William Youmans

William Youmans
Other nameBill Youmans
EducationSUNY Purchase (BFA)
OccupationsFilm, stage, television actor, singer
Years active1981–present

William Youmans is an American Broadway, film and television actor and singer, best known for originating the roles of John Jacob Astor in Titanic: the Musical, Sir Richard Bingham in The Pirate Queen, and Doctor Dillamond in Wicked. He made a return to Wicked on March 7, 2023.

Life and career

Youmans was born into a performing family; his great-uncle was Broadway composer Vincent Youmans. William attended the State University of New York at Purchase, graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in drama. William made his Broadway debut in 1981, playing Leo Hubbard in The Little Foxes. He performed numerous roles in the original production of Big River and sang the role of Alcindoro in the Baz Luhrmann-directed revival of La Bohème. He also portrayed Sir Richard Bingham in The Pirate Queen and performed in the play The Farnsworth Invention. In 1986 he was in the Off Broadway play The Widow Claire by Horton Foote. He played a few different roles in the musical Coraline. He originated the roles of Albert and Ben in the world premiere of The Secret Garden. In 1993, Youmans played several roles in the Off-Broadway recording of Alan Menken's Weird Romance.

In 1997 he originated the role of John Jacob Astor in Titanic, and 2003, originated the role of Doctor Dillamond in Wicked. After a San Francisco tryout, in which the role was played by John Horton, the original Broadway production opened October 30, 2003, starring Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel. Youmans left the role on July 24, 2005, and later reprised the role in the Chicago production for a limited engagement from December 12, 2006, through January 14, 2007. He can be heard on the show's original Broadway cast recording. He made a return on March 7, 2023.

In 2015, he originated the role to critical acclaim as The Director in Being Seen by Richard Gustin at the International Fringe Festival NYC.

In 2018, he played Bascombe and understudied the Starkeeper in the Broadway revival of Carousel. In November 2019, he joined the cast of To Kill a Mockingbird as Dr. Reynolds/Mr. Roscoe and understudy Link Deas and Sheriff Heck Tate.

Film and television

Youmans appeared in the films Mrs. Soffel, Compromising Positions, Nadine, Fresh Horses and the independent film Last Supper.

Youmans' first television appearance was a made-for-television movie of a Mark Twain story, The Private History of a Campaign That Failed. He has since appeared on episodes of The Equalizer, Spenser: For Hire, NYPD Blue, Law & Order and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

Filmography

Film

William Youmans film credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1984Mrs. SoffelGuard George Koslow
1985Compromising PositionsMotel clerk
1987NadineBoyd
1988Fresh HorsesGary
1992Last SupperThe writer's son
2011Extremely Loud & Incredibly CloseBartender
2014BirdmanBartender (Tommy)
A Midsummer Night's DreamRobin Starveling

Television

William Youmans television credits
YearTitleRoleNotes
1981The Private History of a Campaign That FailedDunlapTV movie
1985 The Equalizer Ray Episode: "The Children's Song"
1988 Spenser: For Hire Stefan Smolens 1 episode
1995 NYPD Blue Brina "Peter" Cahill 1 episode
1998 Law & Order Byrne Chaikin Episode: "Scrambled"
2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Ben Moreland Episode: "Noncompliance"
2008 Law & Order Larry Driscoll Episode: "Called Home"
2018 Madam Secretary David Clark 1 episode

Stage

YearTitleRoleNotes
1976Henry VCourtThe Public Theater, Off-Broadway
1981The Little FoxesLeo Hubbard (Replacement)Martin Beck Theatre, Broadway
1983The Life and Adventures of Nicholas NicklebySmikeBlackstone Theatre
1985Big RiverBen Rogers/HankEugene O'Neill Theatre, Broadway
1986Shout Up a MorningPokeheadLa Jolla Playhouse
1987The Widow ClaireEd CordrayCircle in the Square Theatre, Off-Broadway
1989The TempestTrinculoVirginia Stage Company
1989The Secret GardenCaptain Albert Lennox/Ben WeatherstaffVirginia Stage Company
1990The SwanBillActors Theatre of Louisville
1990The Cherry OrchardYepikhodovLa Jolla Playhouse
1990Twelfth NightSir Andrew AguecheekLa Jolla Playhouse
1991Androcles and the LionAndroclesSyracuse Stage
1992Weird RomanceJoeWPA Theatre, Off-Broadway
1993Escape From HappinessJuniorYale Repertory Theatre
1994The Who's TommyUncle ErnieNational Tour
1995The LoverVariousBaltimore Center Stage
1997Titanic3rd Class Passenger/J.J. AstorLunt-Fontanne Theatre, Broadway
2001Dracula, The MusicalRenfieldLa Jolla Playhouse
2002La BohèmeAlcindoroBroadway Theatre, Broadway
2003WickedDoctor DillamondGershwin Theatre, Broadway
2005Miracle BrothersRancorVineyard Theatre, Off-Broadway
2006BrundibarProfessor UcitelliYale Repertory Theatre
2006The Pirate QueenSir Richard BinghamCadillac Palace Theatre
2007The Pirate QueenSir Richard BinghamHilton Theatre, Broadway
2007The Farnsworth InventionWachtelMusic Box Theatre, Broadway
2008Billy Elliot: The MusicalGeorge (Replacement)Imperial Theatre, Broadway
2008Road ShowEnsembleThe Public Theater, Off-Broadway
2009CoralineOther FatherMCC Theater, Off-Broadway
2009Finian's RainbowBuzz CollinsSt. James Theatre, Broadway
2010Take FlightEnsembleMcCarter Theatre
2010TitanicJ. Bruce IsmayThe Muny
2011CymbelinePisanioShakespeare Theatre Company
2012GiantPinkieThe Public Theater, Off-Broadway
2012TitanicJ. Bruce IsmayThe Hangar Theatre
2013Hands on a HardbodyDon Curtis/Dr. StokesBrooks Atkinson Theatre, Broadway
2013Summer of '42Mr. Sanders/Walter WinchellBucks County Playhouse
2013A Midsummer Night's DreamRobin StarvelingTheatre for a New Audience, Off-Broadway
2013Ether DomeDr. Charles JacksonHartford Stage, La Jolla Playhouse, Huntington Theatre Company
2015Being SeenThe DirectorInternational Fringe Festival NYC
2015Paint Your WagonJacob WoodlingNew York City Center, Off-Broadway
2016Bright StarStanford AdamsCort Theatre, Broadway
2016The Rocky Horror ShowThe Narrator/Eddie/Dr. ScottBucks County Playhouse
2017The Skin of Our TeethMr. FitzpatrickTheatre for a New Audience, Off-Broadway
2017Clue: On StageVariousBucks County Playhouse
2018CarouselMr. BascombeImperial Theatre, Broadway
2019To Kill a MockingbirdDr. Reynolds (Replacement)/Mr. Roscoe (Replacement)Sam S. Shubert Theatre, Broadway
2022A Man of No ImportanceBaldy O'SheaClassic Stage Company, Off-Broadway

References

  1. ↑ "Weird Romance Original Off-Broadway Musical Cast 1992 | Off-Broadway World".
  2. ↑ William Youmans Playbill