Christopher Jackson (actor)
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Christopher Jackson is an Emmy[1] and Grammy Award-winning American actor, musician, composer, and lyricist from Cairo, Illinois.
Early life
Jackson attended the American Musical and Dramatic Academy.[2]
Broadway
In 2015 Jackson originated the role of President George Washington in the musical Hamilton on Broadway,[3][4] which won a Grammy Award for best cast album. He was also nominated for a Tony in 2016 for his performance as Washington. Jackson has previously performed on Broadway in In the Heights, Bronx Bombers, After Midnight, The Lion King,[5] Holler If Ya Hear Me,[6] and Memphis.[7]
Other work
Jackson's film and TV work includes Tracers, The Good Wife, Person of Interest, A Gifted Man, and Nurse Jackie.[8] Jackson is also a member of hip-hop group Freestyle Love Supreme.[9] He has been nominated for three Emmy Awards for composing music and lyrics for television, winning the “Outstanding Original Song” Award in 2011 for his lyrics to “What I Am,” which he co-wrote for Sesame Street with Bill Sherman.[10]
Personal life
Before the first run-through of the Off-Broadway production of In the Heights, Jackson learned that his son had been diagnosed with autism.[11] With his wife, he is an advocate for the organization Autism Speaks.[9] He is 6'2" tall.[12]
Credits
Theatre
- Time and the Wind, off-Broadway, 1996
- Bobo's, off-Broadway, 1996
- The Lion King, Featured soloist/Simba (u/s), Broadway, 1997-2000
- The Lion King, Simba, Broadway, 2000-02
- The Lion King, Ensemble, US tour, 2003-04
- Beggar's Holiday, Happy Mac, California, 2004
- Candide, Ensemble, New York City Opera, 2005
- Pateince, Duke of Dunstable, New York City Opera, 2005
- Comfortable Shoes, Clay Harris, Chicago, 2004
- In the Heights, Benny, off-Broadway, 2007
- In the Heights, Benny, Broadway, 2008-09
- Memphis, Delray, Broadway, 2010
- In the Heights, Benny, Broadway, 2010-11
- Cotton Club Parade, off-Broadway, 2011
- Lonely, I'm Not, off-Broadway, 2012
- The Jammer, off-Broadway, 2012
- After Midnight, Special Guest Star, Broadway, 2013
- Bronx Bombers, Bobby Sturges/Derek Jeter, off-Broadway, 2013
- Bronx Bombers, Bobby Sturges/Derek Jeter, Broadway, 2014
- Holler if Ya Hear Me, Vertus, Broadway 2014
- Hamilton, George Washington, off-Broadway, 2015
- Hamilton, George Washington, Broadway, 2015-present
Film
- You'll Be a Man..., documentary, 2012 (composer)
- Broken Aster, short film, 2013 (composer)
- Tracers, Lonnie, 2015
Television
- Oz, Perry Loftus, 5 episodes, 2003
- The Electric Company, 2009 (music director)
- Nurse Jackie, Trey, 1 episode, 2010
- White Collar, Nico, 1 episode, 2010
- Sesame Street, 2010-14 (composer)
- A Gifted Man, Rafael Douglas, 1 episode, 2011
- Person of Interest, Farrow, 1 episode, 2014
- The Good Wife, Michael Wood, 1 episode, 2014
Albums
- In the Name of Love, 2011
New album in the works (as of 2014)
Awards
- 2004 BATC Award for Best Actor for Beggar's Holiday (nominated)
- 2006 Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actor for Comfortable Shoes (won)
- 2006 Black Theater Alliance Award for Best Actor for Comfortable Shoes (nominated)
- 2007 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance for In the Heights (won)
- 2011 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song For A Children's Series for Sesame Street (nominated)
- 2011 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song For A Children's Series for Sesame Street (won)
- 2014 Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Song For A Children's Series for Sesame Street (nominated)
- 2016 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album for Hamilton (won)
- 2016 Broadway.com Audience Awards for Favorite Featured Actor in a Musical for Hamilton (nominated)
- 2016 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for Hamilton (TBD)
References
- ^ amda.edu. "Chris Jackson wins a Daytime Emmy". AMDA blog website. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ^ Daniels, Karu (8 July 2014). "Broadway Audiences Hear Chris Jackson's Holler: Leading Man Plays Three Starring Roles in One Season". Playbill. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ Kennedy, Mark (17 July 2015). "3 presidents in 'Hamilton' put 'blood into the statues'". Lima, Ohio. AP. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ Hoch, Danny (23 April 2015). "Sure, 'Hamilton' Is a Game-Changer, But Whose Game?". American Theatre. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ broadwayworld.com. "Christopher Jackson Theatre Credits". Broadway World website. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ^ McPhee, Ryan (7 April 2014). "Saul Williams, Tonya Pinkins & Christopher Jackson to Star in Tupac Shakur Musical Holler If Ya Hear Me". Broadway.com. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ Gans, Andrew (20 December 2011). "In the Heights and The Lion King, will join the cast of the Tony-winning Best Musical Memphis". Playbill. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
- ^ IMDB.com. "Chris Jackson IMDB". IMBD website. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ^ a b freestylelovesupreme.com. "Freestyle Love Supreme - The Crew". Freestyle Love Supreme website. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ^ amda.edu. "Alumnus Christopher Jackson nominated for his 3rd Emmy Award!". AMDA blog. Retrieved 2015-09-10.
- ^ Purcell, Carey (9 October 2015). "Christopher Jackson On the "Incredible Moments" He's Shared With Lin-Manuel Miranda — Musicals, Marriage and Children". Playbill. Retrieved 9 October 2015.
- ^ Chris Jackson. "Chris Jackson Twitter". Twitter website. Retrieved 2015-12-15.