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Rodney Hicks (actor)
Encyclopedia
Rodney Hicks is an American
stage and television actor.
Raised in Philadelphia, he graduated from Roxborough High School in 1992 and left college in 1994 to pursue acting as a full time career. Shortly, he made his Broadway
debut as part of the original cast of the hit landmark musical Rent
. Before that, he earned early success performing alongside Lauryn Hill
from the hip/hop group The Fugees
in the musical Bring in the Morning - A Wake up Call followed by the John Adams
and June Jordan
pop opera I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky
which was directed by acclaimed director Peter Sellars
. He made his second appearance on Broadway in the 2000 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar
playing the role of Peter and also starred in the revival of Charles Strouse
's Golden Boy
in the Sammy Davis Jr. role of Joe Bonaparte. He was last seen Off-Broadway in the 2006 revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
and can be heard on the new cast recording.
He has appeared in top regional theatres across the country varying in plays from King Lear
, Lobby Hero
through to Ain't Misbehavin' and Two Gentlemen of Verona. His memorable TV turns has been as Delray Williams in NYPD Blue
opposite Rick Schroder
, the guest lead Jerome Davis in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent
and more recently playing opposite Faith Ford
and Johnny Galecki
as Perry on the last season of ABC's Hope and Faith.
Rodney returned to the Broadway cast of Rent in 2008 as Benjamin Coffin III. He was the final actor to play the role in the original Broadway production which closed that year. His performance was recorded in RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway
.
Rodney recently played the role of Clarence Norris in Kander & Ebb's New Musical 'The Scottsboro Boys' which was directed and choreographed by Tony Award Winner Susan Stroman at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre. The show ran from Feb - April 18. It will be playing a follow up production at The Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota July 31 - September 25. The show has received 9 Drama Desk Nominations including Best New Musical, 6 Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best New Musical and is the winner of two Lucille Lortel Awards including Outstanding New Musical and Outstanding Choreography. The show opened on Broadway October 31, 2010 after beginning previews on the 6th of that month. It closed December 12, 2010.
In September of 2011 Hicks played the role of "Curly" in an all African American cast of "Oklahoma" at Portland Center Stage in Portland, OR. The production was directed by Chris Coleman and music directed by Rick Lewis.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
stage and television actor.
Raised in Philadelphia, he graduated from Roxborough High School in 1992 and left college in 1994 to pursue acting as a full time career. Shortly, he made his Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
debut as part of the original cast of the hit landmark musical Rent
Rent (musical)
Rent is a rock musical with music and lyrics by Jonathan Larson based on Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème...
. Before that, he earned early success performing alongside Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Hill
Lauryn Noelle Hill is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress.Early in her career, she established her reputation as a member of the Fugees. In 1998, she launched her solo career with the release of the commercially successful and critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of...
from the hip/hop group The Fugees
The Fugees
Fugees were a Haitian American hip hop group who rose to fame in the mid-1990s. Their repertoire included elements of Hip hop, soul and Caribbean music, particularly reggae. The members of the group were rapper/singer/producer Wyclef Jean, rapper/singer/producer Lauryn Hill, and rapper Pras Michel...
in the musical Bring in the Morning - A Wake up Call followed by the John Adams
John Coolidge Adams
John Coolidge Adams is a Pulitzer Prize-winning American composer with strong roots in minimalism. His best-known works include Short Ride in a Fast Machine , On the Transmigration of Souls , a choral piece commemorating the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks , and Shaker...
and June Jordan
June Jordan
June Millicent Jordan was a Caribbean American poet, novelist, journalist, biographer, dramatist, teacher and committed activist...
pop opera I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky
I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky
I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky is a 1995 musical/opera with music composed by John Adams, with a libretto by June Jordan. The work was first performed May 1995 in Berkeley, California with staging by Peter Sellars...
which was directed by acclaimed director Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars
Peter Sellars is an American theatre director, noted for his unique contemporary stagings of classical and contemporary operas and plays...
. He made his second appearance on Broadway in the 2000 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar
Jesus Christ Superstar is a rock opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice. The musical started off as a rock opera concept recording before its first staging on Broadway in 1971...
playing the role of Peter and also starred in the revival of Charles Strouse
Charles Strouse
Charles Strouse is an American composer and lyricist.-Life and career:Strouse was born and raised in New York City, the son of Ira and Ethel Strouse...
's Golden Boy
Golden Boy (musical)
Golden Boy is a musical with a book by Clifford Odets and William Gibson, lyrics by Lee Adams, and music by Charles Strouse.Based on the 1937 play of the same name by Odets, it focuses on Joe Wellington, a young man from Harlem who, despite his family's objections, turns to prizefighting as a means...
in the Sammy Davis Jr. role of Joe Bonaparte. He was last seen Off-Broadway in the 2006 revival of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris
Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris is an American musical revue of the songs of Jacques Brel.-Original Off-Broadway Production:...
and can be heard on the new cast recording.
He has appeared in top regional theatres across the country varying in plays from King Lear
King Lear
King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. The title character descends into madness after foolishly disposing of his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, bringing tragic consequences for all. The play is based on the legend of Leir of Britain, a mythological...
, Lobby Hero
Lobby Hero
-Production history:Lobby Hero was first performed at the Playwrights Horizons, on March 13, 2001. The cast was as follows:*Jeff - Glenn Fitzgerald*William - Dion Graham*Dawn - Heather Burns*Bill - Tate Donovan*Directed by Mark Brokaw...
through to Ain't Misbehavin' and Two Gentlemen of Verona. His memorable TV turns has been as Delray Williams in NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
opposite Rick Schroder
Rick Schroder
Richard Bartlett "Rick" Schroder, Jr. is an American actor and film director.He debuted in the 1979 hit film The Champ, going on to become a child star on the sitcom Silver Spoons...
, the guest lead Jerome Davis in an episode of Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Law & Order: Criminal Intent is an American police procedural television drama series set in New York City, where it was also primarily produced. Created and produced by Dick Wolf and René Balcer, the series premiered on September 30, 2001, as the second spin-off of Wolf's successful crime drama...
and more recently playing opposite Faith Ford
Faith Ford
Faith Ford is an American television and film actress, known for having played the roles of Corky Sherwood on Murphy Brown and Hope Fairfield-Shanowski on Hope & Faith.-Early life:...
and Johnny Galecki
Johnny Galecki
John Mark "Johnny" Galecki is an American actor. He is best known for his roles as David Healy in the ABC sitcom Roseanne, Rusty Griswold in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and as Leonard Hofstadter in the CBS sitcom The Big Bang Theory.-Early life:Galecki was born in Bree, Belgium, of...
as Perry on the last season of ABC's Hope and Faith.
Rodney returned to the Broadway cast of Rent in 2008 as Benjamin Coffin III. He was the final actor to play the role in the original Broadway production which closed that year. His performance was recorded in RENT: Filmed Live on Broadway
Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway
Rent: Filmed Live on Broadway is a 2008 film of the final performance of the original Broadway production of the musical Rent on September 7, 2008, with some footage of the closing night celebration. The film had a limited theatrical release between September 24 and 28, 2008, in more than 500...
.
Rodney recently played the role of Clarence Norris in Kander & Ebb's New Musical 'The Scottsboro Boys' which was directed and choreographed by Tony Award Winner Susan Stroman at Off-Broadway's Vineyard Theatre. The show ran from Feb - April 18. It will be playing a follow up production at The Guthrie Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota July 31 - September 25. The show has received 9 Drama Desk Nominations including Best New Musical, 6 Outer Critics Circle Awards including Best New Musical and is the winner of two Lucille Lortel Awards including Outstanding New Musical and Outstanding Choreography. The show opened on Broadway October 31, 2010 after beginning previews on the 6th of that month. It closed December 12, 2010.
In September of 2011 Hicks played the role of "Curly" in an all African American cast of "Oklahoma" at Portland Center Stage in Portland, OR. The production was directed by Chris Coleman and music directed by Rick Lewis.