Merritt David Janes is an American stage actor and singer. He comes from a family of musicians and studied to be a music teacher at the University of Maine. He went on to study theatre at Circle in the Square Theatre School before becoming involved with national touring companies of Broadway shows in 2007.

Professional career

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Janes first toured nationally in 2007 with The Wedding Singer and starred as Robbie Hart.[1] He then played Sweeney Todd in the second national tour of John Doyle's production of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.[2] In 2010, Janes joined a national tour of Beauty and the Beast as Lumiere and stayed with the tour company for over a year.[3] In 2011, he played the role of Lord Farquaad in a national tour of Shrek the Musical.[4]

Janes played the role of Agent Carl Hanratty in the first national tour of Catch Me If You Can from October 2012[5] to June 2013.[6] He then toured with the North American touring company of The Phantom of the Opera that began in November 2013.[7]

Janes appeared in the ensemble of the original Broadway cast of Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock and joined the first national tour of that musical, eventually playing Dewey.[8] He has played Principal Strickland and Mayor Red Thomas in the Broadway production of Back to the Future: The Musical beginning in June 2023.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on October 19, 2012. Retrieved March 21, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "SWEENEY TODD to Make Detroit Premiere at the Fisher Theatre March 17 - April 5".
  3. ^ "'Beauty and the Beast' tour hits Worcester".
  4. ^ "SHREK THE MUSICAL Opens the Broadway Sacramento Season, 9/27-10/2".
  5. ^ "Stephen Anthony and Merritt David Janes Lead CATCH ME IF YOU CAN National Tour, Opening in RI Today, 10/7".
  6. ^ "Catch Me if You Can - Tour Itinerary". Archived from the original on September 20, 2013. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
  7. ^ "Cast".
  8. ^ "Rob Colletti to Lead School of Rock National Tour; Complete Cast Announced". August 24, 2017.
  9. ^ Hall, Margaret (March 22, 2023). "Jelani Remy, Liana Hunt, Nathaniel Hackmann, More Join Back To The Future on Broadway".
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