Norm Lewis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Norm Lewis
Born	(1963-06-02) June 2, 1963 (age 62) Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.
Occupation	Actor singer
Years active	1986–present
Known for	The Phantom of the Opera Les Misérables The Little Mermaid

Norm Lewis, born on June 2, 1963, is a talented American actor and singer. He is known for his powerful baritone voice. Norm has performed in many famous plays on Broadway in New York City and in London's West End. He has also appeared in movies, TV shows, and recorded music.

A big moment in his career was when he played the main character, the Phantom, in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. He was the first African-American actor to play this role on Broadway. In 2023, he played the Phantom again in the show's sequel, Love Never Dies, in London.

Norm Lewis is also famous for playing Inspector Javert in Les Misérables many times. He first took on this role in 2006 on Broadway. He later played Javert in London and in the special 25th Anniversary Concert of the show. He has also starred in other major musicals like Porgy and Bess, The Little Mermaid, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Early Life and Beginnings

Norm Lewis was born in Tallahassee, Florida. He grew up in Eatonville, Florida. He finished high school in 1981 at Edgewater High School in Orlando. Before becoming an actor, he worked at a newspaper called the Orlando Sentinel.

Norm Lewis's Acting Journey

Starting on Broadway (1992–2005)

Norm Lewis's acting career really took off thanks to Ralph Petillo, who ran a theater in Florida. In 1992, Norm played Agwe in a play called Once on This Island.

He made his first appearance on Broadway in 1993 in The Who's Tommy. He later joined the cast of Miss Saigon as John Thomas. In 1997, he created the role of Jake in Side Show. He also appeared in other Broadway musicals like The Wild Party and Amour.

In 2004, he played Billy Flynn in the Broadway show Chicago. Norm also performed in special benefit concerts for shows like Dreamgirls, Chess, and Hair. In 2005, he starred in a musical version of Two Gentlemen of Verona in Central Park.

Big Roles and Awards (2006–2013)

Norm Lewis has played Javert in Les Misérables many times. He was the first African-American actor to play Javert in a professional English-speaking show. He performed this role on Broadway, in London's West End, and in the 25th anniversary concert of the musical.

In 2007, he was the first to play King Triton in the Broadway show The Little Mermaid. He also sang as King Triton on the original Broadway cast recording.

Norm played the main character, Sweeney Todd, in the musical Sweeney Todd in Texas in 2009. He had played this role before in 1999.

In 2010, Norm was part of a musical show called Sondheim on Sondheim on Broadway. His performance of the song "Being Alive" was a highlight of the evening.

From 2011 to 2012, Norm Lewis starred as Porgy in a new version of Porgy and Bess on Broadway. His performance earned him a nomination for a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 2012.

In 2008, Norm released his first solo music album, This Is the Life!. He also sang on cast recordings for shows like Side Show and The Who's Tommy.

From 2012 to 2015, Norm joined the cast of the TV show Scandal. He played Senator Edison Davis in this political drama. In 2013, he played Prospero in a special outdoor production of The Tempest in Central Park.

The Phantom and More Success (2014–Present)

On May 12, 2014, Norm Lewis took on the famous role of the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway. This made him the first black actor to play the Phantom on Broadway. He performed as the Phantom until February 7, 2015. Norm said that getting this part was like winning the lottery because he had been a fan of the musical for many years.

In 2016, Norm played King Triton again for a live concert of The Little Mermaid in Hollywood. He also returned to the role of Agwe in Once on This Island on Broadway in 2018. In 2017, he played Sweeney Todd again in an Off-Broadway production and won an award for it.

On Easter Sunday, April 1, 2018, Norm played Caiaphas in the live TV concert of Jesus Christ Superstar. In 2019, he played Harold Hill in The Music Man. He said it was a fun, classic American musical that was a good fit for him. From 2022 to 2023, he toured North America in the play A Soldier’s Play. In 2023, he returned to London's West End to play the Phantom in Love Never Dies, the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.

Theatre Performances

Music Albums

• A New Brain: Original Cast Recording, 1998
• Disney's The Little Mermaid: Original Broadway Cast Recording, 2008
• This Is the Life!, 2008
• Les Miserables In Concert (25th Anniversary Edition), 2010
• Dracula, the Musical Concept Album, 2011
• Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert (Original Soundtrack of the NBC Television Event), 2018
• The Norm Lewis Christmas Album, 2018

Movie Roles

Television Appearances

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Norm Lewis para niños