Rob McClure Biography

Rob McClure (born June 15, 1982) is an American actor. He has appeared in theatre in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area and also on Broadway. He received a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, for his first starring role on Broadway in the musical Chaplin, as Charlie Chaplin.

, McClure is performing the lead role of Nick Bottom in the Broadway company of Something Rotten!.

Career

McClure graduated from New Milford High School in New Milford, New Jersey in 2000 and attended Montclair State University, but did not graduate. While a senior in high school, he won the Paper Mill Playhouse Rising Star Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role for his performance as Charley in New Milford High School's production of Where's Charley?, which included a scholarship to attend their Summer Musical Theatre Conservatory. His first professional acting role was at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Carousel shortly after high school. He acted in the Paper Mill Playhouse I'm Not Rappaport which was also produced on Broadway in 2002, which was his debut on the Broadway stage.

McClure has performed at the Walnut Street Theatre, Philadelphia, in Amadeus by Peter Shaffer in 2011 as "Mozart", and also in The Producers and Oliver!. He performed in the staged concert at New York City Center Encores! of Where's Charley? in 2011. The New York Times reviewer of Where's Charley? wrote:

And in the key role of Charley, Mr. McClure scampers to and fro with tireless energy, flouncing in and out of his skirts with comic verve, employing a funny, pinched falsetto when Charley is impersonating his aunt....Mr. McClure, a nimble dancer and terrific singer.

McClure performed in the national tour and on Broadway in Avenue Q. He appeared in his first starring role on Broadway in the musical Chaplin in 2012, playing Charlie Chaplin. For this performance, he was nominated for the Tony Award, Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical. McClure played this role in the musical's premiere in 2010 at the La Jolla Playhouse, California under its former title of Limelight: The Story of Charlie Chaplin. The Newsday reviewer wrote of his performance:

Welcome to the show that's going to make you a Broadway star.... McClure...doesn't just replicate the waddle and pratfalls of Chaplin's little tramp. He doesn't just do a back somersault without spilling a glass of wine or tap dance on roller skates or walk a tightrope. He does all that without apparent effort, but he also has a pungent voice that pings and he embodies more than seven decades of Chaplin's life with a focused, altogether believable mix of gravity and light.

McClure also received the Theatre World Award, Outstanding Broadway or Off-Broadway debut performance during the 2012-13 theatrical season. He has received a nomination for the Fred and Adele Astaire Award, Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show, for his performance in Chaplin. (This award honors "excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film.) He appeared in The Muny, St. Louis, Missouri production of Shrek the Musical in June 2013, as Lord Farquaad. McClure also performed in The Muny production of Mary Poppins in July 2013, as Bert. He played the role of Gomez in The Muny production of The Addams Family from July 14, 2014 to July 20.

He appeared in the Jason Robert Brown and Andrew Bergman musical Honeymoon in Vegas as "Jack Singer" at the Paper Mill Playhouse in September through October 2013. McClure starred in the Broadway production of Honeymoon in Vegas, which opened at the Nederlander Theatre in November 2014 in previews, officially in January 2015, and closed on April 5, 2015.

McClure appeared in the new Ken Ludwig play A Comedy of Tenors, which premiered at the Cleveland Playhouse on September 12, 2015. He played the role of "Max." The show moved to the McCarter Theater in Princeton, New Jersey and opened on October 13, 2015.

In early 2016, McClure returned to Broadway in the role of Tim Allgood in the Roundabout Theatre Company engagement of Noises Off!. The limited run began previews on December 17, 2015, opened January 14, and ran through March 13, 2016.

He was cast in the CBS Television pilot for a series titled Drew, based on the Nancy Drew mystery books; however, the series was not picked up by CBS.

He joined the Broadway production of Something Rotten! as "Nick Bottom", on June 2, 2016.

McClure made his debut in a solo cabaret concert at 54 Below in New York City on July 1, 2016. His act was titled "Smile", and included special guests Jenn Colella, Rick Lyon, and Jennifer Barnhart among others.

Personal

He is married to Maggie Lakis, an actress. They met while performing in Grease.