Actors who leave 'the business' and change careers

[Musicaldudepeter]

I was just reading about Michael Maguire who won a Tony for his role as Enjolras in the original Broadway production of Les Misérables, and how he got his law degree in 2008 and now practices family law. I also remember reading about the 'mom' from the third Home Alone installment who is now a realtor. Any other actors we know of that have left the business of entertainment and have gone a different route?

[AC126748]

Joe Machota (original Sky in MAMMA MIA) stopped acting several years ago and is now a very successful agent.

[Gypsy9]

The peerless Barbara Harris left the stage and is teaching acting one on one in Arizona.

[bwaylvsong]

A lot of performers also go on to teach. My teachers in HS included the original Grace in Annie, a former Bess, and Patti LuPone's Anything Goes understudy.

[AC126748]

^ Actors don't necessarily "leave the business" when they start to teach, though. Some do completely, some semi-retire, and some teach and perform simultaneously.

[MTVMANN]

The guy who was the Lead in Passion left the business...as well as the Original Jack in Into the Woods...so I read on here.

[Tsao5]

A one time tour/Broadway Valjean, Donn Cook left the business years ago and works as a carpenter. A one time tour/Broadway Javert, David Massenheimer left the business and also works as a carpenter. Stephen Bishop, who was a tour Javert and did Beauty and the Beast is an E.R. Nurse.

Many leave for a variety of reasons.....lost interest, want more stability, did all they wanted to do and want a new adventure. While some stay in the business but do non performing things, others totally leave the business altogether.

Patricia Ben Peterson I believe works with elderly people and Stephen Scott Springer, who was a really good Marius left the business ages ago and is working as General Manager of a good restaurant in L.A.

[CarlosAlberto]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that Ben Harney, who won a Tony Award as Best Actor in a Musical for his role as "Curtis Taylor, Jr." in DREAMGIRLS left acting to work with inner city kids.

[Kad]

Robert Westenberg now teaches. He's the chair of the theatre department at Drury University.

[Musicaldudepeter]

very interesting discussion... keep them coming

[steven22]

I remember reading that Katie Adams (s/b Glinda in Wicked for a few years) is now a special education teacher.

[Musicaldudepeter]

do these actors change careers because they're not getting any work, or they can't stand sitting around waiting for the phone to ring? They prefer something more 'stable'?

[AC126748]

Katie Adams is getting her master's degree in education at Hunter College. I don't know if she's actually started teaching yet.

[DAME]

I think a lot of them just did it and got over it.

[Musicaldudepeter]

But what about that old saying that actors JUST HAVE TO ACT, and they can't think of doing anything else, because they have to fulfill this destiny that's in them. Obviously, these people got over it...

[AC126748]

Kaitlin Hopkins is the chair of musical theatre at Texas State, San Marcos. Her husband, Jim Price, is an associate professor there.

Michele Pawk is a professor at Wagner College. She hasn't left the business, but she's performing much less now that she's teaching full time.

[peerrjb]

For the record, Ms. Pawk is now starring in the world-premiere engagement of the chamber musical "Los Otros" at the Mark Taper Forum in LA.

From the press release:
Directed by multiple Tony Award®-nominee Graciela Daniele, and features Tony Award®-winner Michele Pawk (Hollywood Arms, Hairspray, Cabaret) and Julio Monge (Twelfth Night, The Capeman, Man of La Mancha). book and lyrics by Tony Award®-nominee Ellen Fitzhugh (Paper Moon, Grind, Paradise Found) and music by multiple Tony Award®-nominee Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party, Marie Christine, Chronicle of a Death Foretold.

Commissioned by Center Theatre Group, this unconventional, beautifully crafted and intimate musical is a masterful interplay of narrative and melody that remains true to its characters. Their stories become our stories: adventurous and romantic, honest and surprising and resonant.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

But what about that old saying that actors JUST HAVE TO ACT, and they can't think of doing anything else, because they have to fulfill this destiny that's in them.

That saying is quite a mouthful.

[AC126748]

For the record, Ms. Pawk is now starring in the world-premiere engagement of the chamber musical "Los Otros" at the Mark Taper Forum in LA.

Yes, you'll notice that's why I said she hasn't left the business, but she's not performing as regularly as she once did. It's also June--that is, a time when school isn't in session and she's not teaching. Her last New York stage appearance (A SMALL FIRE) also took place during a school hiatus. Her main job now is teaching.

[Dollypop]

Scott Wise and his wife now have a children's dance studio in Connecticut.

[DottieD'Luscia]

bwaylvsong, were you referring to Pat Gorman (Patti LuPone's original understudy in Anything Goes)?

[The Distinctive Baritone]

It's interesting when successful Broadway performers change careers, but the reality is that, from my observation, about half of all actors drop out of show business by the time they are 30 or so...

[bobs3]

While she really didn't leave the business, Lauren Mitchell who had featured acting roles in Annie, Nine, Me & My Girl, and Into the Woods married one of the producers of Into the Woods and is now a producer herself (Jersey Boys, Urinetown, etc).

[SondheimFan5]

A ton of Chorus Line alums are now college professors or dance teachers.

[ILuv2shop531]

I think it's been said David Ayers, a former Fiyero in Wicked now lives in Colorado and opened up a studio for young performers

[bwaylvsong]

Dottie: I'm talking about Jane Seaman. She was in the original productions of Secret Garden and Big River, as well. I don't believe she ever went on for LuPone.