Howard McGillin Gets Engaged to Longtime Partner Richard Samson!

According to his Facebook page, Broadway favorite Howard McGillin just got engaged to his longtime parter Richard Samson. BroadwayWorld sends our congratulations to the happy couple!

McGillin originated the role of John Jasper in The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the Imperial Theatre; for his performance he was nominated for a 1986 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. He earned a second Tony nomination in 1988 for his portrayal of Billy Crocker in the Broadway revival of Cole Porter's Anything Goes. McGillin starred in the award-winning West End revival of Mack & Mabel and sings on the cast album recording. He also received high praise as Molina in the Kander and Ebb musical Kiss of the Spider Woman although he was the 2nd actor to play the role, critics praised his performance stating that he and co-star Brian Stokes Mitchell were good enough to have opened in the show.

McGillin holds the record for the most performances by an actor in the title role of the musical The Phantom of the Opera (official title: "World's Longest Running Phantom") and was part of the musical when it became the longest-running production in Broadway history on January 9, 2006, and its twenty-first anniversary on January 26, 2009. McGillin played his last performance in the role on July 25, 2009, marking his 2,544th show.

Photo Credit: Peter James Zielinski