Reed Birney
Birth Place: Alexandria, VA, USA
How Often Do Shows Go From Off-Broadway to Broadway in Two Separate Productions? (Dec 28, 2025)
Julianna Margulies, Reed Birney, and More to Star in WHO BY FIRE Industry Reading (Dec 9, 2025)
The Tent Theater Company Will Host LASTINGNESS Benefit (Dec 2, 2025)
BIO
Reed Birney won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2016 for The Humans and was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play in 2014 for Casa Valentina. Birney won a 2006 Obie Award for Sustained Excellence in Performance. He made his New York debut at Playwrights Horizons in 1976 in Gemini. He's also appeared there in Herself As Lust (1982), An Imaginary Life (1994), The Butterfly Collection (2000), Pen (2006), The Savannah Disputation (2009) and last season's Circle Mirror Transformation (Obie, Drama Desk awards). Other New York appearances include Tigers Be Still (Roundabout), Blasted (Soho Rep); Stuff Happens (The Public, Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Ensemble); Our Leading Lady (MTC); Bug (Barrow Street); Loose Knit, The Family of Mann (Second Stage); The Common Pursuit (Promenade); Volunteer Man (Rattlestick); Bedfellows (Bat Theatre); and Minor Demons, The Exact Center of the Universe (Century Center). Regional includes The Lisbon Traviata (Seattle Rep) and the world premiere of Neil Simon's Hotel Suite (Walnut Street). TV work includes episodes of "Gossip Girl," "Kings" and "My Generation."
Photos
STAGE CREDITS
Movies
[ 1976 ] Fred
[ 1981 ] Louie
[ 1985 ] Greg
[ 1985 ] Ryan
[ 1985 ] Vic Ajax
[ 1997 ] Jack's Boss
[ 1998 ] Merchant Prince #1
[ 2003 ] Executive
[ 2007 ] Jim Stansel
[ 2008 ] Mayor Cryer
[ 2010 ] Governor Willis
[ 2010 ] Martin
[ 2012 ] Dr. Chalmers
[ 2013 ] Asher, Zak's father
[ 2013 ] Todd
[ 2014 ] Dr. Maynard
[ 2015 ] Paul Bateson
[ 2015 ] Richard, husband
[ 2016 ] Peter
[ 2016 ] Uncle Nolan
[ 2019 ] Harry
[ 2019 ] Senator Gerald Hess
[ 2020 ] J. Whitman
[ 2020 ] Peter Hackett
[ 2020 ] Pop
[ 2021 ] Peter
[ 2021 ] Richard
[ 2022 ] Dr. Rosenbaum
[ 2022 ] Richard
[ 2024 ]
[ 2024 ] Henry Bennett
[ 2025 ]
TV Shows
Mr. Prescott
Sylvester Lisko
Donald Blythe, Rep. Donald Blythe, VP Donald Blythe
Everett Brown
Fred Martz, A.D.A. Stillman
Tom Connolly
Doctor Adamson
Dexter Harding
Awards and Nominations
Reed Birney, Man From Nebraska
Reed Birney, Man From Nebraska
Reed Birney, The Humans
Reed Birney, The Humans
Reed Birney, The Humans
winner
Reed Birney, The Humans
Reed Birney, I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard
Reed Birney, You Got Older
Reed Birney, I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard
winner
Reed Birney, Casa Valentina
Reed Birney, Casa Valentina
Reed Birney, Casa Valentina
Reed BirneyUncle Vanya
winner
Reed Birney, Reed Birney
Reed Birney The Dream of the Burning Boy
winner
Reed Birney, Circle Mirror Transformation
Reed Birney, Blasted
winner
Reed Birney
winner
Reed Birney, Bug
Videos
VIDEO: Watch the Trailer for Fran Kranz's MASS; In Theatres This October
by Nicole Rosky - 2021-09-24 12:00:20
VIDEO: Ann Dowd, Martha Plimpton & Reed Birney Talk MASS on Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge- Watch Now!
by Backstage With Richard Ridge - 2021-09-23 13:30:20
VIDEO: Fran Kranz Talks MASS on Backstage LIVE with Richard Ridge- Watch Now!
by Backstage With Richard Ridge - 2021-09-22 12:00:20
VIDEO: Barrington Stage's WHO COULD ASK FOR ANYTHING MORE? and CHESTER BAILEY Begin Rehearsals
by Stephi Wild - 2021-05-27 07:35:50
Broadway Rewind: Sebastian Stan & Maggie Grace Bring PICNIC Back to Broadway
by Nicole Rosky - 2020-08-24 17:01:00
VIDEO: Reed Birney Reflects on Working With Roundabout As Part of the OFF-SCRIPT Series
by Stephi Wild - 2020-05-28 07:17:14
TV: Watch Highlights of Bebe Neuwirth, Carolee Carmello, Vanessa Williams & More in the Encores! HEY, LOOK ME OVER!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-02-07 12:37:27
TV: Vanessa Williams & Company Push De Button in Rehearsals for Encores! HEY, LOOK ME OVER!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-02-01 10:01:16
TV: Hey, Look This Over! Vanessa Williams, Carolee Carmello, Bebe Neuwirth & More Get Ready to Kick Off the Encores! Season
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-01-31 10:32:55
TV: Watch a Sneak Peek of Carolee Carmello in Encores! HEY, LOOK ME OVER!
by Nicole Rosky - 2018-01-30 13:44:12
BWW Tonys Special: Hangin' with the Humans of THE HUMANS- Tony Nominees Reed Birney & Jayne Houdyshell!
by Backstage With Richard Ridge - 2016-06-06 10:00:50
VIDEO: Danny Burstein, Zachary Levi & More Talk Tony Noms, Diversity & Rude Audiences
by Caryn Robbins - 2016-06-01 11:44:54
Tony Awards Close-Up: THE HUMANS' Jayne Houdyshell & Reed Birney Find the Roles of a Lifetime
by Nicole Rosky - 2016-05-31 13:55:32
VIDEO: Tony Nominees Reed Birney, Jayne Houdyshell & More Talk Broadway's THE HUMANS
by Caryn Robbins - 2016-05-06 08:36:52
TV Exclusive: Meet the 2014 Tony Nominees- CASA's Reed Birney Talks Working His Way Up from Mr. Off-Broadway
by Nicole Rosky - 2014-05-15 17:42:23
TV: Watch Highlights of Patrick Page & More in CASA VALENTINA on Broadway!
by Nicole Rosky - 2014-04-22 12:52:10
TV: Meet the Cast & Creative Team Behind CASA VALENTINA - Harvey Fierstein, Patrick Page, Gabriel Ebert & More!
by Tyler Peterson - 2014-03-16 11:21:21
News
by Jennifer Ashley Tepper - Dec 28, 2025
This season, three plays are receiving Broadway debuts which already made significant noise off-Broadway in their original productions, years ago. Becky Shaw, Bug, and Marjorie Prime will all be opening on Broadway in early 2026 in brand new productions. The first and last are spending time on Broadway at the Hayes under the auspices of Second Stage while Bug is being presented by Manhattan Theatre Club at their home, the Friedman.
by A.A. Cristi - Dec 9, 2025
Golden Globe and Emmy winner Julianna Margulies (The Good Wife), Tony winner Reed Birney and more will lead an industry reading of Talisa Friedman's tragicomic play Who By Fire.
by Stephi Wild - Dec 2, 2025
The Tent Theater Company will host its 2025 benefit, LASTINGNESS next week at The Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons. Learn more about the event here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Sep 2, 2025
La MaMa will present the world premiere listening party of the scripted podcast Give Me A Wildfire produced by Non Sans Content. Learn more and see how to attend!
by A.A. Cristi - Aug 4, 2025
Antony Raymond's Gin & Milk returns to the New York stage for the first time in 15 years with a bold new workshop production at Theater for the New City's Dream Up Festival.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 4, 2025
Read the reviews for Lunar Eclipse at Second Stage Theater in BroadwayWorld's Review Roundup. Learn more about the production and see what the critics are saying here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Apr 18, 2025
Second Stage Theater will conclude its 46th Season with the New York Premiere of Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies’ LUNAR ECLIPSE. Learn more and see how to attend.
by Stephi Wild - Mar 12, 2025
Good Night, and Good Luck is now in previews on Broadway, The new play by George Clooney and Grant Heslov and directed by Tony Award winner David Cromer, stars Clooney in his Broadway debut. Meet the cast here!
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 30, 2025
New York Theatre Workshop has announced additional performers and presenters for the NYTW 2025 Gala, honoring Emmy Award winner Rachel Brosnahan, Tony Award winner Joaquina Kalukango, and Tony Award-winning theater and film producer Greg Nobile.
by Stephi Wild - Jan 15, 2025
Walkerspace (1991-2024), Soho Rep’s 65-seat venue at 46 Walker Street, will be laid to rest this January 2025. Celebrate the space with an special tribute event this week.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Dec 18, 2024
New York Theatre Workshop's 2025 Gala will honor Emmy Award winner Rachel Brosnahan, Tony Award winner Joaquina Kalukango, and Tony Award-winning theater and film producer Greg Nobile. Learn more and see how to attend.
by Stephi Wild - Sep 20, 2024
After its sold-out run at Brooklyn Academy of Music in winter 2024, the off-Broadway production Our Class, by Polish playwright Tadeusz Slobodzianek, and helmed by Ukrainian-born, Jewish director Igor Golyak, is now playing. Check out photos from opening night here!
by - Sep 11, 2024
Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is September 11, 2024 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.
by Josh Sharpe - Sep 5, 2024
Cynthia Erivo, the Tony Award winner and star of the upcoming Wicked movie, will guest star in the second season of Peacock's Poker Face. Other guest stars for the upcoming season include Margo Martindale, BJ Novak, Giancarlo Esposito, and Katie Holmes.
by Stephi Wild - Jun 25, 2024
Leslye Headland's Cult of Love is headed to Broadway later this year as part of Second Stage Theater's upcoming fall season. Additionally, Donald Margulies’ Lunar Eclipse will open off-Broadway this fall.
by Nicole Rosky - May 10, 2024
Emmy Award-winner & Tony and Drama Desk Award-nominee Holland Taylor and Drama League and Outer Critics Circle Nominee, and Theatre World Award-winner Ana Villafañe will star as “N” and “A”, respectively in the world premiere of the new play N/A by Mario Correa. We have all of the details!
by Bruce Glikas - Apr 20, 2024
David Adjmi’s Stereophonic, opened on Broadway at the Golden Theatre and BroadwayWorld was there to capture the festivities. Check out the photos here!
by Jennifer Broski - Feb 2, 2024
Roundabout Theatre Company just celebrated opening night of the world premiere of Jonah by Rachel Bonds, directed by Danya Taymor. Jonah will play through March 10, 2024 at the Laura Pels Theatre in the Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there for opening night and you can check out photos here
by Bruce Glikas - Jan 13, 2024
The Manhattan Theatre Club production of Prayer for the French Republic has officially opened on Broadway! Get an exclusive look inside the opening night after party in the photos!
by Bruce Glikas - Jan 10, 2024
The Manhattan Theatre Club production of Prayer for the French Republic has officially opened on Broadway! The play opened last night, January 9, at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. BroadwayWorld is taking you on the red carpet at the production's opening with Donna Murphy, Tyne Daly, LaChanze and more. Check out photos below!
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Reed Birney has appeared on Broadway in 5 shows.
Reed Birney has not appeared in the West End.
Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Man From Nebraska, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play (The Lortels) for Man From Nebraska, Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for The Humans, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for The Humans, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play (The Lortels) for The Humans, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for The Humans, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for You Got Older, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for I'm Gonna Pray For You So Hard, Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Casa Valentina, Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Casa Valentina, Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (Tony Awards) for Casa Valentina, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Uncle Vanya, Special Award (Drama Desk Awards) for Reed Birney, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for The Dream of the Burning Boy, Performance (Obie Awards) for Circle Mirror Transformation, Outstanding Actor in a Play (Drama Desk Awards) for Blasted, Sustained Excellence of Performance (Obie Awards) and Performance (Obie Awards) for Bug.
Reed Birney has won several prestigious awards throughout his career. He received the Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play for The Humans. He also earned the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play for Casa Valentina, as well as a special Drama Desk Award named in his honor. Additionally, Birney won Obie Awards for his performances in Circle Mirror Transformation and Bug, along with an Obie Award recognizing Sustained Excellence of Performance.
Videos