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Steve Kazee

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Steve Kazee
Kazee in 2016
Born
Steven Michael Kazee

(1975-10-30) October 30, 1975 (age 49)
Ashland, Kentucky, U.S.
EducationMorehead State University (BA)
New York University (MFA)
Occupation(s)Actor, singer
Years active2005–present
Partner(s)Jenna Dewan (2018–present; engaged)
Children2

Steven Michael Kazee (born October 30, 1975) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for starring as Guy in the musical Once for which he was awarded the 2012 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. Kazee began his professional acting career in the mid-2000s, and from 2005 until 2013 acted in a series of Broadway productions including Spamalot, 110 in the Shade, and Once. Following the success of Once, Kazee acted on multiple television series, most notably playing Gus Pfender in the fifth season of Shameless. Kazee returned to theater in 2018, starring as Edward in the Chicago tryout of Pretty Woman: The Musical.

Early life and education

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Kazee was born and raised in Ashland, Kentucky.[1] He is an alumnus of Fairview High School and Morehead State University.[2] Kazee moved to New York City in 2002 and received his MFA from the Graduate Acting Program at NYU's Tisch School of the Arts in 2005.[1]

Career

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Theatre

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He appeared in the New York Shakespeare Festival's As You Like It in June 2005.[3] He appeared in Seascape on Broadway in November 2005 as the Leslie understudy.[4] In January 2006, he appeared as Timmy Cleary in The Subject Was Roses, which played at the Kennedy Center.[5] He was later cast as a replacement for Sir Lancelot in Spamalot on Broadway in April 2006.[6] In 2007, he starred as Bill Starbuck in the revival of 110 in the Shade on Broadway,[7] In 2008, he played Sobinsky in To Be Or Not To Be, which ran from September 16 through November 16 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.[8]

Kazee starred as Guy in the stage adaptation of Once,[9] He originated the role off-Broadway when it opened at the New York Theatre Workshop on December 6, 2011. Once began previews on Broadway on February 28, 2012, and opened on March 18, 2012, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. Kazee made several TV appearances promoting Once, including Late Show with David Letterman and Today Show.[10] Kazee won the 2012 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.[11] Kazee and the cast of Once won the Grammy for Best Musical Theater Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.[12]

He is featured on Christina Perri's song "A Thousand Years, Pt. 2", which appears on The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).[13]

In 2017 it was announced that Kazee would star in the stage adaptation of the 1990 film Pretty Woman, opposite Samantha Barks in her Broadway debut. The musical, titled Pretty Woman: The Musical, is directed by Jerry Mitchell and premiered in Chicago in March 2018 and later opened on Broadway in August 2018.[14][15] After performing as Edward in the Chicago production, Kazee left Pretty Woman: The Musical due to "family reasons."[16] He was replaced by Andy Karl when the production transferred to Broadway.[17]

Television

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In 2006, Kazee played Dumas Shepherd in an episode of the television series Conviction. In 2007, he appeared as Michael Barlow in Medium and Mark Green in Numb3rs.[18] In 2008, he appeared on NCIS as Michael Locke. In 2009, he played Dominic Humphreys on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.[18] Kazee had a starring role on the CMT's Working Class (2011), in which he played Nick Garrett.[19]

In 2013 he appeared on Elementary as Jeff Hines[20] and on Drop Dead Diva as Dustin Wycott.[21] In 2015, he played Gus Pfender in a recurring role in season 5 and 6 of Showtime's series Shameless.[22]

Personal life

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Kazee was previously in a relationship with actress Megan Hilty from 2005 until 2012.[23]

In October 2018, it was confirmed that Kazee was in a relationship with Jenna Dewan.[24][25] In September 2019, it was announced that the couple were expecting their first child together.[26] In February 2020, he and Dewan became engaged.[27] He and Dewan had their son, Callum Michael Rebel Kazee, on March 6, 2020.[28] In January 2024, it was announced that the couple were expecting their second child together. He and Dewan had their daughter, Rhiannon Lee Kathryn Kazee, on June 14, 2024. [29]

Theatre credits

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Sources: Playbill;[30] BroadwayWorld[31]

Year Title Role Theatre Notes
2004 Cabaret & Main Performer Williamstown Theatre Festival Regional production
Eurydice Father
2005 As You Like It Ensemble Delacorte Theater Shakespeare in the Park
2005–2006 Seascape Leslie (u/s) Booth Theatre Broadway revival
2006 The Subject Was Roses Timmy Cleary Kennedy Center Washington, D.C. revival
Monty Python's Spamalot Sir Lancelot (and others) Shubert Theatre Broadway replacement
2007 110 in the Shade Bill Starbuck Studio 54 Broadway revival
2008 To Be or Not to Be Sobinsky Samuel J. Friedman Theatre Original Broadway production
2009 Pirates! (Or, Gilbert and Sullivan Plunder'd) The Pirate King Huntington Theatre Company Original Boston production
Tales of the City Eugene O'Neil Theater Staged readings
2011–2013 Once Guy New York Theatre Workshop Original off-Broadway production
Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre Original Broadway production
2018 Pretty Woman: The Musical Edward Oriental Theatre Original Chicago production
2018 Love Actually Live Jaime The Wallis Original production

Filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2011 Working Class Nick Garrett Main role
2013 Elementary Jeff Hines Episode: "We Are Everyone"
Drop Dead Diva Dustin Wycott Episode: "Guess Who's Coming"
2015–2016 Shameless[22] Gus Pfender 14 episodes
2016 Nashville[32] Riff Bell 2 episodes
Drew[33] Ned Nickerson Unsold TV pilot (CBS)
2018 Blindspot Clem 2 episodes
2019 The Walking Dead Frank Episode: "Omega"
Tempting Fate Elliott Cartwright TV movie
2021 The Rookie Jason Wyler 2 episodes

Awards and nominations

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Sources: Playbill;[30] IBDB[34]

Year Award Category Work Result
2007 Helen Hayes Award Outstanding Lead Actor, Non-Resident Production The Subject Was Roses Nominated
2012 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical Once Won
Drama League Award Distinguished Performance Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical[35]
2013 Grammy Award Best Musical Theater Album
(shared with Cristin Milioti, Steven Epstein, Martin Lowe, Glen Hansard, and Markéta Irglová) 		Won

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tisch To Honor Oliver Stone At West Coast Benefit Gala" nyu.edu, October 4, 2013
  2. ^ "Kazee to star in 'Pretty Woman' Musical"[permanent dead link] moreheadstate.edu, September 26, 2017
  3. ^ Simonson, Robert. "Lynn Collins and Brian Bedford Offer the Bard's 'As You Like It' in Central Park, June 25", Playbill.com, June 25, 2005
  4. ^ " Seascape Cast" Playbill, retrieved November 23, 2017
  5. ^ Toscano, Michael. "Review. 'The Subject Was Roses'", theatermania.com, January 17, 2006
  6. ^ " Spamalot Cast" Playbill, retrieved November 23, 2017.
  7. ^ "Complete Cast of '100 in the Shade' at Studio 54 Announced" broadway.com
  8. ^ "Greasepaint Can Be Mightier Than Pen or Sword". The New York Times. October 15, 2008. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  9. ^ "'Once' is Headed to Broadway" broadwayworld.com, December 6, 2011
  10. ^ Jones, Kenneth. "The Leading Men. Steve Kazee, the Traveling Heart of Broadway's 'Once'" Playbill.com, March 17, 2012.
  11. ^ Gans, Andrew; Jones, Kenneth; Hetrick, Adam. "2012 Tony Awards Nominations Announced; 'Once' Earns 11 Nominations" Playbill.com, May 1, 2012, accessed December 2, 2016
  12. ^ "Once Cast Album Wins Grammy Award as Best Musical Theater Album – Playbill". Playbill. February 11, 2013. Retrieved December 2, 2016.
  13. ^ "'Twilight' Twice: Christina Perri Explains 'Thousand Years – Part 2", mtv.com, November 12, 2012.
  14. ^ "Samantha Barks and Steve Kazee to Walk Down the Street in Broadway's Pretty Woman" broadwayworld.com, September 26, 2017.
  15. ^ Clement, Olivia. " 'Pretty Woman' Musical Finds Its Broadway Home, Sets Summer 2018 Opening", Playbill.com, November 21, 2017.
  16. ^ "Andy Karl Joins Cast of 'Pretty Woman' Musical". The New York Times. May 23, 2018.
  17. ^ "Andy Karl to Star in Pretty Woman; Steve Kazee Departs Broadway Production". May 23, 2018.
  18. ^ a b "Kazee TV", tvguide.com, retrieved November 23, 2017.
  19. ^ Peter, Thomas. "Ed Asner and Steve Kazee to Star in CMT Sitcom", Playbill.com, October 18, 2010.
  20. ^ Gioia, Michael. "Tony Winner Steve Kazee Will Guest Star on CBS Drama 'Elementary'", Playbill.com, September 12, 2013.
  21. ^ "BWW TV Exclusive: First Look at Tony Winner Steve Kazee on Lifetime's 'Drop Dead Diva'", broadwayworld.com, October 23, 2013.
  22. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie. "Steve Kazee Joins Showtime’s 'Shameless'" Archived June 26, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, deadline.com, May 28, 2014.
  23. ^ Healy, Patrick (May 16, 2012). "A Role That Cuts Close to His Heart". The New York Times.
  24. ^ Marcus, Emily (October 30, 2018). "Who Is Steve Kazee? 5 Things to Know About Jenna Dewan's Boyfriend". USWeekly.
  25. ^ Koerner, Allyson (June 5, 2019). "Jenna Dewan's Boyfriend Steve Kazee Finally Made His Debut On Her Instagram". Bustle.
  26. ^ VULPO, MIKE (September 24, 2019). "Jenna Dewan Is Pregnant, Expecting First Child With Steve Kazee". Entertainment News.
  27. ^ "Jenna Dewan Engaged to Steve Kazee". E!. February 18, 2020.
  28. ^ @SteveKazee (March 10, 2020). "In an instant our universe burst wide open and nothing would ever be the same. Welcome to earth star child. Callum Michael Rebel Kazee 3/6/20" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  29. ^ "Jenna Dewan Is Pregnant with Baby No. 3, Her Second with Fiancé Steve Kazee". People. January 17, 2024.
  30. ^ a b "Steve Kazee Broadway" Playbill (vault), retrieved November 23, 2017
  31. ^ "Steve Kazee Credits" broadwayworld.com, retrieved November 23, 2017
  32. ^ Andreeva, Nellie. " 'Nashville': Steve Kazee Cast As Recurring" deadline.com, November 6, 2015
  33. ^ Clement, Olivia. "Steve Kazee to Star in Nancy Drew Spinoff" Playbill, March 2, 2016
  34. ^ "Kazee Awards" ibdb.com, retrieved November 23, 2017
  35. ^ "Steve Kazee — Nominee for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical" broadway.com, retrieved November 23, 2017
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