JK's TheatreScene: Broadway Boys: Mr. March 2014: Rocky's Andy Karl

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Broadway Boys: Mr. March 2014: Rocky's Andy Karl

Mr. March 2014

Andy Karl

WHY HE'S MR. BROADWAY: He's been slowly and steadily building a solid resume of roles in touring, Off-Broadway, and Broadway shows since he moved to the big city in 1994. National audiences have seen him in such varied shows as The Who's Tommy, Cats and Disney's On the Record. And New York audiences have watched his star rise from his off-Broadway debut as an understudy in Stephen Sondheim's Saturday Night, through featured and leading roles in Altar Boyz and Slut. In 2000, he finally made his Broadway debut as a replacement in Saturday Night Fever, a show he later took on the road as the leading man, Tony Manero.

He came back to Broadway in The Wedding Singer and continued, creating roles in both Legally Blonde and 9 to 5. The last couple of years has been non-stop, though, as he went from Wicked to Jersey Boys to an acclaimed turn as Neville Landless in the revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, and back to Jersey Boys. All of that is more than enough to name him Mr. March 2014. But now Andy Karl is on the cusp of super-stardom as he heads the cast in the title role of the new mega-musical Rocky.

Candids and Head Shots

SOME (WELL-KNOWN) FUN FACTS:

Andy grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, where his parents got him involved in shows to "stay out of trouble."
He was a voice major at Towson University, until one of his teachers told him they thought he had what it takes to be a professional actor.
He met his wife, Orfeh, when they were both in Saturday Night Fever together.
They played love interests in Legally Blonde. They both also appeared in the MTV telecast and subsequent reality show to find a new Elle Woods.

On Tour and Off-Broadway
On the Record, Altar Boyz, Slut

SOME MORE FUN FACTS:

He played football in high school.
He also played Jud Frye in his school's production of Oklahoma!
He played the title roles in dinner theatre productions of Aladdin and The Reluctant Dragon.