WHO'S WHO
TOM ABBOTT
Tom Abbott made his Broadway debut in West Side Story and, with several members of the cast, took a leave of absence about a year into the run to dance in the Broadway debut of Jerome Robbins' Ballets USA, serving as both performer and assistant to the choreographer. He repeated the double-duty assignment by performing on stage while assisting choreographer John Butley in A Family Affair, which featured Larry Kert, and later danced in the cast of Tovarich, which starred Viven Leigh. In April 1964 he re-mounted the original choreography for the first Broadway revival of West Side Story at New York City Center. That same year he appeared in the original cast of Fiddler on the Roof, again assisting Jerome Robbins with choreography. He adapted Mr. Robbins dances for the film version of Fiddler on the Roof, and returned to New York to assist for the 1980 Broadway revival of West Side Story and the 1981 revival of Fiddler. Tom Abbott has directed and/or choreographed productions of these two shows throughout the world, along with several of Jerome Robbins' ballets
LEE BECKER THEODORE
Lee Becker Theodore's Broadway career began in the chorus of The King and I, choreographed by Jerome Robbins. She later appeared in Seventh Heaven, in which she understudied Chita Rivera, and after her appearance as Anybodys in the original cast and on tour, came back to Broadway as Gertie in Bock and Harnick's Tenderloin. She staged several regional productions of West Side Story before re-mounting the original direction and choreography for the 1968 revival at Lincoln Center. Other assignments as choreographer include the Broadway productions of Baker Street, Flora the Red Menace, The Apple Tree, Darling of the Day, and assisting on West Side Story's 1980 revival. Lee Theodore was the founder and Executive Director of the American Dance Machine, a project dedicated to saving great theater dances from oblivion.
ALAN JOHNSON
Alan Johnson choreographed the musical numbers for several Mel Brooks movie comedies, namely The Producers, Blazing Saddles, and History of the World Part One. He created the dances for several Shirley MacLaine club and TV shows, and most recently provided the choreography for the motion picture Neverland. He made his Broadway debut in the original company of West Side Story, playing Pepe, Nibbles, or A-rab either on Broadway, on the first U.S. National Tour, or in the Broadway Return Engagement. He later appeared in No Strings, Anyone Can Whistle, and Baker Street, the latter choreographed by Lee Becker Theodore. In addition to staging the dances for such Broadway fare as So Long 174th Street, The First, and Legs Diamond, he also staged special acts on and off Broadway for Shirley MacLaine, Tommy Tune, Ann-Margret, Ann Reinking, Leslie Uggams, Angela Lansbury, Peter Allen, Bernadette Perters, and Chita Rivera, among others. His TV work has earned him three Emmy Awards. Mr. Johnson's choreography was seen on the 1981 Academy Awards, and notably on the classic West Side Story Gap television commercials, for which he won the American Choreography Award.
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