Corey Cott facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Corey Cott
Cott at the Bernard B. Jacobs stage door in May 2017
Born	Corey Michael Cott (1990-03-30) March 30, 1990 (age 35) Columbus, Mississippi, U.S.
Education	Carnegie Mellon University (BFA)
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	2012–present
Spouse(s)	Meghan Woollard ​ ​ (m. 2013)​
Children	3
Relatives	Casey Cott (brother)

Corey Michael Cott (born March 30, 1990) is an American actor and singer famous for his work on Broadway. He is best known for starring as Jack Kelly in the musical Newsies and for being the first actor to play Donny Novitski in the musical Bandstand.

Early Life and Education

Corey Cott was born in Columbus, Mississippi. He is the oldest of three children. His father, Rick, was a fighter pilot in the Air Force and later became an investment manager. His younger brother is actor Casey Cott.

Corey grew up in Spring Arbor, Michigan, and later moved to Chagrin Falls, Ohio. In Ohio, he attended Chagrin Falls High School. After graduating, he went to the prestigious Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in Pittsburgh to study acting.

Career

First Steps on Stage

While still in college, Cott began his acting career. He performed in shows with a professional theater company in Pittsburgh called Pittsburgh CLO. He appeared in famous musicals like Miss Saigon, Jekyll and Hyde, and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Broadway Breakthrough with Newsies

Shortly after graduating from Carnegie Mellon, Cott moved to New York City to pursue his dream of acting on Broadway. He quickly landed a role in the hit musical Newsies. At first, he was the alternate for the main character, Jack Kelly. This meant he performed the role on certain days.

On September 5, 2012, Cott took over the role of Jack Kelly full-time. He became the new star of the show, replacing the original actor, Jeremy Jordan.

Starring in Bandstand and Other Shows

In 2017, Cott starred in another Broadway musical called Bandstand. He played the main character, Donny Novitski, a World War II veteran who starts a band. He had also played this role when the show first opened at the Paper Mill Playhouse in 2015.

In 2024, Cott returned to Broadway in The Heart of Rock and Roll. This type of show, called a jukebox musical, uses popular songs from the band Huey Lewis and the News to tell a story.

Television Roles

Besides theater, Cott has also appeared in several TV shows. In 2020, he was part of the main cast of the drama series Filthy Rich, playing Eric Monreaux. He has also had guest roles on shows like Madam Secretary, The Good Fight, and Law & Order.

Personal Life

In 2013, Cott married Meghan Woollard. They met while singing together in a church choir in Pittsburgh. The couple has three sons. Their first son, Elliott, was born in 2017. Their second son, Nolan, was born in 2019, and their third son, Asher, arrived in 2021.

Cott is good friends with Ben Fankhauser, who also starred in Newsies. They grew up together and acted in many local youth theater shows before making it to Broadway.

Selected Roles

Here are some of Corey Cott's most well-known roles on stage and screen.

Theater

Television