Jeff Calhoun (born 1960) is an American
director
Director may refer to:
Literature
* ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine
* ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker
* ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty
Music
* Director (band), an Irish rock band
* ''D ...
,
choreographer
Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...
,
producer and
dancer
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoi ...
.
Career
As a student at Richland High School, now
Pine-Richland High School
Pine-Richland High School is a large public high school located at 700 Warrendale Road, in Gibsonia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the only high school in the Pine-Richland School District and is located in Pine Township. In the 2018–2 ...
(Gibsonia, PA; North of Pittsburgh), Calhoun was interested in both athletics and performance, playing football and studying
tap dance
Tap dance is a form of dance characterized by using the sounds of tap shoes striking the floor as a form of percussion. Two major variations on tap dance exist: rhythm (jazz) tap and Broadway tap. Broadway tap focuses on dance; it is widely perfo ...
. He danced in the ensemble at The
Kenley Players
The Kenley Players was an Equity summer stock theatre company which presented hundreds of productions featuring Broadway, film, and television stars in Midwestern cities between 1940 and 1996. ''Variety'' called it the "largest network of theater ...
in Ohio in the late 1970s where he met
Tommy Tune
Thomas James Tune (born February 28, 1939) is an American actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer. Over the course of his career, he has won ten Tony Awards, the National Medal of Arts, and a star on the Hollywood Wal ...
. Tune later hired Calhoun to perform in the First National Tour of ''The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas''. Calhoun made his
Broadway
Broadway may refer to:
Theatre
* Broadway Theatre (disambiguation)
* Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S.
** Broadway (Manhattan), the street
**Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...
debut in the stage adaptation of ''
Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
''Seven Brides for Seven Brothers'' is a 1954 American musical film, directed by Stanley Donen, with music by Gene de Paul, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, and choreography by Michael Kidd. The screenplay, by Albert Hackett, Frances Goodrich, and Do ...
'' (1982). He also starred opposite
Twiggy
Dame Lesley Lawson (''née'' Hornby; born 19 September 1949) is an English model, actress, and singer, widely known by the nickname Twiggy. She was a British cultural icon and a prominent teenaged model during the swinging '60s in London.
...
in ''My One and Only'' (1983). Calhoun’s collaboration with Tommy Tune resulted in the 1991 Tony Award for Best Choreography for ''The Will Rogers Follies''. His Broadway directing debut was ''Tommy Tune Tonight!'' (1992).
Calhoun began his association with
Deaf West Theatre
Deaf West Theatre is a non-profit arts organization based in Los Angeles, California, USA. It is most well known for its Tony Award-nominated productions of '' Big River'' and '' Spring Awakening''.
Deaf West Theatre is led by Artistic Director, ...
in 2000 when he directed and choreographed a world premiere adaptation of ''Oliver!'' Calhoun continued his work with Deaf West Theater with ''Big River'' the following season. ''Big River'' subsequently played
Roundabout Theatre Company
The Roundabout Theatre Company is a leading non-profit theatre company based in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, affiliated with the League of Resident Theatres.
History
The company was founded in 1965 by Gene Feist, Michael Fried and Elizabet ...
’s America Airlines Theatre in 2003 on Broadway and garnered the 2004
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
for Excellence in Theater. Calhoun also directed the world premiere of the first original
American Sign Language
American Sign Language (ASL) is a natural language that serves as the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States of America and most of Anglophone Canadians, Anglophone Canada. ASL is a complete and organized visual lang ...
musical, ''Sleeping Beauty Wakes'', at the Kirk Douglas Theater in 2007. In 2009, he directed and choreographed the Deaf West Theatre & Center Theater Group production of ''
Pippin
Pippin or Pepin may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Pippin (comics), ''Pippin'' (comics), a children's comic produced from 1966 to 1986
* Pippin (musical), ''Pippin'' (musical), a Broadway musical by Stephen Schwartz loosely based on the life ...
'' at the
Mark Taper Forum
The Mark Taper Forum is a 739-seat thrust stage at the Los Angeles Music Center designed by Welton Becket and Associates on the Bunker Hill section of Downtown Los Angeles. Named for real estate developer Mark Taper, the Forum, the neighboring ...
, which included new and revised material from composer
Stephen Schwartz
Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...
.
Calhoun directed both the world premiere and international productions of ''Disney’s
High School Musical
''High School Musical'' is a 2006 American musical television film directed by Kenny Ortega and written by Peter Barsocchini. The 63rd Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM) and first installment of the ''High School Musical'' film series, th ...
: On Stage'' and ''Disney’s
High School Musical 2
''High School Musical 2'' is a 2007 American musical television film written by Peter Barsocchini and directed by Kenny Ortega. The 70th Disney Channel Original Movie (DCOM), it is the sequel to ''High School Musical'' (2006) and the second inst ...
: On Stage''. He also provided choreography for ''
Xena: Warrior Princess (The Bitter Suite)'', ''Downtown'', ''Happy Together'' and ''Weekend Warriors''.
Calhoun's additional Broadway credits include the first Broadway revival of ''
Grease'' (1994), ''
Annie Get Your Gun'' (1999), ''
Bells Are Ringing'' (2001), ''
Brooklyn The Musical
''Brooklyn the Musical'' is a musical with a book, lyrics, and music by Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson. It was acquired for licensing by Broadway Licensing
Synopsis
Using the play within a play structure, ''Brooklyn'' focuses on a group of ...
'' (2004), and ''
Grey Gardens
''Grey Gardens'' is a 1975 American documentary film by Albert and David Maysles. The film depicts the everyday lives of two reclusive, upper-class women, a mother and daughter both named Edith Beale, who lived in poverty at Grey Gardens, a ...
'' (2006).
Off-Broadway
An off-Broadway theatre is any professional theatre venue in New York City with a seating capacity between 100 and 499, inclusive. These theatres are smaller than Broadway theatres, but larger than off-off-Broadway theatres, which seat fewer tha ...
he appeared in ''One More Song/One More Dance'' (1983) with
Ann Reinking
Ann Reinking (November 10, 1949December 12, 2020) was an American dancer, actress, choreographer and singer. She worked predominantly in musical theater, starring in Broadway (theatre), Broadway productions such as ''Coco (musical), Coco'' (1969) ...
, choreographed ''Bouncers'' (1987) and ''Comic Potential'' (2000), and directed ''Holy Cross Sucks!'' (2005). His regional theater credits include the First National Tour of ''Irving Berlin’s White Christmas'' presented by Theater of the Stars (2008), ''Shenandoah'' at the
Ford’s Theater
Ford's Theatre is a theater located in Washington, D.C., which opened in August 1863. The theater is infamous for being the site of the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. On the night of April 14, 1865, John Wilkes Booth entered the theater box ...
(2006) and ''Himself and Nora'', a musical based on James Joyce and Nora Barnacle, which he choreographed and co-directed (with Joseph Hardy) for the
Old Globe Theatre
The Old Globe is a professional theatre company located in Balboa Park in San Diego, California. It produces about 15 plays and musicals annually in summer and winter seasons. Plays are performed in three separate theatres in the complex, which i ...
in 2005.
Calhoun is an Associate Artist at Ford’s Theater,
Washington, DC
)
, image_skyline =
, image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan ...
where he directed both the 2008 Presidential Gala presentation of Frank Wildhorn’s ''
The Civil War'', and a new production of that same work as part of the Ford’s Theater 2009 reopening season.
In 2011, Calhoun directed and choreographed the Broadway musical
''Bonnie & Clyde'', a collaboration with composer
Frank Wildhorn
Frank Wildhorn (born November 29, 1958) is an American composer of both musicals and popular songs. His musical ''Jekyll & Hyde'' ran for four years on Broadway. He also wrote the #1 International hit song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" for Whitne ...
, lyricist
Don Black and
librettist
A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the text of major litu ...
Ivan Menchell. The showed opened at the
Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre
The Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre, formerly the Plymouth Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 236 West 45th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1917, the theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and was ...
on December 1, 2011 and closed on December 30th. ''Bonnie & Clyde'' had its world premiere at
La Jolla Playhouse
La Jolla Playhouse is a not-for-profit, professional theatre on the campus of the University of California, San Diego.
History
La Jolla Playhouse was founded in 1947 by Gregory Peck, Dorothy McGuire, and Mel Ferrer. In 1983, it was revived under ...
in 2009 and had another out-of-town tryout at the
Asolo Repertory Theatre
The Asolo Repertory Theatre or Asolo Rep (AKA: Asolo Theatre Company, Inc.) is a professional theater in Sarasota, Florida. It is the largest Actors' Equity Association, Equity theatre in Florida, and the largest Repertory, Repertory theatre in t ...
in
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota () is a city in Sarasota County on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The area is renowned for its cultural and environmental amenities, beaches, resorts, and the Sarasota School of Architecture. The city is located in the sout ...
, in 2010. Calhoun also directed and choreographed the national tour of
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...
's
''9 to 5: The Musical'', which began performances in September 2010 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Calhoun directed the Disney musical ''
Newsies''. After a critically acclaimed run at the
Paper Mill Playhouse
Paper Mill Playhouse is a regional theater with approximately 1200 seats, located in Millburn, New Jersey on the Rahway River. Due to its relatively close location to Manhattan, it draws from the pool of actors (and audience members) who live in ...
in Millburn, New Jersey in Fall 2011, Disney Theatrical Productions announced that the show would transfer to Broadway for a strictly limited engagement. ''Newsies,'' which opened at the
Nederlander Theatre
The Nederlander Theatre (formerly the National Theatre, the Billy Rose Theatre, and the Trafalgar Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 208 West 41st Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1921, it was des ...
on March 29, 2012, is now an open-ended run. The new musical boasts 8
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
nominations, including Best Musical and Best Director of a Musical for Calhoun.
Next on Calhoun's plate is the first revival of ''
Jekyll & Hyde
''Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde'' is a 1886 Gothic novella by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson. It follows Gabriel John Utterson, a London-based legal practitioner who investigates a series of strange occurrences between his old ...
''. The much-anticipated production, starring
Constantine Maroulis
Constantine James Maroulis (; born September 17, 1975) is an American actor and rock singer. He was the sixth-place finalist on the fourth season of the reality television series ''American Idol'', and received a nomination for the Tony Award f ...
and
Deborah Cox
Deborah Cox (born July 13, 1974) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, actress, and record producer. Born and raised in Toronto, she began performing on television commercials at age 12, and entered various talent shows in her teenage years before ...
, will play a 25-week national tour before landing on Broadway in Spring 2013. Calhoun also directed the UK tour of ''9 to 5'' in Fall 2012.
Awards and nominations
*2012 Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical (''Newsies'', nominee)
*2012 Tony Award for Best Musical (''Newsies'', nominee)
*2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical (''Newsies'', nominee)
*2012 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical (''Bonnie & Clyde'', nominee)
*2012 Drama League Award for Distinguished Production of a Musical (''Newsies'', nominee)
*2012 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (''Newsies'', nominee)
*2012 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Musical (''Newsies'', nominee)
*2012 Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Broadway Musical (''Bonnie & Clyde'', nominee)
*2011 Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Direction of a Musical (''Emma'', nominee)
*2011 Craig Noel Award for Outstanding Resident Musical (''Emma'', winner)
*2009 San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Best Director of a Musical (''Bonnie & Clyde'', winner)
*2009 San Diego Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding New Musical (''Bonnie & Clyde'', winner)
*2007
Ovation Award
The Ovation Awards are a Southern California award for excellence in theatre, established in 1989. They are given out by the non-profit arts service organization LA Stage Alliance and are the only peer-judged theatre awards in Los Angeles. Winne ...
for Direction (''Sleeping Beauty Wakes'', nominee)
*2007 Ovation Award for World Premiere Musical (''Sleeping Beauty Wakes'', winner)
*2006
Helen Hayes Award
The Helen Hayes Awards are theater awards recognizing excellence in professional theater in the Washington, D.C. area since 1983. The awards are named in tribute of Helen Hayes, who is also known as the "First Lady of American Theatre." They ar ...
for Outstanding Director (''Big River'', nominee)
*2004
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre (''Big River'', winner)
*2004
Drama Desk
The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fol ...
Award for Outstanding Director of a Musical (''Big River'', nominee)
*2003 Ovation & L.A. Drama Critics Circle Awards for Direction and Choreography (''Big River'', winner)
*2004
Drama Desk Award
The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...
for Outstanding Director of a Musical (''Big River'', nominee)
*2001
LA Weekly Theater Award
LA Weekly Theater Award was an annual critics' award system established in 1979, organized by the '' LA Weekly'' for outstanding achievements in small theatre productions in Southern California
Southern California (commonly shortened to SoCal ...
for Best Director of a Musical (''Big River'', winner)
*2001 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Director (''Big River'', winner)
*2001 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award for Best Choreographer (''Big River'', winner)
*2001 BackStage West Garland Award for Best Director (''Big River'', winner)
*2000 Ovation Award for Best Director of a Musical (''Oliver!'', winner)
*2000 Ovation Award for Best Musical (Intimate Theater) (''Oliver!'', winner)
*1994 Tony Award for Best Choreography (''Grease'', nominee)
*1994 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Choreography (''Grease'', nominee)
References
External links
*
Lortel Archives listing*
Deaf West TheatreStage Entertainment High School Musical United Kingdom Tours
{{DEFAULTSORT:Calhoun, Jeff
1960 births
Living people
American choreographers
American musical theatre directors
American male dancers
Artists from Pittsburgh