6 TV Actors Who Got Their Big Breaks on Broadway
Show Starters
These faces of fall TV are fresher than most, having gotten their start performing on the Great White Way. All of them earned their dues singing and dancing on stage—some even winning a Tony award—before transitioning to the small screen.
Carlos Valdes
Cisco Ramon, The Flash (The CW)
Broadway credits: Andrej in Once, the U.S. national tour ofJersey Boys
Playbill: Ramon studied at the University of Michigan and was part of StarKid Productions, which developed the super popular (and viral)A Very Potter Musical.
Patina Miller
Daisy Grant, Madam Secretary (CBS)
Broadway credits: Deloris Van Cartier in Sister Act, Leading Player in Pippin
Playbill: Miller—a Tony winner for her work in Pippin—stars in Madam Secretary alongside seasoned theater vet Bebe Neuwirth, who won Tonys for Sweet Charity and Chicago.
Jeremy Jordan
Winn Schott, Supergirl (CBS)
Broadway credits: Swing in Rock of Ages, Tony in West Side Story, Clyde in Bonnie & Clyde, Jack Kelly in Newsies
Playbill: The Tony- and Grammy-nominated performer played Jimmy on Smash, but Supergirl is his first regular role on a nonmusical show.
Ciara Renee
Kendra Saunders/Hawkgirl, DC’s Legends of Tomorrow (The CW, midseason)Broadway credits: The Witch in Big Fish, Leading Player in Pippin
Playbill: Renee replaced Patina Miller (slide 2) in Pippin when Miller left the company.
Donna Lynne Champlin
Paula, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)Broadway credits: Mary Jane in James Joyce’s The Dead, Honoria Glossop in By Jeeves, older Helen in Hollywood Arms, Pirelli in Sweeney Todd, Lesley in Billy Elliot
Playbill: A Carnegie Mellon alumna, Champlin is a triple threat who can act, sing and (tap) dance. She's released a solo album, Old Friends and also taught acting classes at universities.
Santino Fontana
Greg, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend (The CW)
Broadway credits: Prince Topher in Cinderella (which earned him a Tony nomination), Tony in Billy Elliot and Alex/Bather/Soldier in Sunday in the Park With George.
Playbill: In addition to Champlin, it’s no surprise that The CW’s musical comedy tapped more than one Broadway star. But despite all the stage credits to his name, Fontana’s most well-known role may be that of the evil Prince Hans in Disney’s Frozen.
