Sean Hayes — Nominee for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

Show:
Promises, Promises

Role:
Chuck Baxter, a lovelorn, oft walked-upon ad man whose unrequited romance with co-worker Fran gets complicated when she falls for his sleazy boss.

Bio Brief:
Hayes made his devilish New York musical debut as Applebee in the 2008 Encores! concert staging of Damn Yankees after eight years playing larger-than-life gay bestie Jack (a man with a flair for musical theater) on the award-winning television series Will & Grace.

Other Honors for this Role:
—Broadway.com Audience Award nomination for Favorite Leading Actor in a Broadway Musical
—Broadway.com Audience Award nomination for Favorite Breakout Performance
—Broadway.com Audience Award nomination for Favorite Onstage Pair (with Kristin Chenoweth)
—Outer Critics Circle Award nomination for Outstanding Actor in a Musical
—Drama League nomination for Distinguished Performance Award

Tony History:
This is Hayes’ first Tony Award nomination.

Fun Fact:
Hayes is also a talented musician who supported himself early in his career as a classical pianist and voice lesson accompanist.

Quotable Quote: 
“I feel honored and lucky to be sharing a stage with Kristin Chenoweth—she’s the biggest star on Broadway! I have the utmost respect for anybody in this business. I wanted to see what it was like. I wanted to challenge myself. I wanted to see what doing eight shows a week was like. I am having a blast [on Promises, Promises] and its entirely because of the people involved.”—Hayes in an opening night interview with Broadway.com, 4/25/10