Actor Claybourne Elde Inside Scoop on Broadway Shutdown

Claybourne Elder was starring in the ‘woke’ version of “Company” on Broadway opposite Tony Award winners Katrina Lenk and Patti LuPone before the Broadway shutdown… which is now the longest Broadway shutdown in history.

Claybourne talks about how Broadway does not get government funding or unemployment, what performers are doing now to make a living, and how he found out about the shutdown. Claybourne also famously understudied for Jake Gylenhaal in ‘Sunday in the Park with George’ in 2017.

Interview by : Lauren Conlin

IG : @lauren_interviews

Twitter: @conlin_lauren

Edited by : Nicola Villasana

Claybourne Elder is an American actor, singer, and writer best known for his work in television and on Broadway.

Early Life and Education

• Born: April 21, 1982, in Springville, Utah.
• Background: Raised in the LDS (Mormon) church as the youngest of eight children.
• Education: Attended Brigham Young University (BYU), then later earned his degree in dramaturgy and directing from the University of Utah. He also trained at the Moscow Klasse Centre. 

Career Highlights

• Broadway & Stage: Featured in major productions including Road Show, Bonnie & Clyde (as Buck), Sunday in the Park with George, Torch Song, and the 2021/2022 revival of Company (playing Andy). He also starred as Dr. Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors at New York’s Westside Theatre.
• Television: Played John Adams on HBO’s historical drama series The Gilded Age and appeared in The Carrie Diaries (as Pete) and FBI.
• Music: Released his debut solo album, If the Stars Were Mine, via Center Stage Records in 2026.
• Origin Story: He decided to move to New York City to pursue acting after a stranger randomly gifted him a ticket to see Sweeney Todd on Broadway in 2007—an encounter he famously reunited with years later. 

Personal Life

• Family: Married theater director Eric Rosen in July 2012, and the couple has one son via surrogacy.
• Other Ventures: Known for his DIY home renovations (featured in Architectural Digest), self-taught cooking classes, and work as a brand spokesperson. 

Would you like to know more about his specific theatrical roles, TV credits, or his recent cabaret tour?

Cover photo courtesy Playbill