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Michael Benjamin Washington

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BIO

Soon to be seen reprising his Broadway role on screen in The Boys in the Band on Netflix, credits include: Mamma Mia! (original Broadway company); the 2005 revival of La Cage Aux Folles; and Saturday Night (Second Stage). La Jolla Playhouse credits include The Wiz, Memphis, Letters to Obama, and Blueprints to Freedom (which he also wrote). TV credits include “30 Rock,” “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt,” “Glee,” “Law & Order,” “The Jury,” and “Hope and Faith,” among others. Mr. Washington's political drama, Blueprints to Freedom: An Ode to Bayard Rustin, was developed at the McCarter Theatre and La Jolla Playhouse. The play also enjoyed sold out co-productions at La Jolla and Kansas City Repertory Theatre in 2015, earning him Outstanding New American Play Award by the Edgerton Foundation, the San Diego Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Play and Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play. Film credits include Love and Other Drugs.

Photos

STAGE CREDITS

[Broadway]
2026
Bernard ()

[Off-Broadway]
Signature Theatre Company Off-Broadway Revival, 2019
Performer


[Off-Broadway]
Rattlestick Playwrights Theater Off-Broadway Reading, 2019


[Off-Broadway]
Encores! Concert Revival, 2019


[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2018
Bernard


[San Diego, CA (Regional)]
La Jolla Revival, 2006
Tin Man


[Broadway]
Broadway Revival, 2004
Jacob


[Broadway]
Actors' Fund Concert, 2002
Ensemble/Other Roles

The Summer Bride


Ensemble/Other Roles

[Broadway]
Original Broadway Production, 2001
Eddie


[New York]
Reading, 2004
Performer


Writing

Movies

Love & Other Drugs
[ 2010 ] Richard
The Boys in the Band
[ 2020 ] Bernard

TV Shows

30 Rock
Donald
American Auto
Cyrus Knight
Godfather of Harlem
[ 2019-2025 ] James Baldwin

Awards and Nominations

Drama League Awards - 2020 - Distinguished Performance Award

Michael Benjamin Washington, Fires in the Mirror


winner
Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2020 - Outstanding Solo Performance

Michael Benjamin Washington, Fires in the Mirror

Videos

News


Laura Bell Bundy, Victor Garber & More Join Hulu's NOT SUITABLE FOR WORK
by Josh Sharpe - Nov 5, 2025

Broadway's Laura Bell Bundy and Victor Garber are among the newly announced recurring cast for Hulu's Not Suitable for Work. Both previously starred in Legally Blonde, with Garber having appeared in the original 2001 film and Bundy playing Elle Woods in the Broadway adaptation.
La Jolla Playhouse Unveils Projects for 2025 DNA New Work Series
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Oct 24, 2025

La Jolla Playhouse has revealed the dates and projects for its 2025 DNA New Work Series, running in the Playhouse’s Rao and Padma Makineni Play Development Center. Learn more!
POLLY: THE MUSICAL in Development With Debbie Allen, Lena Waithe and More
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jun 4, 2025

Polly: The Musical, a new Broadway-bound production based on the Disney television movie, is currently in development, with teleplay by William Blinn and the novel by Eleanor H. Porter. Learn more!
La Jolla Playhouse Reveals Projects for 2024 DNA New Work Series
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 12, 2024

La Jolla Playhouse has revealed the dates and projects for its 2024 DNA New Work Series, running in the Playhouse’s Rao and Padma Makineni Play Development Center. See full programming and see how to purchase tickets.
La Jolla Playhouse Unveils Projects for 2023 DNA New Work Series
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 15, 2023

La Jolla Playhouse has revealed the dates and projects for its 2023 DNA New Work Series, running November 30 – December 10.
Works & Process Unveils Spring 2024 Season Featuring Bartlett Sher-Directed CORRUPTION, Paper Mill's GUN & POWER and More
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 14, 2023

Works & Process is back with their biggest season yet! Discover the lineup of performances and discussions happening in Spring 2024, including venues and dates. Don't miss out on this unique behind-the-scenes experience in the world of performing arts.
Industry Pro Newsletter: Six Recoups, Government Funding Shifts in Australia and Canada
by Alex Freeman - Mar 27, 2023

Governmental funding shifts continue around the globe as governments reveal their latest budget proposals - often with some form of a decrease of support for the creative economy as these countries wind down the support they offered at the height of the pandemic.
Photos: Stars Arrive on the Red Carpet at Opening Night of PARADE
by Bruce Glikas - Mar 18, 2023

Parade is back on Broadway! The revival, starring Tony Award winner Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond, directed by two-time Tony nominee Michael Arden, opened last night, March 16, at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out our photos of attendees Sara Bareilles, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Jeremy Jordan, Rachel Zegler, and more as they walk the red carpet here!
Cynthia Nixon, Matthew Broderick, Tony Shalhoub, and More Are Set For This Weekend's Philip Roth Festival
by Stephi Wild - Mar 16, 2023

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents The Philip Roth Festival, a three-day celebration (Friday, March 17 - Sunday, March 19) of the iconic writer from Newark, New Jersey. A bevy of actors come out to discuss and participate in events celebrating the novelist who influenced their work as actors. 
Matthew Broderick, Tony Shalhoub, and More Join the Roth Festival Line-Up
by Stephi Wild - Mar 2, 2023

New Jersey Performing Arts Center announced the complete cast of its one-time dramatic reading of the late Philip Roth's bestselling novel The Plot Against America featuring some of the most esteemed actors working today in a monumental performance at the center of PHILIP ROTH UNBOUND: Illuminating a Literary Legacy, NJPAC's three-day celebration of the iconic writer.
New Works by Keith Bunin, Idris Goodwin & More to be Presented in La Jolla Playhouse's 2022 DNA New Work Series
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Nov 1, 2022

La Jolla Playhouse has announced the dates and projects for its 2022 DNA New Work Series, running December 1 – 12 in the Playhouse’s Rao and Padma Makineni Play Development Center.
YoungArts Announces New Mentorship Program
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Jan 21, 2022

YoungArts has announced a new mentorship program pairing established artists and industry leaders with emerging artists to provide one-on-one, personalized and direct support to help mentees meet their artistic goals.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How many Broadway shows has Michael Benjamin Washington been in?

Michael Benjamin Washington has appeared on Broadway in 4 shows.

How many West End shows has Michael Benjamin Washington been in?

Michael Benjamin Washington has not appeared in the West End.

What awards has Michael Benjamin Washington been nominated for?

Distinguished Performance Award (Drama League Awards) for Fires in the Mirror and Outstanding Solo Performance (Outer Critics Circle Awards) for Fires in the Mirror.

What awards has Michael Benjamin Washington won?

Michael Benjamin Washington won the Outstanding Solo Performance award from the Outer Critics Circle Awards for his work in Fires in the Mirror.

How many shows has Michael Benjamin Washington written?

Michael Benjamin Washington has written 1 shows including Pride Plays (Author).

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