Robert Westenberg – GCP Alumnus

Vicki Shaghoian and Robert Westenberg as Julie and Billy in Good Company Players' 1976 production of "Carousel" at the Memorial Auditorium
Vicki Shaghoian and Robert Westenberg as Julie and Billy in Good Company Players’ 1976 production of “Carousel” at the Memorial Auditorium

Robert Westenberg performed for Good Company Players during the summers of 1975, ’76 and ’77 while studying theatre at CSU Fresno. For GCP, he played Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie, Zeppo Marx in Minnie’s Boys, Billy Bigelow in Carousel and Vittorio Vidal in Sweet Charity. He went on to study with ACT in San Francisco and the Arena Theatre in Washington DC. He moved to New York and proceeded to amass an impressive body of work. After a lengthy performing career that included work on Broadway and Off-Broadway, in regional theatres, national tours, television and film, Mr. Westenberg is now concentrating on teaching and directing.  He is perhaps best remembered for his roles in the original Broadway casts of Into the Woods as the Wolf and Prince, for which he received a Tony nomination and Drama Desk Award, Secret Garden as Neville Craven, and Sunday in the Park with George, replacing Mandy Patinkin in the title role.  He also performed the role of Javert in the Broadway production of Les Miserables. Other Broadway credits include leading roles in 1776, Company, Abe Lincoln in Illinois, A Christmas Carol and Zorba, for which he received a Theatre World Award. While known for his work in musical theatre, he has also appeared in numerous plays and classical works, including Shakespeare, in theatres around the country.  His national tour credits include Zorba, Funny Girl, andThe Full Monty.  His film and television credits are The Ice Storm, Before and After, The Stars Fell on Henrietta, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Swift Justice, Central Park West, and Law and Order: SVU.  He has sung at Carnegie Hall in The Gay Divorcee and can be heard on several original cast albums.  He is currently performing the roles of Mr. Darling and Captain Hook with Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan in Branson, Missouri.  Mr. Westenberg is married to Kim Crosby, who played Cinderella to his Prince in Into the Woods, and is the proud father of their three children.  He teaches at Drury University where he serves as Chair of the Theatre Department.