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Philip Quast

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Philip Quast
Born
Philip Mark Quast

(1957-07-30) 30 July 1957 (age 67)
EducationNational Institute of Dramatic Art (BFA)
Occupations
  • Actor
  • singer
Years active1981–present
Notable workJavert in Les Misérables
Spouse
Carol Quast
(m. 1981)
Children3

Philip Mark Quast AM (born 30 July 1957)[1] is an Australian actor and bass-baritone singer. He has won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical three times, making him the first actor to have three wins in that category.

He is perhaps best known for his role as Inspector Javert in the stage musical Les Misérables and in the Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert.

He is also well-known for numerous other theatre roles, notable ones being Georges Seurat/George in Sunday in the Park with George (Which won him a Laurence Olivier Award), Archibald Craven and Dr. Neville Craven in The Secret Garden, Judge Turpin in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, George Banks in Mary Poppins, Georges in La Cage aux Folles, Emile de Becque in South Pacific, and The Wolf and Cinderella's Prince in Into the Woods.

He is also known for appearances in film and for his roles in television shows such as Ultraviolet, Brides of Christ, and Play School.

Early life and education

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Quast, one of three children, was born in 1957 in Tamworth, New South Wales.[2] His family lived and worked on a mixed, but predominantly turkey, farm.[3] He graduated from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1979.

Acting career

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1980s

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After graduating from the National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1979 Quast began his career in the resident acting company of the State Theatre Company of South Australia. In the early 1980s he appeared in plays such as The Mystery Plays of Wakefield, Three Sisters, On The Wallaby, Pericles, A Month in the Country, As You Like It, Pygmalion, A Hard God, No End of Blame, The Threepenny Opera, Shark Infested Waters, Candide with Nimrod Theatre Company, and a musical adaption of Carmen which he debuted with the Melbourne Theatre Company.[4][citation needed]

In 1981, Quast also began appearing as a presenter on the Australian children's show Play School, a program he would return to on-and-off again for 17 years.

Les Misérables

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Quast shot to prominence in 1987 when he appeared as Javert in the original Australian production of Les Misérables. This performance won him a Sydney Critic Award and a MO Award. In 1989, he traveled to London to play Javert on the West End stage.[5]

Quast never expected to gain such a prominent role, going to the auditions hoping simply for a place in the chorus.[6] Because he was not able to sight-read music, he walked off the stage at the audition but was called back by Claude-Michel Schönberg and eventually given the part as Javert.[6]

Quast credits much of his success as Javert to stage director Trevor Nunn. "Javert for me is not the Wicked Witch of the West," Quast has said. "In fact, there is very little material to work with in the script. Trevor would say things in passing like 'Have you read the Ten Commandments recently?' That's all he would say. If you're thirsty enough, you can follow it up ... there was the whole basis of our legal system and the explanation for the whole of Les Mis. For me, that's inspired directing. That's why he's such an awesome man."[6]

When playing Javert, Quast gained a reputation as a perfectionist. He also began experiencing intense bouts of stagefright. "I had a terrible time," he said. "It took me a month to get over it. At one stage I wasn't sleeping at all but lying awake planning speeches to the audience about being sorry and could I start again."[6]

1990s

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Quast's stage success continued as he won the coveted role of Georges Seurat and his act 2 counterpart George in the original London production of Stephen Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George for the Royal National Theatre.

In 1991 he won his first Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical as Georges Seurat and George. Quast was under a large amount of stress when preparing for Sunday in the Park with George, as he struggled to master Sondheim's complicated musical scores (Sondheim told him: "you don't play tennis against people you can beat."), learn to paint and sketch for the play, and waited for the impending birth of his first son, who was due five days after opening night.[7]

In 1993 he returned to Australia to play in Sydney Theatre Company productions of William Shakespeare's Coriolanus and Sondheim's Into the Woods, in which he played The Wolf/Cinderella's Prince. He then played Dunois in Bernard Shaw's Saint Joan in the West End and on a UK tour in 1994. In 1994–96 he spent two seasons with the Royal Shakespeare Company, performing as Fred/Chorus in A Christmas Carol, and King of Navarre in Shakespeare's Love's Labour's Lost, as well as Lodovico in The White Devil, Banquo in Macbeth, and Achilles in Troilus and Cressida. Before returning for a second season with the RSC, he spent some time back in Australia, performing in the national tour of The Secret Garden as Dr. Neville Craven – along with Anthony Warlow and Marina Prior. [citation needed]

2000s

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Musical theatre

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Quast played the part of Javert on the Les Misérables Complete Symphonic Recording, and in Hey, Mr. Producer, a concert in honour of Sir Cameron Mackintosh.

Though mainly a baritone, Quast has played some roles written for tenors, namely George (see above), Candide, and Archibald Craven in The Secret Garden. Although he is known for his serious roles, he has also performed comedic parts, such as his 2004 appearance as the pompous Miles Gloriosus in a limited run revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the Royal National Theatre.

Quast more recently played the supporting role of Juan Peron in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 2006 production of Evita at the Adelphi Theatre in London. He was nominated for an Olivier award for this role. In July 2007, Quast performed the role of Judge Turpin in a concert version of Sweeney Todd at London's Royal Festival Hall.[8]

He was most recently in the Menier Chocolate Factory production of Jerry Herman's La Cage aux Folles as Georges.[9]

Quast rejoined the cast of La Cage on 4 May 2009 with Roger Allam. Coincidentally, both actors have performed in the role of Javert in Les Misérables. From July 2010, he played Mr. Banks in the Australian premiere production of Mary Poppins at Melbourne's Her Majesty's Theatre, a part Cameron Mackintosh offered to him in the bathroom of The Ivy in London. He won the 2010 Victorian Green Room Award (Melbourne's top theatre awards) for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical for his performance. He also won the 2011 Helpmann award for "Best Featured Actor in a Musical" for Mary Poppins.

In March 2014, New York audiences were treated to a special limited engagement of Sweeney Todd at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall. Quast, in his New York stage debut, performed as Judge Turpin, with Bryn Terfel as Sweeney Todd and Emma Thompson as Mrs. Lovett. The show was scheduled to be broadcast as part of Live at Lincoln Center's television special in September 2014.

Theatre

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In 2003, he appeared as Antonio in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice, directed by Gale Edwards and as Trigorin in Chekhov's The Seagull, directed by Steven Pimlott, both at the Chichester Festival Theatre. In 2012, he played the role of Sir Humphrey Appleby in an Australian production of Yes, Prime Minister. In August/September 2012, he performed the role of Walter Burns in Melbourne Theatre Company's production of His Girl Friday. In November 2013 he joined Hugo Weaving and Richard Roxburgh in Sydney Theatre Company's production of Samuel Beckett's Waiting For Godot. In May/June 2014, Quast played the role of Pastor Manders in Henrik Ibsen's play Ghosts at the Melbourne Theatre Company directed by Gale Edwards.[10]

Stage credits

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List of Philip Quast theatrical credits
Year Title Role Theatre Notes
1987 Les Misérables Inspector Javert Theatre Royal, Sydney Original Australian Production
1989 Palace Theatre West End Debut
1990 Sunday in the Park with George Georges Seurat / George Royal National Theatre West End
1992 Les Misérables Inspector Javert Various U.K. Tour
1993 Coriolanus Aufidus Sydney Theatre Company
Into the Woods The Wolf / Cinderella's Prince
1994 Saint Joan Dunois Various West End / U.K. Tour
1994–1996 A Christmas Carol Fred Anderson Royal Shakespeare Company Annual
1995 The Secret Garden Dr. Neville Craven Various Australian Tour
Les Misérables: The Dream Cast in Concert Inspector Javert Royal Albert Hall Tenth Anniversary Concert
Love's Labour's Lost King of Navarre Royal Shakespeare Company U.K. / Japan Tour
1996 Macbeth Banquo
The White Devil Lododvico Swan Theatre
Troilus and Cressida Achilles Royal Shakespeare Company
1997 The Fix Grahame Chandler Donmar Warehouse West End
2001 The Secret Garden Lord Archibald Craven Royal Shakespeare Company
2002 South Pacific Emile de Becque Royal National Theatre
2003 The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Martin Gray Melbourne Theatre Company Original Australian Production
2004 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Miles Gloriosus Royal National Theatre West End
2005 The Cherry Orchard Lopakhin Various Original Australian Production
Democracy Willy Brandt
2006 Evita Juan Peron Adelphi Theatre West End
2007 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Judge Turpin Royal Festival Hall Concert
2007-2008 La Cage aux Folles Georges Menier Chocolate Factory Off West End
2009 Playhouse Theatre West End
2010 Mary Poppins George Banks Her Majesty's Theatre Original Australian Production
2012 His Girl Friday Walter Burns Melbourne Theatre Company Original Australian Production
2013 Waiting for Godot Pozzo Sydney Theatre Company Original Australian Production
2014-2015 Ghosts Pastor Manders Melbourne Theatre Company Original Australian Production
2014 Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street Judge Turpin Lincoln Center Concert

New York Debut

2015 English National Opera Concert
2016 Follies Benjamin Stone Melbourne Recital Centre Concert
2017–2018 Royal National Theatre West End
2021 Death of a Salesman Ben Sydney Theatre Company Original Australian Production
2023 Do Not Go Gentle... Robert Scott Sydney Theatre Company Original Australian Production

Personal life

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Quast and his wife Carol have three sons (Edwin, Harry and Toby).[11][12] He also teaches at the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia.[13] During the COVID-19 pandemic, Quast continued teaching through Zoom calls.[14]

Quast married Carol in 1981 and they were married for almost ten years before having the first of their three sons. He has been noted for his humble nature, stating he doesn't seek after fame and is concerned that success is measured by notoriety instead of the respect of one's peers. He doesn't keep any of his awards, instead sending them to his parents' home in Australia.[15]

Quast was named as one of the 25 Most Beautiful People for 1996 in Who Weekly magazine. In an article for the magazine he said, "The problem with this business is that you have to supposedly look as good as you can all the time. And I hate that. My idea of doing my hair is sticking it out of the window of a car when it's wet."[16]

A bass-baritone, Quast has been universally applauded by critics for his singing voice, which has been described as "warm", and "glorious." [17] He was named by British newspaper The Stage as "one of the most notable singing actors to come along in years".[18]

Quast has a strong passion for fishing, and he spent his time during the COVID-19 pandemic fishing, cooking, pickling and preserving.[14]

Awards

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Laurence Olivier Awards

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Quast has won three Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical.[19]

Mo Awards

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The Australian Entertainment Mo Awards (commonly known informally as the Mo Awards), were annual Australian entertainment industry awards. They recognise achievements in live entertainment in Australia from 1975 to 2016. Philip Quast won three awards in that time.[20]

Year Nominee / work Award Result (wins only)
1988 Philip Quast Male Musical Theatre Performer of the Year Won
1993 Won
Musical Theatre Performer of the Year Won

Other awards

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Cast recordings

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Philip Quast has appeared in the cast recordings for many musicals, but has also released his own album, Live at the Donmar, containing both covers and original material.

Musical cast recordings:[22]

Film and television

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References

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  1. ^ Profile Archived 13 September 2012 at the Wayback Machine, debretts.com; accessed 14 September 2014.
  2. ^ Quast, Philip (24 December 2001). "Twenty Questions with Philip Quast". The Philip Quast Continuum (Interview). Interviewed by Terri Paddock. Kate McCullugh & Angela Pollard. Archived from the original on 17 May 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  3. ^ Quast, Philip (8 September 2015). "Behind the Red Curtain with Philip Quast" (Interview). Interviewed by Tim O'Connor. Behind the Red Curtain. Retrieved 24 April 2023 – via YouTube.
  4. ^ "AusStage".
  5. ^ Valent, Dani (2 October 2010). "They Dreamed a Dream" (PDF). The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney. Retrieved 24 November 2016.
  6. ^ a b c d Litson, Jo (30 April 1989). "The Qualities of Quast". The Weekend Australia.
  7. ^ Valentine, Patricia (15 March 1990). "The Qualities of Quast". The Weekend Australian.
  8. ^ Gans, Andrew (13 June 2007), Terfel, Friedman, Evans and Quast to Star in London Sweeney Todd, Playbill.com, retrieved 14 June 2007
  9. ^ Nathan, John (5 October 2007), Quast and Hodge to Star in London La Cage aux Folles, Playbill.com, archived from the original on 13 October 2007, retrieved 6 October 2007
  10. ^ "Ghosts". Archived from the original on 8 December 2014. Retrieved 6 December 2014.
  11. ^ Dow, Steve (3 August 2012). "A serious leap from Saddam to screwball". Retrieved 7 September 2016.
  12. ^ "Interview with the Philip Quast Continuum". Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  13. ^ "About Evita". Retrieved 21 November 2009.
  14. ^ a b Galvin, Nick. "'I never partied. I go home after the show': lunch with Philip Quast". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  15. ^ Paddock, Terri. "20 Questions With...Philip Quast". Archived from the original on 28 June 2010. Retrieved 5 February 2013.
  16. ^ "25 Most Beautiful People". Who Weekly. 20 May 1996.
  17. ^ Gross, John. "Swept Along in a Tide of Tunes". The Sunday Telegraph.
  18. ^ Hepple, Peter. "Pointing out Seurat". The Stage.
  19. ^ "PHILIP QUAST AND MATT RAWLE". Official London Theater.
  20. ^ "MO Award Winners". Mo Awards. Retrieved 16 March 2022.
  21. ^ "Queen's Birthday 2022 Honours - the full list". Sydney Morning Herald. Nine Entertainment Co. 12 June 2022. Retrieved 12 June 2022.
  22. ^ "Philip Quast Discography". castalbums.org.
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