Kelsey Grammer

The best moments of Kelsey Grammer's theatre career

Will Longman
Will Longman

Kelsey Grammer is said to be preparing to make his debut on the London stage in Big Fish at The Other Palace later this year. So we decided to look back on the actor's theatrical career on The Great White Way to find out what we can expect from the Frasier actor.

He made his Broadway debut in Macbeth at the Lincoln Center in 1981 as Lennox. He went on to take over the title role from The Elephant Man actor Philip Anglim withdrew following negative reviews. This led to his next role on Broadway, playing Cassio in a revival of Othello, alongside James Earl Jones.

In 1983, Grammer appeared in the Off-Broadway production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. The musical went on to receive ten Tony Award nominations, however, Grammer did not transfer to Broadway with the show as his television career was just beginning to take off.

As he became an established television actor, mostly due to the success of the sitcom Cheers in which he played Dr. Frasier Crane, he became absent from the stage. Cheers went on to be recognised as one of America's most beloved sitcoms, and spawned a spin-off in the mid-90s based on his character, called Frasier.  


After seventeen years away from the stage, he returned to play the title role in Macbeth at the Music Box Theater, but the production only lasted ten days. 


In 2010, he made his Broadway musical debut as Georges in a transfer of La Cage aux Folles at the Longacre Theatre. Douglas Hodge played drag performer Albin, the lover of and star attraction at George's night club. Grammer's performance garnered wide acclaim, and he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical (Hodge won the award). 

 

It was half a decade later before Grammer once again appeared on Broadway, taking on the role of Charles Frohman in James Graham's musical Finding Neverland, which had music and lyrics from Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy. While the production received positive reviews, it did not receive any Tony Award nominations. But you can watch Grammer's performance alongside Matthew Morrison at the 2015 ceremony below.

Throughout his career, Grammer has been able to show off his voice through his extensive screen. Some of his famous voice roles include Slinky Pete in Toy Story 2, and Bart Simpson's nemesis Sideshow Bob.

Later this year, he's slated to be making his London theatre debut in Big Fish at The Other Palace, which is very, very exciting) and based on his musical history, it's bound to be a performance not to be missed. 

Big Fish Tickets go on sale next week. 

Originally published on

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