One of the only things I love as much as period dramas? Broadway musicals! That’s why I’m delighted every time I spot more Broadway stars on The Gilded Age. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the HBO series, which mostly films in New York, has a cast jam-packed with stage stars. While some (like Morgan Spector, Carrie Coon, Celia Keenan-Bolger, and Cynthia Nixon) have stuck mostly with straight plays, plenty of their co-stars are better known for musical roles.
In other words: if you’ve ever wanted to see Mrs. Fane and Mrs. Carlton sing together… you’ve come to the right place! Here are just a few highlights of The Gilded Age cast’s marvelous musical careers.
Denée Benton (Peggy Scott)
Benton joined The Gilded Age after becoming one of her generation’s most promising Broadway leading ladies. She’s starred as Eliza in Hamilton and as Cinderella in the 2022 revival of Into the Woods. Her biggest claim to fame, though, was as naive, romantic aristocrat Natasha in Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812. Benton received a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical for her work in the show. Here, she sings Natasha’s signature song, “No One Else.”
Audra McDonald (Dorothy Scott)
McDonald is one of the biggest Broadway stars on The Gilded Age — arguably one of the biggest Broadway stars, period! Across her illustrious career, she has won six Tonys (more than any other actor in history) and is the only person ever to win in all four eligible acting categories. She’s starred in beloved shows including Carousel, Ragtime, The Gershwins’ Porgy & Bess, and more. Most recently, she tackled the ultimate theatre diva role: Mama Rose. See her sing the Sondheim standard “Some People” below:
Patrick Page (Richard Clay)
If you’ve heard the booming bass of George Russell’s right-hand man and thought he sounds made for the stage, you’d be right! Page is a Tony-nominated actor with a knack for wickedly unforgettable baddies, like the Grinch or the Green Goblin. Most recently, he earned a Tony nom as Hades in Hadestown. See him singing the eerie “Why We Build the Wall” at 21:30 below:
Kelli O’Hara (Aurora Fane)
O’Hara is another of the Broadway stars on The Gilded Age with tons of acclaim before the show. Like McDonald, O’Hara is one of Broadway’s go-to soprano superstars. She’s earned 8 Tony nominations for The Light in the Piazza, South Pacific, The Bridges of Madison County, Kiss Me Kate, and more. She won her Tony for playing Anna Leonowens in The King and I. While she’s something of an established revival star, you can’t miss her in original roles. Watch her sing “Almost Real” from The Bridges of Madison County here:
Donna Murphy (Lina Astor)
A two-time Tony winner, Murphy joins the list of Broadway stars on The Gilded Age after playing some of theatre’s most beloved roles. She won Tonys for her roles in Passion and The King and I, and she’s also starred in shows like Hello, Dolly! To mainstream audiences, though, she’s probably best known as the voice of Mother Gothel in Tangled. See her Tony-winning performance of “I Read” from Passion:
Michael Cerveris (Mr. Watson/Mr. Collier)
Cerveris’s experience playing mysterious characters on Broadway served him well as valet-with-a-past Watson. He played a wide range of Sondheim roles, including in Assassins, Sweeney Todd, Sunday in the Park with George, and Passion. His two Tony wins came for playing John Wilkes Booth in Assassins and Bruce Bechdel in Fun Home. See him with the full Assassins company at the 2004 Tony Awards:
Nathan Lane (Ward McAllister)
Lane is definitely one of the biggest Broadway stars on The Gilded Age! He’s won three Tonys and starred in shows like A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Guys and Dolls, and The Producers. Of course, he’s probably best known for that breakthrough Producers role, which he later reprised on film. See his winning performance at the Tonys below:
Douglas Sills (Mr. Borden)
Prior to playing the not-actually-French chef Borden, Sills spent decades in the world of musical theatre. He starred in shows like Into the Woods, The Secret Garden, and Little Shop of Horrors. In 1998, he earned a Tony nomination for his role in The Scarlet Pimpernel. You can see him perform “Into the Fire” from Pimpernel at the 1998 Tony Awards here:
Claybourne Elder (John Adams)
Elder’s Broadway career spans new works like Bonnie and Clyde and revivals like Sunday in the Park with George and Company. He’s also a staple on the regional theater circuit, with lead roles in Passion, Pippin, Beauty and the Beast, and more. See him duet with his on-stage brother Jeremy Jordan in Bonnie and Clyde‘s “When I Drive”:
Laura Benanti (Susan Blane)
Benanti definitely is one of the more recognizable Broadway stars on The Gilded Age! After some highly-praised work in Into the Woods and The Sound of Music, she broke out (and earned her first Tony) as Louise in the 2008 Gypsy revival. She continues to work steadily on screen and stage, including roles in acclaimed revivals of She Loves Me and The Sound of Music. Below, she sings the She Loves Me classic “Vanilla Ice Cream.”
Dakin Matthews (Joshua Winterton)
You probably know Matthews best as Headmaster Charleston from Gilmore Girls. But did you know he’s actually among the Broadway stars on The Gilded Age? After a lengthy stage and screen career, including many classic Shakespearen roles, he’s also added some musical roles. He originated the role of Joe in Waitress and co-starred in the 2023 Camelot revival. See him opposite Sara Bareilles in Waitress below:
Jordan Donica (William Kirkland)
We’re all swooning over Donica’s Dr. Kirkland (and his obvious admiration for Peggy), but you haven’t seen anything until you’ve seen him sing! Donica has starred in more modern shows like Hamilton and an Into the Woods revival. But in shows like My Fair Lady and Camelot (the latter of which earned him a Tony nomination), he gets to let loose with a rich Golden Age voice. Watch him as Lancelot singing the iconic “If Ever I Would Leave You”:
Paul Alexander Nolan (Alfred Merrick)
Introduced in Season 3, Mr. Merrick is still an enigma to The Gilded Age viewers. Broadway fans will recognize him for his long and varied resume. He’s starred in shows like Jesus Christ Superstar, Escape to Margaritaville, Bright Star, and Parade. Most recently, he played the villainous August in Water for Elephants. Here, he reunites with Bright Star co-star Carmen Cusack to sing “Whoa, Mama.”
Brian Stokes Mitchell (Frederick Kirkland)
Mitchell has one of the most instantly recognizable voices among the Broadway stars on The Gilded Age. He joins the supporting cast in Season 3 as William Kirkland’s father, but he’s been a Broadway staple for decades. Among his many (many!) roles, he’s probably best known for his Tony-nominated roles in Man of La Mancha and Ragtime, as well as his Tony-winning work in Kiss Me, Kate. See him perform his Ragtime 11-o’clock number, “Make Them Hear You,” in 1998:
Victoria Clark (Joan Carlton)
Joining many other Broadway divas in the cast, Clark guest-stars in Season 3 as old-money matron Joan Carlton. Aside from her Tony-winning role in Kimberly Akimbo, Clark has starred in shows like Sister Act, Cinderella, and Gigi. She won her first Tony playing Margaret Johnson in The Light in the Piazza, opposite future Gilded Age co-star Kelli O’Hara! See Clark (with O’Hara) perform at the 2005 Tonys:
Amber Gray (Bea Sturt)
Not all of the Broadway stars on The Gilded Age had major roles! Tony nominee Gray showed up during Peggy and Fortune’s Season 2 visit to the South as restaurant owner Bea. Her Gilded Age appearance even reunited her with Great Comet co-star Denée Benton; Gray played the hedonistic Helene in the cult-fave pop opera. Gray also earned a Tony nomination for playing Persephone in Hadestown — see her lead the company in “Livin’ It Up On Top.”
First Featured Image Credit: ©Photograph by Alison Cohen Rosa/HBO