Taylor Trensch
Taylor Hunt Trensch (born May 3, 1989) is an American stage actor and film actor.[1]
Taylor Trensch | |
---|---|
Born | Taylor Hunt Trensch May 3, 1989 |
Education | Elon University (did not graduate) |
Occupation |
|
Years active | 2009–present |
Partner(s) | Ben Levi Ross (2017-present) |
Early life and education
Trensch was born in Tampa, Florida.[2]
He began his education at Howard W Blake School of the Arts in Tampa, Florida. He was an acting major and studied under Eric Davis. During his senior year, Trensch, representing Blake's Troupe 5742, was awarded the "Most Outstanding Performer" award from the Florida State Thespian Society. Trensch graduated in 2007.[3]
He then was accepted to Elon University's musical theatre program and attended for two years.[4][5]
Career
In the summer of 2008, Trensch was in the summer repertory company at the Lake Dillon Theatre in Dillon, Colorado, performing in The Rocky Horror Show, Little Shop of Horrors, Into the Woods, Cabaret, and Rabbit Hole.[6]
In 2009 during his sophomore year, Trensch was cast as Moritz Steifel in the national tour of Spring Awakening and took an academic leave from 2009 to 2010.[7][8] For his portrayal of Moritz, Trensch won the 2009 Denver Post Ovation Award for Best Supporting Actor in a National Touring Production.[9]
Trensch then appeared as "Dwayne Hoover" in William Finn and James Lapine's new musical comedy Little Miss Sunshine, at the La Jolla Playhouse Mandell Weiss Theatre in early 2011.[10]
Trensch made his Broadway debut as Boq in the Broadway production of Wicked from January 24, 2012 through April 22, 2012, replacing Etai BenShlomo.[11]
Trensch also performed in the role of "Peter" in the off Broadway production of Bare from November 19, 2012 through February 3, 2013 at New World Stages.[12]
In early October 2012, Trensch was cast as "Gordon & Others" in the off Broadway production of Rent at New World Stages from May 2012 through the September 9, 2012 closing.
On April 11, 2013, he opened as Michael Wormwood in the original Broadway production of Matilda the Musical (previews began on March 4, 2013) and remained in the role through June 8. 2014.[13]
Trensch played the lead role of Christopher Boone in select performances, sharing the role with Alex Sharp, in the original Broadway production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time opening at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on October 5, 2014 and remained in the role until September 12, 2015.[14][15] In 2015, the show won 5 Tony Awards, including the award for "Best Play" and "Best Actor in a Play."
In January 2016, Trensch was featured in the world premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's Clarkson at the Dallas Theatre Center.[16] Later that same year in July, he played the role of Tyler Clementi in the world premiere of Craig Carnelia and Joe Tracz's Poster Boy at the Williamstown Theatre Festival.[17]
Trensch read the role of "Jack" in the reading of the screenplay for the movie version of Into the Woods.[18]
Trensch was cast as Barnaby Tucker in the Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly! that began previews March 15, 2017, and opened on April 20 at the Shubert Theatre.[19] He left the show on January 14, 2018, along with fellow co-stars, Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, and Beanie Feldstein.[20]
On February 6, 2018, Trensch took over the titular role of Evan Hansen in Dear Evan Hansen at the Music Box Theatre on Broadway. He played 2 performances in the show prior to officially taking over the role.[21][22] He left the production on January 27, 2019 and was replaced by Andrew Barth Feldman.[23]
Beginning November 5, 2019, Trensch has been appearing opposite Ed Harris in To Kill a Mockingbird as Dill Harris. He currently holds the record for most Broadway shows at the Shubert Theatre.[24]
Trensch also appeared on Nickelodeon's Nella the Princess Knight.[25]
Trensch appeared as Sweet William in Bleeding Love, a musical podcast, which premiered its first episode on April 23, 2020.[26]
Personal life
Trensch is openly gay.[4] He has been in a relationship with his former Dear Evan Hansen costar, Ben Levi Ross, since December 2017.[27]
Theatre credits
Year | Title | Role | Theatre | Director(s) | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | Cabaret | Victor | Lake Dillon Theatre | ||
The Rocky Horror Show | Frank-n-Furter | ||||
Into the Woods | Steward | ||||
Little Shop of Horrors | Seymour | ||||
Rabbit Hole | Jason | ||||
2009–10 | Spring Awakening | Moritz Stiefel (replacement) | First U.S. National Tour | Michael Mayer | |
2011 | Little Miss Sunshine | Dwayne Hoover | La Jolla Playhouse | James Lapine | |
Mormons, Mothers and Monsters | Samuel | Barrington Stage Company | |||
2012 | Wicked | Boq (replacement) | Gershwin Theatre | Joe Mantello | |
Rent | Steve | New World Stages | |||
Bare: The Musical | Peter | ||||
2013–14 | Matilda the Musical | Michael Wormwood | Shubert Theatre | Matthew Warchus | |
2014–15 | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Christopher Boone (alternate) | Ethel Barrymore Theatre | Marianne Elliott | |
2016 | Clarkston | Jake | Dallas Theater Center | Davis McCallum | |
Poster Boy | Tyler Clementi | Williamstown Theatre Festival | Stafford Arima | ||
2017–18 | Hello, Dolly! | Barnaby Tucker | Shubert Theatre | Jerry Zaks | |
2018–19 | Dear Evan Hansen | Evan Hansen (replacement) | Music Box Theatre | Michael Greif | |
2019–20 | To Kill a Mockingbird | Dill Harris (replacement) | Shubert Theatre | Bartlett Sher |
• Credits in bold indicate Broadway production(s)
Discography
Cast recordings
- Matilda the Musical – Original Broadway Cast Recording (2013)
- Hello, Dolly! – 2017 Broadway Cast of Hello Dolly! (2017)
- Dear Evan Hansen [Deluxe Album] – Original Broadway Cast Recording (2018)[33]
As featured artist
- "Vietnam" on Drafts: The Music and Lyrics of Alexander Sage Oyen, Vol. 1 (2012)
- Bare Naked by Lynne Shankel (2017)
Awards and nominations
Year | Award | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009 |
Denver Post Ovation Award | Best Supporting Actor in a National Touring Production | Spring Awakening | Won |
See also
- LGBT culture in New York City
- List of self-identified LGBTQ New Yorkers
References
- "Taylor Trensch". IMDb. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
- "Twink awakening". dallasvoice.com. March 17, 2010. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- "The Brag Sheet". Blake Theater Department. Retrieved 2016-01-31.
- Farmer, Jim (March 8, 2010). "Two gay Southerners bring Broadway home". Project Q Atlanta. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
- "Elon actors reunite in nationally touring hit musical". Elon University. October 9, 2009. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
- Moore, John (December 4, 2009). "Spring Awakening's Taylor Trensch at Lake Dillon". The Denver Post.
- "Blake High grad lands role in Broadway production of Wicked". Tampa Bay Times.
- Archived January 4, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- Moore, John. "2009 Denver Post Ovation Awards: All the winners". The Denver Post. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
- "Hunter Foster, Dick Latessa, Malcolm Gets, Jennifer Laura Thompson Will Star in Little Miss Sunshine". Playbill.com. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
- "Flying High. A"WICKED" Fan site: Taylor Trensch will replace Etai BenShlomo as Boq January 24!". Flyinghighwithwicked.blogspot.com. 2011-12-11. Retrieved 2012-06-01.
- "Bare the Musical".
- "Matilda the Musical Website". Archived from the original on 2013-06-29.
- "NYTimes Curious Incident Overview".
- "NYTimes Matthew Broderick Cast in 'Sylvia'; Alex Sharp to Leave 'Curious Incident'".
- Pierpoint, Katie (December 3, 2015). "Dallas Theater Center Presents World Premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's Clarkston". TheaterMania. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
- "Poster Boy - Williamstown Theatre Festival". wtfestival.org. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
- "Starry Into the Woods Reading Cast".
- Hetrick, Adam (September 16, 2016). "Kate Baldwin, Gavin Creel, Jennifer Simard Join Bette Midler Hello, Dolly!". Playbill.
- McPhee, Ryan (January 14, 2018). "Bette Midler, David Hyde Pierce, Taylor Trensch, Beanie Feldstein Bid Farewell to Hello, Dolly! January 14". Playbill.
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/arts-and-entertainment/wp/2017/08/22/the-new-evan-hansen-is-taylor-trensch/
- https://www.broadway.com/buzz/190752/taylor-trensch-sets-dear-evan-hansen-start-date-final-performance-scheduled-for-noah-galvin/
- McPhee, Ryan (November 12, 2018). "Jimmy Award Winner Andrew Barth Feldman to Star in Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway". Playbill. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
- Culwell-Block, Logan (January 12, 2018). "27 Broadway Stars Who Have Returned Repeatedly to the Same Broadway Theatre". Playbill.
- Desk, BWW News. "DEAR EVAN HANSEN Spotlight Announced For BroadwayCon 2019". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved 2020-04-28.
- https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Listen-to-Sarah-Stiles-Marc-Kudisch-Taylor-Trensch-and-More-in-Episode-1-of-BLEEDING-LOVE-Podcast-Musical-20200423
- "ben levi ross on Instagram: "2 years ........ 💓"". Instagram. Retrieved 2020-01-16.
- Hebert, James (2010-12-17). "The "Sunshine" set: Playhouse announces new musical's cast". San Diego Union Tribune. Archived from the original on 2011-01-06.
- Jones, Kenneth."Road Trip! Finn & Lapine's 'Little Miss Sunshine' Musical Begins World-Premiere Run in CA" Archived 2011-02-18 at the Wayback Machine Playbill.com, February 15, 2011
- "Inside the Playbill: Matilda The Musical - Opening Night at Shubert Theatre". Playbill.
- Deb, Sopan (August 22, 2017). "'Dear Evan Hansen' Names Replacements for Ben Platt". The New York Times.
- Rooney, David (October 3, 2019). "Broadway Smash 'To Kill a Mockingbird' Completes Second-Year Cast (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter.
- Gans, Andrew (November 2, 2018). "Dear Evan Hansen Deluxe Album, Including Cut Songs and Katy Perry's 'Waving Through a Window,' Released November 2". Playbill.