Gallagher was born in Wilmington, Delaware, and was raised there with his two older sisters. His parents, John and June Gallagher, are folk musicians. He attended Brandywine High School.[1] He eventually went on to play in numerous bands, including Not Now Murray, What Now, Annie's Autograph, and Old Springs Pike. Gallagher played Tom Sawyer as a child actor at the Delaware Children's Theatre.[2][3][4][5]
Before and throughout his Spring Awakening run, he was in the folk-rock group Old Springs Pike. On January 23, 2008, his fellow band members announced his departure. The next day, Gallagher made an official announcement confirming his departure on his MySpace page. Old Springs Pike later officially changed their name to the Spring Standards.[6]
Gallagher starred in American Idiot, a musical based on the Green Dayalbum of the same name, along with fellow Spring Awakening alumni Brian Charles Johnson and Gerard Canonico.[12]American Idiot premiered in Berkeley, California, at the Berkeley Repertory Theater on September 4, 2009.[13] The show's run ended on November 15, 2009. It began previews on Broadway at the St. James Theatre March 24, 2010, and officially opened on April 20, 2010. It was later nominated for three 2010 Tony Awards, of which it won two.[14] Gallagher played Johnny, or "Jesus of Suburbia". Gallagher departed American Idiot on February 27, 2011, and was succeeded by Van Hughes[15] The show's run ended on April 24, 2011.
After leaving American Idiot, Gallagher was featured in the Broadway production of The Royal Court Theatre's Jerusalem. The production was directed by Ian Rickson, and opened on April 21, 2011, at the Music Box Theatre (239 West 45th Street).[16] He played the role of Lee until leaving the production on July 17, 2011.[17]
In 2022, he starred in the world premiere production of Swept Away at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre. Based on the music of The Avett Brothers, the musical reunited Gallagher with Spring Awakening director Michael Mayer.[18] Of note, Gallagher named the Avett Brothers his favorite band in a 2007 New York magazine article.[19]
Gallagher has been writing music since his early adolescent years, playing guitar, bass, drums, and harmonica.[24] He frequently performs in live spaces such as Rockwood Music Hall in New York.[24] On January 15, 2016, Gallagher released his debut album Six Day Hurricane via Rockwood Music Hall Recordings under the name Johnny Gallagher.[25] The album was recorded in Brooklyn in 2012, over the course of six days during Hurricane Sandy.[26] Regarding the decision to release his music after a three-year delay, Gallagher said: "I knew I had to do it now, or I was going to go another year or see another birthday without putting my music out, and I can't live with that."[25] The album, produced by close friend and collaborator Thad DeBrock, includes nine songs originally selected for a previous live performance, including singles "Two Fists Full," "Dangerous Strangers," and "Sarasota Someone."[25]
^Ordona, Michael (12 September 2013). "John Gallagher Jr. carving nice niche". The Atlanta Constitution. San Francisco Chronicle. p. D2. Retrieved 16 August 2021.
