Jefferson Mays

Jefferson Mays

A picture of actor Jefferson Mays outside after a showing of The Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder'

Jefferson Mays in 2014
Born Lewis Jefferson Mays
(1965-06-08) June 8, 1965
United States
Occupation Actor
Years active 1988–present
Spouse(s) Susan Lyons

Jefferson Mays (born Lewis Jefferson Mays; June 8, 1965) is an American film, stage and television actor.

Life and career

Mays was raised in Clinton, Connecticut with his parents, a naval intelligence officer and a children's librarian, and his siblings. [1] Mays graduated from Yale College, where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree, and the University of California, San Diego, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts.[2][1]

He has appeared at La Jolla Playhouse,[3] Long Wharf Theatre,[4] the Williamstown Theatre Festival,[5] and Playwrights Horizons.[6]

Mays appeared on Broadway in I Am My Own Wife, a Pulitzer Prize-winning play by Doug Wright, from November 2003 (previews) to October 31, 2004.[7] He had appeared in the play Off-Broadway at Playwrights Horizons in May 2003,[6] and at the La Jolla Playhouse in July 2001.[3] Mays won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play, the 2004 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding One-Person Show, an Obie Award, and a 2004 Theatre World Award for his solo performance.[7] He also won the 2007 Helpmann Award for Best Male Actor in a Play for seasons of I Am My Own Wife in Australia in 2006.

Mays starred in two Broadway revivals in 2007. He appeared as Henry Higgins in Pygmalion,[8] in which he won critical praise. The TheaterMania reviewer called him "pitch-perfect", and the production an "excellent revival."[9] He appeared in a revival of Journey's End in February to June 2007, in which he starred as Private Mason.[10] Ben Brantley, in the New York Times, called the production "acutely staged and acted."[11] The TheaterMania reviewer wrote: "Mays is a reliable, obliging Mason."[12]

In August 2009, Mays appeared at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Quartermaine's Terms by Simon Grey.[5][13]

Mays starred in the 2013 Broadway musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, in which he played eight roles. He performed in the musical from October 2013 (previews) until closing on January 17, 2016.[14][15][16] He won the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical.[17] He also was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical[18] and tied for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical (with Neil Patrick Harris).[16][19]

Personal life

Mays is married to Australian actress Susan Lyons.[2]

Credits

Film

Television

Stage (selected)

Awards

Year Award Category Nominated Work Result
2004 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play[33] I Am My Own Wife Won
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Solo Performance Won
Theatre World Award Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Solo Performance Won
2012 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play[34] Blood and Gifts Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Best Featured Actor in a Play[35] Nominated
2014 Tony Award Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Nominated
Drama Desk Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Won
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Actor in a Musical Won

References

  1. 1 2 Rizzo, Frank. "The Earnest Jefferson Mays" Hartford Courant, January 25, 2004
  2. 1 2 Margaret Gray (March 12, 2013). "Jefferson Mays' fractured personality". LA Times. Retrieved 2016-06-09.
  3. 1 2 Ehren, Christine. "La Jolla Playhouse Workshops Wright's 'I Am My Own Wife' July 10-29" Playbill, July 10, 2001
  4. ↑ Ehren, Christine. "Long Wharf Meets Rosencrantz and Guildenstern c/o Wood and Mays April 25-June 3" Playbill, April 25, 2001
  5. 1 2 "Jefferson Mays Stars in 'Quartermaine's Terms' at Williamstown" Playbill, August 15, 2009
  6. 1 2 Jones, Kenneth. " 'I Am My Own Wife', Doug Wright's Tale of a European Transvestite's Life, Opens May 27 in NYC" Playbill, May 27, 2003
  7. 1 2 " 'I Am My Own Wife' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  8. ↑ " 'Pygmalion' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  9. ↑ Finkle, David. "Reviews. 'Pygmalion'" theatermania.com, October 16, 2007
  10. ↑ "'Journey's End' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  11. ↑ Brantley, Ben. "Theater Review. 'Journey's End'", The New York Times, February 23, 2007, p. E3
  12. ↑ Finkle, David. "Review. 'Journey's End' " theatermania.com, February 22, 2007
  13. ↑ Quartermaine's Terms wtfestival.org, accessed June 9, 2016
  14. ↑ Stewart, Zachary. "Final Bow: The 9,000 Deaths of Jefferson Mays in 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' " theatermania.com, January 4, 2016
  15. ↑ Haun, Harry. "Playbill.com offers a behind-the-scenes look at opening night of the new Broadway musical 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' " Playbill, November 18, 2013
  16. 1 2 " 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' Broadway" Playbill (vault), accessed June 9, 2016
  17. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "64th Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Winners Announced; 'Gentleman's Guide' Wins Four Awards" Playbill, May 12, 2014
  18. ↑ "Tony Awards 2014: The complete list of nominees and winners" Los Angeles Times, April 28, 2014
  19. ↑ Hempstead, Pete. "Drama Desk Award Winners Led by 'A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder' " theatermania.com, June 1, 2014
  20. ↑ Ned Rifle tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  21. ↑ The Notorious Bettie Page tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  22. ↑ Alfie tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  23. ↑ Kinsey tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  24. ↑ The Big Brass Ring tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  25. ↑ Cousin Bette tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  26. ↑ The Low Life tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  27. ↑ Some Folks Call It a Sling Blade tcm.com, accessed June 10, 2016
  28. ↑ Eyerly, Alan. "'The Americans' recap: Fiery end to South African plot" LOs Angeles Times, March 19, 2015
  29. ↑ Zuckerman, Esther. "Your guide to the guest stars in 'Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt'" ew.com, March 10 2015
  30. ↑ Leeds, Sarene. "TV Recap. 'You're No Rose'" ew.com, October 23 2015
  31. ↑ " 'The Best Man', Starring John Larroquette and James Earl Jones, Receives Second Broadway Extension" broadway.com, May 16, 2012
  32. ↑ Isherwoord, Christopher. "Choosing Sides in Afghanistan: Spies Playing in the Great Game" The New York Times, November 22, 2011
  33. ↑ "Jefferson Mays profile". broadway.com. broadway.com. Retrieved July 11, 2015.
  34. ↑ Bacalzo, Dan. "2012 Drama Desk Award Nominations Announced" theatermania.com, April 27, 2012
  35. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "62nd Annual Outer Critics Circle Award Nominations Announced; 'Nice Work' Receives Nine Nods" Playbill, April 23, 2012

External links

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