Robert Westenberg

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Robert Westenberg
Born (1953-10-26) October 26, 1953 (age 70)
Other namesBob Westenberg
EducationBullard High School
California State University, Fresno
Alma materNational Theatre Conservatory
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
  • educator
Years active1975–present
Known forInto the Woods
Sunday in the Park with George
The Secret Garden
SpouseKim Crosby (m. 1991)
Children3

Robert Westenberg (born October 26, 1953) is an American stage actor and singer, acting teacher, and professor. He received a Tony Award nomination for his performance in the original Broadway cast of Into the Woods.

He appeared on Broadway in Sunday in the Park with George (as the title role), Les Misérables (as Inspector Javert), Into the Woods (as The Big Bad Wolf and Cinderella’s Prince), The Secret Garden (as Dr. Neville Craven), as well as several other musicals.

He was the musical theatre coordinator and associate professor in the theatre and dance department at Missouri State University and now serves as a lecturer of Musical Theatre at the University of Colorado Boulder.

Early life and education

Born in Miami Beach, Florida, but raised in Fresno, California, with his six siblings. Westenberg graduated Bullard High School in 1971, where he was active in sports, specifically football. He then attended California State University, Fresno.[1][2]

Westenberg received a master's degree from Denver’s National Theatre Conservatory.[3]

Career

Broadway

He made his Broadway debut in the 1983 revival of Zorba as Nikos, for which he won the Theatre World Award.[4]

He played the dual role of a Soldier/Alex and understudied Mandy Patinkin in Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George which opened in May 1984. He later took over Patinkin's leading roles of Georges Seurat/George where he played opposite Bernadette Peters in September of that year and played the role until April 1985.[5]

He received a Tony Award nomination and won a Drama Desk Award for his performance as Cinderella's Prince and the Wolf in Sondheim's Into the Woods (1987).[6] It was during this show where he met his wife, Kim Crosby, who played Cinderella.[7]

In 1990, he starred as Inspector Javert in Les Misérables opposite Craig Schulman as Jean Valjean.[8]

In 1991, he starred as Dr. Neville Craven in the original Broadway production of The Secret Garden playing opposite Patinkin again along with Daisy Eagan, Alison Fraser and Rebecca Luker.[9] In 2020, Westenberg directed the same production at Missouri State University, where he served as the head of the Musical Theatre department until joining the Musical Theatre faculty at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023. [10] [11]

Other

In 1981, Westenberg played Norman Mushari in Kurt Vonnegut’s God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater at Arena Stage.

In 1994 and 2001, Westenberg starred as Scrooge’s nephew Fred in the musical adaptation of A Christmas Carol in Madison Square Garden.

In 1996, Westenberg was in the US National tour of Funny Girl as Nick Arnstein opposite Debbie Gibson as Fanny Brice. It ended prematurely in November 1996 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.[12][13][14][15][16]

In 2002, Westenberg was in the US and Japan tour of The Full Monty.[17]

Westenberg has been in several MUNY (St. Louis) productions. He played Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady in 2001 opposite his wife, Kim Crosby, as Eliza Doolittle.[18]

He played the roles of both Mr. Darling and Captain Hook in the July 2007 St. Louis MUNY production of Peter Pan.[19] He reprised these roles in a 2009 production in Branson, Missouri, with Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan.[20] In 2012, he directed a production of Les Misérables at Springfield Little Theatre.

Television and film

Westenberg's film credits include Mr. and Mrs. Bridge and The Ice Storm. He has made guest appearances on Third Watch, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, and the short-lived series Aliens in the Family. He played Prince Raymond on the soap opera, One Life to Live from 1989-90.[1]

He reprised his roles of a Soldier/Alex and the Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince in the American Playhouse episodes of Sunday in the Park with George and Into the Woods.

Stage credits

Show Role(s) Year(s) Production
Bye Bye Birdie Conrad Birdie 1975 Good Company Players[21]
Minnie's Boys Herbert “Zeppo” Marx
Carousel Billy Bigelow 1976
Sweet Charity Vittorio Vidal 1977
God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater Norman Mushari 1981 Arena Stage
Henry IV, Part 1 Vintner / Vernon / Ensemble Delacorte Theatre in Central Park
The Death of Von Richthofen As Witnessed From Earth R. Raymond-Barker

u/s Manfred Von Richthofen

1982 Off-Broadway
Hamlet Laertes 1982-1983[22]
Zorba Nikos 1983 National tour
Broadway
Sunday in the Park with George A Soldier / Alex

u/s Georges Seurat / George

1984 Broadway
Georges Seurat / George 1984-1985
Into the Woods The Wolf / Cinderella's Prince 1987-1989
She Loves Me Georg Nowack 1990 Berkshire Theatre Festival
Les Misérables Inspector Javert Broadway
The Secret Garden Dr. Neville Craven 1991
Gay Divorce Guy 1993 Concert
Abe Lincoln in Illinois Ninian Edwards 1993-1994 Broadway
Three Birds Alighting on a Field Auctioneer / David / Constantin / Ahmet 1994 Off-Broadway
The King and I The King of Siam The Muny
A Christmas Carol Fred Anderson The Theater at Madison Square Garden
I Sent a Letter to My Love Stan 1995 Off-Broadway
Company Harry Broadway
Funny Girl Nick Arnstein 1996 US National tour
Violet Preacher / Bus Driver 1 / Radio Singer / Bus Driver 4 1997 Off-Broadway
1776 Dr. Lyman Hall Broadway
Macbeth Macduff 1998 Denver Center Theatre Company
Travels with My Aunt Henry Pulling / Wordsworth / Col. Hakim, Hatty
A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens / Ghost of Christmas Past American Conservatory Theater
1776 John Adams 1999 The Muny
The Sound of Music Captain Georg von Trapp 2000
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Marcus Lycus
Art Marc 2001 Old Globe Theatre
My Fair Lady Professor Henry Higgins The Muny
A Christmas Carol Fred Anderson The Theater at Madison Square Garden
The Full Monty Harold Nichols 2002-2004 International tour
The Sound of Music Captain Georg von Trapp 2005 The Muny
Oliver! Mr. Brownlow 2006
Peter Pan Captain Hook / Mr. Darling 2007
My Fair Lady Professor Henry Higgins 2008
Peter Pan Captain Hook / Mr. Darling 2009 Branson, Missouri
Les Misérables Director 2012 Springfield Little Theatre
The Secret Garden 2020 Missouri State University
2021[23]
Brigadoon 2021
Titanic (musical) Director 2024 University of Colorado Boulder

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1984 Bearskin, or The Man Who Didn't Wash for Seven Years Bearskin Short film
1990 Mr. & Mrs. Bridge Ruth's Boyfriend
1995 The Stars Fell on Henrietta Mr. Rumsfelk
1996 Before and After Journalist #1
1997 The Ice Storm Rob Halford

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1986 American Playhouse A Soldier / Alex Episode: "Sunday in the Park With George"
1989-1990 One Life to Live Prince Raymond Hohenstein Recurring role
1991 American Playhouse The Wolf / Cinderella's Prince Episode: "Into the Woods"
1996 Swift Justice Leo Episode: "Where Were You in '72?"
C.P.W. Episode: "Out On Bail"
Aliens in the Family High Elder Prissy Episode: "Respect Your Elders"
2001 Third Watch Dr. Gambetti Episode: "Unfinished Business"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Col. Marsden Episode: "Manhunt"

Personal life

He married actress and singer Kim Crosby on June 19, 1991, and the couple now have three children.

Westenberg and Crosby currently reside in Longmont, Colorado, where Westenberg serves as a lecturer in Musical Theatre in the College of Music at the University of Colorado Boulder. He was previously the chair of the theatre program at Drury University and coordinator of the musical theatre program at Missouri State University.[3][24][25][1] [26]

Awards and nominations

Year Work Award Category Result
1984 Zorba Theatre World Award Won
1988 Into the Woods Tony Award Best Featured Actor In A Musical Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor In A Musical Won

References

  1. ^ a b c "Robert Westenberg Bio" masterworksbroadway.com, accessed July 2016
  2. ^ Rawson, Christopher. "Stage Preview: 'Medea' brings top-class, hard-working actor to the bad-guy role of Jason" post-gazette.com, September 28, 2001
  3. ^ a b "Award-winning actor to lead MSU’s musical theatre program" missouristate.edu, February 1, 2016
  4. ^ " Zorba, Broadway 1983" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
  5. ^ " Sunday in the Park with George Broadway 1984" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
  6. ^ " Into the Woods Broadway 1987" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
  7. ^ Culwell, Logan. "Did They Finish the Hat? Where Are the Stars of 'Sunday in the Park with George' Now?" Playbill, May 12, 2015
  8. ^ Westenberg Les Mis Database
  9. ^ " The Secret Garden Broadway 1991" Playbill (vault), accessed July 27, 2016
  10. ^ [1] CU Boulder College of Music Faculty
  11. ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (September 16, 2020). "Robert Westenberg Returns to the 'Prophetic' Secret Garden Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". Playbill. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
  12. ^ "'Funny Girl' tour, 1996". deb.org. Retrieved January 28, 2010.
  13. ^ "Just Don't Call Her Debbie: For Deborah Gibson, anything is still possible". Rolling Stone. February 10, 1997. Archived from the original on October 14, 2008.
  14. ^ Jones, Chris (February 17–23, 1997). "Off Season: Tourers Hitting Road Blocks". Variety. p. 73.
  15. ^ Weiskind, Ron (October 3, 1996). "'Funny Girl' Opts For Laughs Over Depth". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. F8.
  16. ^ Lefkowitz, David (November 26, 1996). "Debbie Gibson Funny Girl Tour Cancels 1996 Engagements". Playbill. Retrieved April 25, 2022.
  17. ^ Ehren, Christine. " 'Full Monty' 's Westenberg, Woods Bare All for Boston, DC, San Fran, Japan", Playbill, March 22, 2002
  18. ^ "2002 Interview with Robert Westenberg" talkinbroadway.com
  19. ^ Gans, Andrew. "He's Flying: Francis Jue Is 'Peter Pan' at the Muny Beginning July 16" Playbill, July 16, 2007
  20. ^ Cantrell, Rachel. "Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan" branson.com, May 15, 2009
  21. ^ Westenberg GCP
  22. ^ Westenberg Hamlet
  23. ^ Secret Garden 2021
  24. ^ " 'INTO THE WOODS' Tony Nominee Robert Westenberg Joins MSU Faculty" broadwayworld.com, February 2, 2016
  25. ^ Gordon, David. "5 Facts We Learned About 'Into the Woods' During the Original-Cast Reunion" theatermania.com, June 22, 2015
  26. ^ [2] CU Boulder College of Music Faculty

External links