# Gavin Lee

Gavin Lee is an English actor who has appeared on the stage in musical theatre, playing Bert in the musical Mary Poppins, in both the West End and on Broadway, and Squidward Tentacles in the original Broadway cast of SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical.

## Early life

Lee is an alumnus of the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts after which he has been involved in various musicals as a performer and choreographer.

## Career

Lee appeared in the dance play Contact in the West End at the Queen's Theatre, opening in October 2002.
In 2004, Lee auditioned to be the Bert understudy in the London production of Mary Poppins, but won the role outright. He originated the role of Bert in the original West End production. He also starred as Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins. He was chosen for the Broadway role because of his critically acclaimed performance as Bert in the West End production. He departed the Broadway production after nearly two years to launch the US National Tour, but returned to the Broadway production in August 2010 until January 2013. Lee was nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical at the 2005 Olivier Awards and the 2005 Theatregoer's Choice Awards for originating the West End role of Bert. For his Broadway performance, Lee was nominated for the 2006 Outer Critics Circle Awards (Outstanding Actor in a Musical) and the 2007 Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. He also won the 2007 Drama Desk Award for Featured Actor in a Musical and an award for Outstanding Broadway Debut at the 63rd annual Theatre World Awards. In August 2007, Lee was added to Sardi's caricature gallery with other Broadway actors.
In June 2008, Lee performed in a concert version of Show Boat at Carnegie Hall as Frank Schultz. He has performed as part of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera film adaptation, appearing as one of the singers/dancers in the "Masquerade" scene.
Lee and former London co-star Laura Michelle Kelly performed as Bert and Mary Poppins in the America Celebrates 4 July at Fords Theatre in front of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama on 6 June 2010. The special aired on 2 July 2010 on ABC. Lee again reunited with Kelly when he returned to the role of Bert in the Broadway production of Mary Poppins on 24 August 2010.
He took over the role of Jerry Travers in the West End production of Top Hat beginning 5 February 2013. He joined the Broadway revival of Les Miserables as Thenardier beginning 3 March 2015.
Lee played Squidward Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants, the Broadway Musical. The stage musical premiered at the Oriental Theatre in Chicago, Illinois, and ran from June to July 2016. Lee reprised his role as Squidward for the Broadway run of the musical, starting with November 2017 previews at the Palace Theatre and remaining until it closed in September 2018. Lee was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Squidward.
In June 2019, he appeared at Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, New Jersey, taking on the role of Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast. He reprised the role in the 2021 UK tour. The production then transferred to the West End's London Palladium for a limited engagement beginning June 2022.
On February 17, 2020, he performed the Manhattan Concert Productions' 50th-anniversary celebration of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center. He played the Butler.
Lee returned to the Paper Mill Playhouse to play Max Detweiler in its production of The Sound of Music from December 2–January 1, 2023. He then went on to star in the tribute revue Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, which opened at the Gielgud Theatre on 3 October 2023 following preview performances that began on 21 September. The production is scheduled to run until 6 January 2024.

## Theatre appearances

| Year | Show | Role | Venue | Notes |
| 2025 | Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends | Himself/Various | Samuel J. Friedman Theatre | Broadway production; originated role |
| 2025 | Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends | Himself/Various | Ahmanson Theatre | |
| 2024-2025 | Les Misérables | Monsieur Thénardier | - | Arena Spectacular World Tour |
| 2023-2024 | Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends | Himself/Various | Gielgud Theatre | West End |
| 2023 | Oliver! | Fagin | New York City Center | Encores!; Standby but went on several performances during the 11-day run |
| 2022 | The Sound of Music | Max Detweiler | Paper Mill Playhouse | |
| 2021 | Beauty and the Beast | Lumière | UK Tour & London Palladium | Reprising his role from the 2019 Paper Mill Playhouse production |
| 2020 | Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat | Butler | David Geffen Hall | |
| 2019 | Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol | Mr. Magoo/Scrooge | Gerald W. Lynch Theater | |
| 2019 | Beauty and the Beast | Lumière | Paper Mill Playhouse | |
| 2018 | Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical | The Grinch | US National Tour | In Chicago, Boston, and New York |
| 2017 | SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical | Squidward Tentacles | Palace Theatre | Broadway production; originated role |
| 2016 | SpongeBob SquarePants: The Musical | Squidward Tentacles | Oriental Theatre | Originated role |
| 2015-2016 | Les Misérables | Monsieur Thénardier | Imperial Theatre | Broadway Replacement |
| 2014 | Holiday Inn | Ted Hanover | Goodspeed Opera House | Replacement |
| 2013 | Top Hat | Jerry Travers | Aldwych Theatre | Replacement |
| 2010–2013 | Mary Poppins | Bert | New Amsterdam Theatre | Return to role |
| 2009–2010 | Mary Poppins | Bert | US National Tour | Originated role |
| 2008 | Show Boat | Frank Schultz | Carnegie Hall | |
| 2006–2008 | Mary Poppins | Bert | New Amsterdam Theatre | Broadway production; originated role |
| 2004–2006 | Mary Poppins | Bert | Bristol Hippodrome & Prince Edward Theatre | West End production; originated role |
| 2002 | Contact | Aristocrat | Queen's Theatre | West End |
| 2002 | Let's Kick Arts | Ensemble | Bridewell Theatre | |
| 2002 | Aladdin | Wishee Washee | Devonshire Park Theatre | |
| 2001 | Zip Goes a Million | Percy Piggott | The Theatre Museum | |
| 2001 | DuBarry Was a Lady | Harry/Captain of the Guard | Her Majesty's Theatre | West End |
| 2001 | Peggy Sue Got Married | Richard | Shaftesbury Theatre | West End; Originated role |
| 2000 | Whenever | Oscar | Stephen Joseph Theatre | |
| 1999 | A Saint She Ain't | Danny O'Reilly | Apollo Theatre & King's Head Theatre | West End; Originated role |
| 1999 | Of Thee I Sing | J.P. Wintergeen | Bridewell Theatre | |
| 1999 | Jubilee | Prince James | Her Majesty's Theatre | West End; Also choreographer |
| 1998-1999 | Oklahoma! | Slim | National Theatre & Lyceum Theatre | West End; Originated role |
| 1998 | Singin' in the Rain | Don Lockwood | Haymarket Theatre | |
| 1998 | Snoopy | Linus | Watermill Theatre | |
| 1997 | Saturday Night | Male Vocalist | Bridewell Theatre | Originated role |
| 1997 | Crazy for You | Bobby Child | National Tour | |
| 1993 | Crazy for You | Swing | Prince Edward Theatre | |
| 1996 | Immaculate Deception | Rosenburg | Wimbledon Studio Theatre | |
| 1984 | Flower Drum Song | Wang San | Wolsey Theatre | |
| 1983 | Bugsy Malone | Seymore Scoop | Her Majesty's Theatre | West End debut |

## Cast recordings

* Mary Poppins
* A Saint She Ain't
* Zip Goes a Million
* Saturday Night
* SpongeBob SquarePants (musical)

## Filmography

* Beyond the Sea
* The Phantom of the Opera

## Television

* White Collar – Alan Woodford (5 episodes)
* The Good Wife – Jake Alister (Season 2, Episode 18 "Killer Song", 2011)
* Law & Order: Special Victims Unit – Dennis Griscomb (2 episodes)
* The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! – Squidward Tentacles (reprising his role from the Broadway musical)
* Little America – Henry (Season 1, Episode 4)

## Awards and nominations
### Tony Awards

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony
| Year | Award | Performance | Result |
| 2007 | Best Actor in a Musical | Mary Poppins | Nominated |
| 2018 | Best Featured Actor in a Musical | SpongeBob SquarePants | Nominated |

### Drama Desk Awards

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony
| Year | Award | Performance | Result |
| 2007 | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | Mary Poppins | Won |
| 2018 | Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical | SpongeBob SquarePants | Won |

### Laurence Olivier Awards

Note: The year given is the year of the ceremony
| Year | Award | Performance | Result |
| 2005 | Best Actor in a Musical | Mary Poppins | Nominated |