Myles Frost
Myles Frost | |
|---|---|
 Frost in 2023 | |
| Born | July 21, 1999 Silver Spring, Maryland, U.S. |
| Education | Belmont University Bowie State University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2019–present |
Myles Frost (born July 21, 1999) is an American actor, singer, songwriter, music producer and dancer.[1] He won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Michael Jackson in the Broadway production of MJ the Musical and received a Grammy Award nomination for the cast recording.[1]
Life and career
[edit]Frost was born in Silver Spring, Maryland.[2] He spent his early years moving back and forth between Maryland and Washington, D.C.[1] Raised by his mother, Charmayne Strayhorn, a systems engineer, and his grandmother, a school teacher, he developed two enduring passions early in life: golf, beginning at the age of three, and piano, beginning at the age of five.[1][3] Growing up he sang and played the piano and drums at church, and he performed in an R&B cover band in middle school at local shopping centers. While attending Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, he performed in school productions of the musicals Hairspray (as Seaweed), Legally Blonde (as Warner), and Cinderella (as Lord Pinkleton).[1] In 2017, while still in high school, he was a contestant on The Voice but was not selected by any of the coaches to move further in the competition.[4]
After graduating from high school, Frost entered Belmont University in Nashville where he studied music technology for two years. He transferred from Belmont to Bowie State University as an audio engineering major, but ultimately left school when he was cast as Michael Jackson in the Broadway production of MJ the Musical.[1] Frost earned the role after Ephraim Sykes left the production late in the show's development, and the producers had to locate a new actor rapidly.[1] The production team auditioned many established actors, but none of them was working, and broadened their search.[1] A YouTube video of Frost performing the song "Billie Jean" from a high school talent show drew the attention of the producers, and he was invited to audition; ultimately winning the part.[1] Earning positive critical attention, Frost won the 2022 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Michael Jackson around the age of 28–33 in the Broadway theatre production of MJ the Musical.[1] He is the youngest solo recipient of the Tony Award in the "Best Actor in a Musical" category, a record previously held by Ben Platt.[5][6][7] Myles left the production on April 2, 2023. He was replaced by Elijah Johnson of Mindless Behavior on April 4, 2023. He then went on to reprise the role as MJ in the West End production that opened in March 2024.[8]
Filmography
[edit]Film
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Origin | Trayvon Martin |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | The Voice | Himself/Contestant | Not selected/No chair turn |
| 2019 | All In | Shane | Television movie |
| 2019–2020 | Family Reunion | Vocal appearance | 3 episodes (seasons 1 & 2) |
| 2021 | American Gangster Presents: The Big 50 | Clarence | BET+ original movie |
Awards and nominations
[edit]| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Tony Award | Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical | MJ the Musical | Won | |
| 2023 | Grammy Awards | Best Musical Theater Album | Nominated | [9] |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Paulson, Michael (May 19, 2022). "Dancing to 'Billie Jean' Led Him to 'MJ.' Now He's a Tony Contender". The New York Times.
- ^ Fraley, Jason (May 12, 2022). "From Wootton High School to Broadway: Tony nominee Myles Frost shares his journey". WTOP-FM. Retrieved August 14, 2022.
- ^ Marks, Peter (June 6, 2022). "Myles Frost was born to play Michael Jackson. A Tony nod confirms it". The Washington Post.
- ^ Daniels, Karu F. (June 8, 2022). "Myles Frost's journey from 'The Voice' castoff to Broadway's 'MJ' leads to Tony award nomination". The Spokesman-Review. Spokane, Washington.
- ^ "Tony Award winner Myles Frost to headline Bowie homecoming parade". CBS Baltimore. October 5, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ Culwell-Block, Logan (March 24, 2018). "The 13 Youngest Actors Who Made Tony History". Playbill. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ "Bowie State's Myles Frost Wins the Tony Award". Bowie State University. June 12, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2024.
- ^ Wild, Stephi (March 13, 2023). "Elijah Rhea Johnson Will Take Over the Role of Michael Jackson in MJ THE MUSICAL". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
- ^ "Grammy Awards 2023: The Full List of Nominees". The New York Times. November 15, 2022.
