Ron Raines

Ron Raines
Born December 2, 1949
Texas City, Texas

Ron Raines (born December 2, 1949, Texas City, Texas) is an American actor. He is known for the role of Alan Spaulding on the long-running television soap opera Guiding Light. Raines also performs in musical theatre and in concert with symphony orchestras.

Career

Early years

Raines' father was an evangelical minister, and Raines became interested in music through the church.[1] He was once in a band called Renaissance.

He graduated from Nacogdoches High School in Nacogdoches, Texas, graduated from Oklahoma City University and later attended Juilliard. He decided to pursue a career in performing after he finished Juilliard.[1]

Television

Raines joined Guiding Light in 1994 in his first television role.[1] He is the third actor to play the part of the sinister, nefarious Alan Spaulding, a role which has earned him three Emmy nominations. He remained on Guiding Light through its cancellation in 2009. In 2013 he appeared in an episode (Lady Killer) of the CBS drama Person of Interest as Bruce Wellington. In 2014 he made a guest appearance on the CBS drama Elementary as Ian.

Web Series

He was cast in the role of Senator William Preston in the web series Beacon Hill, which debuted online March 5, 2014.

Operas/Operettas

He made his debut at New York City Opera as "Danilo" in The Merry Widow. Subsequently he has appeared in Naughty Marietta, Rose-Marie, The Gypsy Princess, The Desert Song, The New Moon and Die Fledermaus.

Musical theatre

Raines appeared on Broadway in the 1983 Broadway revival of Show Boat (as "Ravenal"); the 1987 Broadway production of Teddy & Alice[2] and as "Billy Flynn" in the long-running revival of Chicago in 2002.

He has also appeared in productions of South Pacific, Annie, Kiss Me, Kate, Can-Can, The King and I, Brigadoon, Oklahoma!, Carousel, The Pajama Game, Guys and Dolls, A Little Night Music, Kismet and Man of La Mancha. He played the role of Johnny Brown in the Debbie Reynolds US tour of The Unsinkable Molly Brown in 1990.[3]

In 1994, he was offered a part in the national touring production of The Sound of Music with Marie Osmond on the same day he was offered the role of Alan Spaulding on Guiding Light. He decided to take the TV role.[1]

He appeared in the Kennedy Center production of Follies from May 7, 2011 through June 19, 2011, as Ben Stone, with Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein and Elaine Paige.[4] He had played this role previously in the 1988 Michigan Opera production (with Juliet Prowse and Nancy Dussault).[5] He reprised his role in the Broadway engagement at the Marquis Theatre from August 7, 2011 (in previews) through January 22, 2012. Raines continued with this production in the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, California engagement, from May 3, 2012 through June 9, 2012.[6] Raines received a Tony Award nomination for Best Leading Actor in a Musical for this role.[7]

He appeared in the Broadway musical Newsies as Joseph Pulitzer from October 9, 2012 through December 16, 2012, as a temporary replacement for John Dossett.[8] He also appeared in the Broadway revival of Annie as Daddy Warbucks from December 10, 2013 until it closed on January 5, 2014 as a replacement for Anthony Warlow.

Concerts and recordings

As a concert performer, Raines has appeared as soloist with the symphony orchestras in Atlanta, Baltimore, Cleveland, Columbus, Utah, Dallas, Minnesota, Omaha, Pittsburgh (with Marvin Hamlisch), Philadelphia Pops (with Peter Nero), San Diego, San Francisco, Tulsa and Washington D.C.. He also appeared with the Boston Pops (with John Williams and Keith Lockhart).

He has performed with BBC Concert Orchestra in London, the Royal Philharmonic, the Jerusalem Symphony and the Israeli Philharmonic. Ron has had the honor of singing for two former First Ladies: Nancy Reagan's White House luncheon for the Senate wives and Lady Bird Johnson's National Wildlife Federation gala in Austin, Texas.

Raines has appeared in several PBS Great Performances specials and has recorded two solo albums: So In Love With Broadway (2004)[9] and Broadway Passion,[10] along with several musicals including Man of La Mancha and Pajama Game on the Jay Records album label.

Personal life

Ron and his wife Dona D. Vaughn have a daughter, Charlotte.[1]


References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "The Raines Maker". Soap Opera Weekly. 2007-02-13. pp. 16–17.
  2. ↑ "'Tedy&Alice' Listing" Internet Broadway Database, accessed June 22, 2011
  3. ↑ Nelson, Nels."'Unsinkable Molly Brown' Opens Debbie Reynolds Recreates Her Title Role From The Movie" Daily News (Philadelphia), May 2, 1990
  4. ↑ Gans, Andrew. " 'Hats Off, Here They Come, Those Beautiful Girls': Starry 'Follies' Begins Kennedy Center Run May 7" Playbill.com, May 7, 2011
  5. ↑ Mandelbaum, Ken."Ken Mandelbaum's MUSICALS ON DISC: Follies on Disc" Playbill.com, April 12, 1998
  6. ↑ Gans, Andrew (January 22, 2012). "Hey, L.A., We're Coming Your Way: 'Follies' Ends Broadway Run Jan. 22". Playbill. Retrieved January 22, 2012.
  7. ↑ Jones, Kenneth. "'Once', 'Clybourne Park', 'Porgy and Bess', Audra McDonald, 'Salesman' Win Tony Awards" Playbill.com, June 10, 2012
  8. ↑ Gans, Andrew. "'Follies' Star Ron Raines Will Join Cast of Broadway's 'Newsies'" Playbill.com, September 28, 2012
  9. ↑ "'So in Love With Broadway' Listing" allmusic.com, accessed June 22, 2011
  10. ↑ "Raines Biography" jayrecords.com, accessed June 22, 2011

External links