A.J. Shively

A.J. Shively is an American actor and singer. He made his Broadway debut as Jean-Michel in the 2010 revival of La Cage aux Folles at the Longacre Theatre. He subsequently originated the roles of Billy Cane in Bright Star at the Cort Theatre and Owen Duignan in Paradise Square at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre (2022).

Shively is the recipient of a Theatre World Award and a Lucille Lortel Award. He has received nominations for two Drama Desk Awards, two Outer Critics Circle Awards, and the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical.

Early life and education Shively was born on May 15, 1986, in Dublin, Ohio. He made his professional stage debut at age thirteen in the 1999 National Tour of Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music.

He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan's School of Music, Theatre, and Dance in 2008. During undergrad, he spent a year training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Career Shively made his Broadway debut as Jean-Michel in the 2010 revival of Jerry Herman and Harvey Fierstein's La Cage aux Folles at the Longacre Theatre. The production won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. That same year he appeared in a benefit concert production of Lerner and Loewe's Brigadoon at the Shubert Theatre. In 2016, Shively originated the role of Billy Cane in Steve Martin and Edie Brickell's Bright Star at the Cort Theatre. His performance earned a nomination for the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. In 2022, Shively originated the role of Owen Duignan in Paradise Square at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. His performance earned nominations for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical, the Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical, and the Chita Rivera Award for Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show.

Off-Broadway, Shively has appeared in Gabriel Kahane and Seth Bockley's February House at The Public Theater (2012), Carner and Gregor's Unlock'd at Prospect Theatre Company (2013), and Teresa Deevy's The Suitcase Under the Bed at Mint Theater Company. The latter production was named a "Critic's Pick" by The New York Times. In 2022, Shively appeared as Robbie Fay in the Classic Stage Company revival of A Man of No Importance by Stephen Flaherty and Lynn Ahrens, based on the Albert Finney film of the same name. For his performance, Shively won the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical, and received an Outer Critics Circle Award nomination. In 2024, Shively starred as Gar O'Donnell in Brian Friel's Philadelphia, Here I Come! at the Irish Repertory Theatre. His performance earned him the Theatre World Award's Dorothy Loudon Award, as well as nominations for the Lucille Lortel Award and Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play.

In film, Shively has appeared in Syrup (2013), From Nowhere (2016), and Other People's Bodies (2025). On television, he's had guest and recurring roles on Homeland (2017), The Blacklist (2017-2019), Madam Secretary (2018), Hunters (2020), Bull (2021), Julia (2022), and Chicago Med (2025).

Credits Film Year Title Role NotesRef.2013SyrupKevin 2010-2011 La Cage aux FollesJean-Michel Jerry Herman & Harvey Fierstein Longacre Theatre, Broadway 2012 February House Chester Kallman Gabriel Kahane & Seth Bockley The Public Theater 2013 Unlock'd Edwin Carner and Gregor Prospect Theatre Company 2014 Bright Star Billy Cane Steve Martin & Edie Brickell The Old Globe 2015-2016 The Kennedy Center 2016 Cort Theatre, Broadway 2017 The Suitcase Under the Bed Mr. Bassett / Barney / Charlie Moore / Jim Harris Teresa Deevy Mint Theater Company 2017-2018Bright Star Billy Cane Steve Martin & Edie Brickell National Tour 2018-2019 Paradise SquareOwen Duignan Larry Kirwan, Jason Howland, Masi Asare, Nathan Tysen, Christina Anderson, & Craig Lucas Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2021 Nederlander Theatre (Chicago) 2022 Ethel Barrymore Theatre, Broadway A Man of No Importance Robbie Fay Stephen Flaherty & Lynn Ahrens Classic Stage Company 2024 Philadelphia, Here I Come! Gar O'Donnell Brian Friel Irish Repertory Theatre Titanic Charles Clarke Maury Yeston & Peter Stone New York City Center Encores!

Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2016 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical Bright Star 2022 Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Actor in a MusicalParadise Square Tony Award Best Featured Actor in a Musical Chita Rivera Award Outstanding Male Dancer in a Broadway Show 2023 Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Featured Performer in a Musical A Man of No Importance Outer Critics Circle Award Outstanding Featured Performer in an Off-Broadway Musical 2024 Drama Desk Award Outstanding Lead Performance in a PlayPhiladelphia, Here I Come! Theatre World Award Dorothy Loudon Award for Excellence in the Theater Lucille Lortel Award Outstanding Lead Performer in a Play