Jonathan Cerullo
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Jonathan Stuart Cerullo (born December 21, 1960) is an American director and choreographer, executive producer, and former performer. Cerullo is known for his work on
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 Stre ...
,
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 ...
, and regionally. He has also worked in circus, film, and television.


Personal life

Cerullo received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in directing and a Master of Arts from
Emerson College Emerson College is a private college in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It also maintains campuses in Los Angeles and Well, Limburg, Netherlands (Kasteel Well). Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of Public Speaking, o ...
in 1982 and 2024. He is also the great, great nephew of the Italian operatic
soprano A soprano () is a type of classical singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hertz, Hz to A5 in Choir, choral ...
Erminia Frezzolini Erminia Frezzolini (27 March 1818 – 5 November 1884) was an Italian operatic soprano. She excelled in the coloratura soprano repertoire, drawing particular acclaim in the bel canto operas of Gaetano Donizetti and Vincenzo Bellini. She was marri ...
. Cerullo's home has been featured in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' with the article by Constance Rosenblum entitled, "Pocket-Sized on West 47th Street", the article was also selected to be part of her book entitled Habitats: Private Lives in the Big City published by NYU Press, March 25, 2013.


Career


1986-2014

Cerullo's first major role was in the US National III tour of the Broadway musical ''Cats'' as
Skimbleshanks Skimbleshanks is a character in T. S. Eliot's 1939 book of poetry ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' and in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 1981 musical ''Cats'', which is based on Eliot's book. The character is portrayed as a bright and energetic or ...
the Railway Cat, which ran from September 1986 to August 1988. He was Big Daddy in the West Coast production of
Sweet Charity ''Sweet Charity'' is a musical with music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Dorothy Fields, and book by Neil Simon, based on the screenplay for the 1957 Italian film '' Nights of Cabiria''. It was directed and choreographed for Broadway by Bob Fosse sta ...
starring TONY award winner,
Donna McKechnie Donna McKechnie (born November 16, 1942) is an American musical theater dancer, singer, actress, and choreographer. She is known for her professional and personal relationship with choreographer Michael Bennett, with whom she collaborated on ...
. Appeared at the
Goodspeed Opera House Goodspeed Musicals is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and advancement of musical theater and the creation of new works, located in East Haddam, Connecticut. Its landmark Goodspeed Opera House is a distinctive feature of ...
,
North Shore Music Theatre North Shore Music Theatre is the largest operating regional theater in New England. It is located in Beverly, Massachusetts and is one of the few remaining theatre-in-the-round stages left in the United States. The theater is owned by Massachuse ...
, the
Ogunquit Playhouse About Ogunquit Playhouse is a regional theater on 10 Main Street (United States Route 1) in Ogunquit, Maine. Ogunquit Playhouse is one of the last remaining summer theaters from the Summer Stock which still produces musical theatre. The Playho ...
an
The Cape Playhouse
He was a voting member of the
Lucille Lortel Award The Lucille Lortel Awards recognize excellence in New York Off-Broadway theatre. The Awards are named for Lucille Lortel, an actress and theater producer, and have been awarded since 1986. They are produced by the League of Off-Broadway Theatres ...
for Off-Broadway productions, is a member of the
Stage Directors and Choreographers Society The Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), formerly known as Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers (SDC), is an independent national labor union established in 1959, representing theatrical directors and choreographe ...
, the Dramatist Guild and the
Actors' Equity Association The Actors' Equity Association (AEA), commonly called Actors' Equity or simply Equity, is an American trade union, labor union representing those who work in Theatre, live theatrical performance. Performers appearing in live stage productions w ...
. He made his Broadway debut in 1984, as a Production Assistant on the musical,
The Three Musketeers ''The Three Musketeers'' () is a French historical adventure novel written and published in 1844 by French author Alexandre Dumas. It is the first of the author's three d'Artagnan Romances. As with some of his other works, he wrote it in col ...
directed and choreographed by TONY award-winning director,
Joe Layton Joe Layton (May 3, 1931 – May 5, 1994) was an American director and choreographer known primarily for his work on Broadway.Dunning, Jennifer. (9 May 1994). Page B7.'Joe Layton, Choreographer And Director, Is Dead at 64' Obituary. New York ...
, also on Broadway, as a performer, Cerullo was a featured dancer in the 1988 Broadway musical ''Legs Diamond'', starring Peter Allen, and was also featured on the BMG-RCA Original Cast Recording for the musical. In 1992 he was the Dance Captain for
Circle in the Square The Circle in the Square Theatre is a Broadway theater at 235 West 50th Street, within the basement of Paramount Plaza, in the Midtown Manhattan neighborhood of New York City, New York, U.S. The current Broadway theater, completed in 1972, i ...
's Broadway production of ''Anna Karenina''. and the Broadway musical
Band In Berlin
based on the lives of the
Comedian Harmonists The Comedian Harmonists were an internationally famous, all-male German close harmony ensemble that performed between 1928 and 1934 as one of the most successful musical groups in Europe before World War II. The group consisted of ( tenor buf ...
. Cerullo worked with the late
Frank Gorshin Frank John Gorshin Jr. (April 5, 1933 – May 17, 2005) was an American actor, comedian and impressionist. He made many guest appearances on television variety and talk shows, including '' The Ed Sullivan Show'', '' Tonight Starring Steve Allen' ...
on the Broadway production of, "Say Goodnight Gracie", by
Rupert Holmes Rupert Holmes (born David Goldstein; February 24, 1947) is a British-American composer, singer-songwriter, dramatist and author. He is widely known for the hit singles " Escape (The Piña Colada Song)" (1979) and " Him" (1980). He is also know ...
at the
Helen Hayes Theatre The Hayes Theater (formerly the Little Theatre, New York Times Hall, Winthrop Ames Theatre, and Helen Hayes Theatre) is a Broadway theater at 240 West 44th Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. N ...
as his dance instructor and created the soft shoe routine for Gorshin as
George Burns George Burns (born Nathan Birnbaum; January 20, 1896March 9, 1996) was an American comedian, actor, writer, and singer, and one of the few entertainers whose career successfully spanned vaudeville, radio, film, and television. His arched eyeb ...
. In 1992 in Los Angeles Cerullo worked with and taught
Uta Hagen Uta Thyra Hagen (12 June 1919 – 14 January 2004) was a German-American actress and theatre practitioner. She originated the role of Martha in the 1962 Broadway premiere of '' Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?'' by Edward Albee, who called her "a ...
, on what was to be her last stage performance for th
"Six Dance Lesson in Six Weeks"
by
Richard Alfieri Richard Alfieri (born April 9, 1948) to Sam and Nena Alfieri is an American playwright, screenplay writer, novelist, film producer, and actor. His awards include two Writers Guild Awards and an Emmy nomination. Career A graduate of Yale Unive ...
at the
Geffen Playhouse The Geffen Playhouse is a not-for-profit theater company founded in Los Angeles, California by Gilbert Cates in 1995. It produces plays in two theaters in Geffen Playhouse, which is owned by University of California Los Angeles. The Playhous ...
,
David Hyde Pierce David Hyde Pierce (born David Pierce; April 3, 1959) is an American actor. Known for his portrayal of psychiatrist Niles Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Frasier'' from 1993 to 2004, he received four Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Supporting A ...
was her co-star, and the production was choreographed by Kay Cole. He later interviewed Kay Cole for TheaterMania. After working with him on the Broadway musical, ''Anna Karenina'', choreographer and director
Patricia Birch Patricia Ann Birch (born October 16, 1934) is an American dancer, choreographer, film director, and theatre director. Early life Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Birch began her career as a dancer in Broadway musicals, including '' Brigadoon'', '' ...
began mentoring Cerullo. Through this partnership, Cerullo was hired as Associate Choreograph for Birch on the
Public Broadcasting Service The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia Arlington County, or simply Arlington, is a County (United States), county in the ...
(PBS) series ''
Great Performances ''Great Performances'' is a television anthology series dedicated to the performing arts; the banner has been used to televise plays, musicals, opera, ballet, concerts, as well as occasional documentaries. It is produced by the PBS member statio ...
'' for ''This Is The Moment'', starring
Donny Osmond Donald Clark Osmond (born December 9, 1957) is an American singer, dancer, actor, television host and former teen idol. He gained fame performing with four of his elder brothers as the Osmonds, earning several top ten hits and gold albums. In the ...
and
Vanessa Williams Vanessa Lynn Williams (born March 18, 1963) is an American singer, actress, model, producer and dancer. She gained recognition as the first Black woman to win the Miss America title when she was crowned Miss America 1984. She would later Vanes ...
, ''and Natalie Cole's Untraditional Traditional Christmas Special.'' Cerullo was also the Assistant Choreographer to Patrica on the films ''
The First Wives Club ''The First Wives Club'' is a 1996 American comedy film directed by Hugh Wilson, based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Olivia Goldsmith. The film stars Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn, and Diane Keaton as three divorcées who seek retributi ...
'', starring
Bette Midler Bette Midler ( ;''Inside the Actors Studio'', 2004 born December 1, 1945) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and author. Throughout her five-decade career Midler has received List of awards and nominations received by Bette Midler, numero ...
,
Diane Keaton Diane Keaton (née Hall; born January 5, 1946) is an American actress. She has received List of awards and nominations received by Diane Keaton, various accolades throughout her career spanning over five decades, including an Academy Award, a Bri ...
and
Goldie Hawn Goldie Jeanne Hawn (born November 21, 1945) is an American actress, producer, dancer, and singer. She achieved stardom and acclaim for playing lighthearted comedic roles in film and television. In a career spanning six decades, she has received ...
and '' The Cowboy Way'' starring
Woody Harrelson Woodrow Tracy Harrelson (born July 23, 1961) is an American actor. He first became known for his role as bartender Woody Boyd on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1985–1993), for which he won a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in ...
. Cerullo also worked with Pat Birch on the St. Ann's Warehouse production of Band in Berlin as the Assistant Director and Choreographer. Cerullo directed the original musical ''Fools' Paradise'', by Jim Camacho. At
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
, he choreographed the productions of ''Picturesque'' and ''Carnevale!'' for the
Big Apple Circus The Big Apple Circus is a circus based in New York City. Opened in 1977, later becoming a nonprofit organization, it became a tourist attraction. The circus has been known for its community outreach programs, including Clown Care, as well as i ...
. and received a
Village Voice ''The Village Voice'' is an American news and culture publication based in Greenwich Village, New York City, known for being the country's first alternative newsweekly. Founded in 1955 by Dan Wolf, Ed Fancher, John Wilcock, and Norman Ma ...
2003 Voice Choices Best Dance Pick. His work for the production was detailed in Backstage, Theatre Artists Take on Challenges of the Circus, by Simi Horwitz. In 2003, Cerullo choreographed
Orpheus Descending ''Orpheus Descending'' is a three-act play by Tennessee Williams. It was first presented on Broadway on March 17, 1957, with Maureen Stapleton and Cliff Robertson, under the direction of Harold Clurman, but had only a brief run (68 performa ...
for Great Performance
Evening At Pops
with the
Boston Pops The Boston Pops is an American orchestra based in Boston, Massachusetts, specializing in light classical and popular music. The orchestra's current music director is Keith Lockhart. Founded in 1885 as an offshoot of the Boston Symphony Orc ...
conducted by maestro,
Keith Lockhart Keith Alan Lockhart (born November 7, 1959) is an American conductor. He is the Conductor of the Boston Pops orchestra, and the Artistic Director of the Brevard Music Center in North Carolina. Keith Lockhart, the conductor, is the brother of ...
. He was Special Effects Movement Consultant to Bette Midler on the film "The Stepford Wives" in 2004. He also conceived directed and produced the video tribute to Mr. George Abbott for the "Mr. Abbott Award" for Lifetime Achievement in the American Theatre presented annually by the Stage Director and Choreographers Society. Cerullo received the Newhouse Scholarship from Career Transition for Dancers to form his production company called JSCTheatricals, LLC. In October 2013 he made his debut as Producer under his newly formed company for the Grand Central Terminal's Centennial Celebration presentation of ''Orphan Train, The Musical'' directed by Patricia Birch.


2015-present

Cerullo directed the world premiere of ''Windywoo and Her Naughty Naughty Pets'' a new musical for children of all ages, for the 2015 NY Musical Festival. Cerullo directed ''Fictitious'', a new musical by Paul Cozby and Tom Hyndman, for the Theatre Now New York SOUND BITES 3.0 annual 10-minute musical festival, for which he received the award for Best Director. In 2016, he directed the NYC premiere of ''RISE'', written and performed by Scott Barry at the
Museum of Sex The Museum of Sex, also known as MoSex, is a sex museum located at 233 Fifth Avenue at the corner of East 27th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It opened on October 5, 2002. History Founder Daniel Gluck wanted to start a museum dedicated t ...
. Cerullo also had the honor of working on the 30th anniversary of the Easter Bonnet Competition at the Minskoff Theater by conceiving, directing and choreographing the Bucket Brigade Tribute. In 2016, for the New York Musical Festival, Cerullo choreographed the production of ''Lisa and Leonardo'' written by Donya Lane and Ed McNamee. Cerullo was interviewed by Bob Rizzo for BroadwayWorld.com, Also in 2016 Cerullo directed the NY premiere o
CHANCE, the musical
written by Richard Isen for the
Fresh Fruit Festival New York City has been described as the gay capital of the world and the central node of the LGBTQ+ sociopolitical ecosystem, and is home to one of the world's largest and most prominent LGBTQ+ populations. Brian Silverman, the author of ''F ...
. His received positive reviews for his work in OUTERSTAGE. Finally in 2016 he directed and staged the NY Premiere o
The Fifth Dentist In Search Of Sid's Treasure A Tribute to the Sultan Of Striptease
at the NY International Fringe Festival. Cerullo was quoted in ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' about his involvement with this production. He also produced ''Conrack, The Musical'' based on Pat Conroy's the " Water is Wide", featuring Tony Award nominees Vivian Reed and
Ernestine Jackson Ernestine Jackson (born September 18, 1942) is an American actress and singer. Early life Born in Corpus Christi, Texas, Jackson made her Broadway debut in 1967 as Irene Molloy in the all-black cast of '' Hello, Dolly!'' starring Pearl Bailey. ...
and Drama Desk nominee A.J. Shively at
York Theatre Company The York Theatre Company is an Off-Broadway theatre company based on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in New York City. Established in 1969, The York is the only theater in New York City, and one of the few in the world, whose two-fold mission ...
Development Reading Series By Granville Burgess and music By Emmy Award-winning composer
Doug Katsaros Doug Katsaros is an American keyboardist, arranger, composer, and conductor. Biography In 1978 he played on Paul Stanley's debut album, followed by working on albums by Richie Havens, Michael Bolton, Arc Angel, Bon Jovi and his band Balance ...
directed by Stuart Ross. Cerullo is preparing
Willie & Me
, The
Emmett Kelly Emmett Leo Kelly (December 9, 1898March 28, 1979) was an American circus performer who created the clown character "Weary Willie", based on the hobos of the Great Depression in the 1930s. Early life Emmett Leo Kelly was born in Sedan, Kansas ...
Story''. This was written by Cerullo and Stephen Woodburn. Cerullo is the producer and director of the Broadway musical ''
Legs Diamond Jack "Legs" Diamond (possibly born John Thomas Diamond, though disputed; July 10, 1897 – December 18, 1931), also known as John Nolan and Gentleman Jack, was an Irish Americans, Irish-American gangster in Philadelphia and New York City during ...
'' at Feinstein's 54 Below with original cast members, two-time Tony Award nominee
Christine Andreas Christine Andreas (born October 1, 1951) is an American Broadway actress and singer. Early life and education Andreas was born on October 1, 1951, in Camden, New Jersey, to James Francis Andreas, a systems analyst, and Teresa Cecilia Genovese An ...
, Tony Award nominee Brenda Braxton, and two-time Tony nominee
Bob Stillman Bob Stillman (born December 2, 1954, in New York City) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. Biography Stillman studied piano at Juilliard, and composition at Princeton University. He made his Broadway theatre, Broadway debut in ''Grand H ...
and Randall Edwards. He directed and choreographed an all-male version of
Rodgers and Hart Rodgers and Hart were an American songwriting partnership between composer Richard Rodgers (1902–1979) and the lyricist Lorenz Hart (1895–1943). They worked together on 28 stage musicals and more than 500 songs from 1919 until Hart's ...
musical comedy,
The Boys From Syracuse ''The Boys from Syracuse'' is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart, based on William Shakespeare's play '' The Comedy of Errors'', as adapted by librettist George Abbott. The score includes swing and other contemp ...
for Musicals Tonight! Off-Broadway at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row. John Soltes Interview Rediscovering Rodgers and Hart's "". Jonathan staged
Amas Musical Theatre Amas Musical Theatre, also known as the Rosetta LeNoire Theatre Academy and the Mainstage Musical Theatre, and formerly known as the Amas Repertory Theatre, Inc. and the Eubie Blake Youth Theatre, is a non-profit Manhattan-based theatre organizati ...
'
No Foolin' A Musical Confection
Honoring Tony Award winner, Grammy Award winner,
Micki Grant Micki Grant (born Minnie Louise Perkins, June 30, 1929 – August 22, 2021) was an American singer (soprano), actress, writer, and composer. She performed in '' Having Our Say'' (as Sadie Delaney), '' Tambourines to Glory'' and '' Jericho-Jim Cr ...
Hosted by
Brad Oscar Brad Oscar (born September 22, 1964) is an American musical theatre actor, known for his Broadway theatre, Broadway performances in musicals such as ''The Producers (musical), The Producers'', ''Something Rotten!'', ''Big Fish (musical), Big Fis ...
. Bob Ost, executive director, president, and co-founder o
Theatre Resources Unlimited
TRU, hired Cerullo to direct their 2018 TRU LOVE benefit honoring John Chatterton,
Baayork Lee Baayork Lee (born December 5, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, choreographer, theatre director, and author. Early life and career Lee was born in New York City's Chinatown, to an Indian mother and Chinese father. She started danci ...
, and her
National Asian Artists Project National Asian Artists Project, Inc. (NAAP) is non-profit 501 (c)(3) company who seeks to showcase the work of artists of Asian descent, primarily in the American theater. It was founded in 2004 by Baayork Lee, Steven Eng, and Nina Zoie Lam. Work ...
. The event featured Tony Award winner
Priscilla Lopez Priscilla Lopez is an American singer, dancer, and actress. She is perhaps best known for originating the role of Diana Morales in ''A Chorus Line''. She has had the distinction of appearing in two Broadway landmarks: one of its greatest hits, t ...
,
Donna McKechnie Donna McKechnie (born November 16, 1942) is an American musical theater dancer, singer, actress, and choreographer. She is known for her professional and personal relationship with choreographer Michael Bennett, with whom she collaborated on ...
, and Brenda Braxton. Amas Musical Theatre hired Jonathan to write and direct Amas@50 Anniversary Concert. Honorary Chair ~
Whoopi Goldberg Caryn Elaine Johnson (born November 13, 1955), known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg (), is an American actor, comedian, author, and television personality.Kuchwara, Michael (AP Drama Writer)"Whoopi Goldberg: A One-Woman Character Parade". ...
, Hosted by
Lillias White Lillias White (born July 21, 1951) is an American actress and singer. She is particularly known for her performances in Broadway musicals. In 1989 she won an Obie Award for her performance in the off-Broadway musical '' Romance in Hard Times''. ...
and featuring
Leslie Uggams Leslie Marian Uggams (; born May 25, 1943) is an American actress and singer. After beginning her career as a child in the early 1950s, she garnered acclaim for her role in the Broadway theatre, Broadway musical ''Hallelujah, Baby!'', winning a T ...
, Vivian Reed, Christopher Jackson actor, Lance Roberts,
Len Cariou Leonard Joseph Cariou (; born September 30, 1939) is a Canadian stage actor, singer and stage director. He gained prominence for his portrayal of Sweeney Todd in the original cast of Stephen Sondheim's musical '' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barbe ...
, N'Kenge, Soara-Joye Ross, Elijah Ahmad Lewis and a Special video appearance by
Petula Clark Sally "Petula" Clark (born 15 November 1932) is a British singer, actress, and songwriter. She started her professional career as a child actor, child performer and has had the longest career of any British entertainer, spanning more than 85 y ...
. The gala is honoring
Harry Belafonte Harry Belafonte ( ; born Harold George Bellanfanti Jr.; March 1, 1927 – April 25, 2023) was an American singer, actor, and civil rights activist who popularized calypso music with international audiences in the 1950s and 1960s. Belafonte ...
, Sharleen Cooper Cohen, Donna Trinkoff, and Shelly Berger manager of
The Temptations The Temptations is an American vocal group formed in Detroit, Michigan, in 1961 as The Elgins, known for their string of successful singles and albums with Motown from the 1960s to the mid-1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield ...
. In 2019 he was made a
Artistic Associate
at Amas Music Theatre. He produced the James Parks Morton Interfaith Award honoring
Dr. Ruth Westheimer Karola Ruth Westheimer (née Siegel; June 4, 1928 – July 12, 2024), better known as Dr. Ruth, was a German and American sex therapist and talk show host. Westheimer was born in Germany to a Jewish family. As the Nazis came to power, her paren ...
and Bishop Curry in 2019. The event was hosted by
Mo Rocca Maurice Alberto "Mo" Rocca (born January 28, 1969) is an American humorist, journalist, and actor. He is a correspondent for ''CBS Sunday Morning'', the host and creator of ''My Grandmother's Ravioli'' on the Cooking Channel, and also the host of ...
. 2020 Cerullo directed Jen Chapin's ''Essential Stories''. Jen Chapin is the daughter of the late singer-songwriter
Harry Chapin Harry Forster Chapin (; December 7, 1942 – July 16, 1981) was an American singer-songwriter, philanthropist, and hunger activist best known for his folk rock and pop rock songs. He achieved worldwide success in the 1970s. Chapin, a Grammy Award- ...
. He also conceived, produced, and directe
With Love, Now and Forever!
CATSCOVIDRELIEF for
Broadway Cares Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) is an American nonprofit organization that raises funds for AIDS-related causes across the United States, headquartered in New York City. It is the theatre community's response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic. ...
COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund for
Actors Fund of America The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that supports performers and behind-the-scenes workers in performing arts and entertainment, helping more than 17,000 people directly each year. Se ...
. After 34 years the third National Touring Company of
Cats (musical) ''Cats'' is a sung-through musical theater, musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber. It is based on the 1939 poetry collection ''Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats'' by T. S. Eliot. The musical tells the story of a tribe of cats called the Je ...
reunited for this special event hosted by Broadway and TV star
Brian Stokes Mitchell Brian Stokes Mitchell (born October 31, 1957) is an American actor and singer. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theater since the 1990s. He has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a ...
and Tom Viola. He also appears on
Stars in the House ''Stars in the House'' is a daily live streamed web series created and hosted by Seth Rudetsky and his husband James Wesley to support The Actors Fund and its services. Created in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, ''Stars in t ...
as well as Broadway Network Podcast Cerullo, in 2021, made his Los Angeles directorial debut at the award-winning theatre, The Blank Theatre with Scott Barry's Hard On Love starring Los Angeles Drama Critics Award-winner
Rob Nagle Rob Nagle is an American actor, director, teacher, and acting coach. He is a member of the faculty at the Theatre of Arts Hollywood Acting School, the Art of Acting Studio, and the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. Early life and education ...
and from
RuPaul's Drag Race ''RuPaul's Drag Race'' is an American reality competition television series, the first in the Drag Race (franchise), ''Drag Race'' franchise, produced by World of Wonder (company), World of Wonder for Logo TV (season 1–8), WOW Presents Plus, ...
Brita Filter Brita Filter, the stage name of Jesse Carl Havea, is an American drag queen who has appeared on '' Shade: Queens of NYC'' and the twelfth season of ''RuPaul's Drag Race'', ultimately placing 9th. Early life and career Havea was born in Anthem, ...
aka Jesse Havea. Cerullo wrote the script for Amas Musical Theatre's 2021 gala AMAS YOU LOVE, a Heart to Heart Celebration. Directed by Maria Torres, hosted by Justina Machado, and receiving the 2021 Rosie Award was Tony Award-winner Lillias White. In May he wrote the tribute segment to
Sheryl Lee Ralph Sheryl Lee Ralph (born December 30, 1956) is an American actress and singer. Known for her performances on stage and screen, she earned acclaim for her role as Deena Jones in the Broadway musical ''Dreamgirls'' (1981), for which she was nomi ...
recipient of
Amas Musical Theatre Amas Musical Theatre, also known as the Rosetta LeNoire Theatre Academy and the Mainstage Musical Theatre, and formerly known as the Amas Repertory Theatre, Inc. and the Eubie Blake Youth Theatre, is a non-profit Manhattan-based theatre organizati ...
's Rosie Award presented to her by
Brian Stokes Mitchell Brian Stokes Mitchell (born October 31, 1957) is an American actor and singer. A powerful baritone, he has been one of the central leading men of the Broadway theater since the 1990s. He has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, a ...
In December of 2023, Cerullo, an original cast member, directed for the
New York Public Library for the Performing Arts The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts, Dorothy and Lewis B. Cullman Center, is located at 40 Lincoln Center Plaza, in the Lincoln Center complex on the Upper West Side in Manhattan, New York City. Situated between the Metropolitan O ...
at
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
of Legs Diamond, the musical, in Concert & Conversation starring original cast members, Brenda Braxton,
Bob Stillman Bob Stillman (born December 2, 1954, in New York City) is an American actor, singer, and songwriter. Biography Stillman studied piano at Juilliard, and composition at Princeton University. He made his Broadway theatre, Broadway debut in ''Grand H ...
,
Christine Andreas Christine Andreas (born October 1, 1951) is an American Broadway actress and singer. Early life and education Andreas was born on October 1, 1951, in Camden, New Jersey, to James Francis Andreas, a systems analyst, and Teresa Cecilia Genovese An ...
and Randall Edwards. The musical was written by Peter Allen,
Charles Suppon Charles Suppon (1949-1989) was an American fashion designer. Suppon was born in Collinsville, Illinois in 1949, and studied in Chicago. He came to New York and began working for Calvin Klein as an assistant on the recommendation of Chester Weinbe ...
and
Harvey Fierstein Harvey Forbes Fierstein ( ; born June 6, 1952) is an American actor, playwright, and screenwriter, known for his distinctive gravelly voice. He gained notice for his theater work in '' Torch Song Trilogy'', winning both the Tony Award for Best ...
. The evening was moderated and hosted by
Broadway World BroadwayWorld is a theatre news website based in New York City, New York. Launched in 2003, the site covers Broadway, Off-Broadway, regional, and international theater productions, with sections devoted to particular countries, cities, or regi ...
's Richard Ridge. Amas Musical Theater's 55-year Benefit Gala honoring Patricia Birch and Len Cariou was directed and staged by Cerullo featuring
Lorna Luft Lorna Luft (born November 21, 1952) is an American actress and singer. She is the daughter of Judy Garland and Sidney Luft, the sister of Joey Luft and the half-sister of Liza Minnelli. Early life Luft was born on November 21, 1952, at Saint Jo ...
,
Liz Callaway Liz Callaway (born April 13, 1961) is an American actress, singer and recording artist, who is best known for having provided the singing voices of many female characters in animated films, such as Anya (Anastasia), Anastasia in ''Anastasia (1997 ...
,
Hugh Panaro Hugh Panaro (born February 19, 1964) is an American actor and singer. He is best known for his work in Broadway stage musicals, most well known for his role in ''The Phantom of the Opera'' being in over 2,000 performances in the Broadway producti ...
, and
Lee Roy Reams Lee Roy Reams (born August 23, 1942) is an American musical theatre actor, singer, dancer, choreographer, and director. Early life and career Born in Covington, Kentucky, Reams earned a Master of Arts degree and was awarded an honorary doctor ...
. https://playbill.com/article/patricia-birch-and-len-cariou-to-be-honored-at-55th-annual-amas-musical-theatre-benefit-gala


Awards and nominations


References


External links

* * *
JSCTheatricals, LLC

www.thenaughtynaughtypetsmusical.com

www.mrpuppythemusical.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cerullo, Jon 1960 births Living people American choreographers American theatre directors American male actors Male actors from Mount Vernon, New York