Biography
| The son of Havana-born author and vision scientist Jacob and social worker Marsha, Erik was born in Miami, Florida. He was mentored by Maureen Stapleton, named a YoungArts winner in high school, and trained at London’s Complicité and National Theatre, where he came under the wing of Judi Dench. He received a grant to study with master clown teacher Philippe Gaulier in France, and in Los Angeles, was the face of noted improv-and-sketch-comedy school, The Groundlings.
Liberman was “discovered” by 21-time Tony Award-winning director and producer Harold Prince as a winner of the Lotte Lenya Competition. Prince hired him for his Broadway debut in LoveMusik, written by Oscar winner Alfred Uhry and starring Tony winners Donna Murphy and Michael Cerveris, remarking of the actor, “Erik is the real deal. Once you’ve seen him, you can’t forget him.” Liberman went on to receive Helen Hayes, Ovation, Garland, Connecticut Critics Circle and NYMF Awards, his onstage work reviewed as “a showcase of sheer star power.” He originated the roles of Telephone Guy in the award-winning Band’s Visit opposite Tony Shalhoub, Charles Revson opposite Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole in War Paint, and Clopin in Alan Menken, Stephen Schwartz, and Peter Parnell’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Other theatre highlights include: Motel in Fiddler of the Roof opposite Harvey Fierstein and the film’s star, Topol, and co-direction of Raising the Roof, the show’s all-star 50th-anniversary celebration at Town Hall; acclaimed portrayals of comedian Groucho Marx off-Broadway and at the White House; major revivals of Sondheim musicals; and choreography for Mabou Mines DollHouse, which played off-Broadway twice and toured the world. He has participated in the development of new works at Sundance Theatre Lab, appeared in benefit concerts under the auspices of Sondheim, Lin Manuel Miranda, and Carol Burnett, on television in Transparent, Modern Family , and HBO’s Vinyl, among others, and in the upcoming film, American Dream with Alfred Molina. Liberman has contributed essays to The Huffington Post and The Hollywood Reporter, to books including Performance of the Century, Wisdom From An Empty Mind (endorsed by Eckhart Tolle and Ram Dass), and Luminous Life, and is preparing a book and documentary about the American actress Jayne Mansfield. His acclaimed master class series, Bridge to Broadway, benefited 45 charities and earned him an Encore Award from The Actors Fund. |