{{Infobox musical artist | name = Andrew Polec | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1989|01|28}} | birth_place = Philadelphia, USA | genre = Musical theatre, Rock music | occupation = {{flat list| * actor * singer * theatre performer }} | website = {{URL|https://www.andrewpolec.com/}} | associated_acts = Jim Steinman, Meat Loaf, Khat House, Midnight Ramblers }}

'''Andrew Polec''' (born 28 January 1989) is an actor on both stage and TV, singer and songwriter, best known for originating the role of Strat in Jim Steinman's ''Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical'' from 2016 to 2019, right from the show's workshop through performing in the UK and North America. He is the son of 6ABC reporter Don Polec.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McCutcheon |first=Lauren |date=2019-08-03 |title=Don Polec's kid has the starring role in the big new 'Bat Out of Hell' musical |url=https://www.inquirer.com/arts/bat-out-of-hell-musical-broadway-meatloaf-andrew-polec-don-polec-20190803.html |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=www.inquirer.com |language=en}}</ref>

== Career ==

=== Theatre ===

{| class="wikitable" !Year !Show !Role !Theatre !Location |- |2016 |''The Fantasticks'' |Matt |The Theater Center |Off-Broadway<ref>{{Cite web |date=2016-08-30 |title=To See or Not to See: The Fantasticks |url=http://pop-culturalist.com/to-see-or-not-to-see-the-fantasticks/ |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=Pop-Culturalist.com |language=en-US}}</ref> |- |2017 | rowspan="6" |''Bat Out of Hell: The Musical'' | rowspan="6" |Strat |Manchester Opera House |Manchester<ref>{{Cite web |last=Bourne |first=Dianne |date=2017-03-15 |title=Review: Bat Out of Hell The Musical at Manchester Opera House |url=http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/music-nightlife-news/bat-out-hell-manchester-review-12743527 |access-date=2020-02-18 |website=men}}</ref> |- |2017 |London Coliseum |West End<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andrew Polec & Christina Bennington Will Star in Jim Steinman's Bat Out of Hell—The Musical Next Year in London |url=https://www.broadway.com/buzz/186511/andrew-polec-christina-bennington-will-star-in-jim-steinmans-bat-out-of-hellthe-musical-next-year-in-london/ |access-date=2020-02-20 |website=Broadway.com |language=en}}</ref> |- |2017-18 |Ed Mirvish Theatre |Toronto<ref>{{Cite web |last=Média |first=Bell |title=Bat Out Of Hell Interview |url=https://www.iheartradio.ca/exclusives/bat-out-of-hell/bat-out-of-hell-interview-1.3370563 |access-date=2020-02-18 |website=www.iheartradio.ca |language=en-CA}}</ref> |- |2018 |Dominion Theatre |West End |- |2018 |Ed Mirvish Theatre |Toronto<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andrew Polec to Star in Bat Out of Hell North American Tour |url=https://playbill.com/article/andrew-polec-to-star-in-bat-out-of-hell-north-american-tour |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=Playbill |language=en}}</ref> |- |2019 |New York City Center |New York<ref>{{Cite web |author=BWW News Desk |title=Andrew Polec, Christina Bennington, and More Set For BAT OUT OF HELL at City Center |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/BAT-OUT-OF-HELL-Will-Play-City-Center-Beginning-August-1-20190515 |access-date=2020-02-20 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref> |- |2019 |''The Dream Engine'' |Baal |Kirby Theater |Amherst College<ref>{{Cite web |title=Turn Around, Bright Eyes: The Original {{!}} Amherst Creates {{!}} Amherst College |url=https://www.amherst.edu/amherst-story/magazine/issues/2019-fall/amherst-creates/turn-around-bright-eyes-the-original |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=www.amherst.edu}}</ref> |- |2021 |''Hair'' |Berger |The Old Globe |San Diego<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-08-10 |title=The Globe Returns To Live Performances With 'Hair' |url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/2021/08/10/globe-returns-live-performances-hair |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=KPBS Public Media |language=en}}</ref> |- |2021 |''Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical'' |Grinch |The Old Globe |San Diego<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-11-19 |title=Review: Rock 'n' roll-trained actor brings Old Globe's 'Grinch' roaring back to life |url=https://www.delmartimes.net/art/story/2021-11-19/review-rock-n-roll-trained-actor-brings-old-globes-grinch-roaring-back-to-life |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=Del Mar Times |language=en-US}}</ref> |} Note: In 2018, Polec left the London West End cast of the show,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Andrew Polec to leave Bat Out of Hell - The Musical |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/production-news/andrew-polec-to-leave-bat-out-of-hell---the-musical1 |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=The Stage |language=En}}</ref> only to join the International Touring Cast of the same show. The 2018 Toronto run was originally intended as a tour of North America, but this tour was halted by the show's producers after the first venue.

=== Discography ===

Polec's recording debut was as a member of the University of Rochester's a cappella ensemble - the Midnight Ramblers - on their album ''Ben Folds Presents: University A Cappella!'', in 2009.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-29 |title=From Homer in the classroom to Meat Loaf on stage |url=https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/andrew-polec-bat-out-of-hell-the-musical-269202/ |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=NewsCenter |language=en-US}}</ref> In 2012, he released the album ''Welcome to Khat House'' as the lead singer of the band Khat House. The cast recording for ''Bat Out Of Hell: The Musical'', released in 2017, features several songs which he sings in his lead role as Strat. He appears on the season 1 soundtrack of the ''Katy Keene'' TV series, alongside Ashleigh Murray, singing ''City Of Lights''.

=== Television ===

In 2017 - 2018, Polec performed on various TV shows with the cast of ''Bat Out Of Hell The Musical'', including ''Tonight at the London Palladium'', ''Britain's Got Talent'' and ''This Morning'' in the UK, and the ''Today'' show in the US.

In 2020 - 2021, he acted in two US TV dramas; ''Katy Keene'' and ''Prodigal Son''.

== Awards and nominations ==

Polec won "Best West End Debut" at the inaugural Stage Debut Awards in 2017 for his role as Strat in ''Bat Out Of Hell The Musical''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2017-09-18 |title=The Stage Debut Awards: Meet theatre's hottest new stars |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-41302598 |access-date=2022-03-05}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The Stage Debut Awards |url=https://www.thestage.co.uk/awards/awards/the-stage-debut-awards |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221004143551/https://www.thestage.co.uk/awards/awards/the-stage-debut-awards |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 4, 2022 |access-date=2022-12-02 |website=The Stage |language=En}}</ref> For this same role, he was also nominated WhatsOnStage Award for Best Actor In A Musical in 2018, shortlisted for Best Actor in a New Production of a Musical in the BroadwayWorld UK Awards,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Swain |first=Marianka |title=Shortlist Announced For The 2017 BroadwayWorld UK Awards; Voting Now Open! |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Shortlist-Announced-For-The-2017-BroadwayWorld-UK-Awards-Voting-Now-Open-20171005 |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref> and nominated "Rising Star" in the 2017 West End Wilma Awards.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-09-29 |title=Last Chance To Vote For The Wilma Awards 2017 |url=https://www.westendwilma.com/news-wilma-awards-last-chance-2017/ |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=West End Wilma |language=en-GB}}</ref>

Polec won the Kurt Weill Foundation for Music's 23rd Annual Lotte Lenya Competition in 2021.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cristi |first=A. A. |title=Andrew Polec Wins The International Lotte Lenya Competition – Theatrical/Voice |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/bwwclassical/article/Andrew-Polec-Wins-The-International-Lotte-Lenya-Competition-TheatricalVoice-20210908 |access-date=2022-03-05 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}</ref>

== References == {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Polec, Andrew}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people