Biography

Dame Judi Dench has described Erik Liberman as "a singular talent whose artistic vision, commitment, and humanity make him a tremendous asset to any creative community."

His recent credits include readings with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino at TriBeCa, Douglas Carter Beane's "Café Society" in London, Einstein in "Mrs. Einstein" by Pulitzer-finalist Kathleen Cahill, and assisting writer Marco Pennette on Broadway's Tony-winning musical, "Death Becomes Her."

He is best known for originating roles on and Off-Broadway, including Telephone Guy in "The Band's Visit, opposite Tony-winners Tony Shalhoub and Katrina Lenk (Original Off-Broadway Cast Recording); Revlon founder Charles Revson, nemesis of Tony-winners Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole in "War Paint," directed by Michael Greif (Original Cast Recording); Clopin, King of the Gypsies, in Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" for Disney (Original Cast Recording), and in Harold Prince's last original musical on Broadway, "LoveMusik," by Oscar-winner Alfred Uhry and starring Tony-winners Donna Murphy and Michael Cerveris (Original Cast Recording).

He has played leading roles in major revivals, including Motel the Tailor in "Fiddler on the Roof," opposite Tony-winner Harvey Fierstein and Oscar-nominees Topol and Theodore Bikel. Liberman was reviewed as "the best Motel I have ever seen, anywhere," prompting Hal Prince to recommend him for his first directing job, helming the 50th anniversary "Fiddler" celebration at New York's Town Hall with an all-star cast, ranging from Chita Rivera to Joshua Bell. He appeared in Symphony Space's "Fiddler at 50" celebration for honorary chairs Lin-Manuel Miranda, Stephen Sondheim, and Prince, as well. Additional revivals include a 25th anniversary production of Sondheim's "Into the Woods" opposite original "Little Red," Danielle Ferland, and "Merrily We Roll Along," for which he received a Helen Hayes Award, Carol Burnett's "Hollywood Arms," and "The Who's Tommy." Liberman has played Groucho Marx twice off-Broadway and at The White House, originated roles in onstage adaptations of cult classics "Reefer Madness!" and "Somewhere in Time," and launched his New York career with choreography for "Mabou Mines Dollhouse," which played off-Broadway twice, toured the world, and was filmed for TV.

He has appeared in concerts at Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, Town Hall, Symphony Space, Joe's Pub, 54 Below, Largo at the Coronet, Shakespeare & Co., and more, on the "The Beatles Complete on Ukelele" album, and has participated in the development of more than 150 new works for TV, film and stage at Sundance Theatre Lab, American Repertory Theatre, Vineyard Arts Center, The Actors Studio, The Public, Second Stage, NYTW, BMI, ASCAP, and New Dramatists, with artists ranging from Sally Field and Luc Besson to Moisés Kaufman, Tina Landau, and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Jackie Sibblies Drury.

On TV, where he began acting as a child, Liberman developed and guest starred on the musical series finale of Amazon's "Transparent," on "Modern Family," Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger's "Vinyl," A & E's "Unforgettable," "Get Real" with Anne Hathaway and Jesse Eiseinberg, and on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" spin-off series, "Angel." On the big screen, he appears as Rabbi Joseph in "Our Lives After" (2026) and played a junkie in "American Dream" with Alfred Molina, which debuted in Cannes and received citations at more than 30 major film festivals.

As a writer, Liberman has contributed to periodicals (The New York Times, Huffington Post, Hollywood Reporter, Variety, Billboard), books ("Wisdom from an Empty Mind," endorsed by Eckhart Tolle, Ram Dass and Louise Hay; "Luminous Life"; and the Actors' Equity centennial celebration, "Performance of the Century") and is an award-winning Moth storyteller. He has been profiled in Forbes twice, in London's Cinematic Journal, and is preparing multiple projects about Jayne Mansfield.

Liberman is a winner of the Lotte Lenya Competition for Singers, and is a Kurt Weill Foundation, YoungArts, Helen Hayes, CT Critics Circle, New York Musical Theatre Festival, Ovation, and Garland Awardee. During the pandemic, he produced the online master class series "Bridge to Broadway" with a roster of nearly 100 luminaries of stage and screen, including Alan Menken, Joe Mantello, Chita Rivera, Ann Reinking, Joel Grey, André De Shields, Lea Salonga, and Judith Light, and was recognized with an Encore Award from the Entertainment Community Fund. A member of the National Alliance of Acting Teachers, he has served as a guest artist and/or master teacher at conservatories worldwide.

Born in Miami, Liberman was mentored by Maureen Stapleton and Dame Judi Dench, and attended New World School of the Arts high school. He later trained at The Groundlings, Ann Reinking's Broadway Theatre Project, London's Royal National Theatre Studio, Complicité, and École Philippe Gaulier, where he studied with the last living clown master.
- IMDb mini biography by: Anonymous