Derek Klena recently starred on Broadway as “Christian” in the Tony Award-winning Best Musical MOULIN ROUGE, directed by Alex Timbers. Previously, he originated the role of “Nick Healy” in Alanis Morissette’s critically acclaimed musical JAGGED LITTLE PILL, for which he received a Tony Award Nomination for “Best Featured Actor in a Musical”.

Derek first broke onto the NYC theatre scene in the 2012 Off-Broadway revival of CARRIE, where he quickly garnered attention from Oscar, Grammy, and Tony winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul to originate the lead role of “Eddie Birdlace” in DOGFIGHT. He received a Clive Barnes Award Nomination for his performance. Derek made his Broadway debut as “Fiyero” in the 10th-anniversary company of WICKED. On Broadway, he also originated the roles of “Michael Johnson” in Jason Robert Brown’s THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY and “Dmitry” in Ahrens/Flaherty/McNally’s ANASTASIA. Other notable theatre credits include starring as “Joe Gillis” opposite Stephanie J. Block in the Kennedy Center’s SUNSET BOULEVARD, Williamstown Theatre Festival’s UNKNOWN SOLDIER, directed by Trip Cullman; Signature Theatre’s DINER, written by Sheryl Crow & Barry Levinson; and the Hollywood Bowl’s star-studded production of HAIRSPRAY, directed by Jerry Mitchell. 

On television, Derek can be seen in the pivotal role of “Wes” in the MAX series, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS: ORIGINAL SIN. Derek is known for his memorable arc as “DJ Fingablast” on Tina Fey and Robert Carlock’s Netflix hit UNBREAKABLE KIMMY SCHMIDT. Other TV credits CITY ON A HILL, THE CODE, and A HOLIDAY SPECTACULAR.