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Hugh Jackman on Broadway

Published on: May 25, 2024
By: Natalie Gasper
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Hugh Jackman on Broadway

Hugh Jackman is a talented film, TV, and theater actor, with roles in Broadway productions such as The Music Man and The Boy from Oz. He first gained attention outside of his native Australia for his role as Curly McLain in Oklahoma! both onstage in London’s West End and in the TV film. While most may know him for his time on the big screen as Wolverine in the X-Men world, he also brings his charisma, talent, and musical abilities to the Great White Way in New York. In this article, we’ll go over Jackman’s complete history of stage shows.

Who is Hugh Jackman?

Australian native Hugh Jackman is one of the most talented actors of our time. He’s won an Emmy, a Golden Globe, a Grammy, a Tony, and a Drama Desk Award, to name a few. If he wins an Oscar award, he will join the small group of actors to be an EGOT winner (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony), one of the most coveted honors in the entertainment industry. Jackman has headlined many blockbuster films, including Les Misérables, The Greatest Showman (for which he won a Grammy Award), and 10 films as Wolverine in the X-Men franchise, including X-Men Origins.

Jackman has made several television appearances, including as Curly McLain in the tv film Oklahoma! and as host of the Tony Awards in 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2014. His theater history is just as expansive, starting with his first major role as Gaston in a 1995 Australian production of Beauty and the Beast. He’s also landed leading roles in plays like The River and A Steady Rain on Broadway and musicals like Sunset Boulevard, The Boy from Oz, and The Music Man, where he played infamous conman Harold Hill.

Broadway Shows Starring Hugh Jackman

The Music Man

In 2022, Hugh Jackman took on the mantle of con man Harold Hill, opposite Sutton Foster as librarian and piano teacher Marian Paroo in the hit musical The Music Man. Set in River City, Iowa, “Professor” Harold Hill sets about his usual con of collecting money for instruments and band uniforms before skipping town, only to be caught up in an accidental romance with Marian Paroo. The Music Man revival opened at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York City in 2022 and ran for 373 performances over eleven months. The Associated Press wrote, “Jackman is like a coiled spring, effortlessly leaping onto desks, two-stepping with kids, tossing books into the air and pounding out a rhythm on his thighs.” Meredith Willson wrote the book, music, and lyrics. Kate Horton, Barry Diller, and David Geffen produced this musical, which was directed by Jerry Zaks and choreographed by Warren Carlyle. Other cast included Jayne Houdyshell as Mrs. Shinn and Jefferson Mays as the Mayor. Popular songs from the musical include “Ya Got Trouble,” “Seventy-Six Trombones,” and “Till There Was You.” The original 1957 production of the musical The Music Man was so popular that it won five Tony Awards and went on to see film and TV adaptations and several Broadway revivals.

Hugh Jackman in The River

The River

There was a great deal of buzz surrounding Sonia Friedman Productions and producer Scott Rudin’s mysterious new drama, written by Jez Butterworth. Starring Hugh Jackman as The Man, opposite Laura Donnelly and Cush Jumbo, The River tells the story of a man and a woman at a remote cabin in the woods for trout fishing, where nothing is as it appears. The Guardian described it as, “A bit of a love story, a bit of a ghost story, and a bit of a puzzler, it’s an atmospheric and elegiac piece, structured more like a fugue than a drama.” The show was completely sold out for its 13-week run of 97 performances at the intimate Circle in the Square Theatre in New York. During the show’s Christmas Eve performance, Mr. Jackman auctioned several clothing items worn onstage to support Broadway Cares. Taylor Swift, a longtime friend, donated $6,000 in exchange for one of his T-shirts. Ian Rickson directed, with production design by Ultz and music by Stephen Warbeck.

A Steady Rain starring Daniel Craig and Hugh Jackman

A Steady Rain

Hugh Jackman starred opposite Daniel Craig in A Steady Rain, which was also Craig’s Broadway debut. Written by Keith Huff, this play is based on real-life events surrounding the infamous Jeffrey Dahmer. Two Chicago policemen (Jackman and Craig) accidentally return a young boy to a serial killer who pretends to be the boy’s uncle, and they must suffer the consequences of this egregious error in judgment. John Crowley directed the 12-week run, which broke the record for the highest weekly gross of a non-musical on Broadway, coming in at $1,276,106. The production, which received rave critical acclaim, alternates between intense monologues and passionate dialogue scenes. According to the Los Angeles Times, “Although Jackman is from Australia and Craig is from England, they slip into the American reality of their characters as if it were a second skin.”

The Boy From Oz on Broadway starring Hugh Jackman

The Boy From Oz

The Boy from Oz is a jukebox musical based on the life of singer and songwriter Peter Allen, who wrote the songs and lyrics for this production. Jackman’s performance in this production was nothing short of a raging success, bringing him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical, A Theatre World Award, a Drama League Award for Distinguished Performance of the Year, and an Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Actor in a Musical. This musical, which received mixed critical reviews, ran for 364 performances.

Other Stage Shows Starring Hugh Jackman

Hugh Jackman in The Man. The Music. The Show.

The Man. The Music. The Show Tour

Hugh Jackman was no stranger to one-man shows when he signed on for this international showcase. Featuring soundtracks from various films (including The Greatest Showman) and Broadway shows (including The Music Man), this concert was a testament to his true showman’s nature. Creative director Warren Carlyle and choreographer Ashley Warren were inspired by Classical Hollywood cinema and focused on the extravagance and glam of Hollywood life. Tickets for this concert sold out rapidly, sometimes in a matter of minutes, and the tour grossed $23.4 million. Reviews were largely positive, with The Daily Telegraph writing, “The sense of natural showmanship that made him perfect for the role of PT Barnum was tangible, and – along with his raw, rustic, baritone – it carried the evening.”

Oklahoma! starring Hugh Jackman

Oklahoma!

Oklahoma! has long been a popular production. The original 1943 Broadway production, written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, ran for 2,212 performances and even won a special Pulitzer Prize. In 1998, Oklahoma! came to the National Theatre in London’s West End for another revival starring Hugh Jackman, Maureen Lipman, and Josefina Gabrielle. Jackman played Curly McLain, a cowboy in a rival courtship for Laurey Williams (Gabrielle). This musical was a smash hit, receiving nine Olivier Award nominations, including Jackman’s nomination for Best Actor in a Musical.

Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard

Sunset Boulevard, based on the 1950 film of the same name, is a musical with music by Andrew Llyod Webber and lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton. It follows the story of forgotten silent film star Norma Desmond, who spies her chance to return to the screen when she meets young screenwriter Joe Gillis. Jackman starred as Gillis, opposite Debra Byrne, in the 1996 Australian production at the Regent Theatre. This production won the 1995 Tony Award for Best Musical.

Beauty and the Beast Disney Musical

Beauty and the Beast

Adapted from the Disney film of the same name, Beauty and the Beast was adapted into a stage musical with music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Tim Rice and Howard Ashman, and a book by Linda Woolverton. Jackman starred as Gaston in the 1995 Australian production.

Cast Albums and Soundtracks Featuring Hugh Jackman

The Music Man Cast Album

The Music Man

The cast recording for this hit revival featuring the music and lyrics of the legendary Meredith Willson features cast members including Hugh Jackman, Sutton Foster, and Jayne Houdyshell. Fans love that the onstage chemistry translated into an electric and inspiring recording. Songs include: “Ya Got Trouble,” “Till There Was You,” “Seventy-Six Trombones,” and “Pick-A-Little, Talk A Little.”

Oklahoma! starring Hugh Jackman

Oklahoma!

The cast recording of Oklahoma! showcases the vocal talents of the 1998 revival’s cast members, including Hugh Jackman, Josefina Gabrielle, and Maureen Lipman. Many fans say this is the best recording of Oklahoma! you can buy, thanks to Jackman’s energetic performance and the updated arrangements. Songs include: “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’,” “The Surrey with the Fringe on Top,” “Lonely Room,” and “People Will Say We’re In Love.”

The Boy From Oz Cast Album

The Boy From Oz

This cast recording, produced by Phil Ramone with music and lyrics by Peter Allen, features the original Broadway cast, including Hugh Jackman, Stephanie J. Block, Beth Fowler, and Isabel Keating. Fans appreciate that Jackman’s award-winning performance was so well captured in this recording. Songs include: “I Go to Rio,” “I Still Call Australia Home,” “Come Save Me,” and “Bi-Coastal.”

Les Misérables Movie Soundtrack

Les Misérables

The film soundtrack from this motion picture was a huge success, topping the Billboard 200 charts for several weeks. It’s sold nearly a million copies worldwide to date. Vocals were recorded live on set with the help of earpieces and a live piano accompaniment. Cast members include Hugh Jackman, Russel Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, and Eddie Redmayne. Songs include: “Look Down,” “At the End of the Day,” “Suddenly,” and “One Day More.”

The Greatest Showman Movie Soundtrack

The Greatest Showman

The original motion picture soundtrack for The Greatest Showman continues to be a sweeping success and a fan favorite. It includes numbers by original cast members, including Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Zendaya, and Michelle Williams. One of the most popular songs, “This Is Me,” was released as a single and won a Golden Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture. More than 5 million copies have been sold worldwide. Songs include: “The Greatest Show,” “A Million Dreams,” “Never Enough,” and “Rewrite the Stars.”

Broadway Cast Recordings

Check out our article on Best Broadway Cast Recordings and Movie Musical Soundtracks to listen to music from some of Broadway’s best composers.

Celebrities on Broadway

Check out our article about Celebrities on Broadway to see what stars like Sutton Foster, Daniel Radcliffe, George Clooney, and Robert Downey, Jr. are performing on Broadway right now!

Natalie Gasper

Contributing Writer

Natalie Gasper is freelance writer and editor who loves all creative pursuits. When she’s not writing articles, fantasy books, or poetry, you can probably find her auditioning for a play or creating beautiful theater sets. You can connect with her on Twitter and Medium @NatalieGasper.


Education: B.A. in Creative Writing, University of Central Florida
Knowledge: Theater, Literary

Published

May 25, 2024

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