Biography • Shorter Bio for Other Web Sites • Miscellaneous "Extras"
Jbara originated the roles of 'Jackie Elliot' ('Dad') for the Broadway production of BILLY ELLIOT, for which he won the Tony®, Outer Critics Circle, and Drama Desk Awards for Best/Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, 'André Thibault' in the Broadway musical DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS (Drama Desk nomination), 'Squash Bernstein' in VICTOR/VICTORIA, starring Julie Andrews and the role of the dimwitted catcher,'Sohovik' in the Broadway revival of DAMN YANKEES! starring Bebe Neuwirth, Victor Garber and Jerry Lewis. Jbara was the second actor to star on Broadway as 'Billy Flynn' in the Tony Award winning revival of CHICAGO. Off-Broadway credits include 'Chick Clark' in WONDERFUL TOWN for City Center Encores!, the Broadway revival of BORN YESTERDAY with Ed Asner and Madeline Kahn, SERIOUS MONEY with Alec Baldwin and Kate Nelligan, PRIVATES ON PARADE with Jim Dale and Simon Jones, FOREVER PLAID, DAS BARBECU and HAVE I GOT A GIRL FOR YOU!.
Mr. Jbara received the BackStageWest Garland 2000 Award for his performance in the West Coast Premiere of George Furth's PRECIOUS SONS with Nora Dunn under the direction of Daniel Henning. Other Los Angeles stage credits include 'Mr. Bunder' in the West Coast Premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's LITTLE FISH, the title role in Jason Connor's THERE'S SOMEONE LIVING IN THE HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT, 'Vinnie' in the Geffen Playhouse Premier of Neil Simon's FELIX & OSCAR, 'Ike/Bess Truman' in the West Coast Premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's FIRST LADY SUITE, 'Clark Gable' in The Blank Theatre Company's 'the living room series' presentation of Mark Saltzman's new play, MR. SHAW GOES TO HOLLYWOOD.
Mr. Jbara's film credits include: REMEMBER ME, directed by Alan Coulter, also starring Robert Pattinson, Emilie de Raven, Pierce Brosnan, Chris Cooper, and Lena Olin; OUT OF STEP, written and directed by Eileen Connors; EXIT SPEED, produced and written by Michael Stokes, produced and unit production managed by Sally Helppie, and directed by Scott Ziehl; ENCHANTED, from Disney, directed by Kevin Lima; IRA & ABBY, with Chris Messina and Jennifer Westfeldt, written and directed by Westfeldt; PROJECT: 96B with Alice Ripley, Meredith Bishop, and Chad McKnight, produced by Marissa Messier, written by Katie Alender, and directed by Chris Alender; THE FIRST 20 MILLION IS ALWAYS THE HARDEST directed by Mick Jackson for 20th Century FOX and the indie feature THE SURE HAND OF GOD. Adrian Pasdar's feature directorial debut, CEMENT, also starring Chris Penn, Sherilyn Fenn, Titus Welliver & Jeffrey Wright; THE OUT OF TOWNERS starring Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin; and Michael Hoffman's film adaptation of Shakespeare's, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM with Michelle Pfeiffer, Kevin Kline, Rupert Everett, Calista Flockhart, Stanley Tucci, Bill Irwin, among others. Mr. Jbara co-starred in the Paul Rudnick comedy screenplay IN AND OUT, directed by Frank Oz. He is featured as 'Angelique', the preoperative transsexual lesbian in the film version of Paul Rudick's hit play JEFFREY.
Mr. Jbara can be seen regularly in his recurring role as next door neighbor 'Dan O'Keefe' on GROUNDED FOR LIFE reruns on ABC Family. Additional film and TV credits: LAW & ORDER, MONK, THE UNIT, TWENTY GOOD YEARS, CONVICTION, AMERICAN DAD, COME ON OVER, WORLD TRADE CENTER, ALL MY CHILDREN, THE PIED PIPER, ONE FINE DAY, MARRIED TO IT, THE HOUSE ON CARROLL STREET, CROCODILE DUNDEE II, FRIENDS, CENTURY CITY, THE WEST WING, WITHOUT A TRACE, TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL, CROSSING JORDAN, PROVIDENCE, ALLY McBEAL, MALCOLM IN THE MIDDLE, YES DEAR, THAT'S LIFE, FRASIER, SUDDENLY SUSAN, THE DREW CAREY SHOW, FAMILY GUY, ROCKET POWER, CYBILL, THE CLOSER, THE YOUNG INDIANA JONES CHRONICLES and NEWHART. On the web, Jbara played the title role in the faux docu-series THE OTHER HEF at Sharenow.com.
Jbara sings the role of "Willie 3" and sings the title song in the Alan Menken animated musical HOME ON THE RANGE for Disney. He also sang Randy Newman's, 'You've Got a Friend In Me' from TOY STORY for U.S. Olympic Ice Skater, Michelle Kwan's 75 YEARS OF DISNEY MUSIC/TV Special. Jbara appeared as 'Kenny' in the Carnegie Hall concert version of VERY WARM FOR MAY with Jon Lovitz for conductor/director John McGlinn. He sang a tribute medley to the late Mr. Rogers for the second TELEVISION NIGHT AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL concert at which he was joined onstage by the 16 member Carousel Kids and David Newell with Glen Roven conducting the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra.
Recordings include the Broadway cast recordings of DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, VICTOR/VICTORIA and DAMN YANKEES!; FIRST LADY SUITE on PS Classics; BRIGADOON and ANNIE GET YOUR GUN on EMI; LITTLE FISH on Ghostlight; A BROADWAY CHRISTMAS, UNSUNG MUSICALS II, UNSUNG BERLIN, PETER PAN and DRAT THE CAT! on Varese/Sarabande; ENCHANTED and HOME ON THE RANGE for Disney. Jbara can also be heard as the narrator for the syndicated TV series "Ripley's Believe it Or Not".
Born and raised in suburban Detroit Mr. Jbara transferred from the University of Michigan School of Music musical theatre program to complete his BFA in acting at the Juilliard School. He resides with his wife Julie and sons Zachary and Aidan in New York and Los Angeles.
Official Website: www.GregoryJbara.com Everything is there!
[End of official bio, long version. Last revised January 2010. Need Greg's bio for your site? See below.]
Back to top
NOTE TO OTHER SITES:
Greg prefers that a shorter version of his biography be used on other sites requiring it.
See below for our most recent version. Please include a link to GregoryJbara.com. If you require a bio of Greg for your site and would like to contact him directly for that info (a good idea if it's been some time since the last revision date given here, or if a bio of a different length is required), you may email him at GregoryJbara[at]GregoryJbara.com. (Replace [at] with @.)
Gregory Jbara
Broadway: Mr. Jbara originated roles of Dad in Billy Elliot (Tony Award®), André Thibault in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Drama Desk nomination), Squash Bernstein in Victor/Victoria and Sohovik in the 1994 revival of Damn Yankees! and was Chicago's second Billy Flynn. L.A. theatre includes Little Fish, Precious Sons (Garland Award), ...House That Jack Built, First Lady Suite and Oscar and Felix. Films include: Remember Me*, Out Of Step, Exit Speed, Project 96b (48 Hour Film Project-LA Winner '07), Enchanted, Ira & Abby, In & Out, Jeffrey, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The First 20 Million..., World Trade Center, The Out-of-Towners. TV recurring roles include Grounded for Life, That's Life and Drew Carey. TV guest-starring roles include Law & Order, Monk, The Unit, Twenty Good Years, Conviction, Friends, Century City, The West Wing, Without a Trace, Touched By An Angel, Crossing Jordan, Providence, Ally McBeal, Malcolm in the Middle, Frasier, Family Guy, American Dad, Rocket Power, and Come On Over. Jbara played the title role in the faux docu-series The Other Hef at Sharenow.com. Juilliard graduate. He resides in L.A. with wife Julie, sons Zachary and Aidan. www.GregoryJbara.com.
[End of "official bio" - short version. Last revised January 2010.]
* Remember Me release date: March 12, 2010.
Extras!
Greg's birthday is September 28, which makes him a Libra.
He was born in the Chinese Year of the Ox. (1961)
Birthplace: Westland, MI (Wayne County)
High School: Wayne Memorial High School, Class of '79 (Wayne, MI)
Height: 6 feet 1 and 1/2 inches ("exactly, barefoot!")
Juilliard info: Group 15, Drama.
How to pronounce "Jbara" -- juh bar uh
Audio file with Greg's name being pronounced correctly:
Or use this direct mp3 link. (1 sec. / 31 kb.)
Resumé • Casting Directors / Agent Contacts • Fan Mail Address
The Official Gregory Jbara Home Page
© Gregory Jbara
Back to top