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Broadway Star Norm Lewis Opens Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea at LTV in Wainscott
The Tony, Emmy and Grammy-nominated performer — and the first Black actor to play the Phantom on Broadway — launches the 2026 season on June 28 with an intimate East End concert featuring Broadway favorites, contemporary hits and audience interaction.
People often recognize Norm Lewis. But they need a minute to place him. It usually takes one word, he says.
“I’ll be in some city and people who don’t know my name will look at me and say, thanks to streaming, ‘You look so familiar!’” Lewis said. “Once I say, ‘Probably Scandal,’ it clicks and they say, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s you!’ The series did a lot to boost whatever notoriety I have.”
Lewis is being modest.
The Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award nominee may have gotten a major career bump by playing Kerry Washington’s love interest, Sen. Edison Davis, on Shonda Rhimes’ hit political drama Scandal, but his résumé is as rich as his baritone voice.
Whether audiences know him from television, Broadway or the concert stage, Lewis has spent decades captivating audiences with his commanding presence and remarkable vocal range.
Opening Night for Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea
Lewis’ theatrical career is the stuff of history.
Not only was he the first Black actor to play the Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway, he was also the first Black actor to portray Inspector Javert in the Broadway revival of Les Misérables. His numerous stage highlights include Ragtime at Lincoln Center and The Gershwns’ Porgy & Bess on Broadway.
His film and television credits include Spike Lee’s acclaimed Netflix film Da 5 Bloods, the groundbreaking FX series Pose, ABC’s Women of the Movement and NBC’s Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert, alongside John Legend, Sara Bareilles and Alice Cooper.
Lewis has been entertaining audiences in concert halls and theaters around the country and is bringing his show to the Hamptons on June 28 to open Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea, the acclaimed cabaret and concert series at LTV Studios in Wainscott. It is a rare opportunity for East End audiences to experience a Broadway star of his caliber in an intimate cabaret setting.
We spoke with Lewis by phone about his career highlights and his upcoming Hamptons performance.
What Hamptons Audiences Can Expect
“An Evening with Norm Lewis” — what can audiences expect?
“If you know a good salad or a good meal that you love — that’s what you’re going to get with me,” Lewis said. “I’m the guy you can rely on to have some fun. I don’t want people coming there thinking they’re just going to get a show. I want them to come there and anticipate having a good time.”
Let’s talk about the set list. Give us a sense of what you’ll be singing.
“Definitely some Broadway music. Of course I’ll sing ‘Stars’ from Les Misérables. I’m known for that. It’s a signature piece for me. And yes, I’ll do ‘The Music of the Night’ from Phantom.”
They’ll run you out of town on the Jitney if you don’t do those songs …
“I will definitely be doing those songs,” he added with a laugh. “Expect a pinch of contemporary music. It’s a fun mix. I love to be in touch with the audience. Sometimes I get people to sing with me.”
A Return to the Hamptons
Have you played the Hamptons before?
“Yes, I played in Sag Harbor,” Lewis said. “I don’t know how much time I’ll have there this time, but I hope to at least have brunch or people-watch and put my foot in the ocean.”
The Role That Made Broadway History
To be the first Black actor to play the Phantom on Broadway — what was that moment like? Was it the big ground-breaking, historic event for you?
“Yes and no,” Lewis said. “I was more excited that I was given the chance to play that role and that I was employed.”
“For me, it was secondary that I was the first Black actor in that role on Broadway. I had hoped and dreamed about playing that role for 20 years. It started in 1994 when Robert Guillaume played the Phantom. I always thought you had to be a star to play it.”
Lewis recalls the audition as one of the defining moments of his career.
“I got to sing for Hal Prince and the casting team. I was so honored,” he said. “I could not have done better in that audition. If I had not gotten the role, I knew I had done my best. The reward was that I did it and received the accolades that followed.”
The Role of a Lifetime
How long did you play the Phantom on Broadway?
“Nine months. There was no experience like it,” Lewis said. “It was probably the most challenging role I’ve ever done. There was the expectation of a certain sound because the role is so iconic, and I didn’t want to mess it up for anyone.”
Lewis said his baritone voice brought a unique quality to the role.
“I think I was the first baritone they ever hired, so there was a richer sound that I brought to it that I could not fake,” he said. “Andrew Lloyd Webber was pleased, and that gave me some secret excitement. It was a joy to do the show.”
Bringing Joy to the East End
Are you excited to open the Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea season?
“I am,” Lewis said. “I’m just going to bring me and have fun. I hope people come out expecting that fun and party atmosphere and leave the theater with joy and hopefully some memorable songs.”
Performance: An Evening With Norm Lewis
When: June 28
Where: LTV Studios, Wainscott
Opening-night festivities: Summer toast, presentation of the Frances Ann Dougherty Award for Broadcast Philanthropy to Jean Shafiroff and post-show dessert reception.
Tickets: ltveh.org
Opening Night Celebration and Season Preview
Lewis’ June 28 performance will do more than launch the season. Opening night of the third annual Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea will also feature a special summer toast and the presentation of LTV Studios’ Frances Ann Dougherty Award for Broadcast Philanthropy to philanthropist, author and television host Jean Shafiroff.
Series founders and producers Donna Rubin and Josh Gladstone will present the award, which recognizes leadership, generosity and a commitment to strengthening the community through media. Named for Frances Ann Dougherty, the wife of LTV founder Frazer Dougherty and one of the organization’s earliest supporters, the honor is awarded annually to an individual with strong East End ties who has helped advance LTV’s mission in public-access, educational and government broadcasting.
Shafiroff is being recognized for her longtime support of LTV and for the success of her television program, Successful Philanthropy, which spotlights charitable leadership and community engagement.
Following Lewis’ performance, guests will gather for a dessert reception featuring creations by chef Annie Washburn.
A Summer of Broadway and Cabaret Favorites
The third season of Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea continues throughout the summer with a lineup of acclaimed Broadway, cabaret and musical theater performers.
The season includes Ann Hampton Callaway on July 11; Klea Blackhurst and Billy Stritch celebrating the music of Hoagy Carmichael on July 18; and journalist and host David Alpern leading an evening devoted to Lorenz Hart with Maria Abous and Eric Yves Garcia on July 25.
August performances include “A Swell-egant, Elegant Party” on Aug. 1, hosted by Laurence Maslon and featuring Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano. On Aug. 22, KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler will be joined by Stephanie Pope and Christine Pedi for a special program co-sponsored by the Mabel Mercer Foundation. on Sunday, August 23, Hamptons resident Pamela Morgan performs “What’s Cooking? Where Ever Song Comes with. Story and a Little Spice at LTV Studios.”
The season concludes Aug. 29 with a performance by Tony Award-winning actress Donna McKechnie, best known for her iconic role of Cassie in the Broadway musical A Chorus Line.
Founded by Rubin and Gladstone, Hamptons Summer Songbook by the Sea has become one of the East End’s signature summer performing arts series, bringing Broadway, cabaret and American Songbook artists to the intimate black-box theater at LTV Studios in Wainscott.
LTV, a public access television station, serves the East End community by providing local government programming, events, and facilities for residents to create and broadcast their own shows and record podcasts.
