“Curtis Bannister is the undisputed star of the show. He brings pathos and a deep amount of humanity to the role; he's a commanding performer”
Broadway World
“radiating with slowly simmering energy, Curtis Bannister proves his enviable control several times over.”
TimeOut Magazine
The recipient of the Actors Equity Foundation Roger Sturtevant Award and a Drama League Award nominee, Curtis Bannister has been praised by TimeOut Magazine as “radiating with slowly simmering energy” and a “quiet revelation” by the L.A. Times for his performances in theater, opera, and film.
Most recently, Curtis has been praised for his debut appearance alongside Broadway star Ashley Brown with Artis-Naples/Naples Philharmonic, a return to the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as the concert partner of Grammy and Tony Winner, Heather Headley, and debut with Chicago Shakespeare Theater as Caesar (Brutus u/s) in the Q-Brother’s “Rome Sweet Rome”. Future projects include Encores! New York City Center’s production of “The Wild Party”, a return to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (Broadway Standing Ovations) and future projects in New York, Chicago, Indianapolis, Berlin, Paris, Lyon and Copenhagen.
Curtis debuted with Asolo Rep Theater in 2024 as Reverend Jeremiah Brown in the American classic, “Inherit the Wind”, George in Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Intimate Apparel” and Juror #8 in the world premiere production of the musical adaptation of “12 Angry Men”. Following this 6-month engagement at Asolo Rep, Curtis debuted his new recital program “Jantelagen” at The Centerstage in Reston, Virginia alongside renowned pianist, Mark Markham, debuted as the featured soloist with the Indianapolis Symphony with Grammy and Dove-winner vocalist, Sandi Patti, made his operatic Washington DC debut as Robert Johnson in Damien Geter’s new opera “Delta King’s Blues”, and returned to Chicago’s Goodman Theater in the Broadway musical, “The Color Purple”.
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, Atlanta Opera, The Philadelphia Orchestra, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Heartbeat Opera, Chicago Opera Theatre, Pensacola Opera and Utah Festival Opera. Previous theater highlights include Jamie/The Last Five Years, Enjolras/Les Miserables, Coalhouse Walker Jr/Ragtime, Sid Sorokin/The Pajama Game, Ragotski & Cacambo/Candide, Sweeney Todd/Sweeney Todd, John/Miss Saigon, Jim/Big River, Man 1/Songs for a New World, Jim Conley/Parade, and Jamie/The Last Five Years.
Curtis made his debut at the TRIBECA FILM FESTIVAL in the feature film “The Conductor”, can be seen as Marquis on season two of the Apple TV+ series, DICKINSON, Reimers on season six of NBC’s CHICAGO FIRE, and debuts as Enzo on season two of the Netflix comedy, SURVIVAL OF THE THICKEST, starring Michelle Buteau.
Instagram: @thee_cb