As the winner of the 2021 Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award: Outstanding Performance in Musical Theater, a Drama League Award nominee: Best Concert Performance and 2023 Joseph Jefferson Award nominee: Outstanding Performance by a Principal Actor in a Musical, actor and tenor Curtis Bannister has been praised by the LA Times as “a quiet revelation” and Broadway World as “a commanding performer”.
Since making his unexpected but lauded operatic debut in the title role of Verdi’s Otello with the Utah Festival, Curtis has been lauded as one of the most talented multi-genre performing artists of his generation for his achievements in theater, classical music, and film. In 2025, Curtis will make his stage debut at the Goodman Theater in “The Color Purple” following his debut with the company beside Heather Headley for the theater’s 2021 gala, “Together: Center Stage”, made his operatic debut in Washington DC as Robert Johnson in Damien Geter’s “Delta King’s Blues”, and will return as co-host to Indianapolis Symphony’s “Yuletide” holiday performances opposite Broadway star Ashley Brown.
Curtis debuted at The Kennedy Center as Soloist 1/Celebrant (cover) in Leonard Bernstein’s MASS for the Center’s 50th Anniversary celebration with the National Symphony and has performed, in concert, with the Cincinnati Symphony/Cincinnati Pops Orchestra’s Celebration Concert, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and his The Philadelphia Orchestra in Bernstein’s “Candide” alongside Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan. Bannister has performed with Lyric Opera of Chicago, St. Petersburg Opera, Atlanta Opera, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Heartbeat Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre and Utah Festival Opera. Previous theatrical role highlights include Enjolras/Les Miserables, Coalhouse Walker Jr/Ragtime, Sid Sorokin/The Pajama Game, Ragotski & Cacambo/Candide, Celebrant/Bernstein’s Mass, Sweeney Todd/Sweeney Todd, John/Miss Saigon, Jim/Big River, Man 1/Songs for a New World, Jim Conley/Parade, Jamie/The Last Five Years, and Andre/Ain’t Misbehavin’. Future projects include debuts and return performances in Chicago, New York, Washington DC, and a supporting role in the upcoming film, “A Talented Man”.
In film and television, Curtis made his debut at the TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL in the feature film “The Conductor”, Marquis on season 2 of the Apple TV+ series, DICKINSON, opposite Hailee Steinfeld, Reimers in season 6 of NBC’s CHICAGO FIRE, and season 2 of Netflix’ SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST, opposite comedian Michelle Buteau.
www.thecurtisbannister.com; Instagram: @thee_cb; Twitter: theecb
October 2023
Please note: Biographies are based on information provided to the CSO by the artists or their representatives. More current information may be available on websites of the artists or their management.
