Jason Graae
Encyclopedia
Jason Graae is an American
actor noted for his musical theater performances but with a varied career spanning Broadway
, opera
, television and film. He started his career in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Edison High School starring in many plays, singing in the chorus and playing the oboe in the orchestra.
Graae created the role of Sparky in the original off-Broadway production of Forever Plaid
, and originated the role of Houdini in the L.A production of Ragtime
. He has won Ovation Awards
for Los Angeles
productions of Forbidden Hollywood
and Forbidden Broadway
and was nominated for a third for Anything Goes
. He has also been nominated for a Drama Desk Award
for "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" off- Broadway. He appeared on Broadway in Falsettos
, the Rodgers and Hammerstein
revue
A Grand Night for Singing
, Stardust, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
, Strike Up The Band
, You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile, and Colette Collage.He won the New York Nightlife Award for his one-man show, Coup de Graae! and won the 2006 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award
. He also appeared in an episode of TV sitcom Friends
in The One Where Eddie Won't Go as the director of Another World
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor noted for his musical theater performances but with a varied career spanning Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
, opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, television and film. He started his career in Tulsa, Oklahoma at Edison High School starring in many plays, singing in the chorus and playing the oboe in the orchestra.
Graae created the role of Sparky in the original off-Broadway production of Forever Plaid
Forever Plaid
Forever Plaid is an off-Broadway musical revue written by Stuart Ross in New York in 1990 and now performed internationally. The show is a revue of the close-harmony "guy groups" that reached the height of their popularity during the 1950s. Personifying the clean-cut genre are the Plaids...
, and originated the role of Houdini in the L.A production of Ragtime
Ragtime
Ragtime is an original musical genre which enjoyed its peak popularity between 1897 and 1918. Its main characteristic trait is its syncopated, or "ragged," rhythm. It began as dance music in the red-light districts of American cities such as St. Louis and New Orleans years before being published...
. He has won Ovation Awards
Ovation Awards
The Ovation Awards are a Southern California award for excellence in theatre, established in 1989. They are given out by the Los Angeles Stage Alliance and are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles. They have been called the "...highest-profile contest for local theatre..." by the Los...
for Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
productions of Forbidden Hollywood
Forbidden Hollywood
Forbidden Hollywood is the parody show taped live in Hollywood created by Gerard Alessandrini, who also created the ever-popular Forbidden Broadway. But instead of spoofing Broadway, FH spoofed popular films Forbidden Hollywood is the parody show taped live in Hollywood created by Gerard...
and Forbidden Broadway
Forbidden Broadway
Forbidden Broadway is an Off-Broadway satirical revue conceived, written and directed by Gerard Alessandrini. The original version of the revue opened on January 15, 1982 at Palsson's Supper Club in New York City and ran for 2,332 performances. Alessandrini has rewritten the show over a dozen...
and was nominated for a third for Anything Goes
Anything Goes
Anything Goes is a musical with music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The original book was a collaborative effort by Guy Bolton and P.G. Wodehouse, heavily revised by the team of Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse. The story concerns madcap antics aboard an ocean liner bound from New York to London...
. He has also been nominated for a Drama Desk Award
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Awards, which are given annually in a number of categories, are the only major New York theater honors for which productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, Off-Off-Broadway compete against each other in the same category...
for "Hello Muddah, Hello Fadduh" off- Broadway. He appeared on Broadway in Falsettos
Falsettos
Falsettos is a musical with a book by James Lapine and William Finn and music and lyrics by Finn, comprising March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland, the last two in a trio of one-act off-Broadway plays focusing on Marvin, his ex-wife Trina, his psychiatrist Mendel, his son Jason, and his gay...
, the Rodgers and Hammerstein
Rodgers and Hammerstein
Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II were a well-known American songwriting duo, usually referred to as Rodgers and Hammerstein. They created a string of popular Broadway musicals in the 1940s and 1950s during what is considered the golden age of the medium...
revue
Revue
A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance and sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century American popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural presence of its own during its golden years from 1916 to 1932...
A Grand Night for Singing
A Grand Night for Singing
A Grand Night for Singing is a musical revue showcasing the music of Richard Rodgers and the lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein II.Featuring songs from such lesser-known works as Allegro, Me and Juliet, State Fair, and Pipe Dream, modest successes like Flower Drum Song and hits like Carousel, Oklahoma!,...
, Stardust, Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?
Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up? is a book published in 1975 by author John R. Powers. It was subsequently adapted into a Broadway musical and a screenplay.Film In Development=...
, Strike Up The Band
Strike Up The Band
Strike Up the Band may refer to:* Strike Up the Band , a 1927 Broadway musical with music by George and Ira Gershwin* "Strike Up the Band" , a song from the musical...
, You're Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile, and Colette Collage.He won the New York Nightlife Award for his one-man show, Coup de Graae! and won the 2006 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award
Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award
The Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Awards is an annual awards program presented by the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle . Established in 1969, the awards recognize excellence in theatre in the Greater Los Angeles Area....
. He also appeared in an episode of TV sitcom Friends
Friends
Friends is an American sitcom created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, which aired on NBC from September 22, 1994 to May 6, 2004. The series revolves around a group of friends in Manhattan. The series was produced by Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television...
in The One Where Eddie Won't Go as the director of Another World
Another World (TV series)
Another World is an American television soap opera that ran on NBC from May 4, 1964 to June 25, 1999. It ran for a total of 35 years. It was created by Irna Phillips along with William J...
.