Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway

Published on: Mar 12, 2024
Last Updated on: Jul 17, 2024 By: Natalie Gasper

Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway

Daniel Radcliffe is a well-known film and stage actor, with roles in productions such as Equus and Merrily We Roll Along. He made his acting debut in David Copperfield, a two-part adaptation of Charles Dickens’s novel of the same name, before going on to star in the Harry Potter film series, which launched his film career and later led to his impressive Broadway debut. In this article, we'll go over Radcliffe's complete history of stage shows - including what's playing on Broadway right now!

Who is Daniel Radcliffe?

English actor Daniel Radcliffe made a huge splash at the age of 12 when he played Harry Potter in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. He expanded to the stage in 2007 with the Broadway production of Equus, for which his performance as stable boy Alan Strang earned him a Drama Desk Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Play. His first Broadway musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, earned him a Grammy Award nomination. Daniel Radcliffe continues to be drawn to a range of film and TV roles, including movies like The Woman in Black, Now You See Me 2, and The Lost City. Radcliffe also stars in the comedy anthology TV series Miracle Workers. He has been nominated for many awards, including a Grammy, an Emmy, multiple Critics’ Choice Awards, three Drama Desk Awards, and has won four Broadway Audience Awards (two for Equus and two for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying).

Broadway Shows Starring Daniel Radcliffe

Equus

Peter Shaffer wrote Equus in 1973 after hearing the true story of a young boy who blinded 26 horses. The 2007 West End revival starred Daniel Radcliffe as troubled stable boy Alan Strang and Richard Griffiths (who played Vernon Dursley in the Harry Potter films) as Martin Dysart, Strang’s child psychiatrist. Thea Sharrock directed this production at the Gielgud Theatre. Thanks to Radcliffe’s and Griffiths’ roles in the Harry Potter films, this production received a lot of attention from the press. Radcliffe earned much critical acclaim for his portrayal. The Guardian wrote, “The revelation of this revival is that Daniel Radcliffe really can act.” The show, which had advance ticket sales of 1.7 million pounds, transferred to Broadway’s Broadhurst Theatre in New York City in 2008 where it ran for 21 previews, 156 performances, and grossed nearly $12 million. Radcliffe won Favorite Leading Actor in a Broadway Play and Favorite Breakthrough Performance, both from the Broadway Audience Awards.

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

The 50^th anniversary Broadway revival of this hit musical opened in 2011 at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre. Daniel Radcliffe starred as a window washer who schemes his way up to World Wide Wicket Corporation’s chairman of the board. Rob Ashford directed and choreographed this musical, with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Other stars included John Larroquette as J.B. Biggley, Rose Hemingway in her Broadway debut as Rosemary Pilkington, and Anderson Cooper as the Voice of the Book. It ran for 473 performances and was nominated for nine Tony Awards. Radcliffe was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical and a Grammy Award (for Best Musical Theater Album). He won Favorite Actor in a Musical and Favorite Onstage Pair from the Broadway Audience Awards.

The Cripple of Inishmaan

The Cripple of Inishmaan, a dark comedy by Martin McDonagh, stars Daniel Radcliffe as “Cripple” Billy Claven, an orphan eager to land a role in a Hollywood film on a neighboring island. The West End run in 2013 at the Noel Coward Theatre in London was sold out. It transferred to Cort Theatre in 2014 for a limited run of 105 performances. Radcliffe’s acting skills impressed once again, with The Guardian writing, “[Daniel Radcliffe] proves, as he did in Equus, that he is a fine stage actor with a gift for playing social outsiders.” This production was nominated for six Tony Awards and Radcliffe was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Play. Radcliffe won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor in a Play. Michael Grandage directed this production.

The Lifespan of a Fact

Daniel Radcliffe, Cherry Jones, and Bobby Cannavale starred in this comical adaptation of an essay by John D’Agata about a fact-checker pushing the line between fact and fiction. Jeremy Kareken, David Murrell, and Gordon Farrell wrote the play, and Leigh Silverman directed. The Lifespan of a Fact received much critical acclaim from publications, including NPR and The New York Times. Variety said, “Daniel Radcliffe proves to be a master of comedy in ‘Lifespan of a Fact.’“ According to Broadway News, this production recouped its cost of production after only three months. Ticket sales were impressive, grossing over $14.4 million across 32 previews and 101 performances.

Merrily We Roll Along

This musical, based on the play of the same name by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, has a book by George Furth, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and musical direction by Joel Fram. Radcliffe starred as playwright and lyricist Charley Kringas, alongside Jonathan Groff as composer Franklin Shepard and Lindsay Mendez as novelist and theater critic Mary Flynn, in this story that follows the changing relationship of the three friends over 20 years. Other cast members included Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie Carnegie, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth Shepard, and Reg Rogers as Joe Josephson. The revival played off-Broadway at New York Theatre Workshop before transferring to Hudson Theatre on Broadway and was directed by Maria Friedman, choreographed by Tim Jackson, and produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, David Babani, Patrick Catullo, and Jeff Romley. The original 1981 production was directed by Hal Prince. Time Out New York wrote, “Groff, Radcliffe and Mendez are so appealing as performers…all three deliver exceptional work…Radcliffe, bright-eyed and tightly wound, is a ball of clenched energy that explodes to great effect in the unhinged talk-show meltdown number ‘Franklin Shepard, Inc.’” The show has a number of hit songs, including “Good Thing Going,” which was later covered by Frank Sinatra.

Other Stage Shows Starring Daniel Radcliffe

The Play What I Wrote

This comedy, written by Hamish McColl, Sean Foley, and Eddie Braben, was a celebration of two British comedy greats: Morecambe and Wise. Foley and McColl starred in this production, which was directed by Kenneth Branagh (who played Professor Gilderoy Lockhart in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets). Toby Jones, the voice of Dobby in the Harry Potter films, made his Broadway debut with this play. The story, with its play within a play structure, involves a celebrity guest appearance where the celebrity plays himself. Many big-name actors made guest appearances, including Ralph Fiennes and Ewan McGregor during the London run and Daniel Radcliffe and Jeff Goldblum during the Broadway run. The Play What I Wrote debuted at the Liverpool Playhouse Theatre before opening at the Wyndham’s Theatre in West End in late 2001. The production moved to the Lyceum Theatre on Broadway in 2003 where it was nominated for a Tony Award.

Privacy

James Graham wrote Privacy to explore how personal information shared by the government affects security. It premiered at the Donmar Warehouse in London in 2014 before its limited run in New York at the Public Theater off-Broadway in 2016. Josie Rourke directed Daniel Radcliffe, Reg Rogers, and Rachel Dratch, among others, in this production.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Part comedy, part tragedy, this play by Tom Stoppard follows the exploits of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, two minor characters from Shakespeare’s Hamlet. Many main characters from Hamlet make appearances but are the minor players in this production. Daniel Radcliffe, who played Rosencrantz, starred with Joshua McGuire, as Guildenstern, in the 50^th-anniversary production in 2017 at The Old Vic in London. The Evening Standard wrote, “Daniel Radcliffe excels at this game of intellectual ping-pong.”

Endgame/Rough for Theatre II

Daniel Radcliffe starred in a double feature of Endgame, a one-act play, and Rough for Theatre II, a short play, at The Old Vic in London in early 2020. Both plays were written by famous playwright Samuel Beckett. Endgame follows the hilariously tragic story of a blind and paralyzed elderly man, his geriatric parents, and his dithering servant in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. Of Radcliffe’s performance, The Guardian wrote, “Over the years, Radcliffe has admirably worked at perfecting his stagecraft. To increasingly impressive vocal heft and variety, his Clov adds impressive comedic physical skills, deftly fulfilling the health-and-safety-taunting stage directions requiring a character with a walking disability to climb up and down stepladders and lean down into dustbins.” Rough for Theatre II follows two bureaucrats, Bertrand (Daniel Radcliffe) and Morvan (Alan Cumming) as they investigate a suicide in progress. This double feature, directed by Richard Jones, closed after only six weeks due to COVID-19.

Cast Albums Featuring Daniel Radcliffe

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying

The cast recording of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying was produced by five-time Grammy nominee Robert Sher and features the original cast members, including Daniel Radcliffe, John Larroquette, Rose Hemingway, and Tammy Blanchard. Songs include: “How To Succeed,” “Been A Long Day,” “Cinderella, Darling,” and “I Believe In You.”

Listen on Amazon

Merrily We Roll Along

This Broadway revival released a cast album featuring all the cast members, including Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff, and Lindsay Mendez. Songs include: “Merrily We Roll Along,” “Old Friends,” “Not a Day Goes By,” and “Our Time.”

Buy on Amazon

Broadway Cast Recordings

Check out our article on Best Broadway Cast Recordings and Movie Musical Soundtracks to listen to music from some of Broadway’s best composers.

Celebrities on Broadway

Daniel Radcliffe recently starred in Merrily We Roll Along - if you want to know what other stars are currently acting on New York stages, check out our article about Celebrities on Broadway!

Natalie Gasper

Contributing Writer

Natalie Gasper is freelance writer and editor who loves all creative pursuits. When she’s not writing articles, fantasy books, or poetry, you can probably find her auditioning for a play or creating beautiful theater sets. You can connect with her on Twitter and Medium @NatalieGasper.

Education: B.A. in Creative Writing, University of Central Florida
Knowledge: Theater, Literary

Published

Mar 12, 2024

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Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway