Gavin Lee
Gavin Lee (born 15 October 1971) is an English actor and singer best known for originating the role of Bert in the musical Mary Poppins on both the West End and Broadway.[1][2][3] Born in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England, Lee trained at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts and made his West End debut as Seymour in Bugsy Malone in 1989.[4] His breakthrough came with Mary Poppins in 2004, where he portrayed the chimney sweep Bert, earning Olivier, Tony, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations for his energetic performance blending acting, singing, and dance.[5][3] Lee has since become a prominent figure in musical theatre, with notable roles including Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast, Squidward Q. Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, for which he received a Drama Desk Award and a Tony Award nomination in 2018.[2][6] In addition to theatre, Lee has appeared in television and film, including a role in the crime drama White Collar (2014) and Squidward in the live stage production The SpongeBob Musical: Live on Stage! (2019).[1][7] His career highlights also include performances in Disney productions such as The Lion King, where he took on the role of Scar starting in July 2025.[8][2] Lee has garnered multiple accolades, including two Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical (Mary Poppins in 2007 and SpongeBob SquarePants in 2018) and two Tony Award nominations, cementing his status as a versatile performer in the industry.[2][9] In 2025, he starred in the Broadway transfer of Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends alongside Broadway legends, showcasing his tap dancing and vocal talents.[10] Lee is married to American actress Emily Harvey, with whom he has three children; the couple resides in New Jersey.[11][10][12] He has expressed a passion for roles that allow him to explore complex characters beyond his early family-friendly parts, reflecting his evolution as an artist.[13]Early life and education
Early years
Gavin Lee was born on October 15, 1971, in Woodbridge, Suffolk, England.[14] He grew up in this small riverside town in a close-knit family environment that emphasized community activities.[13] Lee's family had a strong background in amateur dramatics, with the entire household actively participating in local theatre productions. They were particularly involved with The Company of Four, a well-regarded amateur dramatic society in Woodbridge known for its community performances.[13] This familial engagement introduced him to the performing arts from a young age, fostering his initial passion for theatre without any formal training at the time.[15] His early interest was further ignited by watching his older sister, Penny, attend disco dance classes around age eight, which prompted him to explore dance himself and join family-oriented stage activities.[16] Lee made his first onstage appearance at eight years old with The Company of Four, marking the beginning of his immersion in community theatre.[17] These experiences in Suffolk's amateur scene provided a nurturing yet informal foundation that later transitioned into structured education at Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts.Education
Prior to his performing arts training, Lee attended Farlingaye High School in Woodbridge.[18] Gavin Lee pursued his formal education in performing arts at the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, a renowned UK conservatoire specializing in dance and musical theatre training.[19] He enrolled as a student and demonstrated exceptional talent from the outset, particularly in musical theatre disciplines.[20] During his time at the college, Lee received comprehensive instruction in dance, singing, and acting, with a strong emphasis on integrating these skills for musical theatre performance.[21] This all-round curriculum equipped him with the technical proficiency and artistic versatility necessary for professional stage work, fostering his development as a multifaceted performer.[21] Lee graduated from the program in 1990, recognized as an outstanding alumnus who excelled throughout his studies.[22] The rigorous training at Doreen Bird laid the groundwork for his subsequent career, emphasizing choreography, vocal technique, and dramatic interpretation central to musical theatre preparation.[19]Personal life
Family
Gavin Lee married American actress Emily Harvey in 2005.[23][11] Lee and Harvey have shared professional overlaps, including joint appearances in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables (2014–2016), where Lee originated the role of Thénardier and Harvey performed in the ensemble.[6][24] Their family has provided strong support for Lee's transatlantic career transitions, relocating from the United Kingdom to the United States and establishing a home in New Jersey to accommodate his work in both regions. The couple has three children.[10][12]Residence
Gavin Lee spent the early years of his career based in England, where he originated roles in West End productions during the 1990s and 2000s.[6] His residence in London supported these performances, allowing him to establish himself as a prominent figure in British musical theater.[13] In 2006, Lee relocated to New York City alongside his wife, actress Emily Harvey, to star as Bert in the Broadway transfer of Mary Poppins, marking a significant career shift that influenced their joint decision to base themselves in the United States.[25][12] The couple initially settled in an apartment on the Upper West Side, immersing themselves in the vibrant theater scene while adapting to life in Manhattan.[12] Post-2010, following the birth of their first child, Lee and his family moved to the suburban town of Maplewood, New Jersey, seeking a quieter environment conducive to raising their three children while maintaining proximity to Broadway for ongoing professional commitments.[26][12] This relocation balanced family life with his demanding schedule, and Lee has expressed appreciation for Maplewood's community and schools.[27] He continues to reside there as of 2025.[10] Despite his U.S. base, Lee periodically returns to London for West End and UK engagements, such as performing in Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends at the Gielgud Theatre from 2023 to 2024 and reprising Thénardier in the Les Misérables arena spectacular tour through 2025.[28][13]Career
Early career
Gavin Lee's professional career in theatre commenced shortly after his graduation from the Doreen Bird College of Performing Arts, where he received comprehensive training in dance, acting, and vocals. At age 18, he secured his first paid role, marking the start of over a decade spent primarily in ensemble and understudy positions across West End productions during the 1990s, including ensemble roles in shows like Hairspray and A Chorus Line. These early opportunities allowed him to immerse himself in the demands of large-scale musicals, performing chorus duties and covering principal characters while refining his performance techniques.[2][2] His fringe debut arrived in 1997 with the original London production of Taboo at the Venue Theatre, where Lee took on multiple ensemble parts, including Fantasy Man, Male Vocalist, and Clune. This exposure to an edgy, character-driven musical provided initial experience in versatile, movement-oriented roles amid the intimate setting of fringe theatre. Building on this, he continued in supporting capacities throughout the late 1990s, including the role of Danny O'Reilly in the 1999 premiere of A Saint She Ain't at the Playhouse Theatre.[2][29] By the early 2000s, Lee transitioned toward more prominent featured roles, beginning with Oscar in the 2000 production of Whenever at the Stephen Joseph Theatre. His first major West End credit followed in 2001 as Richard, the awkward scientific prodigy, in Peggy Sue Got Married at the Shaftesbury Theatre. These parts highlighted his growing presence, shifting from background ensemble work to characters requiring nuanced comedic timing and physicality.[2][30] Early in his career, opportunities for transatlantic work remained scarce, confining Lee largely to UK stages and requiring persistence in a competitive ensemble market. He navigated these limitations by focusing on skill enhancement in dance-intensive roles, leveraging his foundational ballet and contemporary training to master choreography in high-energy shows like understudying leads in Crazy for You. This period of steady development built his reputation for reliability and agility in movement-heavy theatre.[31][32]West End breakthrough
Gavin Lee's breakthrough in the West End came with his origination of the role of Bert, the cheerful chimney sweep and all-around handyman, in the world premiere of the musical Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre, which began previews in September 2004 and officially opened on December 16, 2004.[33] He performed the role from the production's inception through early 2006, infusing the character with infectious energy, precise tap dancing, and physical comedy that highlighted his skills as a versatile performer.[34] The production, adapted from P.L. Travers' book series and the 1964 Disney film, featured elaborate staging by director Richard Eyre and co-director Matthew Bourne, allowing Lee to showcase acrobatic feats such as scaling the proscenium arch and tap-dancing upside down across the theater's ceiling during "Step in Time."[35] This demanding role, which combined song, dance, and aerial elements, earned Lee an Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical and established him as a leading talent in British musical theatre.[3] Building on his earlier ensemble work in West End shows, Lee's portrayal of Bert solidified his reputation for acrobatic and multifaceted musical theatre performances, blending charm, athleticism, and vocal prowess in a way that captivated audiences and critics alike.[36] The success of Mary Poppins, the original production of which ran for over 1,500 performances in London, marked a pivotal moment, transitioning Lee from supporting roles to star status in the competitive West End scene.[37]Broadway and international work
Gavin Lee's transition to Broadway began with his transfer of the role of Bert in Mary Poppins, which he had originated in the West End production. He made his Broadway debut as Bert at the New Amsterdam Theatre on November 16, 2006, alongside Ashley Brown as Mary Poppins, and performed in the role through October 2008.[38] Following the Broadway run, Lee joined the U.S. national tour of Mary Poppins in 2008, reprising Bert opposite Brown and bringing the chimney sweep's acrobatic charm to audiences across North America, including an opening in Chicago on March 25, 2009.[39] He returned to the Broadway production on August 24, 2010, after completing the tour, and continued performing until the show's closure on January 3, 2013, earning a Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical during his initial run.[34] Lee's Broadway career expanded with a series of character roles that showcased his versatility in musical comedy and villainy. In 2013, he appeared in the West End production of Top Hat as Jerry Travers, tapping through Irving Berlin's score at the Aldwych Theatre, though his primary Broadway focus shifted to ensemble and featured parts in subsequent years.[40] He joined the Broadway revival of Les Misérables at the Imperial Theatre as Thénardier on March 3, 2015, delivering the conniving innkeeper's antics until May 2016, contributing to the production's extended run through sharp comedic timing in numbers like "Master of the House."[6] Lee then originated the role of Squidward Q. Tentacles in SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, first in its pre-Broadway Chicago engagement in June 2016 before transferring to the Palace Theatre, where previews began November 6, 2017, and the show opened December 4, 2017; he performed through the 2018 Tony Awards season, earning a nomination for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical and a Drama Desk Award for his sardonic portrayal of the cephalopod clarinetist.[41] In recent years, Lee has balanced Broadway commitments with international touring and regional engagements, adapting his performances for diverse audiences. He took on Lumiere in a revival of Beauty and the Beast at New Jersey's Paper Mill Playhouse in June 2019, leading to a UK tour and residency at the London Palladium from 2021 to 2022, where he lit up "Be Our Guest" with his signature flair.[42] His international work peaked with Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends, a revue he joined in London's West End in 2023 at the Gielgud Theatre, reprising songs like "Everybody Ought to Have a Maid" alongside stars including Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga; the production transferred to Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre from April 8 to June 29, 2025, under Manhattan Theatre Club, marking a transatlantic celebration of Sondheim's catalog.[43] Currently, as of November 2025, Lee portrays the scheming Scar in Disney's The Lion King on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre, beginning July 22, 2025, embracing a darker persona after his lighter Disney roles and drawing on his experience in ensemble-driven spectacles for the production's puppetry and pageantry.[44] These touring and regional adaptations, from U.S. national circuits to UK revivals, have allowed Lee to refine his physical comedy and vocal precision across scales, solidifying his global presence in musical theatre.[45]Acting credits
Theatre
Gavin Lee's theatre career began in the UK during the 1990s with ensemble and supporting roles in regional and fringe productions.[46]- 1989: Bugsy Malone – Seymour, West End.[4]
- 1993: Crazy for You – Swing, West End (Prince Edward Theatre).[2]
- 1996: Whistle Down the Wind – Ensemble, West End (Aldwych Theatre).[2]
- 1997: Saturday Night – Fantasy Man/Male Vocalist/Clune, Off-West End (Bridewell Theatre).[46]
- 1997: Crazy for You – Bobby Child (replacement), UK National Tour.[47]
- 1998: Singin' in the Rain – Don Lockwood, Regional UK (Watermill Theatre).[46]
- 1998: Snoopy!!! The Musical – Linus, Regional UK.[46]
- 1999: A Saint She Ain't – Danny O'Reilly (original), West End (Apollo Theatre and King's Head Theatre).
- 2001: Of Thee I Sing – Harry/Captain of the Guard, West End concert (Lost Musicals series, Donmar Warehouse).[2]
- 2002: Me and My Girl – Bill Snibson (replacement), West End (Lyric Theatre).[47]
- 2002: Oklahoma! – Will Parker, West End (Lyric Theatre).[47]
- 2002–2003: Peggy Sue Got Married – Richard (original), West End (Lyric Theatre).[48]
- 2002–2003: Contact – Michael Wiley (replacement), West End (Queen's Theatre).[49]
- 2004–2008: Mary Poppins – Bert (original), West End (Prince of Wales Theatre).[3]
- 2006–2008: Mary Poppins – Bert (original), Broadway (New Amsterdam Theatre).[41]
- 2009–2013: Mary Poppins – Bert, US National Tour.[6]
- 2010–2013: Mary Poppins – Bert (replacement), Broadway (New Amsterdam Theatre).[41]
- 2013–2014: Top Hat – Jerry Travers (replacement), West End (Aldwych Theatre).[52]
- 2015–2016: Les Misérables – Thénardier (replacement), Broadway (Imperial Theatre).[6]
- 2016: The SpongeBob Musical – Squidward Q. Tentacles (original), World Premiere (Chicago Shakespeare Theater).[2]
- 2017–2018: The SpongeBob Musical – Squidward Q. Tentacles (original), Broadway (Palace Theatre).[41]
- 2018: Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! – The Grinch, US Tour.[6]
- 2022: Disney's Beauty and the Beast – Lumiere, West End (London Palladium).[2]
- 2023–2024: Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends – Various/Performer, West End (Gielgud Theatre).[28]
- 2024: Les Misérables: The Arena Spectacular – Thénardier, UK Arena Tour.[53]
- 2025: Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends – Performer, Broadway (Samuel J. Friedman Theatre).[41]
- 2025–: The Lion King – Scar (replacement), Broadway (Minskoff Theatre).[6]