Alex Brightman

Alexander Michael Brightman was born on February 5, 1987 in Santa Clara, California, and is a Tony-nominated actor, known for originating the role of Dewey Finn in [School of Rock - The Musical](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/school-of-rock-the-musical) and the titular role in the musical adaptation of [Beetlejuice](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/beetlejuice).

He attended the all-male Jesuit high school Bellarmine College Preparatory in San Jose, California, where he graduated in 2005. His career on the Broadway stage initially got off to a false start, as he was cast as an understudy in the ill-fated 2008 production of Glory Days, which only played a total of 17 previews and closed after its first regular performance at the Circle in the Square Theatre. He would finally grace the stage and make his Broadway debut, however, after being cast as Boq in the smash hit musical [Wicked](https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/show/wicked), assuming the role from November 2008 through to November 2010. His next Broadway venture was the musical adaptation of the Tim Burton movie Big Fish, taking on the role of Zacky Price (and understudying the role of Will Bloom) at the Neil Simon Theatre from the beginning of September to the end of December 2013. He was then cast as Michael Wormwood in the hit British import Matilda The Musical, joining the Broadway cast at the Shubert Theatre from June 2014 to February 2015.

Brightman's big break came after being cast in the starring role of Dewey Finn (made famous by Jack Black in the 2003 movie) in Andrew Lloyd Webber's School of Rock - The Musical at Broadway's Winter Garden Theatre in 2015. He garnered great acclaim for his dynamic leading man performance, staying in the role from November 2015 to November 2016 and earning his first Tony Award nomination in 2016 in the category of Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical. He would also reprise the role for a special return engagement in April 2017.

Away from Broadway, Brightman guest starred in Nassim Soleimanpour's White Rabbit Red Rabbit in 2016 at the Westside Theatre off Broadway and starred as Giuseppe Zangara in the 2017 Encores! production of Assassins at New York City Center, His various screen credits include guest roles in series such as The Good Fight on CBS, SMILF on Showtime, and Royal Pains on the USA Network. He made his feature film debut as Roy in the 2009 comedic horror Red Hook.

Following the pre-Broadway world premiere engagement at Washington, D.C.'s National Theatre in the fall of 2018, Brightman returned to the Broadway stage in another Tim Burton musical adaptation, starring in Beetlejuice at the Winter Garden Theatre from March 28, 2019. The production had posted a closure notice for June 6, 2020, but was then forced to close prematurely on March 11, 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The production, however, announced a reopening in spring 2022.