Santino Fontana
Santino Fontana | |
---|---|
Born |
Stockton, California, U.S.[1] | March 21, 1982
Alma mater | University of Minnesota |
Occupation |
|
Years active | 2007–present |
Spouse(s) |
Jessica Hershberg (m. 2015) |
Santino Anthony Fontana (born March 21, 1982) is an American actor and singer, widely known for playing Greg Serrano on the television show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and for voicing Prince Hans in the 2013 Disney animated film Frozen.
Early life
Fontana was born in Stockton, California to parents Sharon Marie Fontana (nee Simarro; born 1951) and Ernest John Fontana (born 1948).[1] His mother is an elementary school teacher and his father is an agronomist. He has one sister. He is of half Italian, one quarter Portuguese, and one quarter Spanish descent. Fontana graduated from Richland High School in Richland, Washington in 2000.[2] As a teenager he studied Theatre Arts at Interlochen Arts Camp at Interlochen Center for the Arts. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program, class of 2004.[3]
Career
In 2005, as a member of the Essentials, Fontana co-wrote the musical comedy Perfect Harmony,[4] and originated the role of Philip Fellowes V.[5] In 2006, he starred as Hamlet in The Guthrie Theatre's performance of the Shakespearean classic[6], before moving to New York City to star as Matt in the Off-Broadway revival of The Fantasticks.[7] His Broadway debut was Sunday in the Park with George in 2007. Fontana originated the role of Tony in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot from October 1, 2008 to July 4, 2009. He was awarded the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work in Brighton Beach Memoirs. He starred as Prince Topher in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical.
In 2013, he provided the voice of Prince Hans in the Walt Disney Animation Studios film Frozen.
In 2015, Fontana became the first guest artist to perform three times in the space of one year with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir where he met the cast of Sesame Street.[8] Fontana also joined the cast of the CW romantic musical comedy-drama Crazy Ex-Girlfriend that same year. On November 11, 2016, it was announced that Fontana was leaving the TV series after his one-year contract with the CW.[9]
He stars as Michael Dorsey in the stage musical version of the film Tootsie, which premiered in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre from September 11 to October 14, 2018. The musical is expected to open on Broadway on April 23, 2019. Direction is by Scott Ellis with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Robert Horn.[10]
Personal life
Fontana began dating actress Jessica Hershberg in mid 2011. The couple met backstage at the Birdland jazz club, where both were performing.[11] They became engaged in September 2014 and married in October 2015.[12][11]
Broadway credits
Year | Title | Role | Theater | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Sunday in the Park with George | Alex/Bather/Soldier, George understudy | Roundabout Theatre Company | Broadway debut |
2008 | Billy Elliot the Musical | Tony Elliot | Imperial Theatre | Originated role on Broadway |
2009 | Brighton Beach Memoirs and Broadway Bound | Stanley Jerome | Nederlander Theatre | Revival |
2010 | A View from the Bridge | Rodolfo | Cort Theatre | Left the show in previews due to a performance-related injury and was replaced by his understudy, Morgan Spector |
2011 | The Importance of Being Earnest | Algernon Moncrieff | American Airlines Theatre | Revival |
2013 | Cinderella | Prince Topher | The Broadway Theatre | |
2014 | Act One | Moss Hart | Vivian Beaumont Theatre | |
2018 | Hello, Dolly! | Cornelius Hackl | Shubert Theatre | Temporary replacement |
2019 | Tootsie | Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels | Marquis Theatre | Originating role on Broadway |
Other stage credits
Year | Title | Role | Theater | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
A Christmas Carol | Guthrie Theater | |||
2003 | Six Degrees of Separation | Guthrie Theater | ||
La Traviata | Washington East Opera | |||
Death of a Salesman | Guthrie Theater and Gaiety Theatre (Dublin Theater Festival) | |||
As You Like It | Guthrie Theater | |||
Once in a Lifetime | Chautauqua Theater Company | |||
9/11 Project | Chautauqua Theater Company | |||
On the Verge | Chautauqua Theater Company | |||
Loves Labour's Lost | Chautauqua Theater Company | |||
2005 | Perfect Harmony | Philip Fellowes V | Studio Tisch [13] | Also Co-Writer |
2006 | Hamlet | Hamlet | Guthrie Theater | |
2006 | The Fantasticks[14] | Matt | Off-Broadway | Original Off-Broadway revival cast *cast recording[15] |
2007 | Noël Coward's Hay Fever[16] | Simon Bliss | Old Globe Theatre, San Diego | |
2011 | Sons of the Prophet[17] | Joseph | Off-Broadway, Laura Pels Theatre | |
2016 | 1776 | John Adams | Encores! New York City Center | |
2016 | Kurt Vonnegut's God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater[18] | Elliot Rosewater | Encores! New York City Center | |
2018 | Tootsie | Michael Dorsey/Dorothy Michaels | Cadillac Palace Theatre | Pre-Broadway regional tryout |
Discography
Year | Title | Music |
---|---|---|
2015 | Keep Christmas With You | Mormon Tabernacle Choir & The Muppets from Sesame Street |
Filmography
Film
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2011 | Newsworthy[19] | Mr. Kerry | Short film |
2012 | Nancy, Please[20] | Charlie | |
2013 | Frozen[21] | Hans (voice) | |
2014 | Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit | Running Banker | |
2014 | Fade to White | Damon | |
2015 | Frozen Fever[22] | Hans (voice) | Short film |
2015 | Sisters[23] | Mr. Geernt | |
2018 | Off the Menu[24] | Joel Flanagan | |
2019 | Impossible Monsters[25] | Dr. Rich Freeman | Post-production |
Television/web series
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2010 | The Good Wife | Danny Willoughby | Episode: "Heart"[26] |
2011 | Nurse Jackie | David | Episode: "Play Me"[27] |
2011–2014 | Submissions Only | Aaron Miller | Series regular (16 episodes) |
2012 | A Gifted Man | Gene Tipton | Episode: "In Case of Heart Failure"[28] |
2012 | Royal Pains | Jason | Episode: "Dawn of the Med" |
2012 | Made in Jersey | ADA Van Pelt | Episode: "Ancient History"[29] |
2014 | A Summer Celebration of Song | Himself/guest artist | 2014 Mormon Tabernacle Choir Pioneer Day Concert[30] |
2014–2018 | Mozart in the Jungle | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | 4 episodes[31] |
2015 | Keep Christmas With You | Himself/guest artist | 2014 Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert[32][32] |
2015–2016 | Crazy Ex-Girlfriend | Greg Serrano | Series regular (22 episodes) |
2016–2017 | Shades of Blue | David Saperstein | 9 episodes |
2016 | BrainDead | Kevin | Episode: "The Path to War Part One: The Gathering Political Storm" |
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Work | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
2010 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play | Brighton Beach Memoirs | Won |
2011 | Clarence Derwent Awards | Most Promising Male Performer | The Importance of Being Earnest | Won |
2012 | Drama Desk Award | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Sons of the Prophet | Nominated |
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Play | Nominated | ||
2013 | Tony Award | Best Actor in a Musical | Cinderella | Nominated |
Outer Critics Circle Award | Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Nominated | ||
2014 | Behind the Voice Actors Award | Best Vocal Ensemble in a Feature Film | Frozen | Won |
References
- 1 2 "NYC New Member Events | Actors' Equity Association Membership". Actorsequity.org. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
- ↑ "Richland School District About". rsd.edu.
- ↑ Fontana Lands Lead Role
- ↑ "The Essentials for Perfect Harmony". SamuelFrench.com. Archived from the original on 2014-05-02.
- ↑ "Santino Fontana biography at Lincoln Center Theater". LCT.org.
- ↑ Green, Douglas E. (2006-09-12). "Hamlet (review)". Shakespeare Bulletin. 24 (3): 84–88. doi:10.1353/shb.2006.0048. ISSN 1931-1427.
- ↑ "The Fantasticks Revival Opens Off-Broadway". Playbill.com.
- ↑ "Santino Fontana to Perform with the Choir for the Third Time in a Year". mormontabernaclechoir.org.
- ↑ 10:00 pm (2016-11-11). "Santino Fontana Is Leaving Crazy Ex-Girlfriend". Vulture.com. Retrieved 2017-05-05.
- ↑ "Boadway-Bound 'Tootsie' Starring Santino Fontana Will Play Pre-Run in Chicago" broadwayworld.com, January 24, 2018
- 1 2 Cowan, Alison Leigh. "Jessica Hershberg and Santino Fontana: A Real-Life Fairy Tale" The New York Times, October 4, 2015
- ↑ McPhee, Ryan. "He Has Found Her! Tony Nominee Santino Fontana & Broadway's Jessica Hershberg Are Engaged" broadway.com, September 24, 2014
- ↑ "Perfect Harmony". SamuelFrench.com.
- ↑ Gans, Andrew. "Try to Remember": 'The Fantasticks' Revival Opens Off-Broadway Aug. 23" Playbill, August 23, 2006
- ↑ "The Fantasticks (New Off-Broadway Recording)". SH-K-BOOM RECORDS.
- ↑ Hay Fever, Old Globe Theatre
- ↑ "Sons of the Prophet". Roundabout Theatre Company.
- ↑ Baron, Tricia. "Santino Fontana, Skylar Astin, and More Celebrate 'God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater'" theatermania.com, July 31, 2016
- ↑ Robbins, Jeremy, Newsworthy, Santino Fontana, Noah Robbins, retrieved 2018-07-04
- ↑ Semans, Andrew (2012-04-21), Nancy, Please, Will Rogers, Eleonore Hendricks, Rebecca Lawrence Levy, retrieved 2018-07-04
- ↑ Bryan Alexander, USA TODAY 4:11 p.m. EDT June 17, 2013 (2013-06-17). "'Frozen' defrosts Kristen Bell's Disney dreams". Usatoday.com. Retrieved 2014-02-15.
- ↑ Lee, Michael (March 12, 2015). "'Cinderella' Review". movieviral. Retrieved March 14, 2015.
- ↑ "Santino Fontana on Twitter". Twitter.
- ↑ "HOME". OFF THE MENU. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
- ↑ "IMPOSSIBLE MONSTERS | A Film by Nathan Catucci". IMPOSSIBLE MONSTERS. Retrieved 2018-07-04.
- ↑ Alcalá, Félix Enríquez (2010-03-16), Heart, Julianna Margulies, Matt Czuchry, Archie Panjabi, retrieved 2018-07-04
- ↑ "Nurse Jackie" Play Me (TV Episode 2011), retrieved 2018-07-04
- ↑ Platt, David (2012-03-02), In Case of Heart Failure, Patrick Wilson, Jennifer Ehle, Margo Martindale, retrieved 2018-07-04
- ↑ "Made in Jersey" Ancient History (TV Episode 2012), retrieved 2018-07-04
- ↑ R. Scott Lloyd (18 July 2014). "Guest artist Fontana tells stories through song at Tabernacle Choir concert". DeseretNews.com.
- ↑ Mozart in the Jungle (TV Series 2014– ), retrieved 2018-02-18
- 1 2 "Sesame Street Muppets, Santino Fontana to join Mormon Tabernacle Choir for Christmas concert". DeseretNews.com. 16 October 2014.
External links
- Santino Fontana at the Internet Broadway Database
- Santino Fontana at Internet Off-Broadway Database
- Santino Fontana on IMDb
- Santino Fontana biography for The Neil Simon Plays
- Off Off Broadway Online interview, 2006
- A new prince takes the 'Hamlet' throne MNDaily.com, 2006
- "Who Knew? Hamlet graduated from CLA" on page 9, Reach magazine, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota
- Santino Fontana's thread on Friends of Billy Elliot