Michael John Rupert (born October 23, 1951, Denver, Colorado) is an American actor, singer, director and composer. In 1968, he made his Broadway debut in The Happy Time as Bibi Bonnard for which he received a Tony Award nomination and the Theater World Award. Later, he starred as the title role in Pippin for three years on Broadway starting in 1974. He originated the role of Marvin in the William Finn musicals March of the Falsettos, Falsettoland and Falsettos. In 2007, he originated the role of Professor Callahan in the Broadway cast of Legally Blonde. Rupert has been the nominee and recipient of several Tony and Drama Desk awards, including for his performance in Sweet Charity in 1986.
Early life At 16 years old, Rupert made his Broadway debut in 1968 in Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time as the young Bibi Bonnard."The Happy Time Listing". Playbillvault.com, accessed July 16, 2012 His performance earned him the 1968 Theater World Award and his first Tony Award nomination for Featured Actor in a Musical. At the 22nd Tony Awards, Rupert performed "The Happy Time" and "A Certain Girl" from The Happy Time alongside his castmates Robert Goulet and David Wayne. He returned to California after The Happy Time, and appeared in local theater while in high school.Pacheco, Patrick. "STAGE : The Tenor of His Career: With his starring role in 'Falsettos' on Broadway, Michael Rupert has moved to the top ranks of the musical comedy field". Los Angeles Times, August 23, 1992 During this time he appeared in the Disney film The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes and as Gery in the 1975 film adaptation of A Boy and His Dog.
Career
Acting Rupert returned to Broadway in 1974 as a replacement in the role of Pippin."Rupert Credits". InternetBroadwayDatabase, accessed July 17, 2012 "Mike Rupert". Masterworksbroadway.com, accessed July 17, 2012Holden, Stephen. "A Musical With A Bundle of Letters In Leading Roles". The New York Times, April 10, 1988 In 1981, he appeared on Broadway in Shakespeare's Cabaret. He then originated the role of Marvin in two William Finn musicals, March of the Falsettos (1981) at the Off-Broadway Playwrights HorizonsRich, Frank. "Stage: 'March Of Falsettos, ' A Musical Find ". The New York Times, April 10, 1981 and Falsettoland (1990), which began at Playwrights Horizons before moving to the Lucille Lortel Theater.Christiansen, Richard. " 'Falsettoland' Closes A Trilogy On A Skillful, Provocative Note". Chicago Tribune, November 21, 1990 When March of the Falsettos and Falsettoland were performed together under the name Falsettos in 1992, Rupert once again played the role of Marvin, for which he received a nomination for the 1992 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical. In 1986 he appeared as Oscar in the Broadway revival of Sweet Charity,Rich, Frank. "Stage: 'Sweet Charity,' A Bob Fosse Revival". The New York Times, April 28, 1986 for which he won the 1986 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical.1986 Tony Awards". Infoplease.com, accessed July 16, 2012 In the 1988 musical Mail, Rupert not only originated the role of Alex, but composed the music as well.Rich, Frank. "Review/Theater;Epistles Set to Music, In Colker-Rupert 'Mail' ", The New York Times, April 15, 1988, Section C; p.3 He was a replacement in the role of Stine in City of Angels in 1989 and was in Ragtime as a replacement Tateh in 1999.
In 2003, he performed with Betty Buckley, Christian Borle, Carolee Carmello and Keith Bryon Kirk in the Lincoln Center staging of William Finn's Elegies: A Song Cycle.Holden, Stephen."Theater Review; Departed Friends Vibrantly Recalled in Song". The New York Times, March 28, 2003 He originated the role of Professor Callahan in Legally Blonde (2007) on BroadwayPincus-Roth, Zachary. " 'Legally Blonde' Ends San Francisco Run Feb. 24; Broadway Next" Playbill.com, February 24, 2007 and returned to the role on the National tour, starting in February 2010.Cherkinian, Harry. "A Life in the Theater". Wisconsingazette.com, March 25, 2010"Michael Rupert Returns to 'Legally Blonde' on Tour Broadwayworld.com, February 10, 2010 Rupert appeared as Kenneth Sharpe in the play 7th Monarch Off-Broadway at the Acorn Theater, opening in June 2012.(author unknown). ‘7th Monarch,’ by Jim Henry, at the Acorn Theater". The New York Times, June 25, 2012 He appeared in the Broadway revival of On the Town as Judge Pitkin, which ran from October 2014 to September 2015." 'On the Town' Broadway Revival" Playbill, accessed July 16, 2016
In regional theatre, he starred as Norbert in a workshop production of The Happy Elf, composed by Harry Connick, Jr. at Montgomery College's Robert E. Parilla Performing Arts Center, Rockville, Maryland in a co-production with Adventure Theatre, Washington, DC in November 2010.
His television credits include guest roles on series such as My Three Sons, The Waltons, Marcus Welby, M.D. and its legal spin-off Owen Marshall: Counselor at Law, Another World, Emergency!, Cannon, Alice, The Partridge Family, Alias Smith and Jones, Hawkins, Cheers, Law & Order and New York Undercover. Also he was in the MTV broadcast of Legally Blonde in 2007.Lipton, Brian Scott. "MTV To Re-Air 'Legally Blonde' on Thanksgiving". Theatermania.com, November 20, 2007
Directing In 1997, Rupert directed an Off-Broadway production of The Lunch Anxieties by Larry Kunofsky at the Harold Clurman Theatre. He directed J. Arlington Meyrelles III's musical, The Stars In Your Eyes, in an Equity workshop production in 1998.Lefkowitz, David. Playbill.com, November 26, 1997 Rupert directed Thrill Me: Leopold & Loeb Story (2005) at the York Theatre.
Composing Rupert composed the music, with book and lyrics by Jerry Colker, to the 1985 Off-Broadway music 3 Guys Naked from the Waist Down, which won the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book and was nominated for Outstanding Music.Rich, Frank. "Theater: '3 Guys Naked,' A Musical". The New York Times, February 6, 1985 The score for Mail (1988) was also written by Rupert with Colker once again writing the book and lyrics. Rupert wrote the score to Strange Vacation (1998) and collaborated with Allan Heinberg. He composed the score and co-wrote the book and lyrics with Matthew Riopelle for the musical Streets of America (2007).Gans, Andrew. Playbill, October 31, 2007Hetrick, Adam. Playbill.com, August 6, 2008 On August 18, 2008 the number "Racing to the Moon" was released Footlight Label as a single featuring three different performances: one by Rupert, which would be his debut single, another by actor Sebastian Arcelus, and an instrumental version by the guitarist David Timmons.
Personal life Rupert lives in New York City with his life partner, Will Chafin.
Theater Credits +YearProductionRoleNotes1968The Happy TimeBibi Bonnar Original Broadway Cast1974-1977PippinPippin Broadway Replacement1977-1978US tour1979FestivalTroubadorOff-BroadwayDamn YankeesJoe HardyHartford Stage1981-1982March of the FalsettosMarvin Original Cast1986-1987Sweet CharityOscar Broadway revival1988MailAlex1989City of AngelsStine Broadway replacement1990FalsettolandMarvin Original Cast1992-1993FalsettosOriginal Broadway Cast1994US tour replacement1998RagtimeTateh US tour1999-2000Broadway replacement2001A New BrainGordon Michael SchwinnStudio Theatre2003FalsettosMarvin Playwrights HorizonsElegies: A Song CycleOriginal PerformerFalsettosMarvin Skirball Cultural Center2004RagtimeTatehNorth Carolina Theatre2007-2008Legally BlondeProfessor Callahan Original Broadway Cast2009The Full MontyHarold NicholsPaper Mill Playhouse2010Legally BlondeProfessor Callahan US tour replacement2011Ogunquit Playhouse20127th MonarchKenneth Sharpe2013On The TownJudge Pitkin BridgeworkBarrington Stage Company2014-2015Broadway revival2017Sweet CharityDirectorPoint Park University
Awards and nominations +YearAwardCategoryWorkResult1968Tony AwardBest Featured Actor in a MusicalThe Happy TimeTheater World AwardTheater World Award1985Drama Desk AwardOutstanding Music3 Guys Naked From the Waist Down1986Tony AwardBest Featured Actor in a MusicalSweet CharityDrama Desk AwardOutstanding Featured Actor in a Musical1992Tony AwardBest Actor in a MusicalFalsettos
See also LGBT culture in New York City List of LGBT people from New York City NYC Pride March
Notes
References
External links
Michael Rupert on Myspace