Nicholas Dante (November 22, 1941 – May 21, 1991
from ''New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'', 22 May 1991) was an American dancer and writer, best known for having co-written the book of the musical ''
A Chorus Line
''A Chorus Line'' is a 1975 musical with music by Marvin Hamlisch, lyrics by Edward Kleban, and a book by James Kirkwood Jr. and Nicholas Dante.
Set on the bare stage of a Broadway theater, the musical is centered on seventeen Broadway dancers ...
''. He was the first Latino to win a
Pulitzer Prize for Drama
The Pulitzer Prize for Drama is one of the seven American Pulitzer Prizes that are annually awarded for Letters, Drama, and Music. It is one of the original Pulitzers, for the program was inaugurated in 1917 with seven prizes, four of which were a ...
.
Biography
Born Conrado Morales in New York City to Puerto Rican parents, his early career was spent dancing in the chorus of Broadway musicals such as Applause and Ambassador.
In 1974, he was approached by his friend Michael Bennett who invited him to the sessions which led to the basis of material for the book of a musical about Broadway "gypsies", the dancers who serve as a backdrop for the leading performers. Eventually, collaborating with
James Kirkwood Jr.
James Kirkwood Jr. (August 22, 1924 – April 21, 1989) was an American playwright, author and actor. In 1976 he received the Tony Award, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Book of a Musical, and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the Broadway ...
, the result was ''A Chorus Line'', which earned him the 1976 Tony Award and Drama Desk Award for Best Book of a Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. In particular, the story of Paul, the gay Puerto Rican dancer whose early career consisted of working in a drag show, was based primarily on Dante. The actor who originated the role with the famous monologue, Sammy Williams, won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical award in 1976 for the role. Dante played the role himself later on.
He authored a screenplay, ''Fake Lady'', and a stage musical based on the life of entertainer Al Jolson entitled ''Jolson Tonight'', but never again achieved the success he did with ''A Chorus Line''.
Death
Dante died on May 21, 1991, aged 49, from AIDS-related complications in New York City.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dante, Nicholas
1941 births
1991 deaths
Tony Award winners
Pulitzer Prize for Drama winners
American gay writers
Drama Desk Award winners
American people of Puerto Rican descent
AIDS-related deaths in New York (state)
LGBT dramatists and playwrights
20th-century American dramatists and playwrights
American male dramatists and playwrights
20th-century American male writers
LGBT Hispanic and Latino American people
20th-century LGBT people