Derek Anthony Klena, born October 3, 1991, is an American actor, singer, and baseball player from San Dimas, California. He originated three major Broadway roles, including Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill, earning a Tony Award nomination.
In December 2025, he joined the viral Savannah Bananas baseball team for their 2026 season.
Who is Derek Klena?
Derek Klena is an American actor and singer best known for his work in Broadway musical theater.
He has originated three major Broadway roles: Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill, Dmitry in Anastasia, and Michael in The Bridges of Madison County. Each production earned him widespread recognition.
His Tony Award nomination for Jagged Little Pill in 2020 placed him among Broadway’s most celebrated leading men. He also spent multiple stints as Christian in the hit musical Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
Before his theater career, Klena played college baseball as a freshman at UCLA. In 2026, he brought both worlds together by joining the Savannah Bananas, a theatrical baseball team that fills major league stadiums across the country.
He has also appeared on television in shows including Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, and Law & Order: SVU. His combination of athletic and performing talent makes him a unique figure in modern entertainment.
Early Life of Derek Klena
Derek Klena was born in San Dimas, California, and grew up in West Covina, California, a city west of Los Angeles. He is the oldest of three children born to John and Lynn Klena.
His younger brother, Dillon Klena, also became an actor and singer. His younger sister, Lauren Klena, also participated in musical theater growing up.
Klena discovered a love for performance at a young age. He joined a children’s stage company called MET2 and began acting in children’s theater from an early age.
Derek Klena Age
Derek Klena is 34 years old as of June 28, 2026, born on October 3, 1991.
His zodiac sign is Libra.
In 2025, he returned briefly to Wicked on Broadway as Fiyero before signing with the Savannah Bananas for the 2026 season.
Derek Klena Ethnicity and Nationality
Klena holds American nationality, born and raised in California.
He comes from a Jewish family. His upbringing in the greater Los Angeles area placed him near one of the country’s most active theater and entertainment communities from an early age.
Derek Klena Height and Weight
Derek Klena stands approximately 6 feet 1 inch tall, or about 1.85 meters.
His weight is not publicly confirmed. He maintains a lean and athletic build, consistent with his background as both a college baseball player and a stage performer.
His physical presence on stage has been a noted asset in leading-man roles across multiple major Broadway productions.
Derek Klena Education
Klena attended South Hills High School in West Covina, California, where he played baseball and participated in musical theater. After graduating, he enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
At UCLA, he initially studied theater before switching his major to psychology. During his freshman year, he also played as a walk-on pitcher for the UCLA baseball team.
He took a leave of absence from UCLA in his junior year to join the 2012 Off-Broadway revival of Carrie. That decision launched the acting career he has built ever since.
Derek Klena Career
Off-Broadway Breakthrough
Klena began performing in regional Southern California theater from 2009 to 2011 while attending UCLA. During that period, he also appeared in the ninth season of American Idol.
In 2010, producer Marc Shaiman noticed Klena’s cover of the song “Goodbye” from Catch Me If You Can at a Los Angeles cabaret. Shaiman invited him to audition as a standby for the show’s Broadway run. He did not book the part but landed an audition for the workshop of Carrie.
He took his UCLA leave of absence to join the 2012 Off-Broadway revival of Carrie at MCC Theater. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul noticed his performance there, and they cast him as the lead Eddie Birdlace in their stage adaptation of Dogfight at Second Stage Theater. Klena received a Clive Barnes Award nomination for that role.
Broadway Debut and Early Roles
Klena made his Broadway debut in 2013 as Fiyero in the 10th-anniversary company of Wicked. Following that, in 2014, he originated the role of Michael in Jason Robert Brown’s The Bridges of Madison County.
The Bridges of Madison County ran from February to May 2014. His performance in the original cast helped establish him as a dependable leading man in new musicals.
In 2016, he was cast as Dmitry in the original production of Anastasia. The show premiered in Hartford, Connecticut, in March 2016 and opened on Broadway in April 2017.
Klena played Dmitry for roughly a year before leaving to take part in the world premiere of Jagged Little Pill at the American Repertory Theater in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2018.
Jagged Little Pill and Tony Nomination
The Broadway production of Jagged Little Pill, based on the music of Alanis Morissette, opened in December 2019. Klena originated the role of Nick Healy in the production.
The show paused in March 2020 due to the pandemic. It reopened in October 2021 before closing a few months later.
Klena earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Nick Healy. The nomination came at the 74th Tony Awards in 2020 during a delayed ceremony.
Moulin Rouge! and Recognition
In May 2022, Klena replaced Aaron Tveit as Christian in Moulin Rouge! The Musical on Broadway. He left the cast in January 2023, then returned from April through July 2023.
In January 2024, he returned again, playing Christian from February through July 2024.
Klena won the 2023 Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for Favorite Replacement for his performance as Christian. He also starred as Joe Gillis opposite Stephanie J. Block in Sunset Boulevard at the Kennedy Center in February 2023.
Recent Work
In May 2025, Klena returned to Wicked on Broadway for a limited run as Fiyero lasting from May 27 through June 8.
In December 2025, he joined the Savannah Bananas, the viral theatrical baseball team at the center of the growing Banana Ball Championship League. He serves as an Entertainment Player and Pitcher for their full 2026 season.
The team plays in major league stadiums across the country, combining baseball with choreographed performances. Klena has performed Broadway songs including “Waving Through a Window” from Dear Evan Hansen and “A Thousand Miles” live at stadiums including UNC-Chapel Hill’s Kenan Stadium and Atlanta’s Truist Park.
The Banana Bowl Season Championship is set to stream on Disney+ in the fall of 2026.
Derek Klena Awards and Recognition
Klena received a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical at the 74th Tony Awards in 2020 for his role as Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill. It remains his most prominent industry honor to date.
In 2023, he won the Broadway.com Audience Choice Award for Favorite Replacement for his performance as Christian in Moulin Rouge! The Musical. The fan-voted award recognized his multiple stints in the demanding leading role.
During his Off-Broadway run in Dogfight, he also earned a Clive Barnes Award nomination. Both that nomination and his Tony nod reflect his standing as a performer who elevates each production he joins.
Derek Klena Wife
Derek Klena married Elycia Scriven on September 22, 2018, in an oceanside ceremony in Gualala, California. The two met as students at UCLA, where Elycia is a former classmate and longtime partner.
Elycia is a book and cooking enthusiast who shares her artwork and sketches on social media. The couple lives in New York City.
Klena has spoken publicly about how becoming a father reshaped his priorities and deepened his approach to performance.
Derek Klena Children
The couple welcomed their first son, Dax Arthur Klena, on September 8, 2022. Klena announced the birth on Instagram shortly after, writing about how much the family appreciated having a “happy, healthy mama and a sweet baby boy.”
Their second son, Otto Anthony Klena, arrived in October 2024. Klena has shared details about balancing fatherhood with the demands of a busy performance schedule.
Both boys now join Klena and his wife in New York City, where the family resides when not on the road.
Derek Klena Net Worth
Derek Klena’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026.
His income comes primarily from his years of work in major Broadway productions, television appearances, and original cast recordings. Each Broadway run, including long stretches in Moulin Rouge! and Jagged Little Pill, contributed steady theatrical income over more than a decade.
His work with the Savannah Bananas in 2026 adds a new touring income stream alongside his stage career.
Derek Klena Social Media
Klena is active on Instagram under @derek_klena, where he posts updates on his Savannah Bananas performances, Broadway projects, and family life.
On X (formerly Twitter), he posts under @DerekKlena, sharing news about upcoming shows and performances.
His Savannah Bananas performances have generated millions of views across social media, introducing his work to audiences well beyond the traditional Broadway fanbase.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Derek Klena’s net worth?
Derek Klena’s estimated net worth is $2 million as of 2026. His income comes from Broadway, television, original cast recordings, and his 2026 role with the Savannah Bananas.
How old is Derek Klena?
Derek Klena is 34 years old as of June 2026, born on October 3, 1991.
Who is Derek Klena married to?
Klena is married to Elycia Scriven, whom he wed in September 2018 after meeting at UCLA. The couple has two sons.
What is Derek Klena’s biggest Broadway role?
Klena’s most celebrated role is Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill, for which he earned a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actor in a Musical in 2020.
Where was Derek Klena born?
Derek Klena was born in San Dimas, California, and grew up in nearby West Covina.
What is Derek Klena famous for?
Derek Klena is known for originating three major Broadway roles, his Tony Award nomination for Jagged Little Pill, and his 2026 performances with the Savannah Bananas.
The Bottom Line
Klena originated the role of Nick Healy in Jagged Little Pill in 2019 and earned a Tony Award nomination for his performance. His Broadway credits also include originating roles in Anastasia and The Bridges of Madison County.
He grew up in West Covina, California, as the son of John and Lynn Klena, and played college baseball at UCLA before pursuing acting. His dual background in sports and theater now comes full circle with his 2026 role in the Savannah Bananas.
Klena continues to perform with the Savannah Bananas in 2026, with the Banana Bowl Season Championship set to stream on Disney+ this fall. He lives in New York City with his wife Elycia and their two sons.
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