Portrait of a man with a thoughtful expression, wearing a suit jacket and white shirt, resting his chin on his hand against a dark background.

Biography

Born into a family of music and theater in Uppsala, Sweden, Glaser’s grandfather was German-Swedish composer, conductor, pianist, and poet Werner Wolf Glaser. His uncle is Swedish actor and director Etienne Glaser. 

Paul Glaser began taking dance, singing and acting lessons in 1980. Then, from 1983 to 1985, Konstantin Damiano initially trained him as a classical dancer at the Royal Swedish Ballet in Stockholm. Upon graduation, he was awarded the Carina Ari Prize. He received his first roles at the Parkteatern in Stockholm as Baby John in West Side Story and as Fritz in Pelle Svanslös at the Oscars Teatern in Stockholm.

In 1985, he was hired as a singer and solo dancer with a three-year contract at the Malmö Stadsteater. There he performed in the ballet productions Gaîté Parisienne (choreographed by Léonide Massine), Symphony in D (choreography: Jiří Kylián), Coppelia (staged by Hans Brenaa), and The Nutcracker (choreography: Marius Petipa)

At the same time, he began to perform as an actor and singer in operettas and musicals, playing the gardener Robert in Oh My Papa and "Cagelle" Nicole in La Cage Aux Folles (with Jan Malmsjö in the leading role). During his engagement at Malmö Stadsteater he received additional ballet coaching from Olga Lepeshinskaya.

In 1988 Glaser moved to Germany, for his contract with the Hamburg production of Cats (by Andrew Lloyd Weber). He was the first Cats performer, worldwide, to be offered both the singing role of Rum Rum Tugger and the dancing role of Mr Mistoffelees in the same production. 

After concluding his Cats contract, Glaser performed in popular musical productions including in Into The Woods (Stephen Sondheim), La Cage Aux Folles (Jerry Herman), Little Shop of Horrors (Alan Menken, Howard Ashman), Buddy: Buddy Holly Story (Alan Janes, Buddy Holly), Shakespeare Rock ‘n’ Roll, Grease (Jim Jacobs, Warren Casey), and The Rocky Horror Show (Richard O’Brian). 

In 1999 Glaser wrote and directed his first musical Peggy. It premiered at the Star Theatre in Hamburg. Published by Concord Theatricals, Peggy is Germany’s first comedy Country Musical. The story revolves around Peggy and Manfred, two outsiders in search for their true identity and where they belong. 

Since then Glaser has composed music for 46 theater productions. This includes a complete score for William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. Between early 2016 and 2019 Glaser composed music for six German-language family musicals, with book and direction by Christian Berg: Vom Fischer und Seiner Frau, Das Gespenst von Canterville, Rapunzel, Bambi, Frau Holle, and Das Phantom von Opa. 

Following his 2016 London West End Director’s debut with his production of American playwright Stephen Dolginoff’s musical Thrill Me  at the Jermyn Street Theatre, Glaser joined The English Theatre of Hamburg as Artistic Director in 2017. 

Stage plays he directed at the theater include The Picture of Dorian Gray, The Pride, Moonlight And Magnolias, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Apologia, The Woman in Black, The 39 Steps, Shirly Valentine, and Death Knell. 

In 2017, Glaser also composed music for the London production of Mary Stuart  (Friedrich Schiller)

In 2022, Glaser wrote and directed his stage adaptation of Great Expectations (Charles Dickens, which premiered at The English Theatre of Hamburg in 2022. The song especially written by Glaser for this production was Far and Away.

He also wrote the music and lyrics for the musical Tre Kvinnor, which premiered in Sweden in 2022. Glaser was also commissioned by Mendelssohn Choir in Hamburg to compose the piece “Home” for their concert Paradisisch

Glaser’s work as a composer and writer is ongoing. In 2023 he composed the theme song for the new musical  “60’s Girls”.

Performance & Acting Career

  • Tony in West Side Story (Slagthuset, Malmö)

  • Danny in Grease (Theater des Westens, Berlin)

  • Jack in Into the Woods (Malmö)

  • Rum Tum Tugger and Mr. Mistoffelees in Cats (Hamburg) – Unique dual contract for singing and dancing roles, a first for the production worldwide.

  • Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show (Ulm)

  • Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors (Kina Theatre, Stockholm)

  • Nicole in La Cage aux Folles (Stockholm) alongside Swedish star Jan Malmsjö.

  • Fritz in Pelle Svanslös (Oscars Teatern, Stockholm)

Additional roles include:

  • Romeo in Shakespeare & Rock’n’Roll (Berlin)

  • Ritchie Valens in Buddy Holly Story (Hamburg)

  • Charles in Freak Out (Hamburg)

  • Performed in operettas, musicals, and ballets such as Oh, Mein Papa, My Fair Lady, The Nutcracker, and Gaîté Parisienne during a multi-year contract with one of Sweden’s largest theatres, trained by ballet legends Olga Lepeshinskaya and Hans Brenaa.

Paul's dynamic versatility also led to performances at high-profile galas and as a member of the jazz vocal quartet E-Clipse with Roger Cicero.

Music Composition & Songwriting

Paul Glaser’s prolific career as a composer and songwriter spans original scores, theatrical compositions, and corporate music. His notable achievements include:

  • Voices (first single with Paul Glaser as artist) released under East West Records.

  • Multiple releases featuring Lee Baxter, Petter Bjällö, Annika Bruhns, Anton Zetterholm…

  • Musicals:

    • Peggy – Original musical written, directed, and played to critical acclaim in Hamburg.

    • Three Women (Tre Kvinnor) – Premiered in Sweden in 2022. (song-lyrics and music)

    • Das Gespenst von Canterville, Bambi, Rapunzel, Das Phantom von Opa, Frau Holle and Vom Fischer und seiner Frau with texts by Christian Berg.

  • Theatre Scores:

    • Composed complete scores for Twelfth Night and over 40 additional theatre productions, including Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, Visiting Mr. Green, and The Woman in Black, at The English Theatre of Hamburg.

  • Corporate Compositions: Music for leading brands such as Nikon, Casio, Air Hamburg, Special Olympics, and VW.

    • Releases include Hands in the Air, Peace Brush, and theme music for international product launches and events.

  • Film & Media Scores: Composed for productions such as Shut and Profile of Fear.

Paul continues to collaborate with top industry professionals, writing hit singles for performers like Lee Baxter, Annika Bruhns, and Petter Bjällö while composing innovative works for theatrical stages and film.

Directing & Choreography

Paul has directed and choreographed an extensive repertoire of theatrical productions and corporate events, including:

  • Acclaimed productions such as The Picture of Dorian Gray, Great Expectations (both author of the adaptation and director), Moonlight and Magnolias, The Pride, Apologia, The 39 Steps, Lizard Boy (European Premiere) Shirley Valentine, Death Knell, The Hound of the Baskervilles, Jeeves & Wooster - in Perfect Nonsense, Thrill Me, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.

  • HAP at Sorte Hest, Copenhagen, Denmark.

  • Thrill Me, London West End.

  • Choreographer and performer for Swedish television series Solstollarna, working with stars such as Samantha Fox, Lena Philipsson, Anna Book, and Lili & Susie.

  • Directed gala adaptations for productions such as Les Misérables (Verdi Bundeskongresseröffnungsveranstaltung), Hair, and All for One (based on The Three Musketeers).

  • Corporate Show Direction: Adoro Stadium Tour Germany Austria Switzerland Created innovative performances for brands such as Casio, CLAAS, Nikon, and Visit Sweden.

Voice Acting & Media

  • Extensive voice-over work for major brands, including Coca-Cola, Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Nivea, and Mini.

  • Featured in television spots, film soundtracks, and stage productions, showcasing his versatility across media platforms.

Leadership & Education

  • Artistic Director: The English Theatre of Hamburg.

    • Led the theatre to new artistic heights through innovative productions and creative programming.

  • Guest teacher at Musical Academy in Rome, leading Master Classes in musical theatre. R1 Musical Academy, Hamburg, Joop van den Ende Academy Hamburg.

Awards & Distinctions

  • Theaterpreis Hamburg – Rolf Mares Award for Best Director (2023)

  • Carina Ari Award for Ballet Excellence (Graduation, Royal Swedish Ballet School)

  • Represented British culture by welcoming King Charles III and Queen Camilla during their state visit in 2023.

Publication & Writing

  • Author of Att odla papaya på Österlen (Prisma Publishing)

  • Collaborated on musicals and theatrical works with renowned playwrights and creatives.

  • Critically acclaimed stage adaption of Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations.”

Upcoming

Directing the European Premiere of Lauren Gunderson’s “Anthropology” at The English Theatre of Hamburg,