Jarrod Spector

Jarrod Spector
Born
1981 (age 44–45)

EducationPrinceton University
Atlantic Acting School
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active2008–present
Spouse
(m. 2014)

Jarrod Spector (born 1981)[1][2] is an American actor and singer."

Early life and education

Jarrod Spector was born in Meadowbrook, Pennsylvania.[2][3]

He made his Broadway debut in Les Misérables, playing Gavroche.[4] He then studied economics at Princeton University, but returned to acting before completing his degree.[5]

Career

In 2007, he joined the second San Francisco cast of Jersey Boys.[6] Spector played Frankie Valli, a role he would play later in Chicago and on Broadway.[7][8]

He appeared on Broadway in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical as Barry Mann from January 2014 to February 2016.[8] He received a nomination for a 2014 Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical and a nomination for the 2014 Outer Critics Circle Award, Outstanding Featured Actor In A Musical for his portrayal of Barry Mann.[8][9]

In 2014 he participated in the recording of the demo English version of Death Note: The Musical. He sang as L alongside Jeremy Jordan as Light.

Spector and his wife Kelli Barrett perform a cabaret act together titled “This Is Dedicated: Music's Greatest Marriages”, in March 2017 at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts.[10]

From 2018 to 2019 Spector starred as Sonny Bono in The Cher Show at the Neil Simon Theatre on Broadway.

From September 12, 2023 until August 4, 2024, Spector played King George III in the Broadway musical Hamilton. [11]

Personal life

Spector married fellow actor, Kelli Barrett, on October 26, 2014.[12]

Theatre credits

Year Stage Role Notes
1991 Les Misérables Gavroche Broadway
2006-07 Jersey Boys Frankie Valli Chicago
2008-09 Frankie Valli Broadway
2011-12
2013 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Barry Mann San Francisco
2013-16 Broadway
Nominated – Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical
2015 Death Note: The Musical L
2017 Roman Holiday Irving Radovich Golden Gate Theatre
2018 The Cher Show Sonny Bono Chicago
2018–2019 Broadway
2020 A Killer Party: A Murder Mystery Musical George Murderer
2023 Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Barry Mann The Muny
Chess Freddie Trumper
2023-2025 Hamilton King George III Broadway

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result Ref.
2014 Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Nominated
Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Nominated
2020 BroadwayWorld Theatre Fans' Choice Awards Best Featured Performer In A Musical Of The Decade The Cher Show Nominated [13]

References

  1. ^ Takiff, Jonathan (May 13, 2014). "He's the Mann; Jarrod Spector's Tony nod makes life more 'Beautiful'". Philadelphia Daily News. pp. 23, 26. Retrieved February 12, 2026. "[I]t's a "Beautiful" thing what's happened to Jarrod Spector, the onetime, made-in-Philly juvenile talent who broke into the biz at the ridiculous age of 3. [...] Now he's a handsome and 'relatively sane' 33-year-old and the toast of the New York theater scene with a great featured part and his very first Tony nomination in 'Beautiful,' [...]
  2. ^ a b Timpane, Jim (January 6, 2019). "Local Actors 'Believe' in Cher: Phila.'s Jarrod Spector and Margate native Micaela Diamond play Sonny & Cher on Broadway" The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. H7. "There's a lot of Cher to share in The Cher Show on Broadway [...] Nineteen-year-old Micaela Diamond, who grew up in Margate, plays the youngest one, the Babe. Her costar Jarrod Spector, 37, who plays Sonny Bono, is a Meadowbrook native, Germantown Academy grad, and Philly to the core. Spector has been singing since he was 'about three and a half, when I was on WPVI's Al Alberts Showcase.' By 6, he was on Star Search with Ed McMahon."
  3. ^ Morganti, Al (October 3, 1988). "Hockey: Flyers rushed on Crossman deal". The Miami Herald. p. 31. Retrieved February 13, 2026. "One new look for the Flyers at the beginning of this season will be the absence of Kate Smith's recording of God Bless America. With a new coach and a new attitude, the Flyers will try to get off to a good start by having 7-year-old Jarrod Spector sing the national anthem. Spector, a native of Meadowbrook, Pa., sang for the Devils in the playoffs last season."
  4. ^ Glickman, Ken (February 13, 2017). "Broadway duo will warm up Valentine’s Day"]. Lansing State Journal. pp. D1, D5. Retrieved February 13, 2026. "In vaudeville days, one would say that Jarrod Spector was born in a trunk (referring to a large steamship trunk all performers traveled with back then). Born in Philadelphia, he was singing by age 3 and was featured on 'Star Search' as a 6-year-old. By age 9 [he'd] snagged the coveted Broadway role of the street urchin in 'Les Miserables', Gavroche. Spector recalls, 'They didn’t really care how old I was, it was the height that concerned them. You couldn’t be more than 4-foot, six-inches tall to get the part.' [...] Spector has gone on to star as Frankie Valli in 'Jersey Boys' and Barry Mann in the original Broadway production of 'Beautiful – The Carole King Musical'. He played Franky Valli for several years, in Chicago and on Broadway.
  5. ^ Associated Press (March 23, 2022). "Musical about the making of the film 'Jaws' finds its star". Taipan Tribune. p. 15. Retrieved February 13, 2026. "Spector grew up in Philadelphia, attended Princeton University and trained at Atlantic Theater Company. He made his Broadway debut as Gavroche in the original production of 'Les Misérables.' He played a record-breaking 1,500 performances as Frankie Valli in 'Jersey Boys' on Broadway."
  6. ^ San Francisco Examiner, May 30, 2007, page 28
  7. ^ "Jarrod Spector Biography". Broadway.com.
  8. ^ a b c "Jarrod Spector Broadway" Playbill, retrieved April 28, 2018
  9. ^ a b Gans, Andrew (April 29, 2014). "68th Annual Tony Awards Nominations Announced; 'Gentleman's Guide' Leads the Pack". Playbill. Archived from the original on May 30, 2014. Retrieved June 16, 2014.
  10. ^ Lengel, Kerry. "Broadway couple Kelli Barrett, Jarrod Spector salute musical marriages in Scottsdale show on 3/9" azcentral.com, March 2, 2017
  11. ^ Gans, Andrew. "Jarrod Spector is Broadway's New King George III in Hamilton from September 12th, 2023 until August 4th, 2024". Playbill. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  12. ^ Spanner, Whitney. "Learn How Getting Together In Real Life Changed These Co-Stars' Onstage Chemistry Forever" Playbill, October 19, 2015
  13. ^ Staff, B. W. W. "WINNERS Announced For The 18th Annual Theatre Fans' Choice Awards: 'Best Of The Decade' Edition!". BroadwayWorld.com. Retrieved November 12, 2020.