Santino Fontana

Fontana was born in Stockton, California, to Sharon Marie Fontana (née Simarro; born 1951) and Ernest John Fontana (born 1948).[1] His mother is an elementary school teacher and his father is an agronomist. He has one sister. He is of one quarter Spanish, one quarter Portuguese, and one half Italian descent. Fontana graduated from Richland High School in Richland, Washington. Fontana studied the arts at the Academy of Children's Theatre in his youth, located in Richland, Washington. As a teenager he studied Theatre Arts at Interlochen Arts Camp at Interlochen Center for the Arts. He is a graduate of the University of Minnesota/Guthrie Theater BFA Actor Training Program.

Fontana is highly regarded for his stage work, which includes 10 Broadway credits.[3] In 2005, as a member of the Essentials, Fontana co-wrote the musical comedy Perfect Harmony,[5] and originated the role of Philip Fellowes V.[6] In 2006, he starred as Hamlet in The Guthrie Theatre's performance of the Shakespearean classic[7] before moving to New York City to star as Matt in the Off-Broadway revival of The Fantasticks.[8] His Broadway debut was Sunday in the Park with George in 2007. Fontana originated the role of Tony Eliot in the Broadway production of Billy Elliot from October 1, 2008, to July 4, 2009. He was awarded the 2010 Drama Desk Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his work in Brighton Beach Memoirs. In 2011 he starred in Roundabout Theatre Company's Sons of the Prophet Off-Broadway. Fontana won a Lucille Lortel, Obie, and Outer Critics Circle Award and was nominated for a Drama Desk and Drama League Award. He starred as Prince Topher in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella on Broadway in 2012, for which he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical. Notable Broadway Credits include Hello Dolly! (2018 Revival) opposite Bernadette Peters, as “Moss Hart” in the Tony-nominated Act One opposite Tony Shalhoub, The Importance of Being Earnest, and A View From the Bridge. Charles Isherwood of The New York Times wrote, “Santino Fontana [is] one of the most promising young actors to emerge in the New York theater in recent years.” [9]

Fontana is known for voicing Prince Hans in Frozen in 2013. He also appeared in Sisters in 2015. His independent film work includes the romantic comedy Off The Menu in 2018,[10] the psychological thriller Impossible Monsters in 2019,[11] and the comedy Papercop in 2018,[12] for which he won the Best Actor Award at the Williamsburg International Independent Film Festival.[13]

In 2015, Fontana became the first guest artist to perform three times in the space of one year with the Tabernacle Choir on Temple Square, where he met the cast of Sesame Street.[14] Fontana also joined the cast of The CW romantic musical comedy-drama Crazy Ex-Girlfriend that same year. On November 11, 2016, it was announced that Fontana was leaving the TV series after his one-year contract with The CW.[15] He has also appeared in Fosse/Verdon, The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, BrainDead, Mozart in The Jungle, and Royal Pains.[16]

He starred as Michael Dorsey / Dorothy Michaels in the stage musical adaptation of the film Tootsie, which premiered in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre from September 11 to October 14, 2018. The musical opened on Broadway on April 23, 2019, and closed on January 5, 2020.[17] Direction was by Scott Ellis with music and lyrics by David Yazbek and book by Robert Horn.[18][19] Fontana won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical, Drama Desk Award and an Outer Critics Circle Award for his work.[3] The New York Times' Jesse Green wrote that "Mr. Fontana sings beautifully, in a novel tenor-falsetto blend, and nails every joke," that "The persistence of Michael even in Dorothy drag, and later vice versa, is charmingly handled [by Mr. Fontana], helping us get past both Michael’s obtuseness and Dorothy’s unlikeliness,” and that “[Mr. Fontana’s] comic timing is impeccable."[20]

In 2022, Fontana co-starred in the Hallmark Channel film Just One Kiss with actress Krysta Rodriguez.[21]

Fontana began dating actress Jessica Hershberg in mid-2011. The couple met backstage at the Birdland jazz club, where both were performing.[22] They became engaged in September 2014 and married in September 2015.[23][22]

• Santino Fontana at the Internet Broadway Database
• Santino Fontana at the Internet Off-Broadway Database
• Santino Fontana at IMDb
• Santino Fontana biography for The Neil Simon Plays
• Off Off Broadway Online interview, 2006
• A new prince takes the 'Hamlet' throne MNDaily.com, 2006
• "Who Knew? Hamlet graduated from CLA" on page 9, Reach magazine, College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota
• Santino Fontana's thread on Friends of Billy Elliot