Draft:Sean Kingsley

Sean Kingsley (born 18 November 1967) is a British actor working in theatre and television. He was in the original and West End cast of the critically acclaimed Patriots at the Almeida. He originated the lead role of Ursus in The Grinning Man both at The Bristol Old Vic and at the subsequent West End transfer

Career
Born in Leicester in 1967 whilst his father was working away, Kingsley was raised in his home city of Liverpool. Aged six, he decided he wanted to be Fred Astaire and became a real-life Billy Elliot as the only boy in the class. Aged 12, he enrolled in the Elliott-Clarke School in Liverpool. He made his first professional appearances as a child actor, including being personally cast by Sue Townsend as the first young actor to portray Arian Mole when on her first promotional book tour for The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Aged 13 3/4. At 18, Sean secured a place at Bird College Conservatoire for Dance and Musical Theatre.

After graduating, Kingsley landed his first lead role as Gabey in a UK tour of Leonard Bernstein's On The Town. Just like Gene Kelly he sang and danced the role, traditionally played by two performers who share the vocal and dance scenes. He also got to dance like Fred Astaire in Hot Shoe Shuffle and joined the Jellicle Ball in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats.

His dancing credentials, teamed with his distinctive vocal and acting talent has provided Kingsley successful career in the West End with roles including Jean Valjean in Les Misérables, The Drowsy Chaperone with Elaine Paige, Billy Elliot, The Grinning Man and in Peter Morgan’s Patriots. He has also starred in the critically acclaimed and Olivier Award-winning revival of Jesus Christ Superstar at Regents Park Theatre, the 20th anniversary of Chess as Freddie Trumper and Khashoggi the We Will Rock you Arena Tour.

Kingsley is also a talented and passionate musician, playing guitar, bass drums and piano as an actor-musician in several productions including Once, Oxy and the Morons, and Little Shop of Horrors at Birmingham Rep.

As one quarter of Sugarland Slim captured the sound of the 1930's Mississippi 'bluesman' era with traditional acoustic slide guitar, blues harmonica, walking bass and gritty vocals. Having formed in 1999 they carved their way through the UK Blues scene (not least of which supporting Peter Green on his comeback tour) with a unique sound and a stunning collective ability.