To say that Billy Porter is a triple threat might imply that he’s only a great singer, dancer and actor and not a master of the artform. To say that Billy Porter is a star of stage, screen, television, and records might askew his work as a director, songwriter and playwright. With Ghetto Superstar: The Man That I Am, his new one person “roof raising musical autobiography” (as the New York Times described it), Billy Porter is finally bringing all of his extraordinary talents together. The critics are raving: Newsday calls the show, “a knockout!” ABC News says the show is “dynamite entertainment!” The Miami Herald simply calls the show “exuberant” and The Times says that “with every vibrant note he sings and defiant pose he strikes.he has earned the title of superstar.” And yet still all the ranting and raving from critics, celebrities, and former presidents can’t compare to the screaming and hollering heard from the audience at a typical Billy Porter performance.
In February 2005, Billy premiered Ghetto Superstar to sold out audiences and rave reviews at the Public Theater in NYC. Produced by Tony Award winning director George C. Wolfe in conjunction with Tracy Brigden of City Theater in Pittsburgh and directed by Brad Rouse with musical direction by James Sampliner and choreography by A.C. Ciulla, the show is a spiritual, sexual and musical odyssey that collides the teachings of the Pentecostal Church with “the gospel according to Dreamgirls”-- to reveal a unique take on what it means to be a man. In conjunction with the show, Billy is releasing his second album: At The Corner Of Broadway + Soul: Live At Joe’s Pub, an album that celebrates Billy’s unique position as both a Broadway star and a gospel and soul singer. Released on Billy’s own label, Broadway + Soul Records and distributed by Sh-K-Boom Records, the album includes both original songs from Ghetto Superstar and his debut album on A&M Records as well as songs written for him by some of the best New American Broadway composers, including, Adam Guettel, Jason Robert Brown and Ricky Ian Gordon.
Billy first began singing at age 4 at the Friendship Baptist Church in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania where he grew up. He went on to receive formal training at Carnegie Mellon University and graduated with a B.F.A in drama. America first got a taste of Billy’s amazing instrument on Ed McMahon’s Star Search--he was the 1992 $100,000 male vocalist grand champion. Shortly thereafter, Billy made an unforgettable impression on Broadway, appearing in Smokey Joe’s Café and in all the original casts of Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe as well as the revival of Grease starring Rosie O’Donnell where he brought his “gospilian” interpretation of “Beauty School Dropout,” which was recorded for the cast album. He also memorably played the role of James Thunder Early in the Dreamgirls: 20th Anniversary Broadway Concert, which remains the only recording of the musicals’ full score to date.
In 1997 A&M Records released Billy Porter’s debut album, Untitled and proved Billy to be a versatile R&B recording artist. The album spawned the hit “Love Is On The Way” also featured on the soundtrack for The First Wives Club and later covered by Celine Dion. Other recorded contributions include the multiple platinum selling A Very Rosie Christmas, Jim Brickman “Destiny” (top ten AC hit), Adam Guettel’s Myths & Hymns, Gershwin and Sondheim Benefit Albums, Hercules (Disney) and Anastasia (Warner Bros.), Liz Callaway – The Story Goes On, Alvin Ailey/Revelations, Broadway Cares Home For The Holidays, Great Joy: A Gospel Christmas with the Broadway Inspirational Voices. He has recently been featured on HRC’s Love Rocks album, benefiting gay unions.
As if conquering Broadway and records wasn’t enough, Billy can be seen on the silver screen co-starring with Susan Sarandon and Robin William in “Noel”. He kept audiences in stitches in the Sundance Film Festival indie hit “The Broken Hearts Club” (Sony Pictures) and also in “Intern.” Most recently on the small screen, Billy uncannily captured the energy of Little Richard in the CBS mini-series, “Shake Rattle & Roll” had a recurring role on “Another World” and played a transsexual in an updated gay themed version of Oliver Twist called “Twisted.” He gave show-stopping appearances on specials like “A Very Rosie Christmas” (ABC), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and 7 different appearances on The Rosie O’Donnell Show becoming the Bette Midler to her Johnny Carson.
In concert, Billy has opened for Aretha Franklin, Rosie O’Donnell and Mint Condition. He has taken his own Christmas Show to Town Hall, performed with The New York Pops at Carnegie Hall, John McDaniel and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, The Buffalo Philharmonic, Peter Nero and The Philly Pops, and was a soloist for President Bill Clinton at The White House.
His Off-Broadway and Regional credits include both musical and dramatic turns in: Romance In Hard Times, The Merchant of Venice, House of Lear and Radiant Baby (The New York Shakespeare Festival), Jason Robert Brown’s Songs For A New World, Adam Guettel’s Myths & Hymns, Angels in America (Actors Theatre Of Louisville), Going Native (The Long Wharf), Top Dog Underdog (City Theater), Jesus Christ Superstar, Antigone, A Chorus Line and Chicago.
Billy is also a graduate of The Professional Program In Screenwriting at UCLA and is an adjunct professor at Carnegie Mellon University’s School Of Drama, where he has directed productions of Company and Letter’s From ‘Nam. Billy has also directed a critically acclaimed recreation of The Wiz and conceived a musical revue entitled Signed, Sealed, Delivered: The Music Of Stevie Wonder, which starred Chaka Khan, Peabo Bryson and Melissa Manchester and ran at The Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas in the spring of 2002.
Billy was recently named “Pittsburgh’s Performer of the Year 2003-2004” by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
