Lucas Steele Explained

Lucas Steele
Birth Date:29 June 1979
Birth Place:Wyalusing, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Alma Mater:University of the Arts (BFA)[1]
Years Active:2006–present
Known For:Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812
Awards:Lucille Lortel Award

Lucas Steele is an American stage actor best known for his role as Anatole Kuragin in Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.[2]

Early life

Steele was raised in Wyalusing, Pennsylvania. He began learning piano by ear at age 3, and violin at age 11.[3] [4] He graduate from the University of the Arts with a BFA in Musical Theater.

Career

Steele made his Broadway debut in the 2006 revival of The Threepenny Opera, playing the ensemble roles of Harry and Velma while understudying the role of Lucy Brown.[5]

In the fall of 2006, Steele was signed to a four-year development deal for a commercial music project. For the next four years he focused on writing, producing, conceiving and developing a conceptualized electro/rock/pop album while traveling throughout Europe.[6] While working on the album, Steele originated roles in the world premieres of Neil Bartlett's adaptation of Oliver Twist (presented by Theatre for a New Audience Off-Broadway in 2007)[7] and It's Only Life (premiering at the Rubicon Theatre Company in Ventura in 2008).[8] [9]

In 2009, he returned to the West Coast, cast in Theatre For A New Audience's critically acclaimed production of Othello at the Intiman Theater in Seattle, WA.[10]

In 2010, after participating in two years of developmental readings, Steele originated the role of Terry in The New Group production of The Kid, based on the best selling novel by writer/author/activist Dan Savage. After completing its run, Steele returned to Europe, entering the last chapter of the fated music project, ultimately leaving the deal in February 2011. Steele took the next year off to develop several screenplays as a writer.

In February 2012, Steele originated the role of "the Son'" in the critically acclaimed production of Myths and Hymns, presented off-Broadway by the Prospect Theater Company.

In summer 2012, Steele was cast as Anatole in the Ars Nova developmental reading/workshop of Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812, a sung-through musical based on a portion of Leo Tolstoy's magnum opus, War and Peace.[11] He further developed the role in the show's premiere, and stayed with the production through its venues at Kazino, both downtown in the Meatpacking District and its transfer to midtown on 45th street. In 2015, Steele reprised the role of Anatole for the American Repertory Theatre production of The Great Comet, securing an IRNE Awards nomination for Supporting Actor and an Elliot Norton Awards nomination for Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actor. He continued with The Great Comet during its Broadway run at the Imperial Theatre, starting in November 2016.[12] He is one of only two actors who have stayed with the production since its debut at Ars Nova in 2012.

In spring 2014, Steele booked the role of Luca Bavarra in the ABC pilot Dangerous Liaisons. Later that year, he shot the short film Photo.

At the time of the 2020 New York City theater shutdown amidst the COViD-19 pandemic, Steele was appearing as Skull, the primary antagonist in the musical Emojiland.  The show which opened on Off-Broadway at the Duke Theater on January 19, 2020, had its imminent closing expedited by the coronavirus outbreak. Steele's portrayal of Skull was described by Laura Collins-Hughes in the New York Times as "deathly pale in black leather and mesh, and oozing an almost Victorian dark charisma."[13] [14]

Stage credits

Theatre credits

YearProductionRoleLocationCategory
2001-2002My Fair LadyBusker / Embassy FootmanWalnut Street TheatreRegional
2005Corpus ChristiJoshuaBouwerie Lane TheaterRegional
2006The Threepenny OperaEnsemble / Harry / Velmau/s LucyStudio 54Broadway
2007Neil Bartlett's Oliver TwistToby CrackitAmerican Repertory TheatreRegional
2008John Bucchino's It's Only LifePerformerRubicon Theater in CaliforniaRegional
2009OthelloSenator/Gentleman/MusicianIntiman TheatreRegional
2010The KidTerryAcorn Theatre Off-Broadway
2012Myths and HymnsSon/PerformerWest End TheatreOff-Broadway
Natasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812Ars NovaOff-Off-Broadway
2013-2014KazinoOff-Broadway
2015-2016American Repertory TheatreRegional
2016–2017Imperial TheatreBroadway
2020EmojilandSkullThe Duke TheaterOff-Broadway
2023The Romance of the RoseThe DreamerLong Beach OperaRegional

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryWorkResult
2014Lucille Lortel AwardOutstanding Featured Actor in a MusicalNatasha, Pierre, & The Great Comet of 1812 [15]
2016Elliot Norton AwardOutstanding Performance by an Actor
2016IRNE AwardBest Supporting Actor
2017Tony AwardBest Featured Actor in a Musical

Notes and References

  1. https://www.uarts.edu/academics/undergraduate/musical-theater-bfa
  2. Web site: Lucas Steele Theatre Credits. www.broadwayworld.com. May 20, 2016.
  3. News: Schwartz. Dana. 'The Great Comet of 1812' Star Lucas Steele Is Charming, But No Prince. August 9, 2017. Observer. Observer. April 12, 2017.
  4. Web site: Call Me Adam. New York Theatre - Entertainment - Interviews - Actors - Actresses - Reviews - Interviews - Lucas Steele. www.callmeadam.com. Call Me Adam. August 9, 2017. en.
  5. Web site: THE LEADING MEN: Lucas Steele Proves His Mettle in Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Playbill. Playbill. August 2013. May 20, 2016.
  6. News: Ferri. Josh. Five Burning Questions with The Great Comet Star Lucas Steele. August 9, 2017. BroadwayBox.com. Broadway Box, Inc.. November 9, 2016. en.
  7. News: Hernandez. Ernio. Actor-Musician Twist on Oliver Reaches New York March 29 Playbill. August 9, 2017. Playbill. Playbill Inc.. March 29, 2009. en.
  8. News: Verini. Bob. Review: 'It's Only Life'. August 9, 2017. Variety. Penske Business Media, LLC. June 24, 2008.
  9. News: Obiekwe. Ojinika. The Great Comet's Lucas Steele talks being more than skin deep. August 9, 2017. New York's PIX11 / WPIX-TV. Tribune Broadcasting Station. March 1, 2017.
  10. Book: Hodges. Ben. Denny. Scott. Theatre World 2009-2010. 2011. Applause Theatre & Cinema. 9781423492719. 374. August 9, 2017. en.
  11. News: Brunner. Jeryl. Actor Spotlight: Lucas Steele of 'The Great Comet'. August 9, 2017. New York Shows. Showtickets.com. April 4, 2017. en-us.
  12. Web site: Anatole is Hot (And So Is Lucas Steele). EdgeMediaNetwork.com. October 24, 2016.
  13. News: 'Emojiland' Review: There's a Rom-Com in Your Phone. With Music. The New York Times. January 20, 2020. Collins-Hughes. Laura.
  14. Web site: The Great Comet's Lucas Steele Joins Cast of Off-Broadway Musical Emojiland. November 18, 2019.
  15. News: Broski . Jennifer . May 5, 2014 . 2014 Lortel Award Winners - HERE LIES LOVE Wins Big, THE OPEN HOUSE Wins Best Play, and FUN HOME Wins Best Musical! . BroadwayWorld . en-US . June 27, 2023.