Wade McCollum (born 1978) is an American film actor, stage actor and composer/musician.
Early life McCollum was born in 1978 in Chico, California. His father is a rock-n-roll drummer and McCollum spent his early life on the road traveling from town to town. He spent some school years in Ashland, Oregon, home of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. He left high school at age 16 to attend the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts.
Career After graduating from the Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, McCollum went on to land the role of Hedwig in a 2002 Triangle Theatre production of John Cameron Mitchell and Stephen Trask’s rock musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. McCollum went on to star in several productions of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, including the Ovation Award-winning 2004 Celebration Theatre production in Hollywood, CA. For this production McCollum won the Backstage West Garland Award, The Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle Award and was praised by publications such as Variety and the Los Angeles Times.
McCollum released a music album called Beauty is a Streetlight in 2006.
While in Portland, McCollum appeared as Frank-n-Furter in The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Emcee in Cabaret opposite Storm Large as Sally Bowles, and Prior in Angels in America. At Portland Center Stage, he starred as Batboy in Bat Boy: The Musical and the one-person shows I Am My Own Wife and The Santaland Diaries. McCollum also co-founded and functioned as artistic director of Insight Out Theatre Collective where his hit original musical ONE ( The Other Shore) was produced. ONE was still in development for commercial production, as of 2022.
McCollum went on to appear in Jersey Boys, led Broadway’s Priscilla Queen of the Desert First National Tour, and upon his return to New York City, made his Broadway debut in Wicked. McCollum has appeared in numerous Off-Broadway shows including Triassic Parq and most notably his Lucille Lortel Award nominated turn as Ernest Shackleton in Ernest Shackleton Loves Me, for which he garnered the prestigious Norton Award for “Best Actor” with the show winning the Off-Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical in 2017 Ernest Shackleton Loves Me was streamed live during its run in NYC and available on Broadway HD.
In 2011 McCollum appeared as the Emcee in Dallas Theatre Center’s Cabaret opposite Kate Wetherhead as Sally Bowles. Wetherhead is the creator of the Web Comedy Submissions Only in which McCollum played Nolan Grigsby.
In 2018, McCollum originated the role of Carl von Cosel in the new musical It Happened In Key West on London’s West End.
McCollum’s first performance back in the theatre after the Covid-19 shutdown was as a last-minute emergency cover for Henry Higgins in Lincoln Center Theatre’s national tour of My Fair Lady directed by Bartlett Sher.
In 2022 McCollum completed Secondary Dominance, his first feature film as co-director and co-writer with longtime collaborator Sarah Small.
In 2023 McCollum originated the role of Wade in Water for Elephants at the Alliance theatre in Atlanta. Upon returning from Atlanta, Wade starred in and co created (additional material) the hit solo show Make Me Gorgeous Off Broadway at Playhouse 46. Make Me Gorgeous was extended for three months and nominated for the Lortel Award (Best Solo Show) and Wade’s performance was nominated for the Drama Desk Award (Best Solo Performance) and he won Best Solo Performance (Off-Broadway Alliance Award).
In 2024 Darius Rose (a.k.a. Jackie Cox) replaced McCollum in Make Me Gorgeous as Wade left to originate his first principal role on Broadway in Water for Elephants. Water for Elephants, directed by Jessica Stone, with book by Rick Elice, composed by PigPen Theatre company, and choreographed by Jesse Robb and Shana Carroll of Seven Fingers Circus was nominated for 7 Tony Awards including Best Musical in 2024. Wade performed “The Road Don’t Make You Young” from Water For Elephants on the 2024 live Tony Award show for CBS.
In 2025 Wade went on to originate the role of Bee Doyle in Floyd Collinshttps://www.digitaljournal.com/article/wade-mccollum-talks-about-being-a-part-of-floyd-collins-on-broadway/ by Tina Landau and Adam Guettel at the Lincoln Center Theatre. This show was Andre Bishop's final production and LCT's 40th anniversary seasonhttps://deadline.com/2024/06/floyd-collins-broadway-lincoln-center-theater-1235968882/. The production starred Jeremy Jordan as Floyd (Wade covered the role) and Lizzy McAlpine as Nelly.https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Meet-the-Cast-of-FLOYD-COLLINS-Now-on-Broadway-20250328 McCollum finished out the year playing Huey in an Off-Broadway revival of John Patrick Shanley's Italian American Reconciliationhttps://www.broadwayworld.com/off-broadway/article/ITALIAN-AMERICAN-RECONCILIATION-Starring-Mary-Testa-Wade-McCollum-is-Coming-to-The-Flea-20250919playing opposite Mary Testa and Robert Farrior.
In 2026 McCollum wrote, directed, composed, choreographed and starred in ZAF: The Chemistry of Control at the Royal Institution in London. produced and conceived by cultural entomologist Bridget Nicholls https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/zombie-ant-fungus-chemistry-control the show blends Wade's neuroscience and theatre disciplines into a biology based musical lecture. McCollum then returned to star as Kenny "Killer" Kane in the World Premier of the new musical Freak the Mighty at Cleveland Playhouse and Seattle Rep.https://www.theatermania.com/news/cleveland-play-house-announces-the-world-premiere-of-the-musical-freak-the-mighty_1834206/ Freak the Mighty has Book & Lyrics by Anthony Drewe, music by Ryan Fielding Garrett, directed by Michael Barakiva, is based on the novel by Rodman Philbrick, and is produced by Tony Award winning (Come From Away) Junkyard Dog Productions.
Personal life McCollum is married to artist Noah Jordan. McCollum’s father-in-law is 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry winner Robert Lefkowitz.
Filmography
Film YearTitleRoleNotes2000Delicate InstrumentsGary2009Only Time Will TellZachShort2017Grandpa’s KaleidescopeThe StrangerMusic Video2017Ernest Shackleton Loves MeErnest Shackleton and others2018OptionsStephen CartwrightShort2019In the Night RoomThe StrangerMusic Video2020Blowing DandelionsThe StrangerMusic Video2022Secondary DominanceThe Scientist turn Muse / DancerAlso co-writer and directorTBDRiding Out the StormBobShort
Television YearTitleRoleNotes2011-2014Submissions OnlyNolan GrigsbyWeb Series2015The KnickSydney CartonHBO max2017NightcapLouis MackiePop TV2019At Home with Amy SedarisThe SkeletonPop TV2019Prodigal SonAngry ManFOX2019Madame SecretaryAndyCBS2022FBI Most WantedLeon McCannCBS2024Tony AwardsLead performer2025Tony AwardsPerformer
Theater
YearTitleRoleNotes1999RSC’s The Shakespeare RevueHamlet et al.US premier2002ONESidan earlier version of the musical he wrote and co-composed with Eric Nordin.2003-2005Hedwig and the Angry InchHedwigRegional, with triangle! Theatre and Celebration Theatre2003The Last Five YearsJamieWest Coast Premier2003-2004The Merchant of VeniceLancelot Gobbowith Portland Center Stage2003-2004Bat Boy: The MusicalBat Boywith Portland Center Stage2004On the VergeMary2005The Rocky Horror Picture ShowFrank -n- FurterRegional2006I Am My Own WifeCharlotte et al.Regional2006MetamorphosesPhaeton/Ceyxwith Artists Repertory Theatre2006AssassinsBalladeer/Lee Harvey Oswaldwith Artists Repertory Theatre2007Toy Story the MusicalWoodyDisney Development2007Jersey BoysNorm Waxmanwith Chicago Company2008,2011CabaretEmceeRegional, with Dallas Theatre Center2009-2010The Sanataland DiariesCrumpetwith Portland Center Stage2010Fly By NightNarratorWorld Premier, with Theatreworks in Palo Alto2010DraculaDraculaRegional2010Angels In AmericaPrior WalterRegional2011The Santaland DiariesCrumpet et alRegional2011Dying CityPeter/CraigRegional2012Priscilla Queen of the DesertTick/MitziUS National Tour2013Triassic ParqVelociraptor of FaithOff- Broadway2014WickedWitch’s Father u/s Wizard & DillamondBroadway2015-2017Ernest Shackleton Loves MeErnest Shackleton et alOff-Broadway (World Premier)2018It Happened in Key WestCarl Von CoselWest End (World Premier)2018The CarpenterGeneRegional (World Premier)2019A Welcome GuestShimeusRegional (World Premier)2019-2022My Fair LadyKarpathy u/s Henry HigginsUS National Tour2022Make Me Gorgeous: The Kenneth Marlowe StoryKenneth et al.Regional (World Premier) 2023Water For ElephantsWadeAlliance Theatre (World Premier) 2023-2024Make Me Gorgeous Kenneth/Kate/et alOff Broadway2024Water for ElephantsWade u/s AugustBroadway2025Floyd CollinsBee Doyle u/s Floyd CollinsBroadway2025Italian American ReconciliationHuey Maximilian BonfiglianoOff-Broadwayhttps://www.broadwayworld.com/shows/Italian-American-Reconciliation-335671.html2026Freak the MightyKenny "Killer" KaneRegional (World Premier)https://www.theatermania.com/news/cleveland-play-house-announces-the-world-premiere-of-the-musical-freak-the-mighty_1834206/2026Zombie Ant Fungus: the chemistry of controlAutofictional Scientist London's Royal Institution (World Premier)https://www.rigb.org/whats-on/zombie-ant-fungus-chemistry-control
Awards YearAwardCategoryWorkResult2002Drammy AwardBest Actor in a MusicalHedwig and the Angry Inch2003Drammy AwardBest Actor in a MusicalBatboy2004Ovation AwardsBest Actor in a MusicalHedwig and the Angry Inch2004Backstage West’s Garland AwardBest Actor in a Musical2004Los Angeles Drama Critic’s Circle AwardBest Actor in a Musical2011Dallas Fort Worth Theater Critics Forum AwardDrama Critic’s Circle AwardBest Actor in a MusicalCabaret2016Boston Theatre Critic’s Association Elliot Norton AwardBest Actor in a MusicalErnest Shackleton Loves Me2017Lucille Lortel AwardBest Actor in a Musical2024Off-Broadway Alliance AwardBest Solo PerformanceMake Me Gorgeous!2024Lucille Lortel AwardBest Solo ShowMake Me Gorgeous!2024Drama Desk Award Best Solo Performance Make Me Gorgeous!
References
External links Official website