About Brian Stokes Mitchell
"...Brian Stokes Mitchell is in a class by himself as a Broadway leading man. No other actor can match his singing voice. No other singer can claim his acting range or experience."
~The New York Times
Dubbed "the last leading man" by
The New York Times, two-time Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell has enjoyed a career that spans Broadway, television, film, and concert appearances with the country's finest conductors and orchestras. He received Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle awards for his star turn in
Kiss Me, Kate. He also gave Tony-nominated performances in
Man of La Mancha, August Wilson's
King Hedley II, and
Ragtime. Other notable Broadway shows include
Kiss of the Spider Woman,
Jelly's Last Jam,
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and
Shuffle Along.
In 2016 he was awarded his second Tony Award, the prestigious Isabelle Stevenson Tony for his charitable work with The Actors Fund. That same year Stokes was inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. An extremely versatile and in-demand singer, Stokes has performed at venues spanning jazz, opera, pops, country, and musical theater worlds. He has worked with John Williams, Marvin Hamlisch, Gustavo Dudamel, Keith Lockhart, Michael Tilson Thomas, The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Big Band, The Mormon Tabernacle Choir and the Muppets. Stokes has made multiple appearances at Carnegie Hall beginning with his debut with the San Francisco Symphony through his televised performance in
South Pacific opposite Reba McEntire to his sold-out solo concert, which he continues to perform throughout the U.S. He has been invited twice to perform at the White House (both times aired on PBS's "Great Performances") and has performed multiple times for
Presidents Clinton and Obama.
Stokes has delved deeply into various musical disciplines. In addition to singing he began piano studies at the age of six. A self-professed autodidact, his musical curiosity lead him to teach himself composing, arranging and orchestration, starting in his teens. He later studied film scoring, orchestration, and conducting both privately and through UCLA and subsequently scored and conducted a number of "Trapper John, MD" episodes, a series on which he was also a regular cast member. His musical talent has extended to the present day as producer, arranger and orchestrator on his three solo albums including his last recording, "Simply Broadway" and his upcoming recording "Plays With Music." Stokes has appeared on more than 20 albums.
www.brianstokes.com
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