Marcus Nance has captivated audiences across Canada and the United States with his magnetic stage presence and lustrous bass-baritone voice. Vocalist and actor, he is equally at home in theatre, film, opera, concert, and cabaret while setting the highest standards in each, vocally and theatrically. A musical being to the core, Marcus Nance is one of the most versatile and spellbinding artists of our time, commanding the stage with his magnetic physique and sensitive interpretation. The New York Times described him as “a thrillingly powerful bass-baritone” while Academy Award Nominee Atom Egoyan speaks of him as “an absolutely brilliant actor”.
Marcus Nance is currently mesmerizing audiences as Caiaphas in the Stratford Shakespeare Festival’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar which is also scheduled to run at the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego in November and December of 2011 and on Broadway at the Neil Simon Theatre in New York starting March 2012. Other roles for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival have included his creative portrayal of Queequeg in Morris Panych’s adaptation of Melville’s Moby Dick, Olin Brit in The Music Man, and as the commanding revivalist preacher the Rt. Rev. J.D. Montgomery in Gershwin’s My One and Only. For the Western Canada Theatre in Kamloops, British Columbia and the Grand Theatre in London, Ontario he moved audiences with his powerful and emotional portrayal of the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and in the title role of The Mikado for Drayton Entertainment.
Marcus Nance garnered international attention as Malcolm in the world premiere of Atom Egoyan’s Elsewhereless with Tapestry New Opera Works. His vivid and moving performance earned him a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for Most Outstanding Male Performer in a Musical. Other awards include a Metropolitan Opera National Council (Regional) Award and a National Opera Association Vocal Competition Award.
Shortly after his success in Elsewhereless Marcus Nance moved seamlessly into the role of the charismatic preacher Moses in yet another world premiere of The Queen of Puddings Music Theatre Company’s Beatrice Chancy by George Elliot Clarke and James Rolfe. This performance was filmed for BRAVO and CBC television.
New York audiences saw Marcus Nance on Broadway in Baz Luhrman’s Tony Award winning production of La Boheme, in New York City Centre ENCORES! productions of Kismet and Of Thee I Sing and as Alidoro in Cenerentola with New York City Opera.
For Stage West Marcus Nance has appeared as Judah in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and for the Shaw Festival of Canada, he appeared as Dr. Hazlett and Reporter in Floyd Collins, as Mike and Earnest in Pal Joey and Pompey in Bloomer Girl. He performed with Louise Pitre and Billy Ray Cyrus in Annie Get Your Gun at Massey Hall, with the Toronto Symphony Orchestra as Porgy in excerpts from Porgy and Bess, with Tacoma Opera as Sparafucile in Rigoletto, with Hawaii Opera Theatre as Haly in L’Italiana in Algeri, with Monterey Opera Association as Basilio in The Barber of Seville, with Chicago Opera Theatre as Compere in Four Saints in Three Acts and at the Toronto Centre for the Performing Arts in Show Boat.
This Fresno State University alum has performed other leading roles with Santa Fe Opera, Glimmerglass Opera, Pacific Opera Victoria, Chautauqua Opera, Vancouver New Music, The National Arts Centre, Shreveport Opera, Ash-Lawn-Highland Summer Festival, Mississauga Opera, Eastern Front Theatre, Edmonton Opera, Natchez Opera Festival, and has sung in concert and oratorio with Orchestra London, Victoria Symphony, North York Symphony, Illinois Oratorio Society, the National Academy Orchestra, Chautauqua Symphony, Fairbanks Festival Orchestra, Windsor Symphony, the Monterey Bay Symphony and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. He has also been a regular performer with the Starbright Summer and Christmas Festivals.
Expanding further his creativity and artistic horizons, Marcus Nance made his film debut as the Singing Accountant in Mel Brooke’s feature film The Producers starring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick. He has also moved into cabaret with appearances at the Stratford Summer Music Cabarets at the Church, the Elora Festival, the Green Door Cabarets, the Toronto Jazz Festival and as a regular guest with the Ottawa Jazz Orchestra. In 2009 he starred and hosted Divos and Divas with Marcus Nance at Statlers Piano Lounge in Toronto performing with guest stars such as Tony Award Nominee Louise Pitre, David Rogers of Phantom of the Opera fame and the incomparable opera diva Measha Brueggergosman. And, if you look closely, you might also catch this versatile and talented artist in ads or on the runways of Toronto Fashion Week.
