Hannah Elless is an American actress, singer, and painter. She is best known for her role as Margo Crawford in the Broadway production of Bright Star written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell. She made her television debut on HBO's The Deuce.

Hannah Elless
EducationWestern Michigan University (BFA)
OccupationActress
Years active2012–present

Early life and education

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Elless grew up in Southwest Michigan. She graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Western Michigan University.[1]

Career

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Elless made her Broadway debut in the 2012 revival of Stephen Schwartz's Godspell.[2] Her other Broadway credits include Jack Thorne's A Christmas Carol and originating the role of Margo Crawford in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's Bright Star.[3][4] Deadline called Elless' performance in Bright Star "radiant."[5] The New York Times described Elless' portrayal of Margo as "genially wry."[6]

Her most recent project has her starring as Mary Follett in Lynn Ahrens' and Stephen Flaherty's new musical, Knoxville, based on both the Pulitzer Prize winning novel, A Death in the Family, by James Agee, and the Pulitzer Prize winning play, All the Way Home, by Tad Mosel.[7][8]

Acting credits

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Theatre

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Year Title Role Venue Notes Ref.
2022 Knoxville Mary Follett Asolo Repertory Theatre World premiere [9]
2019-2020 A Christmas Carol Jess Lyceum Theatre Broadway [10]
2019 Benny & Joon Joon Paper Mill Playhouse Regional, Original [11]
2018 The Other Josh Cohen Drummer/All the People Westside Theatre Off-Broadway [12]
2018 Summer and Smoke Nellie Ewell Classic Stage Company Off-Broadway [13]
2017 Come Back, Little Sheba Marie Buckholder Transport Group Off-Broadway [14]
2017 Picnic Millie Owens Transport Group Off-Broadway [15]
2016 Bright Star Margo Crawford James Earl Jones Theatre Broadway [16]
2013 Somewhere in Time Elise McKenna Portland Center Stage World premiere [17]
2012 Godspell "Bless the Lord" Circle in the Square Theatre Broadway [18]

Film/TV

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Year Title Role Notes
2023 Fortune Presley Series Pilot
2022 She's Fine Caroline Short Film
2021 Broadway & Salt Lead Short Film
2020 The Over/Under Christine Feature Film
2018 The Sonnet Project Sonnet #153 TV Series
2018 Nora Ephron Goes to Prison Ally Short Film
2017 The Deuce Angie HBO

Awards and nominations

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Year Award Category Nominee Result Ref.
2018 Craig Noel Award Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Female Hannah Elless Nominated [19]

References

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  1. ^ "Bright Star on Broadway". WMU Alumni. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
  2. ^ Gans, Andrew (May 29, 2012). "Hannah Elless Is Godspell's Newest Believer". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  3. ^ "A Christmas Carol Cast & Creative". Broadway.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  4. ^ "Steve Martin-Edie Brickell Bright Star Musical Sets Broadway Cast". Playbill.com. October 20, 2015. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  5. ^ "Steve Martin & Edie Brickell's 'Bright Star' Countrifies Broadway Corn – Review". Deadline.com. March 24, 2016. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  6. ^ Isherwood, Charles (March 24, 2016). "Review: 'Bright Star' Beams Nostalgia Underscored by Fiddles and Banjos". The New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  7. ^ Brunner, Raven (March 2, 2022). "Jason Danieley, Hannah Elless, Paul Alexander Nolan to Lead World Premiere of Ahrens and Flaherty Musical Knoxville". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  8. ^ Kipling, Kay (April 24, 2022). "Asolo Rep's Knoxville Well Worth a Long Wait". Sarasotamagazine.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  9. ^ "Knoxville". Asolo Repertory Theatre. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  10. ^ "A Christmas Carol". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  11. ^ "CAST AND CREATIVE TEAM ANNOUNCED FOR BENNY & JOON". Papermill.org. 20 February 2019. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  12. ^ "Kate Wetherhead, Hannah Elless, More Join Off-Broadway Return of The Other Josh Cohen". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  13. ^ "Summer and Smoke". Classicstage.org. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  14. ^ "Come Back, Little Sheba". Transportgroup.org. 20 February 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  15. ^ "Picnic". Transportgroup.org. 19 February 2017. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  16. ^ "Steve Martin-Edie Brickell Bright Star Musical Sets Broadway Cast". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  17. ^ "New Musical Somewhere in Time, With Andrew Samonsky, Hannah Elless and Marc Kudisch, Opens in Portland June 5". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  18. ^ "Hannah Elless Is Godspell's Newest Believer". Playbill.com. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
  19. ^ "2017 Craig Noel Award nominations". San Diego Theatre Critics Circle. January 1, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2024.
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