Chuck Wagner (born June 20, 1958) is an American actor, director, musical theater historian and teacher. He has had an extensive career in theater, but is perhaps best known for co-starring in the short-lived science fiction TV series Automan (1983–84).
Chuck Wagner | |
|---|---|
| Born | July 20, 1958 |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, director, musical theater historian, teacher |
| Years active | 1981–present |
Early life
Wagner was born in Nashville, Tennessee, and raised in Hartsville, Tennessee. He attended public school in Gallatin. While at Gallatin High School, he performed the leads in "My Fair Lady", "Carousel", and "Inherit the Wind" under GHS' drama teacher Juliet Doyle Guthrie. As a BFA student, he attended the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa under Edmond Williams and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles under John Houseman. His collegiate summers were spent in Manteo, North Carolina, where he played John Borden in The Lost Colony, America's longest running outdoor drama.[1]
Career
Television
He is known for his role in the short-lived science fiction 1983 TV series Automan as the title character.[2] He also starred on the soap opera General Hospital as Randall Thompson in 1981 and 1982.
In 1981, Wagner was a contestant on the television game show "Password Plus".
In 2012, he was also a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire.[citation needed]
Wagner has made guest appearances on numerous TV shows, including The Dukes of Hazzard, Dynasty, and Matlock.
Musical theatre
Wagner has performed in several Broadway productions. His first role on Broadway was in The Three Musketeers in 1984 as Athos.[3] He went on to originate the role of Rapunzel's Prince in the original Broadway cast of Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods (1987).[4] The recording of that show, on which Wagner appears, won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album.
Wagner has appeared on Broadway (replacement) and in the U.S. national tour (1992) of Les Misérables as Inspector Javert.[5][6] In 1994, he began a four-year stint as "The Beast", in Disney's Beauty and the Beast, in both the Broadway (replacement) and Toronto productions.[7] Wagner originated the title roles in Frank Wildhorn's Jekyll & Hyde in 1990 and Svengali in 1991 at The Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. He reprised his dual roles in Jekyll & Hyde in the post Broadway national tour in 1999.[8] In 2001 he toured the U.S. in Cole Porter's Kiss Me, Kate as the MacArthuresque General Harrison Howell and understudy to Rex Smith's Fred Graham.[9] He appeared on Broadway in 2004, in Wildhorn's Dracula, The Musical, standing by for Dracula, Van Helsing and Quincey Morris.[10]
Wagner also sang the role of Sir Percival Blakeney, aka The Scarlet Pimpernel, in the original concept recording of The Scarlet Pimpernel (1992). In 1999, he released a self-titled solo CD, on which he sang songs from the various musicals in which he has appeared.
In 1999, Chuck Wagner recorded demo songs for a cancelled Star Wars: The Musical, in which he played Han Solo.[11]
He played The Captain of the S.S. American in Kathleen Marshall's production of the Cole Porter musical Anything Goes in a year long tour that began in October 2012.[12] In November 2013 he starred as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables as Equity Guest Artist at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee.[13]
In February 2014, he reprised his role as Javert in Les Misérables for the North Carolina Theatre in Raleigh.[14] He was accompanied by his former broadway co-star, Craig Schulman, who reprised his role as Valjean. The show was directed by Dave Clemmons, who played Valjean opposite Wagner during the U.S. National Tour. In May 2014 he played Javert in Les Misérables for Studio Tenn with the Nashville Symphony at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center.[15] In June 2014 he appeared as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables at the Lyric Theatre in Oklahoma City in a production featuring a 100 voice chorus.[16]
Other work
He has appeared in commercials for Zyban, and toured as the Ringmaster in both the 136th edition of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Circus of Dreams (2006 through 2007), and the 138th edition Over The Top (2008 to 2009).[17]
In 2010, while at home in Pensacola Beach, Florida, he joined the response to the BP oil spill helping to coordinate a large scale mechanical beach operation while safeguarding the local sea turtles.
An avid musical theatre historian, Wagner served as Visiting Artist in Residence at the University of West Florida in Pensacola. He performs concerts and teaches in high schools and colleges.[18] Between theatrical jobs he is a member of the touring concert series, Neil Berg's 100 Years of Broadway.
Notable Theatre Roles
| Show | Role(s) | Year(s) | Production |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1776 | Colonel Thomas McKean | 1976 | Prestonburg, Kentucky |
| The Lost Colony | John Borden | 1977-1978 | Manteo, North Carolina |
| Christopher | Christopher | 1979 | University of Southern California |
| The Three Musketeers | Athos | 1984 | Broadway |
| Camelot | Lancelot | 1986 | Sacramento |
| Oklahoma! | Curly McLain | 1986 | San Diego |
| Into the Woods | Rapunzel's Prince
Cinderella's Prince(Understudy) Wolf(Understudy) |
1986-1987 | San Diego(World Premiere) |
| Into the Woods | Rapunzel's Prince
Cinderella's Prince(Understudy) Wolf(Understudy) |
1987-1988 | Broadway |
| Into the Woods | Cinderella's Prince
Wolf |
1988-1989 | US Tour |
| Into the Woods | Rapunzel's Prince | 1989 | Broadway(Limited 3-night run) |
| Camelot | Lancelot | 1990 | Houston |
| Jekyll and Hyde | Dr. Henry Jekyll
Mr. Eduard Hyde |
1990 | Houston(World Premiere) |
| Svengali | Svengali | 1991 | Houston(World Premiere) |
| Kiss Me, Kate | Fred
Pertruccio |
1991 | Stockbridge, Massachusetts |
| Svengali | Svengali | 1991 | Sarasota, Florida |
| Les Miserables | Javert | 1992-1993 | 3rd US Tour |
| Les Miserables | Javert | 1993-1994 | Broadway |
| Beauty and the Beast | Gaston(Understudy)
Beast(Standby) |
1994-1995 | Broadway |
| Beauty and the Beast | Beast | 1995-1996 | Toronto |
| Beauty and the Beast | Beast | 1997-1998 | Broadway |
| Into the Woods | Cinderella's Prince
Wolf |
1997 | Broadway(Two Performances) |
| Jekyll and Hyde | Dr. Henry Jekyll
Mr. Eduard Hyde |
1999-2000 | 2nd US Tour |
| A Little Night Music | Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm | 2001 | Beverly, Massachusetts |
| 1776 | Edward Rutledge | 2001 | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Kiss Me, Kate | MacArthuresque General Harrison Howell
Fred Graham(Understudy) |
2001-2002 | US Tour |
| Jekyll and Hyde | Director | 2002 | University of West Florida |
| Mame | Beauregard Jackson Pickett Burnside | 2003 | Beverly, Massachusetts |
| Man of La Mancha | Director | 2003 | University of West Florida |
| A Little Night Music | Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm | 2004 | Chicago |
| Dracula: The Musical | Dracula(Standby)
Van Helsing(Standby) Quincey Morris(Standby) |
2004-2005 | Broadway |
| Annie Get Your Gun | Frank Butler | 2005 | Okaloosa Walton Community College |
| Anyone Can Whistle | J. Bowden Hapgood | 2005 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| Hello Dolly | Horace Vandergelder | 2010 | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Anything Goes | The Captain of the SS American | 2012-2013 | US Tour |
| Les Miserables | Jean Valjean | 2013 | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Les Miserables | Javert | 2014 | Raleigh, North Carolina |
| Les Miserables | Javert | 2014 | Nashville, Tennessee |
| Les Miserables | Jean Valjean | 2014 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma |
| Seaplane: The Musical | Alexander Graham Bell | 2015 | Pensacola, Florida |
| Julius Caesar | Julius Caesar | 2019 | Nashville, Tennessee |
Discography
| Title | Role(s)(If Applicable) | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jekyll and Hyde | Dr. Henry Jekyll
Mr. Eduard Hyde |
1986 | Demo Recordings |
| Jekyll and Hyde | Dr. Henry Jekyll
Mr. Eduard Hyde |
1987 | Non-Commercial Concept Album |
| Into the Woods | Rapunzel's Prince | 1987 | Original Broadway Cast Album |
| The Scarlet Pimpernel | Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel | 1992 | Concept Album |
| The Civil War | One of the "Broadway All-Stars" | 1996 | Concept Album |
| The Scarlet Pimpernel | Percy Blakeney/The Scarlet Pimpernel | 1996 | Pre-Broadway Demo Recordings |
| Chuck Wagner | N/A | 1999 | Solo Album |
| Star Wars: The Musical | Han Solo | 1999 | Demo Recordings(Unproduced) |
| Dracula | Van Helsing | 2000 | Demo Album |
| Dillinger: Public Enemy Number One | Melvin Purvis | 2000 | Demo Recordings(Unproduced) |
Filmography
| Show: | Role: | Year(s): | Film/TV/Other: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Password Plus | Himself | 1981 | TV |
| Dukes of Hazard | Joey Bryan | 1981 | TV |
| General Hospital | Randall Thompson | 1981-1982 | TV |
| Soap World | Himself | 1982 | TV |
| Automan | Automan | 1983 | TV |
| Tattletales | Himself | 1983 | TV |
| Matchgame | Himself | 1984 | TV |
| America 3000 | Korvis | 1986 | Film |
| The Sisterhood | Mikal | 1988 | Film |
| American Performances: Into the Woods | Rapunzel's Prince | 1991 | TV |
| Terminal Virus | Mikal | 1995 | Film(Uncredited Archive Footage) |
| Calling Automan: The Auto Feature | Himself | 2012 | DVD Extra |
| Hewlogram | Original Hewlogram | 2017 | Short Film |
References
- ^ Hughes Cob, Mark. "Ringmaster Chuck Wagner, former UA theater student, on a mission" Tuscaloosa News, January 23, 2006
- ^ Handler, David (January 19, 1984). "Your eyes just won't believe 'Automan'". The Madison Courier. p. B8. Retrieved August 19, 2011.
- ^ The Three Musketeers Playbill, retrieved November 5, 2017
- ^ Into the Woods Playbill, retrieved November 5, 2017
- ^ " Les Misérables Broadway" Playbill, retrieved November 5, 2017
- ^ Zink, Jack. " 'Les Miserables' At Broward Center" Sun-Sentinel, June 4, 1992
- ^ " Beauty and the Beast Broadway" Playbill, retrieved November 5, 2017
- ^ Simonson, Robert and Lefkowitz, David. " 'Jekyll & Hyde Tour Alters Schedule; to Begin in CT Apr. 13" Playbill, December 22, 1998
- ^ Jones, Kenneth. "York and Smith Head 'Kiss Me, Kate' Tour, Bowing June 19 in New Haven" Playbill, June 19, 2001
- ^ Dracula Playbill, retrieved November 5, 2017
- ^ "Contact and Resume". chuckwagner.com.
- ^ "BWW TV Exclusive: 'Anything Goes' Tour Sets Sail in Cleveland- Chatting with Rachel York and the Cast; Plus a Special Sneak Peek!" broadwayworld.com, September 27, 2012
- ^ Shoun-Smith, Janel. "Beloved musical 'Les Misérables' performed Nov. 6-9" lipscomb.edu, October 30, 2013
- ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Craig Schulman, Chuck Wagner, Lauren Kennedy Will Star in Les Misérables for North Carolina Theatre" Playbill, November 26, 2013
- ^ "Mike Eldred and Chuck Wagner Headline Studio Tenn 'Les Mis' " artsnash.com, March 19, 2014
- ^ "Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma to Present 'Les Miserables', 6/24-28" broadwayworld.com, May 24, 2014
- ^ Van Gelder, Lawrence. "Enough Sights, Sound and Action for, Well, a Circus" The New York Times, April 3, 2008
- ^ Moon, Troy. "Chuck Wagner brings Broadway hits to Pensacola" USA Today, July 19, 2017
