History of Gavin Creel in Timeline

Gavin James Creel is an American actor, singer, and songwriter known for his work in musical theater. He has starred in Broadway productions such as Thoroughly Modern Millie, Hair, The Book of Mormon, and Hello, Dolly!, earning Tony Award nominations for his roles in the first three and winning for his performance in the latter. Creel also received a Laurence Olivier Award for originating the role of Elder Price in the West End production of The Book of Mormon.

April 18, 1976: Birth of Gavin Creel

Gavin James Creel was born on April 18, 1976, in Findlay, Ohio.

1994: Graduation from Findlay High School

Gavin Creel graduated from Findlay High School in 1994.

1997: Early Career in Regional Theater

Gavin Creel began his professional career in regional theater. In 1997 and 1998, he was part of the resident cast at Pittsburgh CLO, a repertory theater, where he performed in various productions like "Kiss Me Kate," "La Cage aux Folles," and "On the Town."

1998: National Tour of "Fame"

Following his college graduation, Gavin Creel launched his professional career by playing Nick Piazza in the opening cast of the 1998 national tour of "Fame." The tour, which ran through 1999, traveled to cities like Toronto, Washington, D.C., and Chicago.

1998: Continued Regional Theater Performances

Gavin Creel continued to hone his skills in regional theater, performing in productions in Massachusetts and New York state.

1998: Graduation from University of Michigan

In 1998, Gavin Creel earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in musical theatre from the University of Michigan School of Music, Theatre & Dance.

1999: Continued National Tour of "Fame"

The national tour of "Fame", featuring Gavin Creel as Nick Piazza, continued through 1999, reaching audiences in various cities.

2001: Off-Broadway and Workshop Roles

In 2001, Gavin Creel took on the role of the swing in the original off-Broadway production of "Bat Boy: The Musical." He also participated in the workshop for "Spring Awakening" that same year.

2002: Broadway Debut in "Thoroughly Modern Millie"

In 2002, Gavin Creel made his Broadway debut in the original production of "Thoroughly Modern Millie," originating the role of Jimmy Smith. This breakthrough performance earned him a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical.

February 2003: Workshop for "The Little Mermaid"

In February 2003, Gavin Creel participated in a workshop for Disney's stage adaptation of "The Little Mermaid," playing the role of Prince Eric.

April 2003: Departure from "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and New Projects

After leaving the cast of "Thoroughly Modern Millie" in April 2003, Gavin Creel went on to perform in various productions, including Stephen Sondheim's "Road Show" (then titled "Bounce") in Chicago. He also lent his vocal talents to the original cast album of "Bright Lights, Big City."

2004: Performance in "La Cage aux Folles" Revival

Gavin Creel returned to Broadway in 2004 for the revival of "La Cage aux Folles," playing the role of Jean-Michel.

2006: West End Debut in "Mary Poppins"

Gavin Creel made his West End debut in 2006, taking over the role of Bert in the original production of "Mary Poppins."

2006: Release of Debut Album "Goodtimenation"

Gavin Creel released his debut studio album, "Goodtimenation," in 2006.

2008: Postponement of "Godspell" Revival

In 2008, Gavin Creel was set to star as Jesus in a Broadway revival of "Godspell" alongside Joshua Henry and Diana DeGarmo. However, the production was unfortunately postponed indefinitely due to financial setbacks.

2009: Starring Role in "Hair" Revival

Gavin Creel returned to Broadway in 2009 for the revival of "Hair," taking on the starring role of Claude. His performance garnered him his second Tony Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical.

2009: Creel dates Jonathan Groff

Gavin Creel, a gay rights activist, dated actor Jonathan Groff in 2009.

2010: Transfer of "Hair" to the West End

The successful revival of "Hair," featuring Gavin Creel as Claude, transferred to the West End in 2010, allowing a wider audience to experience his performance.

2012: Elder Price in "The Book of Mormon" National Tour

Gavin Creel embarked on the First National Tour of "The Book of Mormon" in 2012, starring as Elder Price.

2014: Laurence Olivier Award for "The Book of Mormon"

Gavin Creel's performance as Elder Price in the original West End production of "The Book of Mormon" earned him the prestigious Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2014.

2015: Return to Broadway in "The Book of Mormon"

In 2015, Gavin Creel joined the Broadway cast of "The Book of Mormon," reprising his acclaimed role as Elder Price.

2016: Appearance in "She Loves Me" Revival

Gavin Creel starred as Steven Kodaly in the 2016 Broadway revival of "She Loves Me," opposite Jane Krakowski. This critically acclaimed production marked the first-ever live-streamed Broadway show, later featured in the PBS series "Great Performances."

2017: Tony Award for "Hello, Dolly!"

Gavin Creel won the 2017 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for his performance as Cornelius Hackl in the Broadway revival of "Hello, Dolly!".

March 2018: Creel takes leave from Hello, Dolly! for back surgery

Gavin Creel took a break from performing in "Hello, Dolly!" in March 2018 to recover from back surgery.

2019: Creel debuts song from self-written musical

Gavin Creel performed "The Only One", a song from his self-written musical, for the first time at Elsie Fest in 2019.

2019: Role in "Waitress" on Broadway

In 2019, Gavin Creel took on the role of Dr. Pomatter in the Broadway production of "Waitress."

2020: West End Performance in "Waitress"

Following his Broadway run, Gavin Creel reprised the role of Dr. Pomatter in the West End production of "Waitress," sharing the stage with Sara Bareilles.

August 29, 2021: Appearance in "Wicked" Concert for PBS

On August 29, 2021, Gavin Creel was featured in a special concert performance of "Wicked" for PBS, hosted by original stars Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. The event included performances from a star-studded lineup.

2021: Creel performs Walk on Through

Gavin Creel wrote and performed "Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice", a 'concert-cal' commissioned by the Metropolitan Museum of Art, in 2021.

May 2022: Appearance in "Into the Woods" at New York City Center Encores!

Gavin Creel showcased his talent in "Into the Woods" in May 2022, portraying both The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince at the New York City Center Encores! series.

December 2022: Industry readings of Walk on Through

Two industry readings of Gavin Creel's "Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice" were held at Pershing Square Signature Theatre Center in December 2022.

2022: Performance in "Into the Woods"

In May 2022, Gavin Creel showcased his versatility by playing both The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince in the New York City Center Encores! production of "Into the Woods." He continued these roles in the subsequent Broadway revival in June of the same year.

January 8, 2023: Closing of "Into the Woods" on Broadway

The Broadway revival of "Into the Woods," in which Gavin Creel played The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince, concluded its run on January 8, 2023.

November 2023: Walk on Through premieres Off-Broadway

"Walk on Through: Confessions of a Museum Novice", written and performed by Gavin Creel, premiered Off-Broadway in November 2023.

2023: National Tour of "Into the Woods"

Gavin Creel reprised his roles as The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince for the 2023 national tour of "Into the Woods." The tour featured a talented cast, including Montego Glover, Stephanie J. Block, Sebastian Arcelus, Jason Forbach, Diane Phelan, Krysta Rodriguez, and Andy Karl.