Brady became well-known for his improv work on "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and later hosted "The Wayne Brady Show."
He has appeared in Chicago (Billy Flynn) on Broadway and Rent (Collins) at the Hollywood Bowl.
Other TV work includes "Chappelle’s Show," "30 Rock," "Dirt," "Everybody Hates Chris," "How I Met Your Mother" and "Don’t Forget the Lyrics!"
Brady earned a Grammy Award nomination for his debut musical album "A Long Time Coming." He can currently be seen hosting "Let’s Make a Deal."
Full given name: | Wayne Brady |
Where you were born/where you were raised: | Born in Columbus, GA. Raised in Orlando, FL. |
Zodiac Sign: | Gemini |
What your parents did/do for a living: | My dad was a drill sergeant in the US Army. |
Siblings: | My sister Kimberly, who is my also my assistant! She's got my back. |
Audition song: | I used to audition with "River In The Rain" from Big River, "So You Wanted To Meet The Wizard" from The Wiz and a few songs from Rent.
I'd always forget my monologues, so I'd make them up on the spot. |
Something you're REALLY bad at: | I cannot fake ballet. At all. I was the worst Richie in Chorus Line in musical theatre history! I did a production in Orlando at the Mark 2 Dinner Theatre, and what I'm bad at is a grande jete. |
Some favorite modern musicals: | In The Heights!!!!!! Rent, Kinky Boots, Book of Mormon |
Some favorite classic musicals: | On The Town, Annie Get Your Gun, Sophisticated Ladies, West Side Story, Purlie, The Wiz |
Broadway or screen stars of the past you would have most loved to perform with: | Sammy Davis Jr. and Gregory Hines |
Your personal vocal idols, living or dead: | Sam Cooke |
The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: | Watching my daughter's debut in her school's production of Annie. Her mom and I cried like babies. Big adult babies in the front row. |
Pop culture guilty pleasure: | "Rupaul's Drag Race" is my pop culture guilty pleasure. Amazing! |
First stage kiss: | I was always writing scenes for myself in class where I got to kiss the girl. My first real stage kiss was in The Only Game In Town. Sadly my 1st on camera kiss was probably Colin in "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" |
Moment you knew you wanted to perform for a living: | This has been my dream since I saw Danny Kaye in "The Inspector General." |
If you could trade roles/tracks with anyone in the show for a week, who would it be? | I'd trade roles in my show with Rogellio Douglas Jr. who plays Paul. He gets to sing "Too Darn Hot" and dance his butt off. One of the highlights of the night, then he goes backstage to watch CNN or BET while I'm sweating MY butt off in my Ricky Ricardo wig! |