Philip Quast facts for kids

Philip Mark Quast (born 30 July 1957) is a famous Australian actor and singer. He is known for his deep singing voice, called a bass-baritone. Philip Quast has won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical three times. This makes him the first actor to win this award so many times in that category!

He is probably most famous for playing Inspector Javert in the musical Les Misérables. He also played this role in the special concert Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert.

Philip Quast has starred in many other popular musicals. These include playing Georges Seurat in Sunday in the Park with George (which won him an Olivier Award). He was also Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and George Banks in Mary Poppins. He also played The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods.

You might also know him from movies and TV shows. He appeared in Ultraviolet, Brides of Christ, and the children's show Play School.

Early Life and Education

Philip Quast was born in 1957 in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia. He grew up on a farm with his two siblings. In 1979, he graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA). This is a famous school for actors in Australia.

Acting Career

Starting Out in the 1980s

After finishing drama school in 1979, Philip Quast started his acting journey. He joined the acting company at the State Theatre Company of South Australia. In the early 1980s, he performed in many plays. Some of these were Three Sisters, Pericles, and As You Like It. He also performed in musicals like The Threepenny Opera and Candide.

In 1981, Philip Quast also became a presenter on the Australian children's TV show Play School. He worked on this show on and off for 17 years!

Success in the 1990s

Philip Quast's stage career really took off when he got the main role of Georges Seurat in the London production of Sunday in the Park with George. This musical was written by Stephen Sondheim.

In 1991, he won his first Laurence Olivier Award for this role. This award is one of the biggest honors in British theatre. Preparing for this show was very challenging for him. He had to learn Sondheim's difficult music and even learn to paint for the role!

In 1993, he returned to Australia. He performed in William Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Sondheim's Into the Woods. In Into the Woods, he played both The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince. He then toured the UK in 1994 with the play Saint Joan. From 1994 to 1996, he spent two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He performed in plays like Macbeth and Troilus and Cressida. He also toured Australia in The Secret Garden.

Later Roles in the 2000s and Beyond

Philip Quast played Javert again for the Les Misérables Complete Symphonic Recording. He also performed in a concert honoring the famous producer Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

Even though he usually sings with a deep baritone voice, he has played roles written for higher tenor voices. These include George in Sunday in the Park with George and Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden. While he is known for serious roles, he has also played funny characters. For example, he was Miles Gloriosus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

In 2006, Quast played Juan Peron in the musical Evita in London. He was nominated for another Olivier Award for this part. In 2007, he played Judge Turpin in a concert version of Sweeney Todd.

He also played Georges in La Cage aux Folles. In 2010, he played Mr. Banks in the Australian premiere of Mary Poppins. He won two top Australian theatre awards for this role: the Green Room Award and the Helpmann Award.

In 2014, Philip Quast made his New York stage debut. He played Judge Turpin in a special concert of Sweeney Todd at Lincoln Center.

Besides musicals, he has continued to act in plays. In 2003, he was in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice. In 2012, he played Sir Humphrey Appleby in an Australian production of Yes, Prime Minister. In 2013, he joined famous Australian actors Hugo Weaving and Richard Roxburgh in Waiting For Godot.

Personal Life

Philip Quast is married to Carol, and they have three sons named Edwin, Harry, and Toby. He also teaches acting at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he continued teaching his students online using Zoom.

Philip and Carol married in 1981. He is known for being a humble person. He doesn't seek fame and believes success is about earning respect from other actors, not just being well-known. He doesn't even keep his awards; he sends them to his parents' home in Australia!

In 1996, Who Weekly magazine named him one of the 25 Most Beautiful People. He joked in the article, "My idea of doing my hair is sticking it out of the window of a car when it's wet."

Critics often praise Philip Quast's singing voice, describing it as "warm" and "glorious." A British newspaper, The Stage, called him "one of the most notable singing actors to come along in years."

Philip Quast loves fishing. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he spent his time fishing, cooking, and preserving food.

Awards

Musical Cast Recordings

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Stage Performances