Kevyn Morrow
Encyclopedia
Kevyn Morrow is an American actor, originally from Nebraska. His career has taken him from the American stage, to London, to film and television.
, which also featured Broadway star Annie Golden
.1 He soon after joined the cast of the legendary A Chorus Line
. Kevyn was a member of the 1990 closing cast of A Chorus Line. His next Broadway show would be as an original cast member of another Michael Bennett
hit, Dreamgirls. He would play various roles in the cast throughout its run both on Broadway, on tour, and in its 1987 revival, but most notably the role of C.C. White, for which he would receive critical acclaim.
Following Dreamgirls, Kevyn appeared in Smokey Joe's Cafe
, Dream, The Scarlet Pimpernel
, and the 2002 revival of Anything Goes
.
Off-Broadway he appeared in the original production of The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, which also featured TONY winner La Chanze, and Blue
where he played the title character of Blue Williams. 2 He recently appeared in the premiere presentation of Ripper
the musical, directed by Stephen Amato at New World Stages
.8
.3 Following that production, he would star in the London premiere of Ragtime
, directed by Stafford Arima
at the Piccadilly Theatre, as Coalhouse Walker Jr., a performance for which he would be nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
at the Bay Street Theatre (the production was filmed for the Lincoln Center Archives), Ragtime
in Omaha, Nebraska (where he won the award for Best Performance by a Visiting Actor 4), Tambourines to Glory
in Washington D.C. (where he was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award
5), the role of Curtis Taylor in Dreamgirls, and the role of Billy Strayhorn
in the national touring company of Stormy Weather starring Leslie Uggams
as Lena Horne
, including at the Prince Music Theatre
in Philadelphia.6
(appearing in June) as well as appearances on Law & Order, Hope and Faith, Coach
, Murphy Brown
, Ed
, and many others.7
film Staying Alive
.8
Broadway and Off-Broadway
Kevyn made his Broadway debut as a member of the original cast of Leader of the PackLeader of the Pack (musical)
Leader of the Pack is a musical with liner notes by Anne Beatts and additional material by Jack Heifner, music by Ellie Greenwich, and lyrics by Greenwich, Jeff Barry, Phil Spector, George "Shadow" Morton, Jeff Kent, and Ellen Foley.-Background:...
, which also featured Broadway star Annie Golden
Annie Golden
-Career:Born in Brooklyn, New York, Golden began her career as the lead singer of The Shirts . During the early 1990s she performed as part of the duo Golden Carillo with Frank Carillo. They released three albums,Fire in Newtown, Toxic Emotion, and Back for More. She then returned to The Shirts...
.1 He soon after joined the cast of the legendary A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line
A Chorus Line is a 1975 musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line. The book was authored by James Kirkwood, Jr. and Nicholas Dante, lyrics were written by Edward Kleban, and music was composed by Marvin Hamlisch....
. Kevyn was a member of the 1990 closing cast of A Chorus Line. His next Broadway show would be as an original cast member of another Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett
Michael Bennett was an American musical theater director, writer, choreographer, and dancer. He won seven Tony Awards for his choreography and direction of Broadway shows and was nominated for an additional eleven....
hit, Dreamgirls. He would play various roles in the cast throughout its run both on Broadway, on tour, and in its 1987 revival, but most notably the role of C.C. White, for which he would receive critical acclaim.
Following Dreamgirls, Kevyn appeared in Smokey Joe's Cafe
Smokey Joe's Cafe
Smokey Joe's Cafe is a musical revue showcasing 39 pop standards, including rock and roll, rhythm and blues songs written by songwriters Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller...
, Dream, The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel
The Scarlet Pimpernel is a play and adventure novel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, set during the Reign of Terror following the start of the French Revolution. The story is a precursor to the "disguised superhero" tales such as Zorro and Batman....
, and the 2002 revival of 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...
.
Off-Broadway he appeared in the original production of The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, which also featured TONY winner La Chanze, and Blue
Blue
Blue is a colour, the perception of which is evoked by light having a spectrum dominated by energy with a wavelength of roughly 440–490 nm. It is considered one of the additive primary colours. On the HSV Colour Wheel, the complement of blue is yellow; that is, a colour corresponding to an equal...
where he played the title character of Blue Williams. 2 He recently appeared in the premiere presentation of Ripper
Ripper
Ripper may refer to:* Jack the Ripper, a pseudonym given to an unidentified serial killer active in the largely impoverished Whitechapel area and adjacent districts of London in the latter half of 1888...
the musical, directed by Stephen Amato at New World Stages
New World Stages
New World Stages, originally Dodger Stages, is an Off-Broadway venue. The architects were Beyer, Blinder, and Belle. The theatre designers were Sachs Morgan, and the interior designer was Klara Zieglerova.It is currently home to 6 shows:* Rent...
.8
London
In 2002 he made his West End debut in Rob Bettinson and Alan Janes' 125th Street at the Shaftesbury TheatreShaftesbury Theatre
The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End Theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden.-History:The theatre was designed for the brothers Walter and Frederick Melville by Bertie Crewe and opened on 26 December 1911 with a production of The Three Musketeers, as the New...
.3 Following that production, he would star in the London premiere 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...
, directed by Stafford Arima
Stafford Arima
Stafford Arima is a Canadian-born theatre director. Arima studied at York University in Toronto where he was the recipient of the Dean's Prize for Excellence in Creative Work.Arima is directing Carrie Stafford Arima is a Canadian-born theatre director. Arima studied at York University in Toronto...
at the Piccadilly Theatre, as Coalhouse Walker Jr., a performance for which he would be nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical.
Regional
He has appeared in numerous productions throughout United States, but most notably for Once on This IslandOnce On This Island
Once on This Island is a one-act musical with a book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music by Stephen Flaherty. Based on the novel My Love, My Love by Rosa Guy, set in the French Antilles in the Caribbean Sea...
at the Bay Street Theatre (the production was filmed for the Lincoln Center Archives), Ragtime
Ragtime (musical)
Ragtime is a musical with a book by Terrence McNally, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, and music by Stephen Flaherty.Based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime tells the story of three groups in America, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr., a Harlem musician; Mother, the matriarch of a WASP family in...
in Omaha, Nebraska (where he won the award for Best Performance by a Visiting Actor 4), Tambourines to Glory
Tambourines to Glory
Tambourines to Glory is a 1956 black gospel musical play by Langston Hughes. It tells the story of two female street preachers who open a store front church in Harlem...
in Washington D.C. (where he was nominated for the Helen Hayes Award
Helen Hayes Award
A Helen Hayes Award is a theater award named for the famed actress Helen Hayes to recognize excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are managed by Linda Levy Grossman. and presented by the Washington Theatre Awards Society.-Awards:The Helen Hayes...
5), the role of Curtis Taylor in Dreamgirls, and the role of Billy Strayhorn
Billy Strayhorn
William Thomas "Billy" Strayhorn was an American composer, pianist and arranger, best known for his successful collaboration with bandleader and composer Duke Ellington lasting nearly three decades. His compositions include "Chelsea Bridge", "Take the "A" Train" and "Lush Life".-Early...
in the national touring company of Stormy Weather starring Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams
Leslie Uggams is an American actress and singer, perhaps best known for her work in Hallelujah, Baby! She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta sorority.-Singing:...
as Lena Horne
Lena Horne
Lena Mary Calhoun Horne was an American singer, actress, civil rights activist and dancer.Horne joined the chorus of the Cotton Club at the age of sixteen and became a nightclub performer before moving to Hollywood, where she had small parts in numerous movies, and more substantial parts in the...
, including at the Prince Music Theatre
Prince Music Theatre
The Prince Music Theater was a non-profit theatrical producing organization located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and specializing in music theatre, including opera, music drama, musical comedy and experimental forms. At it's height it was run by managing director Joe Farina. It was run into the...
in Philadelphia.6
Television
Kevyn's television appearances include a recurring role on All My ChildrenAll My Children
All My Children is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011. Created by Agnes Nixon, All My Children is set in Pine Valley, Pennsylvania, a fictitious suburb of Philadelphia. The show features Susan Lucci as Erica Kane, one of daytime's most...
(appearing in June) as well as appearances on Law & Order, Hope and Faith, Coach
Coach (TV series)
Coach is an American television sitcom that aired for nine seasons on ABC from 1989 to 1997. The series starred Craig T. Nelson as Hayden Fox, head coach of the fictional Division I-A college football team, the Minnesota State University Screaming Eagles...
, Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown
Murphy Brown is an American situation comedy which aired on CBS from November 14, 1988, to May 18, 1998, for a total of 247 episodes. The program starred Candice Bergen as the eponymous Murphy Brown, a famous investigative journalist and news anchor for FYI, a fictional CBS television...
, Ed
Ed (TV series)
Ed is an NBC television program co-produced by David Letterman's Worldwide Pants Incorporated, NBC Productions, and Viacom Productions that aired from 2000 to 2004....
, and many others.7
Film
Kevyn has appeared in multiple films including the 1983 John TravoltaJohn Travolta
John Joseph Travolta is an American actor, dancer and singer. Travolta first became known in the 1970s, after appearing on the television series Welcome Back, Kotter and starring in the box office successes Saturday Night Fever and Grease...
film Staying Alive
Staying Alive
Staying Alive is the 1983 film sequel to Saturday Night Fever, starring John Travolta as dancer Tony Manero, with Cynthia Rhodes, Finola Hughes, Joyce Hyser, Steve Inwood, Julie Bovasso, and dancers Viktor Manoel, Kate Ann Wright, Kevyn Morrow and Nanette Tarpey...
.8