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Brian Stokes Mitchell

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Brian Stokes Mitchell
Mitchell in 2018
Born (1957-10-31) October 31, 1957 (age 66)
Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Occupations
  • Actor
  • composer
  • vocalist
Years active1979–present
Spouse
Allyson Tucker
​
(m. 1994)​
Children1
Websitewww.brianstokes.com

Brian Stokes Mitchell (born October 31, 1957) is an American actor and singer. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theater since the 1990s.[1] He has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a Drama Desk Award, Outer Critics Circle Award and a nomination for a Grammy Award. In 2016 he received the Isabelle Stevenson Award.

Mitchell won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as Fred Graham / Petruchio in the Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate (2000). His other Tony-nominated performances were in Ragtime (1998), King Hedley II (2001), and Man of La Mancha (2003). Mitchell's other notable roles include in Oh, Kay! (1991), Jelly's Last Jam (1992), Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993), Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2002), South Pacific (2005), Les Misérables (2008), Guys and Dolls (2009), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (2010), Oliver! (2012), Camelot (2014), and Shuffle Along (2016).

He is also known for his roles on television including as Dr. Justin Jackson in the CBS medical drama Trapper John, M.D. (1979 to 1986). Mitchell also had recurring roles on shows such as Frasier, Glee, Mr. Robot, The Path, Billions, and The Good Fight. He took the role of Walt in the CBS sitcom Fam (2019). He received a Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album nomination for The Complete Shakespeare Sonnets in 2001.

Early life and education

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Mitchell was born in Seattle, Washington, the youngest of four children of George Mitchell, an electronics engineer, and his wife Lillian (née Stokes), a school administrator. Mitchell grew up at various U.S. military bases overseas, where his father was a civilian engineer for the U.S. Navy. When the family settled in San Diego, California, he began acting in junior high musicals.[2] He did not attend college, having begun performing professionally while a student at Patrick Henry High School, although he did have private teachers in both acting and voice in his teen years.[3] He has said that he studied film scoring, orchestration, and conducting through UCLA.[4] Prior to Ragtime, he was known professionally as Brian Mitchell.

Career

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Mitchell has a number of television and film credits, including the role of John Dolan in Roots: The Next Generations (1979), and a seven-year stint as Dr. Justin 'Jackpot' Jackson on Trapper John, M.D. from 1979 to 1986. Mitchell made several appearances as a celebrity panelist on episodes of $25,000 Pyramid and $100,000 Pyramid in the 1980s, and was considered one of the game's better celebrity players, helping a contestant win the $100,000 grand prize on the latter show in February 1986.[5][6][7] Mitchell also participated as a celebrity panelist in four weeks' worth of episodes of The Match Game-Hollywood Squares Hour, a short-lived NBC game show that ran from 1983 to 1984.

Mitchell first performed on Broadway in the musical Mail in 1988, with music by Michael Rupert and lyrics by Jerry Cocker, winning the Theatre World award.[8] His Broadway credits include an all-black revival of George and Ira Gershwin's Oh, Kay! (1990),[9] Jelly's Last Jam (1992) based on the works of jazz artist Jelly Roll Morton, and Kander and Ebb's Kiss of the Spider Woman (1993).[10] He played recurring roles as Hilary Banks' news anchor fiancé Trevor Newsworthy/Collins on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air and supplied the singing voice of Jethro in the animated feature The Prince of Egypt (1998). He originated the role of Coalhouse Walker Jr, in the musical Ragtime, which opened on Broadway in January 1998. He received a 1998 Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical.[11] He appeared in the 1999 revival of Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate as Fred Graham / Petruchio, winning the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical.[10][12] He appeared on Broadway in King Hedley II in 2001 (Tony Award nomination) and Man of La Mancha in 2002 (Tony Award nomination).[10] In 2002 he acted in Frasier as Dr. Frasier Crane's upstairs neighbor and nemesis Cam Winston. He played the title role in the 2002 Kennedy Center production of Sweeney Todd, part of the Stephen Sondheim celebration.[13][14]

Brian Stokes Mitchell Concert Marquee outside the Winspear Opera House in Dallas, September 1, 2011

He appeared in the New York City Center Encores! staged concert productions of Jule Styne's Do Re Mi (1999), Bob Merrill's Carnival! (2002), Kismet (2006), and The Band Wagon in 2014.[15] On June 9, 2005, Mitchell appeared in a concert version of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical South Pacific at Carnegie Hall. He starred as Emile, alongside Reba McEntire as Nellie Forbush and Alec Baldwin as Luther Billis. The production was taped and telecast by PBS in 2006.[16] Of his performance, Ben Brantley wrote in The New York Times, "As for Mr. Mitchell, his place in the pantheon of romantic musical leads is now guaranteed."[17]

Playbill Records released his debut solo CD, Brian Stokes Mitchell on June 6, 2006.[18][19] Mitchell has also performed in a Christmas concert with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir later released as a CD and DVD entitled Ring Christmas Bells. His second solo CD, Simply Broadway, was released October 30, 2012, by CD Baby.[20] Mitchell returned to Broadway to star with Patti LuPone in the musical version of the Pedro Almodóvar film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, which opened at the Belasco Theatre in November 2010.[21] He guest starred in March 2010 in Ugly Betty as Wilhelmina Slater's ex-boyfriend, Don.[22] He appeared on the 57th episode of Glee, titled "Heart" in 2012,[23] and the 58th, titled "On My Way," as one of Rachel's dads (LeRoy) along with Jeff Goldblum.

He has also done voice-overs for animation including Animaniacs, Capitol Critters, Tiny Toon Adventures, A Pup Named Scooby-Doo, The Further Adventures of SuperTed, Kid 'n Play, New Kids on the Block, Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf, Gravedale High, Potsworth & Co., Captain Planet and the Planeteers, The Tom and Jerry Kids Show, Yo Yogi!, Fantastic Max, Pound Puppies, The Addams Family, California Raisins, The Angry Beavers, James Bond Jr., Batman: The Animated Series, Paddington Bear, Pinky and the Brain, Defenders of Dynatron City, The Hot Rod Dogs and Cool Car Cats, Droopy, Master Detective, Denver, the Last Dinosaur, Mighty Max, Don Coyote & Sancho Panda, Vampirina, and the two Flintstones animated movies Hollyrock-a-Bye Baby and I Yabba-Dabba Do!. Mitchell plays Nicholas Prophet in Wolverine: The Long Night, a scripted podcast serial.

He also played a recurring role on the USA Network series Mr. Robot as Scott Knowles, CTO of E Corp. The series began in June 2015 and ended in December 2019.[24] A new musical titled Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed, based on the making of Shuffle Along, opened on Broadway on March 14, 2016, in previews and officially on April 21 at the Music Box Theatre. Mitchell played F.E. Miller, with Audra McDonald as Lottie Gee, Billy Porter, Joshua Henry and Brandon Victor Dixon.[25]

Personal life

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He has been married to actress Allyson Tucker since 1994 and has a son, Ellington.[26][27]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role(s) Notes
1990 Ghost Dad Teacher
1998 The Prince of Egypt Jethro Singing voice
2001 Call Me Claus Cameron
2001 Ruby’s Bucket of Blood Earl Delacroix
2005 One Last Thing... Dr. Emerson
2011 Jumping the Broom Mr. Watson
2018 Mapplethorpe Father Stack
2021 Tick, Tick... Boom! "Sunday" Legend
2024 Shirley Stanley Townsend

Television

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Year Title Role(s) Notes
1979 The White Shadow Lucius Robinson Episode: "Spare the Rod"
1979 Roots: The Next Generations John Dolan Episode: "Part 1 (1882-1883)"
1979−1986 Trapper John, M.D. Dr. Justin "Jackpot" Jackson 151 episodes
1985 Hotel Lucas Todd Episode: "Resolutions"
1985 The Love Boat Jeffrey Niver Season 6 - Episode: 16
1987 227 Ed Episode: "The Honeymoon's Over"
1987 Pound Puppies Nahook Episode: "Snow Puppies"
1987 Houston Knights Nat Holliday Episode: "Moving Violation"
1987 Foofur Various roles Voice; 13 episodes
1987 ALF Nathan Pearl Episode: "Hail to the Chief"
1988 Night Court Mr. Morley Episode: "Another Day in the Life"
1988 Scooby-Doo! and the Reluctant Werewolf Bonejangles Voice; Television movie
1989 The Further Adventures of SuperTed Narrator Voice; 13 episodes
1989 Generations David Jeffries 2 episodes
1989 A Pup Named Scooby-Doo Buddy Chillner Voice; Episode: "The Spirit of Rock'n Roll"
1989 The California Raisin Show Red Voice; Episode: "The Apple, Raisin Style"
1988–1989 Fantastic Max Additional voices Voice; 3 episodes
1989–1990 Paddington Bear Additional voices Voice; 2 episodes
1990 Mancuso, F.B.I. Performer 2 episodes
1990 Midnight Patrol: Adventures in the Dream Zone Various roles Voice; 13 episodes
1990 Tiny Toon Adventures Vinnie Voice; Episode: "Mr. Popular's Rules of Cool"!
1990 New Kids on the Block Danny Wood Voice; 16 episodes
1991 James Bond Jr. Coach Mitchell Voice; 14 episodes
1992 Batman: The Animated Series Brian Rogers Voice; Episode: "Fear of Victory"
1992 Animaniacs Noodles 2 episodes
1992–1993 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Trevor 6 episodes
1992–1993 The Addams Family Additional roles Voices; 21 episodes
1992–1995 Capitol Critters Various roles Voice; 6 episodes
1996 In the House Dr. Stone Clarke Episode: "Three the Hard Way"
1999 Double Platinum Adam Harris Television movie
2001 Call Me Claus Cameron Television movie
2002 Frasier Cam Winston 3 episodes
2002 Crossing Jordan D.A. Jay Myers 2 episodes
2010 Ugly Betty Don Jones Episode: "Fire and Nice"
2014 Madam Secretary Vincent Marsh Episode: "So it Goes"
2012−2015 Glee LeRoy Berry 3 episodes[28]
2015–2016 Mr. Robot Scott Knowles 8 episodes
2016–2018 The Path Bill 7 episodes
2017 The Blacklist David Levine 2 episodes
2017 Bull Perry Sinclair Episode: "School for Scandal"
2017–2021 Vampirina Grandpop Voice; 13 episodes
2018 Billions Alvin Epstein 2 episodes
2018 The Good Fight Rod Habercore 2 episodes
2018 Elementary Dominic Voth Episode: "Bits and Pieces"
2019 Fam Walt 13 episodes[29]
2020 Prodigal Son Everett Sterling 2 episodes
2021 Evil Father Mulvehill 4 episodes
2021 Centaurworld The Nowhere King/Elktaur Voice; 4 episodes
2023 Up Here Ted McGooch 2 episodes
2023 East New York Detective Ken Corley 3 episodes
2023 Run the World Arnold Greene Episode: "Homecoming"

Video games

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Year Title Role(s) Notes
2014 Watch Dogs Additional voices Voice

Theatre

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Year Title Role(s) Venue
1988 Mail Franklin Music Box Theatre, Broadway
1991 Oh, Kay! Jimmy Winter Richard Rogers Theatre, Broadway
1992−1993 Jelly's Last Jam Jelly Roll Morton Virginia Theatre, Broadway
1993−1995 Kiss of the Spider Woman Valentin Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway
1996-1997 Ragtime Coalhouse Walker, Jr. Meridian Arts Centre
1997 Shubert Theatre
1998 Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Broadway
Sweet Charity Oscar Lindquist Avery Fisher Hall
1999−2001 Kiss Me, Kate Fred Graham / Petruchio Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway
2000 The Frogs Xanthias Library of Congress, Washington, DC
2001 King Hedley II King Virginia Theatre, Broadway
2002 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Sweeney Todd Kennedy Center
2002−2003 Man of La Mancha Don Quixote / Miguel de Cervantes Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway
2003 The Exonerated Performer Bleecker Street Theater, Off-Broadway
2005 South Pacific Emile de Becque Carnegie Hall
2006 Kismet Hajj Encores!, Off-Broadway
2007 South Pacific Emile de Becque Hollywood Bowl
2008 Les Misérables Inspector Javert
2009 Guys and Dolls Sky Masterson
2010−2011 Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Ivan Belasco Theatre, Broadway
2012 Oliver! Fagin Shubert Theatre, Broadway
2014 Camelot King Arthur Kennedy Center
Much Ado About Nothing Don Pedro Delacorte Theater, Off-Broadway
The Band Wagon Tony Hunter Encores!, Off-Broadway
2016 Shuffle Along F.E. Miller Music Box Theatre, Broadway
White Rabbit Red Rabbit Performer Westside Theatre, Off-Broadway
2019 The Light in the Piazza Signor Naccarelli Los Angeles Opera
2023 Ragtime Coalhouse Walker, Jr. Minskoff Theatre, Broadway

Discography

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  • Brian Stokes Mitchell (June 6, 2006)[19]
    • Track listing
  1. "Something's Coming" (West Side Story)
  2. "The Best Is Yet to Come" (Cy Coleman)
  3. "Pretty Women" (Sweeney Todd)
  4. "Just In Time" (Bells are Ringing)
  5. "Lazy Afternoon" (The Golden Apple)
  6. "Another Hundred People" (Company)/"Take the 'A' Train"
  7. "How Long Has This Been Going On?" (Funny Face)
  8. "Life is Sweet" (Wonderful Town)
  9. "Losing My Mind" (Follies)
  10. "Being Alive" (Company)
  11. "How Glory Goes" (Floyd Collins)
  12. "Grateful"
  • Simply Broadway (2012)
  • Plays With Music (2019)

Awards and nominations

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Sources: Playbill[30] BroadwayWorld[31]

Year Award Category Title Result Ref.
2001 Grammy Award Best Spoken Word Album The Complete Shakespeare Sonnets Nominated [32]
1998 Tony Award Best Actor in a Musical Ragtime Nominated [33]
2000 Kiss Me, Kate Won
2001 Best Actor in a Play King Hedley II Nominated
2003 Best Actor in a Musical Man of La Mancha Nominated
2016 Isabelle Stevenson Award — Won [34]
1998 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Ragtime Nominated [33]
2000 Outstanding Actor in a Musical Kiss Me, Kate Won
2001 Outstanding Actor in a Play King Hedley II Nominated
2003 Outstanding Actor in a Musical Man of La Mancha Nominated
2011 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Nominated
1998 Outer Critics Circle Awards Outstanding Actor in a Musical Ragtime Nominated
2000 Kiss Me, Kate Won
2001 Outstanding Actor in a Play King Hedley II Nominated
2003 Outstanding Actor in a Musical Man of La Mancha Nominated
1988 Theatre World Award — Mail Won

Honors

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References

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  1. ^ "Brian Stokes Mitchell Biography". Broadway: The American Musical. October 21, 2004. PBS. WNET. Archived from the original on August 28, 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-28.
  2. ^ Zoglin, Richard (November 28, 1999). "From Coalhouse to Cole Porter". Archived 2017-11-12 at the Wayback Machine. Time. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  3. ^ Weber, Bruce (November 24, 2002). "Broadway's Last Leading Man?". Archived 2016-08-10 at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times.
  4. ^ "Biography". Archived 2018-02-12 at the Wayback Machine. brianstokes.com. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  5. ^ "The New $25,000 Pyramid - Frank/Cindy 1/3". YouTube. March 18, 1983. Archived from the original on August 9, 2016. Retrieved November 27, 2016.
  6. ^ "$100,000 Pyramid - Brian Mitchell". YouTube. October 1986. Archived from the original on 2016-06-09. Retrieved 2016-11-27.
  7. ^ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "$100,000 Pyramid 2nd Tournament Win!". YouTube.
  8. ^ " Mail Broadway". Archived 2016-05-20 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  9. ^ " Oh, Kay! Broadway". Archived 2016-08-07 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  10. ^ a b c "Brian Stokes Mitchell Broadway". Archived 2016-04-17 at the Wayback Machine. Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  11. ^ "'Ragtime' Broadway". Archived 2016-06-04 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  12. ^ Feiden, Doug (June 5, 2000). "'Kiss Me Kate' is Big Tony Winner 'Copenhagen' and 'Contact' Also Honored". Archived 2016-03-06 at the Wayback Machine. New York Daily News.
  13. ^ "Special Events, Concerts, and Benefit Performances" Archived 2020-03-16 at the Wayback Machine sondheimguide.com. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  14. ^ Gans, Andrew (August 25, 2002). "D.C.'s Sondheim Celebration Ends as Night Music Closes Aug. 25". Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  15. ^ Gans, Andrew (November 6, 2014). "Tony Winner Brian Stokes Mitchell Hops on City Center's 'The Band Wagon', Beginning Tonight". Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  16. ^ Gans, Andrew (June 8, 2005). "Reba McEntire-Brian Stokes Mitchell 'South Pacific' To Be Taped for TV". Archived 2016-08-07 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  17. ^ Brantley, Ben (June 11, 2005). "Sultry City Night is Transformed into an Enchanted Bali Ha'i". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 27, 2018. Retrieved March 22, 2018.
  18. ^ Gans, Andrew (June 6, 2006). "Playbill Records' "Brian Stokes Mitchell" CD Hits Stores June 6". Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  19. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. " Brian Stokes Mitchell Record". Archived 2016-04-29 at the Wayback Machine. AllMusic. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  20. ^ King, Susan (October 6, 2014). "Brian Stokes Mitchell steps off Broadway — for 'Simply Broadway'". Archived 2016-06-13 at the Wayback Machine. Los Angeles Times.
  21. ^ Hetrick, Adam (July 26, 2010). "Patti LuPone, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Sherie Rene Scott Cast in Broadway's Women on the Verge". Playbill. Archived from the original on November 5, 2013.
  22. ^ Abrams, Natalie (January 25, 2010). "Ugly Betty Casts Tony Winner as Willie's Ex". TV Guide. Archived from the original on January 29, 2010. Retrieved January 26, 2010.
  23. ^ Gans, Andrew (January 18, 2012). "Brian Stokes Mitchell and Jeff Goldblum Are Lea Michele's Gay Dads on 'Glee'". Archived 2015-09-24 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  24. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 29, 2015). "Brian Stokes Mitchell Lands Recurring Role in New TV Series". Archived 2015-07-28 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  25. ^ Purcell, Carey (August 9, 2015). "Brian Stokes Mitchell and Audra McDonald Will Reunite on Broadway in Shuffle Along, Billy Porter Joins Them". Archived 2015-09-14 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  26. ^ "Weddings; Brian Mitchell and Allyson Tucker". Archived 2016-06-23 at the Wayback Machine. The New York Times. September 4, 1994.
  27. ^ Hoffman, Barbara (November 29, 2019). "Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell on the best spot to meditate in NYC". New York Post. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  28. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (January 17, 2012). "'Glee': Jeff Goldblum, Brian Stokes Mitchell to Play Rachel's Gay Dads". Archived 2018-07-07 at the Wayback Machine. The Hollywood Reporter.
  29. ^ Petski, Denise (March 9, 2018). "'Fam': Brian Stokes Mitchell & Sheryl Lee Ralph Join CBS Comedy Pilot". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on July 6, 2018. Retrieved July 7, 2018.
  30. ^ "Brian Stokes Mitchell Roles and Awards". Archived 2016-04-30 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  31. ^ "Brian Stokes Mitchell Biography". Archived 2016-08-10 at the Wayback Machine. BroadwayWorld. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  32. ^ "Brian Stokes Mitchell". IMDb. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  33. ^ a b "Brian Stokes Mitchell". Playbill. Retrieved April 28, 2020.
  34. ^ "The 2016 Tony Awards: Winners". TonyAwards.com. Archived from the original on 2019-04-19. Retrieved 2016-06-14.
  35. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 24, 2004). "Brian Stokes Mitchell Elected Actors' Fund President". Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
  36. ^ "Chairmen". Archived 2015-08-10 at the Wayback Machine. The Actors Fund. Retrieved August 10, 2015.
  37. ^ Viagas, Robert (May 3, 2016). "Brian Stokes Mitchell to Receive Isabelle Stevenson Award". Archived 2019-07-06 at the Wayback Machine. Playbill.
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