J. Robert Spencer

is an American actor and singer, who was nominated for a Tony Award for his work in the Broadway musical Next to Normal. He graduated cum laude in 1991 from the Shenandoah University musical theatre program, and received an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts in 2009. His Broadway debut was as a "swing" in the musical Side Show in 1997. He appeared in the musical Weird Romance in April 2004 at the York Theatre, New York, and the musical God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater in April 2005 at the York Theatre. He went on to star as "Nick Massi" in the original Broadway cast of the musical Jersey Boys He most recently starred in the Broadway musical Next to Normal, for which he received a Tony Award nomination as Best Actor in a Musical. He was also in the Arena Stage production (2008) and received a Helen Hayes Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Non-Resident Production. He departed the production on May 16, 2010 and was succeeded by original Off-Broadway cast member Brian d'Arcy James.