Matthew Morrison will return to Broadway as J.M. Barrie in Finding Neverland alongside Kelsey Grammer, Carolee Carmello and Laura Michelle Kelly. Finding Neverland First Preview March 15, 2015 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Broadway. Matthew released a new studio album “Where It All Began” in 2013 and in 2014 pop the big question to his long time girlfriend Renee Puente and they were married in Hawaii October 2014.
Back Story
Matthew Morrison was born October 30, 1978 is an American actor, dancer, and singer-songwriter. He was raised in Orange County, and is of Scottish heritage. He was part of the Collaborative Arts Project 21 (CAP21) and the Orange County High School of the Arts, while at the Los Alamitos High School campus. While in high school, Morrison did a musical with actress Jodie Sweetin. He attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts for two years before dropping out and joining the Broadway adaptation of Footloose. He is now known for starring in multiple Broadway and Off-Broadway productions, including his portrayal of Link Larkin in Hairspray on Broadway, and for his role as Will Schuester on the Fox television show Glee (2009–present). He is signed with Adam Levine’s 222 Records. Morrison received a Tony Award nomination for his featured role as Fabrizio Nacarelli in the musical The Light in the Piazza.
Work
Morrison’s career began when he made his musical theatre debut on Broadway in the musical version of Footloose, followed by a revival of The Rocky Horror Show in 2002. His big break came, however, when he landed the role of Link Larkin in the Broadway production of John Waters’, Hairspray. After performing in the role for some time, he started working in television, guest-starring on shows such as Ghost Whisperer, Numb3rs, CSI: Miami and Hack. He also had small roles in films such as Marci X, Primary Colors, Music and Lyrics, and Simply Funk. He followed up these performances by performing the role of Sir Harry in the ABC-TV production of Once Upon a Mattress, starring Tracey Ullman, Zooey Deschanel and Carol Burnett.
In 2001, Morrison was recruited to complete the quartet for the band LMNT. He was replaced instead by Jonas Persch by the time its first album was released. He commented in an interview about his experience in the boy band by remarking, “It was the worst year of my life. You know when you’re a performer and you’re out there on stage and you’re embarrassed that you’re doing something wrong. It was pretty bad.” Matthew Morrison also was a member of Buena Park Youth theater, located at Buena Park.
Morrison starred in the Original Cast of the musical Hairspray as Link Larkin from its opening in 2002 through January 2004. In 2005 Morrison changed gears, playing the role of Fabrizio Nacarelli in Adam Guettel’s The Light in the Piazza. He was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance. He left the show August 28, 2005. Morrison joined the cast of the CBS soap opera, As the World Turns, as Adam Munson on October 24, 2006, but left abruptly soon after due to a “scheduling conflict,” last airing on the soap on November 27. Morrison appeared in a benefit performance celebrating Andrew Lippa, and the 25th Anniversary of the performing troupe ‘The Kids in the Hall’ at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa, California in December 2006.
He earned a Drama Desk Nomination for his role in the Off Broadway show 10 Million Miles which ran at the Atlantic Theater Company in 2007. That same year he appeared in two films: Dan in Real Life, followed by Music and Lyrics as Cora Corman’s manager. In 2008, he played Lieutenant Cable in a Lincoln Center production of the musical South Pacific. He left the production at the end of 2008 and in early 2009 returned to California to shoot the first season of Glee.
![matthewsouthpacific[1]](https://s3.amazonaws.com/theatregold.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/matthewsouthpacific1.jpg)
Matthew Morrison and Li Jun Li – South Pacific
Morrison plays Will Schuester in the Fox Broadcasting television series Glee, which had its television preview on May 19, 2009. He resumed his role in the show as the series premiered on September 9, 2009. He plays a high school Spanish teacher who takes on the task of restoring the school’s glee club to its former glory. Morrison also appeared in the show’s second season. He returned for the third season, which premiered on September 20, 2011. He made his directorial debut in the third season’s ninth episode.
In addition on January 14, 2010, it was announced that Morrison signed a solo record deal with Mercury Records. His first studio album was released on May 10, 2011. Morrison duets with Elton John on “a medley of ‘Mona Lisas and Madhatters’ going into ‘Rocket Man'”. His first single, “Summer Rain”, premiered on Ryan Seacrest’s website on February 28, 2011. Additionally, a duet of “Over the Rainbow” with Gwyneth Paltrow appears on the self-titled album. On June 16, 2010, Morrison joined Leona Lewis — appearing at London’s O2 Arena as part of her world tour — for a one-off performance to sing “Over the Rainbow”. Morrison was on the cover of the June 2011 issue of MetroSource.
A Morrison concert at Connecticut’s Bushnell Center was recorded by PBS and scheduled to air in spring 2013. On April 28, 2013, Morrison made his first major appearance in the UK as a guest performer at the 2013 Laurence Olivier Awards at the Royal Opera House in London. On June 4, 2013, 222 Records released Morrison’s second studio album, Where It All Began.
Stage Work
Broadway Productions Date of Productions
Finding Neverland[Musical, Original] Apr 15, 2015 – Open
[J.M. Barrie]
South Pacific [Musical, Drama, Revival] Apr 03, 2008 – Aug 22, 2010
Lt. Joseph Cable, U.S.M.C. (Mar 01, 2008 – Jan 04, 2009)
A Naked Girl on the Appian Way Oct 06, 2005 – Dec 04, 2005
[Play, Original] Thad Lapin
The Light in the Piazza Apr 18, 2005 – Jul 02, 2006
[Musical, Original] Fabrizio Naccarelli (Mar 17, 2005 – Sep 01, 2005)
Hairspray Aug 15, 2002 – Jan 04, 2009
[Musical, Comedy, Original] Link Larkin (Jul 18, 2002 – Jan 11, 2004)
The Rocky Horror Show Nov 15, 2000 – Jan 06, 2002
[Musical, Comedy, Revival] Phantom – Replacement
Footloose Oct 22, 1998 – Jul 02, 2000
[Musical, Original]
- Ensemble – Replacement
- Understudy: Matthew Morrison
- Chuck Cranston – Replacement
Off Broadway
10 Million Miles
[Musical]
Performer Role: Duane
May 11, 2007 – July 12, 2007
Linda Gross Theater
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