Rob Ashford (born November 19, 1959) is an American stage director and choreographer. He is a

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 c ...

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply the Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognise excellence in professional theatre in London at an annual ceremony in the capital. The awards were originally known a ...

Emmy Award The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...

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. F ...

, and

Outer Critics Circle Award The Outer Critics Circle Awards are presented annually for theatrical achievements both on Broadway and Off-Broadway. They are presented by the Outer Critics Circle (OCC), the official organization of New York theater writers for out-of-town newsp ...

winner.

Early life and education

Born in

Orlando, Florida Orlando () is a city in the U.S. state of Florida and is the county seat of Orange County. In Central Florida, it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2,509,831, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures re ...

and raised in

Beckley, West Virginia Beckley is a city in and the county seat of Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. It was founded on April 4, 1838. This city is the home of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology or West Virginia University, Beckley Campus. ...

, Ashford attended

Washington and Lee University , mottoeng = "Not Unmindful of the Future" , established = , type = Private liberal arts university , academic_affiliations = , endowment = $2.092 billion (2021) , president = William C. Dudley , provost = Lena Hill , city = Lexington ...

, Lexington, Virginia, in the pre-law program, graduating in 1982. He became interested in theatre with his work in the theatre department, and went on to study dance at Pittsburgh's Point Park University Conservatory of Performing Arts, graduating in 1983. He performed in the Pittsburgh theatre scene while in college, appearing with such companies as

Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera (Pittsburgh CLO) is a nonprofit professional theater company based in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Despite its name, the organization presents musical theatre classics rather ...

. After graduation, Ashford moved to New York City, where he shared an apartment with friend and fellow choreographer Kathleen Marshall.

Career

Broadway and Off-Broadway

As a dancer, Ashford made his Broadway debut in the 1987 Lincoln Center revival of '' Anything Goes'' starring

Patti LuPone Patti Ann LuPone (born April 21, 1949) is an American actress and singer best known for her work in musical theater. She has won three Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards, two Grammy Awards, and was a 2006 inductee to the American Theater Hall of F ...

. Productions of '' The Most Happy Fella'' (1992), '' Crazy for You'' (1992), ''

My Favorite Year ''My Favorite Year'' is a 1982 American comedy film released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, directed by Richard Benjamin and written by Norman Steinberg and Dennis Palumbo from a story written by Palumbo. The film tells the story of a young comedy wr ...

'' (1992) (also Dance Captain), '' Victor/Victoria'' (1995) (also Dance Captain) and ''

Parade A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of s ...

'' (1998) (also Dance Captain and Assistant Choreographer) followed. Ashford began working as a choreographer when Rob Marshall sent Ashford to re-stage '' Kiss of the Spider Woman'' in Buenos Aires. He next served as Associate Choreographer to Kathleen Marshall on the Broadway revival of ''Ring Round the Moon'' in 1999 the 1999 Broadway revival of '' Kiss Me, Kate'', and '' Seussical'' in 2000. Ashford won the 2002 Tony Award for Best Choreography for the Broadway musical ''

Thoroughly Modern Millie ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' is a 1967 American musical- romantic comedy film directed by George Roy Hill and starring Julie Andrews. The screenplay, by Richard Morris based on the 1956 British musical ''Chrysanthemum'', follows a naïve yo ...

'' (2002). Additional Broadway choreography credits include the

Roundabout Theatre 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 Elizab ...

production of '' The Boys from Syracuse'' at the

American Airlines Theatre The American Airlines Theatre, originally the Selwyn Theatre, is a Broadway theater at 227 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Built in 1918, it was designed by George Keister and developed by br ...

in 2002, ''

The Wedding Singer ''The Wedding Singer'' is a 1998 American romantic comedy film directed by Frank Coraci, written by Tim Herlihy, and produced by Robert Simonds and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore, and Christine Taylor, and tell ...

'' (2006) (Tony Nomination), ''

Curtains A curtain is a piece of cloth or other material intended to block or obscure light, air drafts, or (in the case of a shower curtain), water. A curtain is also the movable screen or drape in a theatre that separates the stage from the auditorium ...

'' (2007) (Tony Nomination), ''Cry-Baby'' (2008) (Tony Nomination) and '' Evita'' starring Ricky Martin (2012) (Tony Nomination). He directed and choreographed '' Promises, Promises'' starring Sean Hayes and

Kristin Chenoweth Kristin Dawn Chenoweth (; born Kristi Dawn Chenoweth; July 24, 1968)Kristin Cheno ...

in 2010 (Tony Nomination for Best Choreography) and ''

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' may refer to: * ''How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying'' (book), a 1952 book written by Shepherd Mead and the inspiration for the musical of the same name. * ''How to Succeed in Bu ...

'' starring

Daniel Radcliffe Daniel Jacob Radcliffe (born 23 July 1989) is an English actor. He rose to fame at age twelve, when he began portraying Harry Potter in the film series of the same name; and has held various other film and theatre roles. Over his career, Rad ...

and

John Laroquette John Bernard Larroquette (; born November 25, 1947) is an American actor. He is known for his starring roles in the NBC military drama series ''Baa Baa Black Sheep'' (1976–1978), the NBC sitcom '' Night Court'' (1984–1992; for which he recei ...

in 2011, receiving Tony Nominations for Best Direction of a Musical and Best Choreography of a Musical. He also directed Scarlett Johansson in the 2012 revival of "

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof ''Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'' is a three-act play written by Tennessee Williams. An adaptation of his 1952 short story "Three Players of a Summer Game", the play was written by him between 1953 and 1955. One of Williams's more famous works and his p ...

" on Broadway. For the New York City Center

Encores! Encores! is a Tony-honored concert series dedicated to performing rarely heard American musicals, usually with their original orchestrations. Presented by New York City Center since 1994, Encores! has revived shows by Irving Berlin, Rodgers & ...

staged concert series, Ashford has choreographed: '' Tenderloin'' (2000), ''

Bloomer Girl ''Bloomer Girl'' is a 1944 Broadway musical with music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by E.Y. Harburg, and a book by Sig Herzig and Fred Saidy, based on an unpublished play by writer Daniel Lewis James and his wife Lilith.Suskin, 89 The plot concerns ...

'' (2001), '' A Connecticut Yankee'' (2001), and ''

Pardon My English ''Pardon My English'' is a musical with a book by Herbert Fields and Morrie Ryskind, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Set in 1933 Dresden, the farcical plot satirizes the Prohibition era. Production history Producers Alex ...

'' (2004). He directed and choreographed a 2010 pre-Broadway production of '' Leap of Faith'' at the Ahmanson Theater in Los Angeles. In April 2015, Ashford directed and choreographed an acclaimed production of ''

Carousel A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in SA) is a type of amusement ride consisting of a rotating circular pl ...

'' for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, starring Laura Osnes and Steven Pasquale. Ashford served as the choreographer of the musical '' Frozen''. Off-Broadway credits include ''Pardon My English'' (2004), ''The Thing About Men'' (2003), ''Bloomer Girl'' (2001), ''A Connecticut Yankee'' (2001), and ''Time and Again'' (2001).

London

In London, Ashford's directing credits include: ''Parade'' at the

Donmar Warehouse The Donmar Warehouse is a 251-seat, not-for-profit theatre in Covent Garden, London, England. It first opened on 18 July 1977. Sam Mendes, Michael Grandage and Josie Rourke have all served as artistic director, a post held since 2019 by Mi ...

(2007) (Olivier Nominations for Best Director and Best Theatre Choreographer) and ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' in 2009 at the Donmar Warehouse starring Rachel Weisz (Olivier nomination, Best Revival). He directed a revival of ''Anna Christie'', starring

Jude Law David Jude Heyworth Law (born 29 December 1972) is an English actor. He received a British Academy Film Award, as well as nominations for two Academy Awards, two Tony Awards, and four Golden Globe Awards. In 2007, he received an Honorary Cés ...

and

Ruth Wilson Ruth Wilson (born 13 January 1982) is an English actress. She is known for her performances as the eponymous protagonist in ''Jane Eyre'' (2006), as Alice Morgan in the BBC psychological crime drama ''Luther'' (2010–2013, 2019), as Alison L ...

at the Donmar Warehouse in 2011. This production won the Olivier Award for Best Revival. Ashford co-directed, with Jason Moore, the West End production of ''Shrek The Musical'', which ran from 2011 to 2013 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. For the

Manchester International Festival The Manchester International Festival is a biennial international arts festival, with a specific focus on original new work, held in the English city of Manchester and run by Factory International. The festival is a biennial event, first tak ...

, Ashford directed

Kenneth Branagh Sir Kenneth Charles Branagh (; born 10 December 1960) is a British actor and filmmaker. Branagh trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and has served as its president since 2015. He has won an Academy Award, four BAFTAs (plus ...

and Alex Kingston in ''

Macbeth ''Macbeth'' (, full title ''The Tragedie of Macbeth'') is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. It is thought to have been first performed in 1606. It dramatises the damaging physical and psychological effects of political ambition on those w ...

'' in 2013. The production transferred to the Park Ave Armory in New York City for a limited run in June 2014. His choreography credits include ''Evita'' (2007 Olivier Nomination, Best Theatre Choreographer), ''Guys and Dolls'' at the Piccadilly Theatre starring Ewan McGregor and Jane Krakowski (2006 Olivier nomination for Best Theatre Choreographer), and ''Thoroughly Modern Millie'' at the Shaftesbury Theatre (2004 Olivier nomination for Best Theatre Choreographer). He directed and choreographed a musical version of the film '' Finding Neverland'' which premièred in autumn 2012 at Curve, Leicester.

Royal National Theatre The Royal National Theatre in London, commonly known as the National Theatre (NT), is one of the United Kingdom's three most prominent publicly funded performing arts venues, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company and the Royal Opera House. I ...

choreography credits include ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' (2004) and '' Once in a Lifetime'' in 2005. He directed and choreographed the new Gershwin musical ''A Damsel In Distress'' for Chichester Festival Theatre in 2015. In 2016, he co-directed ''

The Winter's Tale ''The Winter's Tale'' is a play by William Shakespeare originally published in the First Folio of 1623. Although it was grouped among the comedies, many modern editors have relabelled the play as one of Shakespeare's late romances. Some cri ...

'' with Branagh in a production that starred Branagh and

Judi Dench Dame Judith Olivia Dench (born 9 December 1934) is an English actress. Regarded as one of Britain's best actresses, she is noted for her versatile work in various films and television programmes encompassing several genres, as well as for her ...

, and he also directed Branagh in '' The Entertainer'', for London's West End.

Film and television

Film credits include staging the musical numbers for the Bobby Darin biopic '' Beyond the Sea'' starring

Kevin Spacey Kevin Spacey Fowler (born July 26, 1959) is an American actor. He began his career as a stage actor during the 1980s, obtaining supporting roles before gaining a leading man status in film and television. Spacey has received various accolade ...

Seth MacFarlane Seth Woodbury MacFarlane (; born October 26, 1973) is an American actor, animator, filmmaker, comedian, and singer. He is the creator and star of the television series '' Family Guy'' (since 1999) and '' The Orville'' (since 2017), and co-creat ...

's ''

A Million Ways to Die in the West ''A Million Ways to Die in the West'' is a 2014 American Western dark comedy film directed by Seth MacFarlane and written by MacFarlane, Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild. The film features an ensemble cast including MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Am ...

'' and '' Ted 2'', and the Disney film ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'' directed by

. For television, Ashford has choreographed tributes to

Andrew Lloyd Webber Andrew Lloyd Webber, Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948), is an English composer and impresario of musical theatre. Several of his musicals have run for more than a decade both in the West End and on Broadway. He has composed 21 musical ...

Barbra Streisand Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers awar ...

, Jerry Hermann,

Meryl Streep Mary Louise Meryl Streep (born June 22, 1949) is an American actress. Often described as "the best actress of her generation", Streep is particularly known for her versatility and accent adaptability. She has received numerous accolades throu ...

, Barbara Cook,

Shirley MacLaine Shirley MacLaine (born Shirley MacLean Beaty, April 24, 1934) is an American actress, author, and former dancer. Known for her portrayals of quirky, strong-willed and eccentric women, MacLaine has received numerous accolades over her seven-dec ...

, and

Tom Hanks Thomas Jeffrey Hanks (born July 9, 1956) is an American actor and filmmaker. Known for both his comedic and dramatic roles, he is one of the most popular and recognizable film stars worldwide, and is regarded as an American cultural icon. Ha ...

for

The Kennedy Center Honors The Kennedy Center Honors are annual honors given to those in the performing arts for their lifetime of contributions to American culture. They have been presented annually since 1978, culminating each December in a gala celebrating five hono ...

. He was the choreographer for the Kennedy Center Honors in 2007 and 2009, and also a co-producer for 2011, 2012 and 2014. He collaborated with filmmaker Baz Luhrmann on a production number featuring

Hugh Jackman Hugh Michael Jackman (born 12 October 1968) is an Australian actor. Beginning in theatre and television, he landed his breakthrough role as James "Logan" Howlett / Wolverine in the 20th Century Fox ''X-Men'' film series (2000–2017), a role ...

and

Beyoncé Knowles Beyoncé Giselle Knowles-Carter ( ; born September 4, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. Beyoncé's boundary-pushing artistry and vocals have made her the most influential female musician of the 21st century, according to ...

for The 81st Annual

Academy Awards The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

, and won the 2009 Emmy Award for Outstanding Choreography. He also served as choreographer for the

85th Academy Awards The 85th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2012 and took place on February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p. ...

(2013),

86th Academy Awards The 86th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2013 and took place on March 2, 2014, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 p.m. ...

(2014), and the

87th Academy Awards The 87th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), honored the best films of 2014 and took place on February 22, 2015, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles beginning at 5:30 ...

(2015). In December 2013, Ashford was stage director and choreographer of NBC's live television presentation, '' The Sound of Music Live!'', and received a DGA Award Nomination, and an Emmy Award nomination. Ashford then did the same for NBC's '' Peter Pan Live!'' in 2014, for which he received another DGA Award Nomination.

Other

Asford choreographed the opening number of the 2013 Tonys, "Make it Bigger". Ashford choreographed a new production of ''Candide'' at the Theatre du Chatelet (with subsequent productions at La Scala, Milan and The English National Opera). He directed ''The Barber of Seville'' for the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which began performances on February 1, 2014. He directed and choreographed ''Carmen'' at the Houston Grand Opera in April and May 2014. Ashford is on the executive committee of The Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Board of Trustees of The

Joyce Theater The Joyce Theater (“The Joyce") is a 472-seat dance performance venue located in the Chelsea neighborhood of New York City. The building opened in 1941 as the Elgin Theater, a movie house, and was gut-renovated and reconfigured in 1981-82 to re ...

, Artists' Committee for the Kennedy Center Honors, and has been an associate director at

The Old Vic The Old Vic is a 1,000-seat, not-for-profit producing theatre in Waterloo, London, England. Established in 1818 as the Royal Coburg Theatre, and renamed in 1833 the Royal Victoria Theatre. In 1871 it was rebuilt and reopened as the Royal ...

since 2012. In 2011, the ''

New York Observer New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator ...

'' listed Ashford as number 42 on "The New Power Gays: NYC’s Top 50" list; Ashford was selected for ''

Out Out may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Out'' (1957 film), a documentary short about the Hungarian Revolution of 1956 * ''Out'' (1982 film), an American film directed by Eli Hollander * ''Out'' (2002 film), a Japanese film ba ...

'' magazine's "Out 100" in 2013.

Upcoming projects

In February 2019, it was announced that Ashford would direct a film adaptation of

's stage musical '' Sunset Boulevard'', starring Glenn Close.

Credits (select)

Broadway

*''

'' (2002) (Tony Award) *'' The Boys from Syracuse'' (2002) *''

'' (2006) (Tony Award nomination, Drama Desk Award nomination) *''

'' (2007) (Tony Award nomination) *'' Cry-Baby'' (2008) (Tony Award nomination, Drama Desk Award winner (Outstanding Choreography), Fred and Adele Astaire Award, and Outer Critics Circle Award) *'' Promises, Promises'' (2010) (Tony Award nomination for Choreography, Outer Critics Circle Award Nomination for Outstanding Choreographer) *''

'' (Tony Award nomination, Drama Desk Award nominations (Outstanding Director of a Musical and Outstanding Choreography), Outer Critics Circle Award nomination,

Astaire Award The Chita Rivera Awards for Dance and Choreography (previously titled the Fred and Adele Astaire Awards) celebrate outstanding dance and choreography in theatre, both on Broadway and Off-Broadway and in film at an annual ceremony in New York City ...

nomination) (2011) *'' Evita'' (2012) (Tony Award nomination, Drama Desk Award nomination, Outer Critics Circle Award nomination,

nomination) *''

'' (2013) *'' Frozen'' (2018)

London

*''

'' (2003) (Olivier Award nomination) *''

Guys and Dolls ''Guys and Dolls'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. It is based on " The Idyll of Miss Sarah Brown" (1933) and "Blood Pressure", which are two short stories by Damon Runyon, and also b ...

'' (2005) (Olivier Award nomination) *'' Evita'' (2006) (Olivier Award nomination) *

(2008) (Olivier Award nominations for Direction and Choreography) *''

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum ''A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart. Inspired by the farces of the Ancient Rome, ancient Roman playwright Plautu ...

'' (

) *'' Once in a Lifetime'' (2005) (Royal National Theatre) *''

Candide ( , ) is a French satire written by Voltaire, a philosopher of the Age of Enlightenment, first published in 1759. The novella has been widely translated, with English versions titled ''Candide: or, All for the Best'' (1759); ''Candide: or, Th ...

'' (2008) – new production at the

English National Opera English National Opera (ENO) is an opera company based in London, resident at the London Coliseum in St Martin's Lane. It is one of the two principal opera companies in London, along with The Royal Opera. ENO's productions are sung in English ...

(With subsequent productions at La Scala, Milan and La Chatelet Theatre, Paris) *''

A Streetcar Named Desire ''A Streetcar Named Desire'' is a play written by Tennessee Williams and first performed on Broadway on December 3, 1947. The play dramatizes the experiences of Blanche DuBois, a former Southern belle who, after encountering a series of per ...

'' (2009, Donmar Warehouse) (Olivier Award nomination) *''

Anna Christie ''Anna Christie'' is a play in four acts by Eugene O'Neill. It made its Broadway debut at the Vanderbilt Theatre on November 2, 1921. O'Neill received the 1922 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for this work. According to historian Paul Avrich, the ...

'' (2011) (Olivier Award Best Revival)

References

External links

* * *
Biography American Theatre WingListing London Theatre Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ashford, Rob 1959 births American choreographers American male dancers Primetime Emmy Award winners LGBT choreographers LGBT dancers LGBT people from West Virginia Living people People from Beckley, West Virginia People from Orlando, Florida Point Park University alumni Tony Award winners Woodrow Wilson High School (Beckley, West Virginia) alumni Washington and Lee University alumni