TOBY BLACKWELL

BIOGRAPHY

Toby Blackwell is a singer, actor, writer and comedian.  He most recently performed in RENT: THE BROADWAY TOUR (siteforrent.com), as the Collins/Benny understudy and a male swing.  Other theatrical highlights include his three regional theater performances as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. in RAGTIME, for which he garnered accolades at Broadway Palm West in Mesa, AZ; Seaside Music Theatre in Daytona, FL; and The Springer Opera House in Columbus, GA.  Other regional theater roles include The Geek in SIDESHOW, Lamar in GODSPELL¸ Ken in SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE, Ben Weatherstaff in THE SECRET GARDEN, The Padre in MAN OF LA MANCHA, Nomax and Four-Eyed Moe in two separate productions of FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE, and Sir Evelyn Oakleigh in ANYTHING GOES, for which he received Sacramento’s Elly Award as Best Supporting Actor.

Toby Blackwell is also an accomplished cabaret entertainer.  He has performed five full-length cabaret shows at venues in New York City, as well as performing sets and full length shows throughout the United States and Asia.  He blends stand-up comedy, original song parodies, and stories from his rich life experiences with music from contemporary musical theater and pop, and has gained an audience of fans around the world.  At the Duplex Cabaret Theatre (theduplex.com) in New York City’s Greenwich Village, he won rave reviews for his shows “Home,” “One Moment, Please,” "Bitter," and "Bitter-er: Hobbits, Divas and Slaves."  He continued the "Bitter" series with 2008's "Bitter and Be Gay" at the Laurie Beechman Theatre (beechmantheatre.com) in Manhattan, and will reprise it again in Summer 2010.  Toby also works as a popular event host -- as a regular substitute for the MAC-nominated musical theater open mike night "Mostly Sondheim," as the co-host of the inaugural Duplex Academy Awards telecast and pre-show event, as an on-site commentator for the telecast of New York City's annual Gay Pride Parade, and in similar events in Orlando, Tokyo, and Hong Kong.

Toby has performed for the Walt Disney Company at three of their theme parks world-wide.  In 1999, he performed the role of Kiume, leader of the African singers, (a Mufasa-Scar mix) in the “Festival of the Lion King” stage show at Disney’s Animal Kindgom at Walt Disney World in Orlando.  In 2001, he was a Singer/Dancer swing as part of the opening cast of the Broadway revue “Encore!” at the new Tokyo DisneySea theme park in Japan.  And in 2005, he originated the role of Scar in the new version of "The Festival of the Lion King" at the brand-new Hong Kong Disneyland.

Toby has also worked with some notable sketch and improv comedy groups.  Currently, Toby is a member of 8 Bar Cut, The Musical Improv Group (8BarCut).  The cast members take a simple suggestion from the audience and make up an complete musical on the spot.  In the past, Toby joined the Capitol Steps political satire troupe for the 2000 election season and toured the country playing such roles as Sen. Joseph Lieberman, Regis Philbin, Dick Cheney, and Janet Reno.  (Yes, typecasting happens.)   He also delivered each night’s show-stopping “Spoonerism” monologues.  (“You can’t stake this muff up!”)  In 2008, Toby was hired to work with The Watercoolers (seethewatercoolers.com), a corporate themed-sketch comedy group. 

Toby graduated with honors from Harvard University, with a degree in East Asian Studies.  At Harvard, he performed with the Harvard-Radcliffe Opportunes, the college’s eldest co-ed a cappella group.  He did music arrangements and choreography for the group and is featured on two of their albums, Only Knock Once and Plugged.  Toby also served as a Supply Officer in the U. S. Navy, achieving the rank of Lieutenant.  He earned numerous awards while serving for 4 years aboard the USS SHASTA (AE-33).

Toby is the son of Ted and Mila Blackwell, residents of Austin, TX.  Mrs. Blackwell, especially, is the frequent subject of anecdotes in Toby’s shows, and she doesn’t seem to mind too much.  Ted Blackwell is a songwriter who, like Toby, often comments on current topics through his music (tedblackwellmusic).  Toby resides in New York City, where he does volunteer work with the St. Francis Xavier Welcome Table, a weekly soup kitchen, and also performs with VocalEase (vocaleaseinc.org), an organization that performs free cabaret shows at hospitals and nursing homes. 

Toby is represented for theater, film, and television by Blue Ridge Entertainment (646-638-1745).

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