Phillip Boykin

Early life

One of ten children, Boykin grew up in Greenville, South Carolina. He started studies in Opera Performance at South Carolina State College before transferring to the North Carolina School of the Arts. He left NCSA in 1990 and moved to the Hartt School of the University of Hartford where he received his Bachelor of Music in Vocal Performance in 1995. He later studied toward a Master's degree in Opera and Jazz Vocals from Howard University.

He received the 2015 Hartt Alumni Award from The Hartt School.

Career

Boykin portrayed Joe in the 1999 to 2001 non-equity tour of Show Boat. He reprised the role in the 2008 North Shore Music Theatre production (which won him an IRNE Award), the 2009 Media Theatre production, and the 2013 Wells Fargo Pavilion production. He also played Caiaphas in the North Shore Music Theatre production of Jesus Christ Superstar in 2006.

He was nominated for the Tony Award, as well as the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for his role as Crown in the Broadway revival of Porgy and Bess (2012). He was awarded the Theater World Award for his Outstanding Broadway debut. He reprised the role in 2014 at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

Boykin portrayed Booker T. Washington in Ragtime at Avery Fisher Hall in 2013. He was also featured in On the Town which ran on Broadway at the Lyric Theatre in 2014-2015. In 2015, he starred as the Pirate King in New York City Center’s The Pirates of Penzance. In 2017 he was featured in the Broadway revival of Sunday in the Park with George. He made Broadway history as the first African-American Boatman/Lee Randolph in the production, which reopened Broadway's newest and oldest theater at the time, the Hudson Theatre, which played its last Broadway show in 1968. Boykin played the role of Tonton Julian in the Revival of Once on This Island, which opened on Broadway at the Circle in the Square Theatre on December 3, 2017 and closed on January 6, 2019. In 2022, he was featured in the Hugh Jackman led Broadway revival of The Music Man as Olin Britt and a Traveling Salesman.

He is the founder and director of "The NYGospel Brothers", a gospel quartet that travels around the world spreading the good news.

He was seen in the films Freedom (2014) starring Cuba Gooding Jr., Top Five (2014) starring Chris Rock, and Easter Mysteries an oratorio-musical written by John O’Boyle.

In 2019, he was inducted into the South Carolina Theatre Association Hall of Fame following a performance of the Once on this Island tour in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina.

In September 2023, he started starring in the Broadway production of Hadestown as Hades. He performed his final Broadway performance on January 12, 2025 opposite Jordan Fisher as Orpheus. Not long after he left the Broadway production, Phillip made his West End debut after he joined the cast of the West End production in February 2025 to fill in for Patrick Page, after he got injured during rehearsals. Phillip only got three days notice before performing his first performance in London. After Phillip was originally slated to play Hades for at least a week, it was later announced that due to Page’s achilles injury, Phillip would be performing in all shows (except the filming dates, where Page would be performing) until March 9, 2025. Boykin rejoined the Broadway cast on April 22 for a limited engagement through August 31, 2025.

Stage credits

Awards and nominations

References

References

1. (2025-02-16). "Hadestown latest: Patrick Page gives update to West End fans".
2. [http://www.broadway.com/buzz/159348/porgy-and-bess-phillip-boykin-on-finding-inspiration-from-audra-suzan-lori-and-mom/ " 'Porgy and Bess' Phillip Boykin on Finding Inspiration From Audra, Suzan-Lori and Mom. Tony Awards 2012"]. Broadway.com (2012-01-12). Retrieved on 2012-07-25.
3. [http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2012/may/01/uncsa-alumni-receive-tony-award-nominations-ar-2229765/ UNCSA alumni receive Tony Award nominations] JournalNow.com. Retrieved on 2012-07-25.
4. [http://ct.broadwayworld.com/article/Hartt-Graduates-Phillip-Boykin-Christopher-Jahnke-and-More-Nominated-for-2012-Tony-Awards-20120502 "Hartt Graduates Phillip Boykin, Christopher Jahnke and More Nominated for 2012 Tony Awards"] broadwayworld.com, May 2, 2012. Retrieved on 2012-07-25.
5. "Biography".
6. [http://www.westhartfordnews.com/news/student-news-may/article_9e109b4c-12b0-5095-af92-c94bcbb682d2.html "Student News, May 7, 2015"] westhartfordnews.com, May 6, 2015
7. [https://www.abouttheartists.com/artists/273069-phillip-boykin Phillip Boykin AboutTheArtists]
8. [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-gershwins-porgy-and-bess-490541 ''Porgy and Bess''] ibdb.com, retrieved December 19, 2017
9. [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/on-the-town-497107 ''On the Town''] ibdb.com, retrieved December 19, 2017
10. Gioia, Michael. [http://www.playbill.com/article/complete-cast-announced-for-broadway-revival-of-sunday-in-the-park-with-george# "Complete Cast Announced for Broadway Revival of 'Sunday in the Park With George'"] Playbill, January 23,
11. Lefkowitz, Andy. [https://www.broadway.com/buzz/190290/once-on-this-island-revival-begins-performances-on-broadway " 'Once on This Island' Revival Begins Performances on Broadway"] {{Webarchive. link. (2025-03-21 broadway.com, November 9, 2017)
12. [https://www.christianfilmdatabase.com/review/easter-mysteries/ ''Easter Mysteries''] christianfilmdatabase.com
13. Shurley, Neil. "Phillip Boykin Inducted Into South Carolina Theatre Association Hall of Fame".
14. [https://www.theatermania.com/news/betty-who-and-phillip-boykin-to-join-hadestown-on-broadway_1708674/ Betty Who and Phillip Boykin to Join Hadestown on Broadway]
15. [https://playbill.com/article/jordan-fisher-maia-reficco-phillip-boykin-extend-runs-in-broadways-hadestown Jordan Fisher, Maia Reficco, Phillip Boykin Extend Runs in Broadway's Hadestown]
16. [https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/patrick-page-to-miss-west-end-hadestown-performances-due-to-injury_1664157/ Patrick Page to miss West End Hadestown performances due to injury]
17. [https://www.whatsonstage.com/news/hadestown-latest-patrick-page-gives-update-to-west-end-fans_1665243/ Hadestown latest: Patrick Page gives update to West End fans]
18. (2025-02-16). "Hadestown latest: Patrick Page gives update to West End fans".
19. TheArtsShelf [https://theartsshelf.com/2025/04/22/phillip-boykin-and-kc-dela-cruz-step-into-hadestown-on-broadway-tonight/ Phillip Boykin and KC Dela Cruz Step Into ‘Hadestown’ on Broadway Tonight] April 22, 2025
20. (2018-12-06). "61st Annual GRAMMY Awards".