Tony Award winner and stage heartthrob Aaron Tveit has returned to Broadway to star in Chess at the Imperial Theatre. The new revival is Tveit’s seventh Broadway musical in his almost two-decade-long career.
Non–theater fans may recognize Tveit as Tripp Van Der Bilt in the original Gossip Girl series. Other memorable on-screen roles of his are Enjolras in the movie adaptation of Les Misérables, Danny Zuko in Grease: Live, and Topher in the Apple TV series Schmigadoon! Here is a look back at Tveit’s Broadway performances, from Hairspray to Chess, which opened on November 16.
2006: Hairspray, Neil Simon Theatre
Tveit traveled around the U.S. with the national tours of Rent and Hairspray for three years before joining the Broadway production of Hairspray at the Neil Simon Theatre. On July 18, 2006, Tveit made his Broadway debut in Hairspray as the charismatic teenage heartthrob Link Larkin. He departed the role in January 2007, briefly returning to the production in April 2008 to replace Ashley Parker Angel during his medical leave.
2008: Wicked, Gershwin Theatre
Tveit stepped into the role of Fiyero in Wicked in June 2008, replacing David Burnham. He took a break from the role to perform in a pre-Broadway run of Next to Normal, ultimately returning to the role from January 2009 to March 2009. In 2016, Tveit performed “Popular” in the third installment of Wicked’s #OutofOz series.
2009: Next to Normal, Booth Theatre
In 2007, Tveit originated the role of Gabriel “Gabe” Goodman — the son of Diana and Dan who is depicted as a hallucination induced by Diana’s psychotic symptoms — in the Off-Broadway production of Next to Normal at the Second Stage Theatre. After his departure from Wicked in November 2008, he reprised his role in the Arena Stage production of Next to Normal. For his performance, Tveit won the 2009 Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Non-Resident Production.
Tveit also originated the role of Gabe in Next to Normal on Broadway at the Booth Theatre on March 27, 2009. He departed the show in June 2009 to perform the pre-Broadway production of Catch Me If You Can. Finally, he returned to the role in September 2009 and performed as Gabe for the last time in January 2010. His performance as Gabe earned him the Clarence Derwent Award from the Actors’ Equity Association.
2011: Catch Me If You Can, Neil Simon Theatre
Tveit originated the role of con man Frank Abagnale Jr. in the Tony Award–winning production of Catch Me If You Can at the Neil Simon Theatre. The show opened on April 10, 2011, and closed on September 4, 2011.
For his performance, he was nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award, a Drama Desk Award, and a Fred Astaire Award.
2019: Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Al Hirschfeld Theatre
After taking a break from the Broadway stage to focus on screen work, Tveit was cast as Christian in the stage adaptation of Moulin Rouge! The Musical on Broadway. In the 2001 movie of the same name, Ewan McGregor played the role of Christian. The musical officially opened on July 25, 2019, at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre.
In 2021, he won the Tony Award for Best Leading Actor in a Musical, making history as the sole nominee for his category.
Tveit has returned to the role for limited engagements in January 2023 and July 2024.
2024: Sweeney Todd, Lunt-Fontanne Theatre
In 2024, Tveit followed up Josh Groban’s Tony-nominated tenure in the titular role of the latest Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. He performed as the Demon Barber of Fleet Street for a 12-week limited engagement alongside Sutton Foster as Mrs. Lovett through the show’s final performance on May 5, 2024.
2025: Chess, Imperial Theatre
New this Broadway season: the latest revival of Chess, directed by Michael Mayer. Chess creates a world where international intrigue, passion, and chess competitions work together to create one powerful musical. Tveit plays Freddie Trumper, a prospective chess grandmaster and national champion battling with bipolar disorder. He stars alongside Lea Michele and former Sweeney Todd costar Nicholas Christopher at the Imperial Theatre.
The revival of Chess opened on November 16, with tickets currently on sale through May 3, 2026.
