Robert Westenberg
Robert Westenberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | October 26, 1953 |
| Other names | Bob Westenberg |
| Education | Bullard High School California State University, Fresno |
| Alma mater | National Theatre Conservatory |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, singer, educator |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Known for | Into the Woods Sunday in the Park with George The Secret Garden |
| Spouse | Kim Crosby (m. 1991) |
| Children | 3 |
Robert Westenberg (born October 26, 1953) is an American stage actor and singer, acting teacher, and professor. He received a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the original Broadway cast of Into the Woods.
He appeared on Broadway in Sunday in the Park with George (as the title role), Les Misérables (as Inspector Javert), Into the Woods (as The Big Bad Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince), The Secret Garden (as Dr. Neville Craven), as well as several other musicals.
He was the musical theatre coordinator and associate professor in the theatre and dance department at Missouri State University and now serves as a lecturer of Musical Theatre at the University of Colorado Boulder.
Early life and education
Born in Miami Beach, Florida, but raised in Fresno, California with his six siblings. Westenberg graduated Bullard High School in 1971, where he was active in sports, specifically football. He then attended California State University, Fresno.[1][2]
Westenberg received a master's degree from Denver’s National Theatre Conservatory.[3]
Career
Broadway
He made his Broadway debut in the 1983 revival of Zorba as Nikos, for which he won the Theatre World Award.[4]
He played the dual role of a Soldier/Alex and understudied Mandy Patinkin in Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George which opened in May 1984. He later took over Patinkin's leading roles of Georges Seurat/George where he played opposite Bernadette Peters in September of that year and played the role until April 1985.[5]
He received a Tony Award nomination and won a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf in Sondheim's Into the Woods (1987).[6] It was during this show where he met his wife, Kim Crosby, who played Cinderella.[7]
In 1990, he starred as Inspector Javert in Les Misérables opposite Craig Schulman as Jean Valjean.[8]
In 1991, he starred as Dr. Neville Craven in the original Broadway production of The Secret Garden playing opposite Patinkin again along with Daisy Eagan, Alison Fraser and Rebecca Luker.[9] In 2020, Westenberg directed the same production at Missouri State University, where he served as the head of the Musical Theatre department until joining the Musical Theatre faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023. [10] [11]
Other
In 1981, Westenberg played Norman Mushari in Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater at Arena Stage.
In 1994 and 2001, Westenberg starred as Scrooge’s nephew Fred in the musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol in Madison Square Garden.
In 1996, Westenberg was in the US National tour of Funny Girl as Nick Arnstein opposite Debbie Gibson as Fanny Brice. It ended prematurely in November 1996 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.[12][13][14][15][16]
In 2002, Westenberg was in the US and Japan tour of The Full Monty.[17]
Westenberg has been in several MUNY (St. Louis) productions. He played Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady in 2001 opposite his wife, Kim Crosby, as Eliza Doolittle.[18]
He played the roles of both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook in the July 2007 St. Louis MUNY production of Peter Pan.[19] He reprised these roles in a 2009 production in Branson, Missouri, with Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan.[20] In 2012, he directed a production of Les Misérables at Springfield Little Theatre.
Television and film
Westenberg's film credits include Mr. and Mrs. Bridge and The Ice Storm. He has made guest appearances on Third Watch, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and the short-lived series Aliens in the Family. He played Prince Raymond on the soap opera, One Life to Live from 1989-90.[1]
He reprised his roles of a Soldier/Alex and the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in the American Playhouse episodes of Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods.
Stage credits
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Bearskin, or The Man Who Didn't Wash for Seven Years | Bearskin | Short film |
| 1990 | Mr. & Mrs. Bridge | Ruth's Boyfriend | |
| 1995 | The Stars Fell on Henrietta | Mr. Rumsfelk | |
| 1996 | Before and After | Journalist #1 | |
| 1997 | The Ice Storm | Rob Halford |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | American Playhouse | A Soldier / Alex | Episode: "Sunday in the Park With George" |
| 1989-1990 | One Life to Live | Prince Raymond Hohenstein | Recurring role |
| 1991 | American Playhouse | The Wolf / Cinderella's Prince | Episode: "Into the Woods" |
| 1996 | Swift Justice | Leo | Episode: "Where Were You in '72?" |
| C.P.W. | Episode: "Out On Bail" | ||
| Aliens in the Family | High Elder Prissy | Episode: "Respect Your Elders" | |
| 2001 | Third Watch | Dr. Gambetti | Episode: "Unfinished Business" |
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Col. Marsden | Episode: "Manhunt" |
Personal life
He married actress and singer Kim Crosby on June 19, 1991, and the couple now have three children.
Westenberg and Crosby currently reside in Longmont, Colorado, where Westenberg serves as a lecturer in Musical Theatre in the College of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder. He was previously chair of the musical theatre program at Missouri State University and of the theatre program at Drury University.[3][24][25][1] [26]
Awards and nominations
| Year | Work | Award | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | Zorba | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| 1988 | Into the Woods | Tony Award | Best Featured Actor In A Musical | Nominated |
| Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor In A Musical | Won | ||
References
- ^ a b c "Robert Westenberg Bio" masterworksbroadway.com, accessed July 2016
- ^ Rawson, Christopher. "Stage Preview: 'Medea' brings top-class, hard-working actor to the bad-guy role of Jason" post-gazette.com, September 28, 2001
- ^ a b "Award-winning actor to lead MSU’s musical theatre program" missouristate.edu, February 1, 2016
- ^ " Zorba, Broadway 1983" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
- ^ " Sunday in the Park with George Broadway 1984" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
- ^ " Into the Woods Broadway 1987" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
- ^ Culwell, Logan. "Did They Finish the Hat? Where Are the Stars of 'Sunday in the Park with George' Now?" Playbill, May 12, 2015
- ^ Westenberg Les Mis Database
- ^ " The Secret Garden Broadway 1991" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
- ^ [1] CU Boulder College of Music Faculty
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (September 16, 2020). "Robert Westenberg Returns to the 'Prophetic' Secret Garden Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- ^ "'Funny Girl' tour, 1996". deb.org. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
- ^ "Just Don't Call Her Debbie: For Deborah Gibson, anything is still possible". Rolling Stone. February 10, 1997. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008.
- ^ Jones, Chris (February 17–23, 1997). "Off Season: Tourers Hitting Road Blocks". Variety. p. 73.
- ^ Weiskind, Ron (October 3, 1996). "'Funny Girl' Opts For Laughs Over Depth". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. F8.
- ^ Lefkowitz, David (November 26, 1996). "Debbie Gibson Funny Girl Tour Cancels 1996 Engagements". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
- ^ Ehren, Christine. " 'Full Monty' 's Westenberg, Woods Bare All for Boston, DC, San Fran, Japan", Playbill, March 22, 2002
- ^ "2002 Interview with Robert Westenberg" talkinbroadway.com
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "He's Flying: Francis Jue Is 'Peter Pan' at the Muny Beginning July 16" Playbill, July 16, 2007
- ^ Cantrell, Rachel. "Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan" branson.com, May 15, 2009
- ^ Westenberg GCP
- ^ Westenberg Hamlet
- ^ Secret Garden 2021
- ^ " 'INTO THE WOODS' Tony Nominee Robert Westenberg Joins MSU Faculty" broadwayworld.com, February 2, 2016
- ^ Gordon, David. "5 Facts We Learned About 'Into the Woods' During the Original-Cast Reunion" theatermania.com, June 22, 2015
- ^ [2] CU Boulder College of Music Faculty
External links
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