Jeremy Kushnier
About
Biography
Filmography
Biography
This handsome young rising talent took Broadway by storm in his first leading role as Ren (the Kevin Bacon role) in "Footloose" in 1998. Jeremy Kushnier was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and received training with the Royal Winnipeg Ballet and the Winnipeg School of Performing Arts. He began performing professionally at age 13 and by the mid-1980s had relocated to Toronto. In 1990, Kushnier performed in the revue "Say It With Music." Five years later, he was cast in the Toronto production of "The Who's Tommy" and later toured with the production. He segued to the Canadian production of "Rent" and in 1997 made his first forays into TV acting in episodes of "FX: The Series" and "John Woo's Once a Thief."
In a now famous incident, Kushnier took a 12-hour overnight bus ride from Canada to NYC to audition for a role in "Footloose" in 1997. After freshening up in a public restroom in a Manhattan hotel, he went to the try-out and gave his all. Because the auditions ran late, he missed his return bus and was forced to stay overnight in the city. Just one half-hour before he boarded for his return trip, he got the good news. Not only had he landed a part in the musical, he had landed the lead. When he made his Broadway debut as Ren in "Footloose," Kushnier immediately became an overnight star and attracted a rabid fan base. He subsequently worked in the workshops of a musicalization of "Summer of '42" and "Joe: The Musical." In 2000, Kushnier was cast as a youth who leads a swing band in 1930s Germany involved in a love triangle in "The Rhythm Club." The musical premiered at the Signature Theater in Virginia but failed to make its intended move to Broadway.
Life Events
1990
Performed in "Say It With Music" at the Rainbow Stage
1995
Cast in the Toronto production of "The Who's Tommy"; later toured Canada
1997
Acted in "John Woo's Once a Thief" and "FX: The Series"
1997
Traveled 12 hours overnight on a bus to NYC to audition for lead role in "Footloose"; remained overnight in Manhattan; cast in the part of Ren McCormack a half-hour before the returning left for Canada
1998
Broadway debut, "Footloose"
2000
Cast as one of the leads in "The Rhythm Club"; premiered at The Signature Theater in Arlington, Virginia
2001
Feature film debut. "The Adulterer"
