An Evening with Alex Newell

“For Alex Newell, standing ovations just keep coming.”
— The New York Times

Alex Newell, a Lynn, Mass. native, was named Time’s Breakthrough Artist of the Year in 2023 and made history with their recent Tony Award win for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for their role in “Shucked.” This hit musical has received glowing reviews and praise with Newell’s performance of the song “Independently Owned” being called a showstopper.

Newell, who identifies both as nonbinary and gender fluid, is the first openly nonbinary actor to win a Tony Award for a performance. Newell’s performances have also granted them the Drama Desk Award and the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Performer in a Broadway Musical. Prior to this, Newell starred as the God ‘Asaka’ in the Broadway revival of “Once On This Island,” which earned them a Grammy nomination for Best Musical Theater Album. Newell has been named in this year’s Variety New Power of New York List, named TIME’s Breakthrough of the Year in 2023, and they were also featured in the 2023 TIME 100 Next list. The TIME’s annual list consists of 100 individuals who are shaping the future of their fields and defining the next generation of leadership.

Apart from theater, Newell rose to national attention from the “Glee Project” which led to their series regular role on “Glee,” in which they portrayed the transgender character Unique Adams.

On the music side, Newell is signed to Big Beat Records (an Atlantic Records subsidiary). Their song “Kill the Lights” was featured throughout the HBO series “Vinyl.” Newell is also a spokesperson for GLAAD and was nominated for a Critics’ Choice Award in 2020 for their work on “Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist” as well.