Will Chase

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Will Chase
Chase, Will (2006).jpg
Will Chase in 2006
Born
Frank William Chase

(1970-09-12) September 12, 1970 (age 50)
Frankfort, Kentucky, U.S.
EducationOberlin College (BM)
OccupationActor, singer
Years active1998–present
Spouse(s)
  • Lori Chase
    ​
    ​
    (m. 1998; div. 2008)​
  • Stephanie Gibson
    ​
    ​
    (m. 2009; div. 2012)​
Partner(s)Ingrid Michaelson (2015–Present)
Children2

Frank William Chase (born September 12, 1970), better known as Will Chase, is an American actor and singer, best known for his work in Broadway musicals and in his role as country superstar Luke Wheeler on ABC's Nashville.

Early life and education[]

Chase was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, and is the youngest of three boys. He graduated from Western Hills High School and the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, where he studied conducting with Robert Spano and majored in percussion.[1][2]

Chase attended Oberlin Conservatory of Music,[3] training as a percussionist and conductor.[4]

Career[]

Chase started his acting career in Chicago, performing in regional theater productions and received three Joseph Jefferson Award nominations.[citation needed] He then played Chris in the 2nd National Tour of Miss Saigon. He first performed on Broadway in 1998 as the Squeegee Man and Roger understudy in Rent in the role originated by Adam Pascal; he also starred as the last Roger in the final Broadway company of Rent, which was recorded for the theatrical release entitled Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway.[5][6] His additional Broadway credits include Miss Saigon (with the original star Lea Salonga playing Kim to close the Broadway production); The Full Monty, as Jerry Lukowski replacement (2001); Lennon (2005); Aida (Radames replacement, 2003–04), another role originated by Pascal; and Tony in Billy Elliot the Musical.[7] He was also in A Little Princess the Musical as Captain Crewe. In 2005, he played Neville Craven in the 2005 World AIDS Day The Secret Garden concert.[8]

In 2006, he starred in High Fidelity on Broadway, and starred as Valentin in Kiss of the Spider Woman at the Signature Theatre in Arlington, Virginia, for which he received a nomination for the 2009 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Lead Actor.[9]

He appeared in The Pajama Game opposite Kate Baldwin at The Muny (St. Louis) in July 2007.[10] He starred in Oklahoma in 2007 at the Lyric Theatre opposite Kelli O'Hara, and on Broadway in the musical The Story of My Life in 2009.[11]

He was a nominee at the 2013 Tony Awards, nominated for Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as John Jasper / Mr. Clive Paget in the Broadway revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood.[12]

Chase guest starred as Michael Swift in the NBC series Smash.[13] He then went on to play the role of country superstar Luke Wheeler on the television series Nashville. His other television appearances include Quantico, HBO's The Deuce, the recurring role of Pat Mahoney on Rescue Me, Cupid, Canterbury's Law, Law & Order, Third Watch, Conviction, and Queens Supreme, Hallmark's The Lost Valentine, alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt and Betty White; the 2011 season finale of Royal Pains (USA); Blue Bloods (CBS); and the ABC drama Pan Am. In 2012, he appeared on the series White Collar, in the episode "Neighborhood Watch", and appeared on the series Unforgettable, in the episode "The Comeback".[citation needed]

He played the title role in the 2013 film Butterflies of Bill Baker.[14] Chase voices Angee in A Warrior's Tail (2016).[15]

Chase assumed the role of William Shakespeare from Christian Borle on Broadway in the musical Something Rotten! on July 18, 2016.[16]

Chase played the character Byron Marks on the September 27, 2017 season opening of Law and Order: SVU titled "Gone Fishin".

He played Neil Hargrove in the second season of the American supernatural horror-science fiction web television series, Stranger Things, which premiered on Netflix on October 27, 2017, and appears in HBO's drama Sharp Objects as Bob Nash.[17]

He portrayed Fred Graham/Petruchio opposite Kelli O'Hara in the 2019 Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate.[18]

Personal life[]

Chase has two daughters with Lori Chase, to whom he was married from 1998 to 2008[19] and was married to actress Stephanie Gibson from 2009[3] until their divorce in 2012.

He and Debra Messing had an on-again, off-again relationship from sometime in 2011 to 2014.[20][21]

He is in a relationship with musician Ingrid Michaelson.[22]

Filmography[]

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Shaft Walter's Friend Film
2001 Fling (FOX network, created by Glenn Gordon Caron) Dan Fields Episode: #1.2 "In Genes We Trust"
2002 Guiding Light Store Manager Episode dated August 14, 2002
2002 Third Watch Reilly Episode: #4.8 "Ladies' Day"
2003 Queens Supreme ADA Pheiffer Episode: #1.1 "One Angry Man"
2003 Law & Order David Episode: #13.11 "Chosen"
2004 Everyday People Dad (uncredited) HBO Film
2004 Law & Order Mellors' Co-Owner Episode: #14.18 "Evil Breeds"
2006 Conviction Detective Dave Lamanski Episode: #1.4 "Indebted"
2006 As the World Turns Dr. Linn Episode dated May 1, 2006
Episode dated May 3, 2006
2006 All My Children A.D.A. Phillips Episode #1.9395
2008 Law & Order Derek Cahill Episode: #18.4 "Bottomless"
2008 Canterbury's Law Artie Flom Episode: #1.3 "What Goes Around"
2008 Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway Roger Davis TV Film
2009 Lance Film
2009 Cupid Peter Episode: #1.6 "Left of the Dial"
2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Jacob Garrety Episode: #8.15 "Passion"
2009 One Life to Live Dr. Jason Nance Episode: #1.10564 "Sing Along with Mitch"
Episode: #1.10565 "The Greenhouse Effect"
Episode: #1.10566 "Angel of Death"
Episode: #1.10567 "Dads Gone Wild"
2009–2010 Rescue Me Pat Mahoney Episode: #5.5 "Sheila"
Episode: #6.4 "Breakout"
Episode: #6.6 "Sanctuary"
Episode: #6.8 "Cowboy"
2011 The Lost Valentine Andrew Hawthorne TV Film
2011 Royal Pains Benjamin Richards Episode: #2.18 "Listen to the Music"
2011 Pan Am John Stanton Episode: #1.1 "Pilot"
2011 Blue Bloods William Flood Episode: #2.3 "Critical Condition"
2012 White Collar Connor Bailey Episode: #3.13 "Neighborhood Watch"
2012 Unforgettable Reed Benedict Episode: #1.18 "The Comeback"
2012–2013 Smash Michael Swift 10 episodes;
Recurring role (Season 1)
2013 Necessary Roughness David Blaze Episode: #2.13 "Hits and Myths"
2013 Pervy Episode: #1.6 "Him, I want Him"
2013 Bill Baker Film
2013 The Ordained Gavin TV Film
2013–2014 The Good Wife Detective Doug Young Episode: #4.18 "Death of a Client"
Episode: #5.16 "The Last Call"
2013–2017 Nashville Luke Wheeler/Himself 57 episodes;
Recurring role (Season 2)
Main role (Seasons 3–4)
Guest role (Seasons 5–6)
2015 For Real Blaine TV Film
2015 A Warrior's Tail Anga (English version, voice) Film
2017 Time After Time Griffin Monroe 12 episodes;
Main role
2017 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Byron Marks Episode: #19.1 "Gone Fishin'"
2017 The Deuce Jack Episode: #1.4 "I See Money"
Episode: #1.5 "What Kind of Bad?"
2017
2019		 Stranger Things Neil Hargrove Episode: #2.8 "Chapter Eight: The Mind Flayer"
Episode: #3.6 "Chapter Six: E Pluribus Unum"
2018 American Crime Story Detective Paul Scrimshaw Episode: #2.1 "The Man Who Would Be Vogue"
Episode: #2.2 "Manhunt"
Episode: #2.9 "Alone"
2018 E-Bowla Big Thumper Short
2018 Quantico Frank Marlow Episode: #3.6 "Heaven's Fall"
Episode: #3.9 "Fear Feargach"
2018 Sharp Objects Bob Nash 5 episodes;
Main role (Mini-Series)
2018–2019 Madam Secretary Owen Callister Episode: #5.4 "Requiem"
Episode: #5.18 "Ready"
Episode: #5.19 "The Great Experience"
Episode: #5.20 "Better Angels"
2018–present Impulse Simon Recurring role
2019 The Village John Episode: #1.1 "Pilot"
Episode: #1.3 "In Your Bones"
2021 Dopesick Michael Friedman 8 episodes;
Main role (Mini-series)
2021 Girls5eva Stet Episode: #1.8 "Separ8 Ways"

References[]

  1. ^ Feldman, Ed. "Spotlight on Will Chase". Talkin' Broadway. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  2. ^ BWW News Desk (January 8, 2009). "The Story of My Life". broadwayworld.com.
  3. ^ Jump up to: a b "Weddings. Stephanie Gibson, Will Chase" The New York Times, November 14, 2009
  4. ^ Kennedy, Mark. "Will Chase back on Broadway in a role he helped create" The Seattle Times, August 12, 2016
  5. ^ "Rent". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  6. ^ Jones, Kenneth (February 3, 2009). ""Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway" Appears on DVD and Blu-Ray Feb. 3". Playbill.
  7. ^ "Will Chase". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  8. ^ Gans, Andrew; Jones, Kenneth (November 11, 2005). "Chase, Pasquale, Cavenaugh and More Join All-Star Secret Garden Benefit Concert". Playbill.
  9. ^ "Will Chase is Valentin in Signature's 'Spider Woman' with Di". BroadwayWorld.com. January 26, 2008.
  10. ^ Gans, Andrew (July 23, 2007). "Chase and Baldwin Play The Pajama Game at the Muny Beginning July 23". Playbill.
  11. ^ "The Story of My Life". Internet Broadway Database. Retrieved July 11, 2009.
  12. ^ Drood Playbill (vault). Retrieved July 24, 2019
  13. ^ "Will Chase Joins the Cast of SMASH on NBC". Broadway World. August 29, 2011.
  14. ^ "Butterflies of Bill Baker". IMDb. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  15. ^ "Savva. Heart of the Warrior". IMDb. Retrieved October 27, 2015.
  16. ^ Hetrick, Adam. "Christian Borle Sets 'Something Rotten!' Departure" Playbill, June 23, 2016
  17. ^ " Sharp Objects Cast and Crew" hbo.com. Retrieved July 24, 2019
  18. ^ Clement, Olivia. "Kelli O'Hara to Return to Broadway in Kiss Me, Kate", Playbill, November 6, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2018
  19. ^ Miller, Lynn (January 10, 2014). "Stars of Broadway Align for Theatrical Benefit at South". West Windsor & Plainsboro News.
  20. ^ Lee, Esther; Brown, Brody. "Debra Messing and Will Chase Split After Nearly Two-and-a-Half Years of Dating" US Magazine, October 27, 2014
  21. ^ Saad, Nadine. "Debra Messing and Will Chase split up after sparking during 'Smash'" Los Angeles Times, October 27, 2014
  22. ^ "Ingrid Michaelson Dating Will Chase Following Split: Photo". Us Weekly. July 7, 2015. Retrieved February 7, 2018.

External links[]

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