jewish family and had a Bar Mitzvah.[5]
He began performing at age six and studied at Performers Theatre Workshop.[6] In the mid-1990s, he was a working child actor; professional roles included an ensemble member in Evita at the Paper Mill Playhouse (1996) and a swing in A Christmas Carol at Madison Square Garden. In 1997, he assumed the role of Little Boy in the world premiere of Ragtime in Toronto. He was also member of The Broadway Kids, a musical revue and recording project;[4] he performed live off-Broadway and appears on the 1998 album The Broadway Kids Back on Broadway.[7][8] Of Uranowitz's contribution as part of the ensemble cast, The New York Times wrote he "was a testament to youthful enthusiasm and lung power".[9]
He attended New York University and graduated in 2008 with a degree in theater arts from their Tisch School of the Arts.[10]
Career Edit
2006–2013: Early career and Broadway debut Edit
Uranowitz resumed his acting career while training at NYU; early on, he held the roles of Richard in Richard III and the King of France in All's Well That Ends Well at Classical Studio, Cardinal Bellarmin in Galileo at The Skirball Center (2007), and Dante in Only Children at The Abe Burrows Theatre.
Following graduation, he played the role of Feste in Twelfth Night at the Kirk Theatre off-Broadway (2009)[11] and the role of Eugene in Brighton Beach Memoirs / Broadway Bound in 2010 at the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego.[12][13] Of Uranowitz's appearance as Feste in Twelfth Night, MusicOMH wrote "Uranowitz rocks it... ...playing the fool character with restrained glee,"[14] PlayShakespeare.com wrote, "Brandon Uranowitz’ effortless command of the language and, again, his willingness to explore his characters’ depth makes him absolutely spellbinding."[15] For his performance, Uranowitz received a PlayShakespeare.com Falstaff Award nomination for Best Supporting Performance, Male.[16]
His first role in a major production was as an ensemble member and understudy of Mark in the national tour of Rent.[17] Uranowitz made his Broadway debut in the 2011 jukebox musical Baby It's You!. He played the role of Stanley,[18] the blind composer and son of Florence Greenberg as played by Beth Leavel.[19][20][21] In their review of the musical, Variety noted that the "show is continually perked up by... ...Brandon Uranowitz (as a long-suffering press guy and Goldberg's blind son)."[20]
In 2013, he was cast in Michael Kahn's Washington, D.C. production of Torch Song Trilogy. He starred as Arnold in the four-hour unabridged version of the play and was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Resident Play.[22]
During this time, Uranowitz has had minor appearances in the television series Law & Order: CI, As the World Turns, and Inside Amy Schumer.
2014–present: Breakthrough and acclaim Edit
In 2014, he joined the original cast of the stage adaption of An American in Paris as composer Adam Hochberg. The show premiered in Paris at Théâtre du Châtelet in December 2014 and transferred to Broadway, opening in April 2015. He departed the show on August 7, 2016. The show was Uranowitz's breakthrough performance and netted him his first Tony Award nomination. He also portrayed Mrs. White in the 30th Anniversary one time tribute performance of the classic film Clue in December 2015.[23]
Uranowitz joined the first revival of 1992 musical Falsettos, which opened on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre on October 27, 2016, as a limited engagement. He portrayed Mendel, a psychiatrist, opposite Christian Borle as Marvin, Andrew Rannells as Whizzer, and Stephanie J. Block as Trina. For his performance, he received a 2017 Drama Desk Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.[3] His turn as Mendel in Falsettos received rave reviews. He was called "warmly funny and convincingly neurotic" as Mendel by The New York Times,[24] "wholly endearing" by Entertainment Weekly,[25] and The Hollywood Reporter said "Uranowitz is a worthy successor to the wonderful Chip Zien in the original production. He flirts with the stereotypical view of a Jewish therapist only marginally less messed-up than his patients, while also finding the truth in a compassionate man who has to convince himself of his right to be happy".[26] Vulture said that Uranowitz offered "an unusually sexy Mendel".[27]
Uranowitz appeared in the revue Prince of Broadway, which opened on Broadway in August 2017 and closed in October 2017. The revue featured the work of the director and producer Harold Prince.[28][29] Beginning in October 2018, he performed for four months in The Band's Visit on Broadway, replacing John Cariani. He subsequently played Larry in a limited run of Burn This on Broadway, opposite Adam Driver and Keri Russell. For his role, Uranowitz received nominations for the Drama Desk Award and Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play.
In fall 2019, it was announced that he would star in a limited-run off-Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at the Classic Stage Company in spring 2020.[30] The production was postponed indefinitely due to the global pandemic. In 2020, he took part in the amfAR COVID-19 relief benefit The Great Work Begins, a live streamed event featuring scenes from Angels in America. He performed in the role of Louis Ironside.[31]
Some of his screen acting credits during this time include a three episode arc in 2018 on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel as Buzz Goldberg, a Catskills activities director, and the 2021 Billy Crystal feature film Here Today.
Personal life Edit
He is openly gay.[32] As of 2011, Uranowitz is in a relationship with actor Zachary Prince. They met at the audition for Baby It's You! and Prince was subsequently cast as Uranowitz's understudy.[33]
Acting credits Edit
Theatre Edit
Selected credits
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Theatre | Director(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Ragtime | Little Boy (replacement) | Ford Centre for the Performing Arts | Frank Galati | |
| 2009 | Twelfth Night | Feste | Wild Project | Stephen Stout | |
| 2009–10 | Rent | Mark Cohen (u/s) | U.S National Tour | Michael Greif | |
| 2010 | Broadway Bound | Eugene Jerome | Old Globe Theatre | Scott Schwartz | |
| 2011 | Baby, It's You! | Stanley Greenberg, Murray Schwartz, Johnny Cymbal, Kingsman | Broadhurst Theatre | Sheldon Epps | |
| 2013 | Torch Song Trilogy | Arnold | The Studio Theatre | Michael Kahn | |
| 2014–15 | An American in Paris | Adam Hochberg | Théâtre du Châtelet | Christopher Wheeldon | |
| 2015–16 | Palace Theatre | ||||
| 2016–17 | Falsettos | Mendel | Walter Kerr Theatre | James Lapine | |
| 2017 | Prince of Broadway | Various roles | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre | Harold Prince and Susan Stroman | |
| 2018 | The Band's Visit | Itzik (replacement) | Ethel Barrymore Theatre | David Cromer | |
| 2019 | Burn This | Larry | Hudson Theatre | Michael Mayer | |
| 2022–23 | Leopoldstadt | Ludwig Jakobovicz, Nathan Fischbein | Longacre Theatre | Patrick Marber |
Concerts and readings Edit
| Year(s) | Title | Role | Theatre | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Clue | Mrs. White | The Players | 30th Anniversary tribute | |
| 2017 | Man of La Mancha | Sancho | Merkin Concert Hall | Concert | |
| 2018 | Grand Hotel | Otto Kringelein | New York City Center | Encores! production | |
| 2019 | Road Show | Addison Mizner | New York City Center | Encores! Off-Center production |
Film Edit
| Year | Title | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Stage Fright | Artie Getz | |
| 2018 | Goodbye, Brooklyn | Nicolas | |
| 2019 | The Kitchen | Shmuli Chudakoff | |
| 2021 | Here Today | Justin |
Television Edit
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Dovid | Episode: "Rock Star" | |
| TBD | As the World Turns | Day Player | Uncredited | |
| 2013 | Inside Amy Schumer | Generations Instructor | Episode: "Real Sext" | |
| TBD | The Soul Man | U 5 | Uncredited | |
| 2017 | Falsettos: Live from Lincoln Center | Mendel | Filmed stage production | |
| Blue Bloods | Michael Goldman | Episode: "Pick Your Poison" | ||
| 2018 | Dietland | Pablo | Episode: "F... This" | |
| 2018–2022 | The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel | Buzz Goldberg | 4 episodes | |
| 2019 | Fosse/Verdon | Dustin Hoffman | Episode: "All I Care About Is Love" |
Discography Edit
Cast recordings Edit
- 2011: Baby It's You! (Original Cast Recording); featured on 2 tracks
- 2015: An American in Paris (Original Broadway Cast Recording); featured on 6 tracks
- 2016: Falsettos (2016 Broadway Cast Recording); featured on 14 tracks
- 2018: Prince of Broadway (Original Broadway Cast Recording); featured on 3 tracks
Awards and nominations Edit
| Award | Year | Category | Nominated work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama Desk Award | 2017 | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Falsettos | Nominated |
| 2019 | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Burn This | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play | Leopoldstadt | Won | |
| Falstaff Award | 2009 | Best Supporting Performance, Male[48] | Twelfth Night | Nominated |
| Grammy Awards | 2016 | Best Musical Theater Album | An American in Paris | Nominated |
| Helen Hayes Award | 2014 | Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Play | Torch Song Trilogy | Nominated |
| Outer Critics Circle Award | 2023 | Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Play | Leopoldstadt | Won |
| Tony Awards | 2015 | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | An American in Paris | Nominated |
| 2017 | Falsettos | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Best Featured Actor in a Play | Burn This | Nominated | |
| 2023 | Leopoldstadt | Won |
References Edit
- ^ "Brandon Uranowitz". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ "Tony Awards 2015: Complete list of winners and nominees". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 28, 2023.
- ^ a b Piepenburg, Erik (2017-05-02). "Tony Awards 2017: The Full List of Nominations". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
- ^ a b Merwyn, Ted (October 19, 2016). "Growing Into His Jewish Roles". The Jewish Week. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. Retrieved 2023-05-28.
- ^ "LiveatFive with Brandon Uranowitz". Broadway.com. June 8, 2017.
at 11:20 and 12:55
- ^ "Hall of Fame". Performers Theatre Workshop. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
- ^ McGrath, Sean (October 30, 1998). "Broadway Kids Return to Off-Broadway's Fairbanks Theatre, Oct. 31". Playbill. from the original on January 18, 2021. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ "Back on Broadway - The Broadway Kids". AllMusic. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
- ^ Graeber, Laurel (January 9, 1998). "Family Fare". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ "Tisch Alumni on Playbill's Big 10 on Broadway". NYU: Tisch School. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ Wilson, Gregory (January 2009). "Review, Twelfth Night". Curtain Up. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ Lowerison, Jean (October 7, 2010). "Old Globe double-dips with Neil Simon's "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and "Broadway Bound"". San Diego Gay & Lesbian News. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ Hebert, James (September 26, 2010). "Globe's 'Broadway' a brooding return to Brooklyn". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ Patterson, Richard (September 2, 2012). "review: Twelfth Night". musicOMH. Retrieved January 1, 2009.
- ^ Barbot, Matthew (January 15, 2009). "If Music Be the Food of Love, Rock On". PlayShakespeare.com. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ . PlayShakespeare.com. Archived from the original on August 18, 2011. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ a b Lapointe, André (January 10, 2010). . Regard en Coulisse (in French). Archived from the original on April 30, 2019. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ Brown, Scott (April 27, 2011). "Black Music Gets Whitewashed Again in Baby It's You!". New York. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ Winer, Linda (September 2, 2012). "review: "Baby It's You!". Newsday. Melville, NY. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
- ^ a b Suskin, Steven (April 27, 2011). "review: Baby It's You!". Variety. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ Isherwood, Charles (April 27, 2011). "review: "Baby It's You!". The New York Times. Retrieved September 2, 2012.
- ^ Markowitz, Joel (2014-04-21). "Here are the 2014 Helen Hayes Awards Recipients". DC Metro Theater Arts. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
- ^ Clement, Olivia (December 7, 2015). "Michael Urie and Brandon Uranowitz Headline Celebrity Performance of Clue". Playbill.
- ^ Isherwood, Charles (2016-10-27). "Review: 'Falsettos,' a Perfect Musical, an Imperfect Family". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
- ^ Bernardo, Melissa Rose. "'Falsettos': EW Stage Review". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
- ^ Rooney, David. "'Falsettos': Theater Review". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
- ^ Green, Jesse (2016-10-28). "Theater Review: Fizzing in Every Direction, Falsettos Marches Back to Broadway". Vulture. Retrieved 2016-12-20.
- ^ a b Lefkowitz, Andy (April 6, 2017). "Brandon Uranowitz, Emily Skinner, Tony Yazbeck & More to Star in Prince of Broadway". Broadway.com. Retrieved 2017-05-02.
- ^ McPhee, Ryan (September 19, 2017). "Prince of Broadway Extends Limited Engagement". Playbill. Retrieved 2017-12-08.
- ^ Musbach, Julie (September 24, 2019). "Steven Pasquale, Will Swenson, Brandon Uranowitz, Judy Kuhn & Wesley Taylor Will Star in CSC's ASSASSINS". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
- ^ "The Great Work Begins". The Great Work Begins. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
- ^ Wong, Curtis (June 5, 2017). "This Tony Nominee Doesn’t Want Praise For Playing A Straight Guy". HuffPost.
- ^ Spaner, Whitney (July 10, 2016). "What Happens When You Have a Crush on Your Standby?". Playbill.
- ^ Diamond, Robert. "New York Neo-Classical Ensemble Presents TWELTH [sic] NIGHT Jan. 8-24, 2009". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (January 24, 2011). . Playbill. Archived from the original on January 27, 2011. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (December 10, 2014). "Broadway-Bound An American in Paris Opens in Paris Tonight". Playbill. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (July 17, 2014). "An American in Paris Will Open at Broadway's Palace in 2015". Playbill. Retrieved June 10, 2022.
- ^ Paulson, Michael (March 31, 2016). "'Falsettos' Revival Casts Its Leads: Christian Borle, Andrew Rannells and Stephanie J. Block". The New York Times.
- ^ Clement, Olivia (September 18, 2018). "Brandon Uranowitz to Join Broadway's The Band's Visit". Playbill.
- ^ Lefkowitz, Andy (November 27, 2018). "Brandon Uranowitz & David Furr to Join Keri Russell & Adam Driver in Burn This at Broadway's Hudson Theatre". Broadway.com.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (August 17, 2022). "Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, David Krumholtz, More on Broadway's Upcoming Leopoldstadt". Playbill. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- ^ Levitt, Hayley (December 8, 2017). "Brandon Uranowitz, Alexandra Silber, and More Join Man of La Mancha in Concert". Theater Mania.
- ^ McPhee, Ryan (February 14, 2018). "Brandon Uranowitz, Stephanie Styles, James Snyder, and More Set for Encores! Grand Hotel". Playbill.
- ^ Gordon, David (July 25, 2019). "Raúl Esparza and Brandon Uranowitz Liven Up Sondheim's Road Show". Theater Mania.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Brandon Uranowitz". IMDb.
- ^ a b "Backstage: Brandon Uranowitz". Backstage. from the original on 2021-07-27. Retrieved July 27, 2021.
- ^ "Fosse/Verdon (TV Series 2019– ) - Full Cast & Crew". IMDb.
- ^ "Falstaff Awards 2009". Playshakespeare.com. Retrieved 2021-07-27.
External links Edit
- Brandon Uranowitz at IMDb
- Brandon Uranowitz at the Internet Broadway Database