Mason Alexander Park (born July 12, 1995) is an American actor. They[a] began their career in regional theatre, winning a Helen Hayes Award. On television, they are known for their roles in the Netflix adaptations of the anime Cowboy Bebop (2021) and Neil Gaiman's The Sandman (2022–), and the Quantum Leap (2022–2024) revival on NBC.
Mason Alexander Park | |
|---|---|
 Park at the 2023 WonderCon | |
| Born | July 12, 1995 Fairfax, Virginia, U.S. |
| Education | Point Park University (BA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2010−present |
| Website | masonalexanderpark |
Early life
editPark was born in Fairfax, Virginia, and moved around as a child for their father's work before settling down in North Carolina. They are of Spanish and Mexican descent. Park discovered acting through a summer camp in Texas.[1] In need of a new environment after being bullied at school, Park went to Los Angeles with their mother and enrolled at Grand Arts High School.
In 2012, Park was one of two actors from high schools in Los Angeles County to win the Jerry Herman High School Musical Theatre Awards of Los Angeles, for their role as Cornelius in Hello, Dolly. They attended the Jimmy Awards in New York City as a finalist.[2]
Park graduated in 2016 with a Bachelor of Arts[3] in Musical Theatre from Point Park University in Pittsburgh.[4]
Career
editPark began their career as a teenager, guest starring as Toby Peterson in a 2011 episode of the Nickelodeon series iCarly. They would reprise the role in the iCarly reboot in 2023.
In 2015 and 2016, Park worked with the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (CLO) on productions such as Mary Poppins and South Pacific at the Benedum Center, and Altar Boyz at the Greer Cabaret Theater.[5] Park alternated the titular role of Hedwig on the 2017 US tour of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. They later returned to the role in 2021 at Olney Theatre Center.[6] They played Dr. Frank N Furter in The Rocky Horror Show in 2018 at Bucks County Playhouse;[7] Emcee in Cabaret at Olney Theatre Center in 2019,[8] which won Park a Helen Hayes Award; and Charlotte in I Am My Own Wife at Long Wharf Theatre in 2020.[9]
Park returned to television when they were cast as Gren in the Netflix live action version of the anime Cowboy Bebop, which was released in 2021.[10] That same year, they put on a solo show in New York titled The Pansy Craze.[11] As of 2022, Park plays the androgynous entity Desire in The Sandman, a Netflix adaptation of Neil Gaiman's comics,[12] as well as Ian Wright in the Quantum Leap revival on NBC.[13]
Park made their West End debut when they once again played the Emcee in Cabaret at the Playhouse Theatre in 2023.[14]
Personal life
editPark is non-binary and goes by they/them and she/her pronouns. On July 26, 2024, Park shared on X that they are part of the transgender community.[15]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Not in My Backyard | Student | |
| 2019 | Before You Know It | Fellow | |
| 2023 | National Anthem | Carrie |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Pizza & Karaoke | Television film | |
| 2011 | iCarly | Toby Peterson | Episode: "iLove You" |
| 2012 | Broadway or Bust | Self | |
| 2013 | Bucket & Skinner's Epic Adventures | Toby | 2 episodes |
| 2020 | Acting for a Cause | Various | |
| 2021 | Cowboy Bebop | Gren | 5 episodes |
| 2022 | The Legend of Vox Machina | Tavern Keeper | Voice role[16] |
| 2022 | The Sandman | Desire | Main role |
| 2022–2024 | Quantum Leap | Ian Wright | Main role |
| 2023 | iCarly | Toby Peterson | Episode: "iReunited and It Felt OK" |
Web
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Transplants | Mas |
Stage
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Mary Poppins | Miss Andrew | Benedum Center, Pittsburgh CLO |
| 2015 | Altar Boyz | Mark | Greer Cabaret Theater, CLO |
| 2015 | Spring Awakening | Moritz | Greer Cabaret Theater |
| 2016 | South Pacific | Professor | Benedum Center, CLO |
| 2017 | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Hedwig | US tour |
| 2018 | The Rocky Horror Show | Dr Frank N Furter | Bucks County Playhouse, New Hope |
| 2019 | Cabaret | Emcee | Olney Theatre Center |
| 2020 | I Am My Own Wife | Charlotte von Mahlsdorf | Long Wharf Theatre, New Haven |
| 2021 | Hedwig and the Angry Inch | Hedwig | Olney Theatre Center |
| 2021 | The Pansy Craze | Solo Show | The Green Room 42, Chelsea Table + Stage, New York |
| 2023 | Cabaret | Emcee | Playhouse Theatre, London - Nominated for Best Takeover Performance at 2024 WhatsOnStage Awards |
| 2024 | American Idiot | St. Jimmy | Deaf West Theatre, Los Angeles |
| 2024 | The Tempest | Ariel | Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London |
Audio
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Loveville High | Jendrix | [17] |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Award | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Helen Hayes Awards | Outstanding Lead Performer in a Musical | Cabaret | Won | [18] |
| 2024 | WhatsOnStage Awards | Best Takeover Performance | Cabaret | Nominated | [19] |
Footnotes
editReferences
edit- ^ Bjella, Braden (June 18, 2021). "interview – mason alexander park". Schön!. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ "2012 Nominees | the National High School Musical Theatre Awards".
- ^ "resume – mason alexander park". Retrieved January 19, 2022.
- ^ Eberson, Sharon (August 31, 2016). "Paths for Mason Alexander Park". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "Mason Alexander Park". Chelsea Table + Stage. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Wild, Stephi (September 22, 2021). "Mason Alexander Park Will Star In HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH at Olney Theatre". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Vine, Hannah (October 18, 2018). "The Rocky Horror Show Returns to Bucks County Playhouse". Playbill. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "Mason Alexander Park: Becoming the Emcee". Olney Theater Centre. September 17, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Minor, E. Kyle (February 7, 2020). "Long Wharf's 'I Am My Own Wife' revamped in new version through March 1". New Haven Register. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Lattanzio, Ryan (November 19, 2020). "Netflix's 'Cowboy Bebop' Live-Action Series Reimagining Gren as Non-Binary Character". IndieWire. Retrieved September 28, 2021.
- ^ Mosher, Stephen (June 29, 2021). "BWW Review: Mason Alexander Park Incites A PANSY CRAZE at The Green Room 42". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Del Rosario, Alexandra (May 26, 2021). "'The Sandman': Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Mason Alexander Park & Donna Preston Among 12 Added To Netflix Series". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 26, 2021. Retrieved May 26, 2021.
- ^ Bloom, Allison (November 7, 2022). "Watch: "Quantum Leap" star Mason Alexander Park on Show's "Exciting Twists and Turns," Queer Representation, "Sandman," and More". GLAAD. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ Fox, Dale (July 1, 2023). "Cabaret's Mason Alexander Park: 'It's sad how people can dehumanise someone they don't know'". Attitude. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
- ^ "'Tweet". x.com. Retrieved September 11, 2024.
- ^ Moreau, Jordan (January 20, 2022). "Critical Role's 'Legend of Vox Machina' Adds Stephanie Beatriz, David Tennant, Tony Hale and More as Guest Stars". Variety. Retrieved January 20, 2022.
- ^ Hetrick, Adam (October 21, 2019). "Watch Mason Alexander Park and Isaac Powell Perform 'Sparkle Like Bowie' From Loveville High Podcast". Playbill. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ "The complete 2020 Helen Hayes Awards and more". DC Metro Theater Arts. September 25, 2020. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
- ^ Millward, Tom (December 7, 2023). "Nominations in full: the 24th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards". WhatsOnStage. Retrieved December 13, 2023.
