Simon Gleeson

Simon Gleeson

Gleeson at the 2014 Helpmann Awards
Born (1977-01-13) 13 January 1977
Wagga Wagga
Spouse(s) Natalie O'Donnell
Children Two - a daughter and a son
Website www.simongleeson.com

Simon Gleeson (born 13 January 1977) is an Australian actor who is best known for playing Jean Valjean in the 2014 Australian revivial of Les Miserables.[1]

In the United Kingdom he has performed in plays at The Royal National Theatre and in the West End of London. He has appeared in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders, playing SJ Fletcher's boyfriend Sid Clarke. In 2007 Gleeson appeared in 'Kombat Opera Presents' for BBC television. He appeared with Richard Dreyfuss and Nia Vardalos in 2009's My Life In Ruins.

Early life

Gleeson grew up in The Rock, a small country town in New South Wales with his parents and sister, Sara Gleeson (who is an actress). He completed his secondary education at Xavier College where he was named School Vice Captain and House President. Gleeson trained at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts.

Career

Gleeson has performed in many musicals in Australia and in London's West End including Mamma Mia!, Eureka, The Far Pavilions and Imagine This. He has performed in plays for Sydney Theatre Company and Royal National Theatre in the UK. In 2013/2014 he was in the original company of Rupert for Melbourne Theatre Company and toured the play to the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He portrayed Raoul in the Australian production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical Love Never Dies, the sequel to Lloyd Webber's highly successful The Phantom of the Opera.[2]

Gleeson has appeared in numerous television series in Australia and the UK, most notably as SJ in EastEnders and as a principal cast member of 'Kombat Opera Presents' for BBC television.

From 2014 Gleeson played Jean Valjean in the Australian tour of Cameron Macintosh's Les Miserables. He would remain with the cast throughout 2015 and has been cast in the role for its Manila run.[3] He was nominated for (and won) a Helpmann Award for the role.

Gleeson released his debut album, titled Elements in 2015.[4] The track list consists of:

Awards/Nominations

Gleeson has been nominated for two Helpmann Awards for Sky in Mamma Mia!, and Raoul in Love Never Dies and was nominated for a Green Room Award[5] (Actor in a Leading Role) for his portrayal of Anatoly Sergievsky in The Production Company's 2012 Chess directed by Gale Edwards. In London he was nominated for a Whatsonstage.com Award for The Far Pavilions. Gleeson has also been nominated for a Glug Award and Green Room Award, and won a Helpmann Award for his role as Jean Valjean in the 2014 Australian tour of Les Miserables.

References

  1. ↑ http://www.lesmis.com.au/
  2. ↑ http://www.loveneverdies.com.au/cast2-SimonnbspGleeson-16
  3. ↑ "Simon Gleeson to Lead Asian Tour of Les Misérables". Stage Whispers. Stage Whispers. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "Elements: Simon Gleeson's Debut CD". Stage Whispes. Stage Whispers. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  5. ↑ "2012 Green Room Awards Nominations". Stage Whispers. 18 February 2013. Retrieved 18 February 2013.
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